ARTIST STATEMENT
My inspiration comes from my surrounding environment and the wild nature of West Michigan and the Great Lakes region, as well as fables, myth and folklore. The subject of my artwork is often influenced by those things that are a common occurrence in my environment and community, such as landscapes, landmarks, animals, people and the interaction between them. I enjoy working in many mediums, yet my main focus is printmaking, specializing in woodcuts, linoleum cuts, etchings, engravings and intaglio. I practice color reduction process, as well as using color plate methods. Most of my printmaking is done by directly working the plate. I usually draw directly onto the plate surface with permanent ink or pencil, then I begin to “work the plate”. My relief printing is usually performed by hand pulling with hand tools I have made special for the specific process. My intaglio/etching press is a small 12-inch Graphic Chemical tabletop press circa 1947, a larger etching press is in the plans for next year once the "Art Barn" I am building is complete. I also enjoy working with oil paints on canvas, woodworking and carving large sculptural projects from time to time. My hope, as always, is that the viewer enjoys my work as much as I enjoy creating it!
BIO
Andrew Jagniecki is a West Michigan artist. Andrew’s work has been juried in regional, national, and international shows. Recent shows have been the Grand Rapids Art Prize / the Muskegon Museum of Art Regional Show / MI Arts All Michigan All Media Visual Arts Competition in Holland, MI / "Okay to Print" joint exhibit at NCAA-Artsplace / the Midland Area Art Show / Print: Ann Arbor Art Center / Kyoto International Print Exchange in Japan / Midland Annual Art Show / Holland Area Arts Council Michigan Artist Show / Georgia Miniature Show / 4th Biennial International Footprint Competition and Exhibition at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking / Ann Arbor Printmaking Show / Platteville Print Show, University of Wisconsin at Platteville, Wisconsin / Boston Print Show, Boston Massachusetts / Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa Art Show, Czestochowa, Poland / 8th annual British Print / Grand Rapids "Art Prize" Competition / International Print Biennial Krakow Poland / National and International Print Exchanges / White Lake Arts Council, White River Gallery / Muskegon Museum of Art / Annual Members and Juried Exhibits, Durango Arts Center. Andrew has a BFA in Fine Art from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Allendale, Michigan. While at GVSU, Andrew studied, and worked as the assistant with well-known printmaker Takeshi Takahara. Andrew also studied in the Graduate Print Program at the University of Iowa under the direction of Mauricio Lasansky. Andrew often teaches printmaking workshops in West Michigan and Colorado.