Bernice Ficek-Swenson
Artist, Printmaker
Golden Valley, MN
“I’ve been using French Tool Presses since I was a kid taking my first printmaking class. It’s my favorite press for printing etchings. I am incredibly fortunate to have a custom French Tool designed by Tom Conrad. I’ve been printing beautiful copper plate photogravure editions on my press for a number of years now…it gives me the pressure needed to print a photogravure. “
– Bernice Ficek-Swenson,
Artist/ Printmaker
Professor of Art,
University of Wisconsin – River Falls
Bio
-B.F.A. University of North Dakota, 1974
-M.A. State University of New York, 1977
-M.F.A. University of North Dakota, 1994
Present – 17 Professor Emerita, Art Dept. University of Wisconsin – River Falls, USA
2017 – 92 Professor, Art Dept. University of Wisconsin – River Falls, USA
1990 – 1980 Co-Director, Land Mark Editions, Fine-art Printmaking Atelier, Minneapolis, MN
Artist Statement
Bernice Ficek-Swenson’s prints explore aspects of the four elemental forces of nature and landscape in constructed photographs of stones, ashes, fire and water which are made into copper plate photogravures: a 19th century process which she has worked with since 1995.
Ficek-Swenson’s photogravures have been shown nationally and internationally; Including the AIR Gallery, NYC, Cervini Haas Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ, Technohoros Gallery, Athens, Greece, Galerie-Par-ci Par-La, Lyon, France and the Grafikens Hus, Sweden.
Her explorations of fire and stones are in major collections of: Minneapolis Institute of Art: Museum of Contemporary Photography @ Columbia, Chicago: North Dakota Museum of Art: Polaroid International Collection: Arizona State University Art Museum-Tempe: Frederick Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis MN and the Athens School of Fine Arts; Athens, Greece. She has been an Artist in Residence at Anchor Graphics, Chicago and at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada.
“Bernie” lives and works in Golden Valley, MN and she is a Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls where she teaches printmaking and drawing. In Spring 2012 she has been invited as a Visiting Professor to the Hong Kong Institute of Education, China.
Prints
“Promise of Water I”
– 2009-2010
– 14″ x 10.5″
– Copper plate Photogravure Etching
– Printed on a American French Tool Etching Press
– Golden Valley Studio in Golden Valley, MN
“Promise of Water IV”
– 2010-2011
– 13.5″ x 10.5″
– Copper plate Photogravure Etching
– Printed on a American French Tool Etching Press
– Golden Valley Studio in Golden Valley, MN
“Promise of Water V State II”
– 2010-2011
– 20″ x 16″
– Copper plate Photogravure Etching (duotone)
– Printed on a American French Tool Etching Press
– Golden Valley Studio in Golden Valley, MN
“Pyre III”, from Pyre suite of 12 images
– Copper plate photogravures
– Printed on a American French Tool Etching Press
– Golden Valley Studio in Golden Valley, MN
“Pyre XI“, from Pyre suite of 12 images
-Copper plate photogravures
-Printed on a American French Tool Etching Press
-Golden Valley Studio in Golden Valley, MN
How to become a featured Artist
Fill out the form below to contact us about becoming a featured artist on the Conrad Press Printmaking Gallery.
