Artist Profile: Kristin Vantrease (May-June 2024)

Welcome Kristin Vantrease to the Midtown Art Wall! Kristin creates beautiful minimalist landscapes using hand-carved linocuts. We love the way she renders complex mountain ranges, fields of berries, ocean, and cloudy skies in her pieces. We hope you’ll come see her pieces while they are in the shop in May and June!

We caught up with Kristin for some Q & A:

Tell us about what inspired the pieces for this collection?

This collection takes the word "aspect" in two different directions; printmaking and mountain topography. Each of these prints incorporates different aspects of the printmaking process and uses a variety of techniques. And regarding mountains, spring in Alaska reveals the dramatic contrasts between south and north facing mountain aspects. Shadow and sunshine. Bare ground and snow. I found myself paying attention to where the light was hitting the mountains and how to reveal that with my prints. For this collection I used reference photos from the Anchorage Front Range, Mt. Magnificent in Eagle River, Williwaw Peak in the Chugach, and looking across Turnagain Arm towards Hope Pt. and Alpenglow as well as Denali National Park.  With my paper colors I wanted to choose a color palette that would celebrate summer in Alaska. Lokta is my favorite paper to print on because I feel like the natural fiber and textures match the feel of my landscapes - it's handmade in Nepal using centuries old traditional techniques. 

Tell us a bit about yourself as an artist?

I'm a self-taught, professional printmaker living in Anchorage, usually distracted by the mountains. Each print is inspired by a specific photo that I've taken from places I hike, bike, or ski to, usually with friends. Once I'm back home I take the photos and translate them into sketches that eventually become a final print.  Some of the prints are inspired by places close to home, even viewpoints right off the road, like my print "Across the Arm" and others are from backcountry trips, "Ascent" and "Descent" were taken during a backpacking trip in Denali National Park. My goal as an artist is to create representations of the views that Alaskans love and share my interpretations of the places we love to explore and recreate. Rather than staying true to the photograph, I hope to capture the feeling of a day spent in the mountains. I'm always looking for the places where light and shadows collide in the mountains. 

What else would you like to share about your process, drive, or artistic journey?

This series allowed me to stretch myself by experimenting with a variety of different printmaking techniques, and to explore different styles and ways of representing textures. I get bored easily, so I'm always looking for something new: new styles and new landscapes.

Favorite Wild Scoops flavor? 

The Buttermilk Blueberry has me dreaming about summer right now!!

Fun fact?

This winter I kept myself energized in the art studio by taking lunchtime dance breaks.

How can we follow your art?

I try to show all the steps of the printmaking process, from the stories behind each print, as well as the sketches, carving and printing on Instagram @adriftprints. Folks can get in touch through email adriftprints@gmail.com, and my website adriftprints.com.