Bio

Julie Niskanen Skolozynski is a busy mom of 6 kids, an artist and art teacher. She teaches art classes at her studio, Rooster’s Crow Studio in Angier, NC; as well as demonstrations and workshops at conferences, universities, and art centers. 

Born in Greenville, SC; several moves also took Julie to Newark, DE and Chicago, IL. Julie received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Iowa State University in 2005, and a Master of Fine Arts in printmaking from the University of South Dakota in 2008. She is a member of Davidson Galleries in Seattle and the Printmakers of North Carolina.

In 2012 she was an artist in residence at Tryon Palace in New Bern, NC, which was funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2014, Julie was commissioned by Strathmore to create a print for the cover of their new printmaking paper. Her award-winning work has been exhibited nationally and 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. Other recent exhibitions include the International Mezzotint Invitational Exhibition at Davidson Galleries in Seattle, WA; La Manière Noire – an international mezzotint exhibition 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.

Mezzotint Demonstration and Interview for the M.C. Escher Exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art

In 2015 Julie was interviewed about her work and the process of mezzotint by the North Carolina Museum of Art. Several videos were made from her demonstrations and interview and were included in the M.C. Escher printmaking exhibition “The Worlds of M. C. Escher: Nature, Science, and Imagination” at the museum (fall 2015 – Jan. 2016).

Read more about this on the museum’s website HERE.
The video can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/139641565

"Comprising more than 130 woodcuts, lithographs, wood engravings, and mezzotints, as well as numerous drawings, watercolors, wood blocks, and lithographic stones never before exhibited, The Worlds of M. C. Escher surveys the Dutch graphic artist’s entire career, from his earliest print to his final masterpiece.

The exhibition highlights Escher’s explorations of nature, mathematics, science, and the realm of his imagination. Escher’s best-known prints will be on view, as well as his lesser-known portraits and Italian landscapes, in the most comprehensive Escher exhibition ever presented in the United States.

The works are on loan from leading public Escher collections, including those at the National Gallery of Art and the National Gallery of Canada, as well as several of the foremost private collections."

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.

Brief Resume

(Full Resume can be viewed at the bottom)

Education

2005 – 08

• University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD

• MFA in printmaking with a graduate assistantship

2001 – 05

• Iowa State University, College of Design, Ames, IA

• BFA (concentration in printmaking, painting, and art history)

Teaching and Work Experience

2016 – Current

• Owner, artist, & teacher at Rooster’s Crow Studio, Angier, NC.

In January, 2016 I opened Rooster’s Crow Studio – my professional working studio and teaching studio. Here, I teach a variety of art courses to children and adults including drawing, printmaking, and painting.

2016 – 2022

Adjunct Art Instructor, Central Carolina Community College, Sanford, NC.

Taught Art Appreciation.

2014-2015

• Art Teacher, Cape Fear Christian Academy, Erwin, NC.

Taught elementary, middle school, and high school art. As the only art teacher for K-12, I ordered supplies, developed curriculum and assignments, and put on a student art show.

2014

• Adjunct Art Instructor, Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC.

Taught printmaking and art history.

2013 – 14

• Full-time Art Instructor, Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC.

2013

• Adjunct Art Instructor, Durham Technical Community College, Durham, NC.

Taught Drawing I.

2010 – 13

• Adjunct Art Instructor, Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC.

Taught Art History Survey I & II, Painting, Drawing, and Art Appreciation.

2010 – 11

• Adjunct Art Instructor, Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst, NC.

Taught Printmaking I & II, Art Appreciation, Art History Survey II, and Drawing II.

2008 – 10

• Adjunct Art Instructor, Central Carolina Community College, Sanford, NC.

Taught Drawing I and Art Appreciation.

• Adjunct Art Instructor, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville, NC.

Taught Drawing I, Art Appreciation, Art History Survey I, Art History Survey II, Printmaking I, Design I, Portfolio & Resume, and an Advanced Studio Art course. I also helped to get the new printmaking program up and running.

• Figure Drawing Moderator, Artspace Visual Art Center, Raleigh, NC.

2008 – 09

• Adjunct Art Instructor, Piedmont Community College, Roxboro, NC.

Taught Drawing I, Drawing II, Painting I, Art History Survey I, and Art Appreciation.

2006 – 08

• Art Instructor, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD.

Taught Drawing I courses which covered drawing and art fundamentals.

2005 – 06

• Assistant Exhibitions Curator of University Art Gallery, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD.

Arranged and installed exhibitions, organized vault and gallery storage rooms, matted and framed works.

2000 – 01

• North Shore Art League, Winnetka, IL.

Studio maintenance, inventory, assisted teaching children’s art classes.

Related Experience

2015

Was interviewed and filmed by the North Carolina Museum of Art about mezzotint for the M.C. Escher exhibition. In the video I demonstrated the entire mezzotint process from rocking a plate to printing. The video was included on the NCMA website and in the Escher exhibition.

2014

Commissioned to create a print for the cover of Strathmore’s new printmaking paper.

2013

Gave a series of master classes and spoke at the exhibition opening for the International Mezzotint Festival at the Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts, Ekaterinburg, Russia. Also was on several television news interviews about the mezzotint festival and spoke about the technique of mezzotint.

2010

Mezzotint: Invigorating A Traditional Method, mezzotint demonstration at the Mid America Print Council Conference, Minneapolis, MN

Interview with the Raleigh Television Network about my work in an exhibition at the Block Gallery in Raleigh: Dual Focus.

2009

Artist talk and demonstration at the reception for Natural Occurrences, solo exhibition at the Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington DC.

Visiting artist lecture and workshop at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Pembroke, NC.

2007

Assistant to Victoria Goro-Rapoport in an intaglio workshop and assistant to James Bailey in a book-making workshop at Frogman’s Print & Paper workshop.

2006

USD Art Foundations Committee Assistant to David Morrison in a stone lithography workshop at Frogman’s Print & Paper workshop.

2005 – 06

University Art Galleries Advisory Committee, University of South Dakota.

2005

Assistant to Cynthia Osborne in stone lithography course at Frogman’s Print & Paper workshop.

2004 – 05

Senator on the Design Council, Iowa State University.

President of Iowa State University Print Society, organized the annual international print exchange, installed exhibits, conducted meetings and workshops.

2004

Treasurer of Iowa State University Print Society.

Visiting Artist and Workshops Conducted

2017

Taught workshops at Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

Animal Creations
Drawing Techniques
Drawing From Nature

2016

Taught workshops at Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

Print It! Exploring printmaking
Everything Animals
Drawing Techniques
Drawing Techniques II

2013

Taught a mezzotint workshop – Rockin Out – at Frogman’s Print and Paper workshops, Vermillion, SD.

Gave a series of master classes at the International Mezzotint Festival, Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts, Ekaterinburg, Russia.

2012

Artist in Residence, Tryon Palace, New Bern, NC. Worked on a series of prints and drawings and led a series of printmaking workshops as part of a Challenge America Fast-Track Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Drawing with Charcoal: Nature Excursion, Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

Visiting artist at Francis Marion University, Florence, SC. Conducted a mezzotint demonstration, artist lecture, and dry-point workshop.

2011

Drawing with Charcoal, Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

Flower Frenzy, Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

2010

Drawing from Nature, Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

Drawing with Charcoal, Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

College Prep – Design Skills, Artspace Summer Art Program, Raleigh, NC.

2009

“Rock On II,” Conducted a series of mezzotint workshops at The Print Studio of 311 W. Martin Street Studios & Galleries, Raleigh, NC.

Visiting artist at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke, NC. Combined etching & mezzotint workshop, and visiting artist lecture.

"Acid Reigns," Conducted etching workshop at The Print Studio of 311 W. Martin Street Studios & Galleries, Raleigh, NC.

2008

“Rock On,” Conducted a series of mezzotint workshops at The Print Studio of 311 W. Martin Street Studios & Galleries, Raleigh, NC.

2007

Set up printmaking studio and conducted an etching workshop; taught non-toxic hard-ground and aquatint, Loyola Academy, Wilmette, IL.

2006

Mezzotint workshop, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.

Full resume can be viewed below: