by Christina Xan
All three of our nominees for Jasper Artist of the Year in Visual Arts have had incredible years, together participating in a plethora of solo shows in and out of the state, juried art competitions, and artist-in-residence positions – many of which resulted in awards.
Keep reading to get to know our nominees and to find out which artists have inspired them throughout their artistic endeavors.
MICHAEL KRAJEWSKI
Michael Krajewski is a self-taught artist from Columbia, South Carolina. His style has been described as Neo expressionist, but he is less concerned with labeling than with creating from an authentic, mindful space and expressing what he's feeling and experiencing in the moment. He works in mixed media and has experimented with everything from video / multimedia integrations to painting live on models.
Krajewski is humbled and excited to be nominated and is thankful to everyone who has supported his work in this year and the past (so much so he woke up early and answered questions for this article in a record 2 minutes).
CHRISTOPHER LANE
Born in Minnesota in 1968, Lane has been creating stories in his art for decades. His works often offer historical, political or spiritual narratives, and each painting can usually be broken down into several separate paintings or scenes yet are cohesive in theme. He uses symbolism, colors, and double imagery, along with many other techniques, to create an elaborate narrative on canvas. His goal: to draw the viewer into the work, seeing something for the first time, each time.
Lane is thankful for the opportunity of this nomination, especially this year in which he put thousands of hours towards his solo exhibition Resist Division, which speaks directly to our current political crisis. As he says, “To receive recognition for this body of work gives me hope that society can put aside their differences and work together to advocate for a resistance of the divisive leadership our present government offers.”
OLGA YUKHNO
Originally from Russia, Yukhno is now the Gallery Director for the School of Visual Art and Design at UofSC. After dabbling in multiple art forms, Yukhno found a home in ceramic sculpting, where she feels that she has no limits. She can create anything that she can – and can’t – imagine. No two of her completely handmade pieces are ever identical. She is influenced by the way the human mind works, and her work ranges from jewelry to sculptures.
Yukhno is happy to be nominated, especially in 2019. This year is special for her; she says, “I was able to create and exhibit several bodies of work that represent very important topics for me, such as social justice, division in our society and, of course, the theme that I feel particularly passionate about - dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions.”
Inspiration
I asked all three of our JAY nominees what artist, big or small, has been the biggest influence in their artistic careers. From three people, I discovered an array of unique inspirations.
Looking back on his career, Lane recognizes inspiration from a plethora of artists and time periods. However, he states his biggest artistic influence is Salvador Dalí. Lane comments that “Dalí’s work is deeply complex and forces one to truly contemplate it.” Beyond just the canvas, Dalí shared a unique love with his muse, his wife Gala. Lane shares this connection with his own partner, Lisa.
While their names might not be as vastly known as Dalí, Yukhno remembers two just as important artists, her Russian mentor, Nikolaj Mickhailovich Vdovkin; and North Carolina Sculptor, Lisa Clague. These figures are hallmarks in Yukhno’s work, as she states, “not only did they allow me the privilege to learn from them, but they also helped me find my voice and my own path in art, supporting me creatively and personally.”
Muses don’t have to come from names you can find on gallery walls, though. For nominee Krajewski, his biggest inspiration is his older brother, Joe, who created art when he was younger and inspired Krajewski to begin drawing as well. Family is a corner stone for Krajewski, as he elaborates, his parents, George & Eveline, “always encouraged me to explore my imagination.”
Whether family, mentors, local artists, or the prominent names we’ve come to know and love, one of the biggest lessons to learn from our Jasper nominees is that inspiration for art can come from anyone. It can be from the Van Gogh print you keep on your wall or from the way you remember your mother’s smile. Whatever it is, always be willing to take that chance and create something all your own, just like these artists do every day.
