The common objects of everyday life take on new meaning through the interpretations of artist Annie Lee. Also utilizing the screen-printing method, Annie achieves a lacquer look by applying often 10 or more layers of ink on birch wood blocks, giving new meaning to daily life. "Through this process, I capture images of mundane objects that can be seen in everyday life. The common, the ordinary, we often forget their presence, we ignore them for more pressing and important items and activities but these forgotten are the essence of our modernity. In my work, each object becomes the (re)focus of the audience¹s attention, for a moment, sometimes-even longer."

Beverly Ellstrand studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago, Northeastern University in Chicago and Chicago Academy of Fine Art. She works in a wide range of mediums including painting, drawing and printmaking. Beverly's unique printmaking works, exhibited in the INK show include reductive mono prints, double mono prints and collagraphs. Her piece titled Nest Eggs was created using the negative technique of reductive printing, which produces a single, one of a kind print.

 

Also working with the wood cut, artist Bobbi Meier draws on organic subject matter for her inspiration. "These images represent an exploration of hats as visual symbols for the human that wore them. In my search to visualize the many "hats" that I wear I stumbled on the realization that certain hats can conjure images of famous, infamous and not-so-famous people." The pillbox hat was inspired by Bobbi¹s memories of Jackie Kennedy from the 1960's Her print Mystery Man developed out of a memory of her father "and his "business-man" fedora that he wore to work everyday on his way to the train"

 

Elaine Kreuz 

The time that Elaine Kreuz studied art in Italy and traveled Europe inspired some of the work she has exhibited in the INK show. Elaine¹s lithographs and etchings invite the viewer into haunting worlds of shadow and light drawing on the mystery of ancient landscapes. Juxtaposed to the historic method and subject matter of these lithographs and etchings are her modern, colorful serigraphs, both in subject and print method. While continuing the theme of shadow and light Elaine's works, Sidewalk Shadow and Silhouette at Easel, employ a photo-transfer silkscreen method, bringing the viewer back into the present.

 

Nicole Martin 

The mono prints of artist Nicole Martin also use the transfer printing process combined with collage, to present a body of work that explores her memories and observations on the fragility, curiosity and fantasy of childhood. "Using a combination of décollage, etchings, gel medium transfer, collage, and drawing, each print is unique and captures the scrawling, layered, often uncomfortable feelings of children." Nicole¹s work draws the viewer in to the complexity of the artist¹s childhood memories. She invites us to share her observations stating, "Viewers are encouraged to come in for a close look."

 

Artist Rhonda Popko reveals private moments in her series, Daily Thoughts. She explains, "Conversations, life experiences and what happens each day, leaves me with more ideas than I'll ever have time for! But, after years of teaching young students art and explaining that artists¹ work is the result of what they see around them I find myself responding to the images I see in newspapers on a daily basis. Life happens all around us each day and so much of it slips away, never to be remembered, unless we record the idea or image in some way." Using a transfer printing process combined with watercolor and collage, Rhonda shares with the viewer moments of humor, sadness, warmth and tradition.

 

Artist Roland Kulla draws inspiration for his wood cut prints from Chicago's many bridges. "I select certain elements and eliminate background context in order to emphasize form. Abstracted from their surroundings the bridges take on new aspects. Some look dangerous, others elegant." Roland began to adapt bridge subjects for the printmaking process in 2004. He chose wood cuts because " the process seemed relatively straightforward." Roland states, "the subjects appear "real", but this is a deliberate illusion. The forms show an idealized version of their reality."

 

 

Steven Meier 

"A desire for collecting, as a way of preserving memory, came together simultaneously with my discovery of stone as a unique drawing medium," artist Steven Meier explains about the lithographs exhibited in the INK show. "The 'collections' represented here attempt to preserve both nature and the memory of experience. My background as a designer/draftsman allowed me to appreciate the precise way in which the stone surface accepted detail and the nuances of etching and inking. In this particular experience, art became the process of coaxing the right visual expression from the stone."

 

Tom Dieschbourg 

For artist Tom Dieschbourg art and design have been a way of life for over 30 years. Tom was drawn into the fine arts while studying at the American Academy of Art in the late 1960's, where he focused on figure drawing, later moving to graphic arts and printmaking. Throughout his career Tom has produced extensive work in the fields of figure drawing, printmaking, graphic arts, charcoal, oils and watercolor. Tom's etchings, featured in the INK show, cover a broad range of styles and techniques.