Andjela Roncevic

I am a printmaker, illustrator and art teacher. Growing up by the sea, on the Adriatic coast, strongly influenced her artistic expression and ways of creating. I usually find beauty in the wrinkled, peculiar faces, food markets, the sea, and the witty sentences I hear around me. The observation of the passing of time, of the everyday, and of humorous details are my most inspiring forces.

Learning about the sustainable methods of printmaking is the biggest aspiration in my profession artistic practice. Developing such meticulously and carefully crafted printmaking techniques that honor our fragile ecosystems are a backbone to my present and future as a printmaker. My interest is also the historical and political importance of printmaking as the protest tool. I believe that awareness for the historical background of printmaking (with the both its colonial legacy in exploiting the materials such as zinc and copper, turpentine and gum arabicum) goes hand in hand with the goal of genuine urge to develop ecological, sustainable and inclusive printmaking practices.

At the  age of 18, I was a awarded a full scholarship to study at the United World College of the Adriatic, Italy, where she spent 2 years in a very international community. It was at the UWC where I took her first steps in visual arts, especially in printmaking. My path led me to the USA, where I did my bachelor’s degree in Human Ecology at the College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine. 

During those 4 years, I focused on the visual and theatre arts, as well as literature. Around 6 years ago, I have started learning linocut, tetrapack print and monotype independently at home. However, in the last 2 years I have had a chance to work in the well-equipped studio at our art academy and since them I have mostly been working with intaglio techniques on copper aquaforte and aquatint. I also develop my artworks with drypoint printmaking on tetrapack, as well as monotypes. 

My favorite technique is aquatinta because of the glorious alchemy involved in it, as the playful tonality that can be achieved with it. I have been so thrilled to have recently started learning the Iow-toxic the past two years, the importance on learning the non or low-toxic printmaking has been growing in my personal practice.