Regina Stadnik

Artist Statement:

In the time of ever accelerating lifestyles, my work celebrates the moments when we stand still, enjoying the beauty of a flower, the slow pace of a meal, or reading a good book on a rainy day. The prints and drawings I create, balance the whimsy and coziness of the classic fairy tales, using color, shape and texture to enchant and tell stories. I work in series, and the images follow and complement each other in a non-linear narrative.  

The inspiration for the series of monoprints was sparked when I saw a giant ginger flower at the Longwood Gardens in Delaware. The bold color of the bloom, its imposing presence and thick sculptural petals made me think of old magic and infinite beauty and menace of nature. I wanted to create a small universe of mystery and legend, where a toad waits for his pray in a dusky jungle and a princess searches for her beloved in the dark sky. I used the stencils to define bold shapes of the plants, followed by multiple layers of color to create the subtle dense atmosphere.

I enjoy printmaking as a physical process. I choose the printmaking techniques that are most direct: monoprint, drypoint and woodblock. These techniques do not allow for many revisions and erasures. In woodblock, I like the warmth of the wood grain and the balance of roughness and refinement produced when working with carving tools. Drypoint is akin to sketching, but the richness of the inked line gives it significance and substance. And monoprint allows for infinite possibilities with the simplest of means.

Regina Stadnik was born in Kiev, Ukraine where she attended art school. After moving to the US, she graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa with a BA in fine arts. After graduation Regina continued to take postgraduate classes in printmaking while exhibiting her work; she received the Emerging Artist grant from Hillsborough Arts Council and a purchase award from the University of South Florida. In 2008 Regina began her residency at Kala Art Institute, a printmaking studio and gallery in Berkeley, CA, where she has maintained studio practice until present. She recently received a purchase award from the San Francisco Arts Commission.

Regina works in several printmaking media, including woodblock, intaglio and monoprint. She combines these with drawing and collage. Her inspiration comes from mysteries, natural and otherwise.