Luke Shemroske
Mixed Media
Luke Shemroske describes art making as an adventure. Like every adventurer knows, some quests turn out better than others. Each yields its own successes, defeats, joys, sorrows, struggles, and inspirations, all of which are apparent in Luke’s work.
In one simple yet extremely complex word, Luke’s artwork is poetic. It evokes ideas of what Federico García Lorca called “duende,” or a dance with death. This morbid presence alludes to the concept of “Deep Song,” danger, and darknesses. Unlike the typical artistic muse or angel, the “duende” resides within an artist, beckons and possesses the artist, and drives the artist to create something.
“I like making it, sometimes…” Luke said. When asked what he dislikes about art, he replied, “everything”. He hates making it, thinking about it, and doing it, yet he is unable to resist the urge to make art. Many great artists have held these conflicting feelings; the irresistible victories and failures of each piece, the haunting desire to create, and the frustrations of defeat and dissatisfaction. Shemroske is an intelligent and mature artist with irresistible honesty. Making art isn’t always a choice but a way of existing in this world. It is having a voice to express the entirety of human experience, which is a necessity of the spirit.
In describing his process, Luke uttered the words, “urge, action, expand, add.”
