Artist Bio
McKenna Kornowski was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay in 2012 with a Bachelors Degree in the Fine Arts. Her art career took off in 2016 when she met her now husband Pete Kornowski and they started inspiring each other to paint. They soon found themselves packing their pug and their travel trailer for Leavenworth, Washington. There they lived and worked seasonally for the next 7 summers. McKenna sold her paintings at an ongoing outdoor art market called, “Leavenworth Village Art in the Park”.
McKenna has since returned from Washington and is living with her husband in Northern Wisconsin. The land on which they built their home has been in her family for four generations. McKenna now participates in fine art shows locally and throughout the Midwest.
Along with showing at fine art markets, Kornowski enjoys participating in local painting competitions and exhibiting in art galleries. She is thrilled to finally engage fully with the art culture of Wisconsin after having lived out of the state for so long.
Artist Statement
McKenna Kornowski’s paintings depict a state of coordinated chaos within the stillness of nature. A wide array of techniques come together in her work to perform the dynamic dance of life. Her artwork celebrates the imperfect beauty of our environment along with an open hearted desire to honor it.
Most of her acrylic paintings contain repurposed materials such as antique lace and thrifted fabrics. These elements, along with textured mixing mediums, are what give her paintings their unique surface quality. Themes that appear in her work are oftentimes derived from quiet messages from mother nature which are at once both playful and thought provoking.
Her art strives to capture the micro moments in time that contain the potential for action. Within stillness there is the promise of transformation. Although the subjects in her work oftentimes appear at rest, a closer look will reveal the vibration of life force within.
CV
Education
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Drawing, 2012
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Studio Arts Program, 2011
Oregon State University - Studio Arts Program, 2010
Gallery Representation
Plum Bottom Gallery - Four locations in Door County, WI
Richeson School of Art and Gallery - Appleton, WI
Exhibition History
Permanent Collection on display at Epic in Verona, WI
Overt Space Gallery - Textures Exhibition, Stoughton, Wisconsin June 2024
Richeson School of Art and Gallery - “In Our Nature: Carli Ihde & McKenna Kornowski - Artists & Sisters” Appleton, Wisconsin May 10 – July 5, 2024
Neville Public Museum 78th Annual Juried Exhibition - Green Bay, Wisconsin October 2023
Village Art in the Park Juried Art Show - Leavenworth, Washington 2017 - 2023
SAGE - The Fierce Feminine, Green Bay, WI March 2023
Exhibition History Continued
The Art Garage - Back to the Basics, Green Bay, WI, 2023
Appleton Public Library Artist in Residence Exhibition, January - March 2020
RadarStation Solo Show - Wenatchee, Washington, July 2019
Lynnwood City Hall - Annual Exhibition, Lynnwood, Washington, June 2019
Mission Street Commons - Solo Exhibition, Wenatchee, Washington, June 2019
James May Gallery - Art of Water, Algoma, Wisconsin, May 2019
Confluence Gallery - En Masse: An Essemblage Showcase, Twisp, Washington, April 2019
Artless Bastard Gallery - An Unconventional Point of View, De Pere, Wisconsin, February 2019
Residencies
Appleton Public Library Artist in Residence Program, January - March 2020
Publications
Allport Editions, Ongoing Licensing Publication
The Comet Magazine, Artist Interview, July 2020
LedgeStone Vineyards “Barn Swallow” Showcased on 2019 Red Blend Bottle
Wenatchee Valley Museum First Friday Program Cover, June 2019
Canyon Voices Literature Magazine, December 2018
Awards and Competitions
Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts - 1st place in Mixed Media 2D, August 2024
Lakeshore Art Festival - Received 3rd Place, June 2024
Edina Art Fair, Received the Award of Excellence, June 2024
The Tarlton Theater Art War - Green Bay, Wisconsin, First Place Winner, February 2024
Art 64 - Live Art Competition - Wauwautosa, WI, June 2022
Artigras Juried Fine Art Festival, Received the Award of Excellence, February 2020 & 2023