About the Artist

Gedra Simkus

I was born in Lithuania and have lived in the U.S. most of my life. Six years ago, I left my corporate job to paint full-time—and I’ve been exploring ever since. I never know what will appear on the canvas—abstracts, figures, portraits, thick paint, or watery washes. For a while, I thought I needed to “find my style.” Now I know—my curiosity is my style. Right now, I’m drawn to painting big bodies of water, but who knows where the next wave will take me?

Kevin Nikolich

Kevin's Artist's Statement:

Kevin is a relatively new ceramic artist that has spent most of his professional life in the product design and manufacturing industry. His interest in ceramic art was almost accidental, as he was given an old throwing wheel to restore for a relative and decided to use it briefly to make sure he had repaired it properly. He hasn't stopped since. Working at a small scale, mostly in porcelain and sometimes in stoneware, his ceramic art is a reflection of his preference for crisp, disciplined form. His minimalist tastes have been influenced by mid-century modern, Nordic and Japanese design, and especially the work of the Swedish ceramist Bernt Friberg. The unique glazes he uses have each been individually developed over a period of years to suit the clean lines and small scale of the pieces. Kevin lives and works in the greater Chicago area.