biography - awards

Photo: Chris Felver

Nick Wroblewski is a Midwest based printmaker specializing in hand cut wood block prints. He studied art at Bennington College in Vermont and later taught himself the technique of relief printmaking. Majoring in painting and sculpture, Nick combined elements of the two and found himself deeply intrigued by the many possibilities within printmaking. He has been busy creating new images with woodblocks since 1996.

Nick traveled in his childhood with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. The group toured down the Mississippi River, performing in every state from Minnesota to Louisiana. This early experience greatly influenced his desire to work within the arts. He grew up in a community that supported the arts and is still deeply connected to the artists that have helped inspired and encouraged his development.

In 1993 he interned with Jim Henson Productions. Here, Nick continued to explore his interest in puppetry sparked by his time with the circus. He worked with many different puppet construction techniques and used the experience to further his sculptural design skills.

In 1994 Nick traveled to Brazil to work in conjunction with Swallows and Amazons, a jungle tour company located in Manaus. It was here that he began a thorough commitment to producing work through printmaking. Nick developed a series of prints of the local flora and fauna that ultimately were used in a tour guide book.

After college, Nick continued to produce woodcut prints during his various work experiences. He has worked with a timber frame building company as well as with a landscape design company. During all of his employment, Nick continually developed his skills and techniques with printmaking. In 1999 he participated in The Neu Erth Worm Farm Artist In Residence Program. This Residency resulted in the creation of a series of black and white prints inspired by his experience within a specific environment.
He now uses his many traveling experiences as his main inspiration, always gathering information and subject matter for his prints. Most recently in 2002, Nick spent the winter in The Northwest Territories of Canada, producing many woodcuts of the landscape and its inhabitants. His work is usually derived from the natural world and he is deeply committed to the continual exploration and development of his artistic growth.

Currently, Nick has a studio in Viroqua, Wisconsin. His prints can be seen in magazine illustrations, galleries, and art shows. He shows work at galleries in Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin and art shows throughout the country.

awards (top)

2010
Best of Printmaking - Sun Valley Center Arts and Crafts Festival, Sun Valley, ID
Award for Originality and Excellence - Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, Ann Arbor, MI
Best of Printmaking - Des Moines Art Festival
Best of Show 2-D - Brookside Art Annual, Kansas, MO

2008
Best in Show - Sausalito Arts Festival, Sausalito, CA
1st Place in Printmaking - Sausalito Arts Festival, Sausalito, CA
Best of Printmaking - Sun Valley Center Arts and Crafts Festival, Sun Valley, ID
Best of Show - Printmaking - Uptown Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN

2007
Award of Excellence - Peoria Fine Art Fair, Peoria, IL
2nd Place in Printmaking - Sausalito Arts Festival, Sausalito, CA
Merit Award - MN State Fair Fine Art Exhibition, St. Paul, MN
Best of Printmaking - Sun Valley Center Arts and Crafts Festival, Sun Valley, ID
Best of Show 2-D - Brookside Art Annual, Kansas, MO
1st Place in Category - Stone Arch Festival of the Arts, Minneapolis, MN

2006
Honorable Mention Award - MN State Fair Fine Art Exhibition, St. Paul, MN
3rd Place Award - Powderhorn Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN

2005
2nd Place Award - St. Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
3rd Place Award - MN State Fair Fine Art Exhibition, St. Paul, MN
Award of Excellence - Morning Glory Art Fair, Milwaukee, WI
Invitational Award - Powderhorn Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN
Honorable Mention 2-D - State Street Art Fair, Ann Arbor, MI
Excellence Award - Edina Art Festival, Edina, MN
Best of Show - Wayzata Art Experience, Wayzata, MN

2004
Award Of Excellence - Marshfield Art Fair, Marshfield, WI
2nd Place - Wayzata Art Experience, Wayzata, MN
1st Place In Category - Stone Arch Festival of the Arts, Minneapolis, MN
Merit Award - Park Point Art Fair, Duluth, MN
2nd Place In 2-D - A Taste of Minnesota Art Fair, St. Paul, MN
Best Of Show - Powderhorn Park Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN
2nd Place In Fine Art - Highland Artfest, St. Paul, MN
Merit Award - Redwing Fall Festival Of The Arts, Redwing, MN
4th Place Award - MN State Fair Fine Art Exhibition, St. Paul, MN

2003
Merit Award - A Taste Of Minnesota Art Fair, St. Paul, MN
Award Of Excellence - Artspalsh, Sioux City, IA
Juror’s Award - MN State Fair Fine Art Exhibition, St. Paul, MN

2002
Merit Award - Owatonna Festival Of The Arts, Owatonna, MN
Award Of Excellence - Artsplash, Sioux City, IA