Artist Statement

The natural forms that permeate our world too often become background patterns in our hectic lives. For the most part, people no longer feel the wonder of the complexities and intricacies seen in forms such as a single seedpod. All too often one walks by a scene or object without noticing it. What happens when we slow down to truly notice and examine what is around us? I am in constant awe of God’s creations around us every day. Examining these organic forms allows me to reflect on the human disregard for so many things, while also reflecting on and bringing forth these rhythms of creation that are often unnoticed in our lives. I focus on the beauty I find within these natural forms. I work to bring attention and give power to the subtle changes and cycles in nature, as meaning can be found in the smallest things. The forms I work with, such as seeds, pods, and roots can be interpreted as seeds of faith, our journey in life, or seeds to a new beginning and renewal of life.

Through the drawing and printmaking techniques that I employ, I am able to achieve a wide range of tones and textures to complement the images and ideas. The velvety, endless black background in my charcoal drawings and mezzotints create a perfect drama for detailed renderings of natural havens such as Sanctuary and Refuge, the hopeful scattering of seed in Dispersion, the precious, intimate moments in the Solitude series, and the frailty of forms such as the Chinese lantern. The precious and sacred forms in my work are a way for me to explore our connection to the divine.

Biography

Julie Niskanen Skolozynski lives in Angier, NC where she creates artwork and teaches classes at her art studio - Rooster’s Crow Studio. She also gives demonstrations and workshops at conferences, universities, and art centers. She has a BFA from Iowa State University and an MFA in printmaking from the University of South Dakota. Julie is a member of the Washington Printmakers Gallery in Washington, D.C.; Davidson Galleries in Seattle; and Printmakers of North Carolina. In 2012 she was an artist in residence at Tryon Palace in New Bern, NC, funded through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2014, she was commissioned by Strathmore to create a print for the cover of their new printmaking paper. Her award-winning work has been exhibited internationally, and is in many private and public collections. Since 2009 she has participated in each biennial International Mezzotint Festival at the Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts in Ekaterinburg, Russia. In 2013, she was invited to give master classes at the Festival and had Russian news interviews about mezzotint and her career, and she has been invited back to participate and teach at the opening for the 2019 mezzotint festival. Other recent exhibitions include the International Mezzotint Invitational Exhibition at Davidson Galleries in Seattle, WA; La Manière Noire at the Kirkland Arts Center in Kirkland, WA; a solo exhibition at the Cary Arts Center in Cary, NC; and the Winter Show at the Greenhill Center for NC Art in Greensboro, NC.

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