By Jonathan Burger, Craven Arts Council & Gallery, Inc.
Where are you from and how did you end up in eastern North Carolina?
I’m from a very rural part of Hawai’i Island, called Kalapana. I stumbled into printmaking in my mid-twenties while trying to complete a bachelor’s degree at UH Hilo, and was introduced to printmakers at East Carolina University through an exchange. When I made the decision to get my MFA, I was thrilled that ECU accepted me- and I made the move to North Carolina!
Does your work have a central theme, or
several themes?
I bounce between a few themes, but I’d say human nature and escapism are at the core of my concepts. I’m greatly influenced by history and literature, so there’s a pretty wide range of individual things I pull from, but it all tends to come back to patterns and cycles of human behavior.
You work as a printmaker. Can you talk about the importance of this medium and what appeals to you about it in an age of mass-produced, cheap printers?
No one solves problems like a printmaker can! Printmaking is a “process art”- you have to know what you are doing for it to work. There are a variety of techniques, but each requires a specific understanding of chemistry, kinetics, materiality, and technology. Printmaking has bridged an interesting gap between outsider medium and fine art- that duality creates relevance for artists across a broad spectrum of pathways. With the rise of digital prints and “fine art giclées”, traditionally crafted prints are increasingly valuable art objects.
Do you have a favorite medium or technique you like to work in, and why or why not? (i.e. intaglio, wood block, etc)?
While I hate to play favorites, I always come back to intaglio. A lot of artists talk about “flow state,” and while I’m not meticulous by nature, something about a 30-step aquatint process locks me in. There’s a sense of pride that comes with working in such a technical and niche field. I get a kick out of knowing (and teaching) something a fraction of the world knows how to do.
You teach as ECU in addition to being an artist. Can you talk about the relationship between teaching and making?
My students are on transformative journeys as artists, and for many of them as people. It’s powerful! Having to respond to their new perspectives, challenges, and trends keeps me from feeling stagnant. Working with students keeps my environment charged, and requires me to constantly reconsider craft and concept. I think my work would get quite boring if it weren’t for my students.
Is there another artist who work you admire or inspires you?
Oh, so many! Tintoy Chou is a Malaysian shadow puppet maker I recently discovered, and his Fusion Wayang Kulit project has been a welcome obsession of mine.
What one piece, award, or exhibition are you particularly proud of, and why?
Bessemer Bubbles was purchased by the State of Hawai’i and has been exhibited around the islands. As part of their permanent collection, it’s exciting to have no idea where the piece will end up over its lifetime or who might run into it over the years.
What advice do you have for other artists just starting out, or people wanting to get into the arts?
Art always pays off! Start making things now. No matter what level you are at, crafting and creating changes how we see and exist in the world. Art gives you a universe of ways to connect with the people and things around you. It’s never too late, or too early, to start building those connections.
In one sentence, what is art to you?
Context
I know you’ll be the judge for our 2026 ROY G BIV exhibition at Bank of the Arts, but where can people find your work?
Currently, I have some new things in the works, and I’m excited to move in a more dimensional direction. Things are still in progress, but you can follow me on Instagram
@sweetkatyalee to see the progress!