Lewamakes

Lewamakes is Leonie Wanke, a self-taught linocut printmaker from Germany. Growing up, Leonie always liked to draw or create things. Once she started university where she studied History and Art History she found herself with less and less time to be creative. When the pandemic hit Leonie gave lino printing a try (for the first time ever) while stuck at home, and has been hooked on the medium ever since.

She made her very first print in December of 2020. She tells us; “I really enjoy the process from drawing/designing an image, over carving it and finally printing it. While carving there is nothing else on my mind and I can focus on only the task at hand, that´s very calming. The fact that I can reprint the same image over and over again is one of my favourite things about print making. People can get an original art piece for a moderate price.”

Following lots of great printmakers on Instagram, Leonie finds constant sources of inspiration. She states; “There is so much I was able to learn from this great community, they still inspire me to try different things and keep working on my art”. Her work is predominantly inspired by her love for history and art. Leonie describes; “There are lots of great stories, people and artworks to discover and some are still more relatable then we might think. For example, while growing up I always thought medieval art looked weird but now I appreciate the humour and skill of many illustrations.” Nature and travel are also subjects of her prints, as well as her love for food, fantasy, and a little bit of sarcasm. “There really is no limit in art. That is what makes it so awesome. everything can be an inspiration,” declares the artist.

When she first started printing, Leonie began with creating postcard sized prints to send to friends and family. Over time she worked her way up to bigger blocks, with her Medieval Alphabet being the biggest one (DIN A2) to date. At the beginning of this year she also started her very first reduction print, Vintage Stove. “I still have lot’s to learn with this technique but it was an interesting project,” comments the printmaker. Leonie’s latest print, Dreamland, illustrates the fantastic worlds one can visit while reading books and celebrates imagination.

Leonie’s ultimate dream is to make Lewamakes her full time job so she can continue doing what she loves. She attended her first art market in November of last year, and has also launched her own webshop. Keep your eyes peeled for more soon!

@lewamakes
www.lewamakes.art

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