Andrew Jilka, BFA: Printmaking | Art History Minor '09

Q: When did you graduate from KU, and what was your Major/Minor?
"I graduated from KU in 2009. I majored in Visual Art (printmaking) with an Art History Minor."

Q: What have you been up to post-graduation?
"After graduating, I spent several years in Lawrence, Kansas, working service industry jobs at night and painting in my studio during the day. In 2013, I moved to New York and answered a classified ad for a studio assistant position at a blue-chip artist’s studio. I started in the office, handling everything from managing the web store and sourcing materials to running errands and scooping the studio cat’s litter box. Over time, I worked my way onto the fabrication team, where I was able to apply my technical skills while helping produce large-scale works alongside a team of about fifteen assistants. During that time, I continued making my own paintings in the living room of the tiny one-bedroom apartment my wife and I shared.

After two years in the artist’s studio, I enrolled in the MFA program at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Graduate school immersed me in an extraordinary community of artists and gave me constant exposure to exhibitions, studio visits, and critical dialogue. I spent nearly every day in my studio, taking breaks to see shows at nearby galleries.

After earning my MFA, I worked as a preparator and art handler at a prominent gallery in SoHo. My responsibilities ranged from installing exhibitions and coordinating shipping logistics to maintaining inventory, managing artwork databases, and supporting the gallery’s day-to-day operations.

While working at the gallery, I moved into a shared studio with former classmates and continued developing my own practice. Around that time, I co-founded an artist-run project called Life Lessons, where friends and I organized exhibitions and events in unconventional spaces throughout New York City.

Eventually, I included several paintings in a group exhibition at the gallery where I worked, which led to representation there. Soon afterward, I began exhibiting with galleries in Mexico and Copenhagen while participating in exhibitions across the United States. Those opportunities eventually led to an artist residency and exhibition in Mallorca, Spain.

Today, I live and work in Brooklyn, where I’ve been fortunate to sustain a full-time painting practice while also spending extended periods working in Amsterdam. As the parent of an 18-month-old toddler, time is more limited than ever, so I prioritize being in the studio whenever I can. I also participate in monthly studio visits with a group of artists and make it a point to see as many exhibitions as possible."

Q: What would you like to share with current and future Visual Art students?
"Look at art. Look at everything. See as many exhibitions in person as you can. Spend time with work you love, and with work you hate. Meet artists. Apply for opportunities. Throw rejection letters in the trash immediately. Travel whenever you can, and don’t wait for a career to happen to you.

A studio practice can’t exist in a vacuum. Organize exhibitions and invite artists whose work you admire. Aim higher than you think is realistic. Write about your friends’ work. Introduce people who should know each other. Organize gallery and museum visits. Build a community. The art world is sustained by relationships, and people are much more likely to remember you if you’re creating opportunities for others, not just yourself.

And take advantage of being a student. It’s one of the few times in your life when people are especially generous with their time. Reach out to artists, curators, and writers. Ask questions. Visit studios. You’ll be surprised how often people say yes.

One last piece of advice: take a surfing lesson. Trust me."