2025 Featured Artist

Each year the Brookside Art Annual selects an artist to represent the show. The 2025 featured artist is returning digital artist Michael Cherepak of Lake Tapawingo, Missouri. For Michael, creating is an affirmational practice. Using floral imagery, and colorful strokes and forms, he expresses his care for the people around him through his bold artwork. His flowers are joyful, romantic, and loving. "Flowers have all the associations that reflect the things I care about yet are broadly relatable."

The creative process for each image starts with sketching from reference and then the work comes alive through a structured and consistent screen printing process. “As I develop the image the sketches get broken up into color layers. I can then assemble the color layers digitally to see how the finished image will play out. Once refined, the color layers are ‘registered’ to build a consistent, finished image. Using a photochemical process, I ‘burn’ a void for each color layer onto a framed screen mesh. Each color layer is printed when acrylic ink is squeegeed through the void in the mesh onto archival print paper. My screen press is a Cincinnati One Arm Bandit with a manual squeegee. The screen printing process suits my personality in that it is a process that provides structure and limits. Change and spontaneity have a place but the need to manage size, colors and production forces conclusions. Learning the skills of printing has provided a process to feel confident about.”

For Michael, the art he makes and the craft of printing is an expression of love for being human. Caring, diligent, and playful.

Visit Michael at Booth #52 near the intersection of 63rd Street and Brookside Boulevard to see his captivating and vibrant flowers. His work is also featured on the 2025 commemorative posters, shirts and cards which are available to purchase at the Merchandise Booth nearby.

You can also explore and gain more insight in to Michael's work online, get show updates and connect before the show at MichaelCherepak.com. For pre-show inquiries, please contact Micheal at [email protected]

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