I was born in La Paz, Bolivia, where my parents were living and working in the Peace Corps. My mother and father, a dancer and bass player respectively, traveled throughout Central and South America for their work, taking me with them. We settled in Costa Rica but continued to take many trips, including a boat ride to Antarctica when I was 8 months old. By age five I had already experienced a great diversity of people, animals, climates and cultures. I spoke Spanish, some Quechua, played backstage while my parents performed and drew whatever I saw.
Intaglio printmaking has been in my family for the last three generations. My great grandfather printed revolutionary pamphlets in Lithuania, before immigrating to Argentina. My grandfather, who was an artist and teacher, primarily in printmaking moved to America and established a career in Iowa. Two of my uncles are printmakers. During college I studied biology but by my final year I was spending all my free time drawing. So, after graduating, I moved to Iowa and apprenticed myself to my grandfather. I spent eight years there, learning as much as I could about Intaglio printmaking. I currently have a print studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn. For the last 12 years I’ve been drawing and making prints. I work directly on the plate, I make my own ink and I always print my own prints.
ARTICLES ABOUT RICHIE LASANSKY:
Columbia Spectator || The Journal of the Print World || The Free Press ONLINE
