Magda Baker is drawn to the way prints can show gesture and reveal the process of printmaking. A life-long artist, she grew up in Charleston, South Carolina and has lived and made art in Seattle, Washington since graduating from Bennington College with a B.A. in printmaking and political science in 1992. Magda also works as a lawyer.

Magda has shown her prints in numerous galleries, including the Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven, Connecticut; the Edmonds Arts Commission in Edmonds, Washington; and AMcE Creative Arts, Studio E and Davidson Galleries in Seattle, Washington. Her work has been included in exhibitions at several universities, including University of Utah, University of Richmond, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Loyola University, William Patterson University and the Pacific Northwest College of Art. She has a print in the King County, Washington Portable Works Collection and has received a fellowship from Women’s Studio Workshop, a grant from Allied Arts and the Pratt/Seattle Print Arts Partners Grant.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

An old friend once defined art as “a special thing that you make.” To me, specialness is a combination of uniqueness, beauty, charm, and emotional resonance. In addition to sometimes having those qualities, art can imbue its subjects with them, honoring the subjects with imitation and decoration. 

I am developing two bodies of work that highlight the beauty and complexity of the everyday. One includes small images of animals, people, plants, or objects, each with concentric patterned borders. The other depicts delicate and worn paper detritus. Together they pay homage to common things, both natural and human made.     

I make my work using monotype and mixed media. Monotype is a printmaking technique that entails applying ink to plexiglass or another flat surface and then transferring the ink onto paper using an etching press.  I use mixed media, including watercolor, hand carved stamps, color pencil, and collage to complete most pieces.  

CONTACT

To contact Magda with questions or comments or to purchase a print, email magdabaker1@gmail.com. You can see more of Magda’s work on Instagram.

RESUME

Click to download Magda’s resume.