BIO
Nikki Schwontkowski was born in Barrington, IL in 1989 and received a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to pursue a career as a fine artist. She had the privilege of interning for Summer 2010 at Tandem Press in Madison, one of three international professional printmaking studios in the country. Her work attempts to capture the universal essence of the human behavior mainly through a symbolic and energetic portrayal of spirit animals based in Eastern thought processes. Working spontaneously, and utilizing a range of mediums, she constructs mixed media, textured environmants easily likened to the complexities of the human experience. Her fine art has been shown in galleries throughout the Midwest, among these exhibitions in Stevens Point, Milwaukee, Manitowoc, Minneapolis, and Eureka. She has also been featured in such publications as The Stevens Point Journal, The Wausau City Pages and The Peoria Journal Star.
AWARDS
2011
-"Dick Blick Featured Artist of the Month" December, 2011
-Arts Bash Scholarship
-Student Research Grant for Creative Research
-Pointer Press Award for Printmaking Excellence
2010
-Pointer Press Award for Printmaking Excellence
2009
-Sophomore Portfolio Review Scholarship
2008
-Foundation Award for Excellence
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2012
-"At Dawn: New Works From Nicole Evelyn", Scarabocchio Art Museum, Stevens Point, WI
2011
-"Prints and Pots 3", Waller Yoblonsky Gallery, Graduate Arts Studios, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
-"Cave Canum", Solo Exhibition, Burgess Hall Gallery, Eureka College, Eureka, IL
-"Animal As A Metaphor", UWSP Alumni Show, Carlsten Gallery, UWSP
-"Five", BFA Senior Exhibition, Carlsten Gallery, UWSP
-"Paper Trail Exhibition", Gallery 3, Manitowoc, WI
-"Hand Pulled Print Show", Riverfront Arts Center, Stevens Point, WI
-"Today and Yesterday", Solo Exhibition, Schneider Student Gallery, UWSP
2010
-"Eddie's Cameo Club", Jackpot Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
-"Members Exchange Portfolio- Old World/New World", University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
-Recent Works", Solo Exhibition, Mezzanine Gallery, UWSP
-"2010-2011 Juried Student Art Exhibition", Carlsten Gallery, UWSP (jurors: Paul Prindle Baker and Catherine Petke)
-"Symbiosis: Printmaking by Amanda Brown and Nikki Schwontkowski", Dreyfus University Center, UWSP
2009
-"2009-2010 Juried Student Art Exhibition", Carlsten Gallery, UWSP (jurors: Brenden Martz and John Paskiewicz)
2008
-"2008-2009 Juried Student Art Exhibition", Carlsten Gallery, UWSP (juror: Robin Kinney)
2007
-"2007-2008 Juried Student Art Exhibition", Carlsten Gallery, UWSP (juror: Jose Osborne)
To contact Nikki, you can email her at nschwontkowski@aol.com
