Gracie Kosrtjens Moves to Boston to Continue Art Career

Some things naturally go together – like peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and chocolate, and peanut butter and raw onion on a sandwich. What? Yep. Hemingway loved that snack. Sometimes unlikely things combine to make something amazing. Gracie Korstjens’ career as an artist also stems from a fusion of what at first appears to be disparate things – her interest in biology and her talent and love of art. 

Gracie, a 2020 graduate of MHS, recalls, “I thought I wanted to become a genetic counselor.” She chose biology as her major at Augustana University and “just as a way to relieve stress” decided to add art as a second major. “I didn’t actually imagine myself pursuing a career in the arts, but I knew I had the space to fit art courses into my schedule,” she explains. Medical illustration became a logical career conclusion, and she says “medical illustration still influences my work.” 

But a seemingly insignificant choice determined her destiny. In the summer of 2023, Gracie signed up to attend a printmaking workshop in Iowa City. It turned out to be a life-changing experience. “I was so inspired by the artists and their community,” she says,“I applied to the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in printmaking at Tufts University in Boston.” 

She was accepted into the program. Then, as if the universe acknowledged her decision, last spring, during the opening reception of her senior show at Augustana, she won the Harold Spitznagel Medal for Achievement in Art – the highest art award given by Augustana. The medal was first presented in 1959, but is not an annual award. It is bestowed only when merited. For Gracie, who believes “the biggest challenge of being an artist is imposter syndrome” – the persistent belief you are not good enough –  the award was more important for its validation than its prestige. 

In recognition of Gracie’s award, Dr. Lindsey Twa of Augustana said,“Although Gracie is absolutely committed to her studio practice and goals of becoming a professional artist, she approaches her work without ego, and with a humble curiosity.” 

Somewhere in that realm of curiosity, Gracie says she discovered biology and printmaking actually have much in common and even often mimic each other.  “Experimentation exists with replication in both biology and printmaking.”  Printmaking is in essence replication, and the reproduction of prints allows for artwork to be more accessible.” It is akin to how a plant contains a multitude of seeds to ensure its survival.

Like many artists, Gracie is inspired by nature. In particular, she is motivated by how nature relates to her observances in the science lab. “I attempt to make work that communicates those experiences and the emotions associated with them.” One of her favorite artists, Kiki Smith, puts it this way,  “I try to make a collision, putting pieces together in ways I haven’t seen before…then shifting or moving it just a bit to renew it and make it feel alive.”

After all, art really comes down to the emotional response in the circle of communication between the artist and the viewer. Anna Reich, chair of the art department at Augustana stated, “The conversations Gracie’s work facilitates are incredibly important, and I admire her courage and fearlessness. “

Those traits of courage and fearlessness are bound to come in handy at Tufts.  Let’s hope Gracie remembered to pack them when she loaded up her car for the nearly 1,600-mile, cross-country trip to Beantown, her newly adopted hometown. Finding extra space in her car might have been difficult as artists always need so much stuff. Gracie uses soft woods for woodcuts, copper plates for intaglio, and sometimes water-soluble crayons when she works with screen prints because she believes they yield a softer, watercolor-like texture. Plus, there’s always a jumble of tools, brushes, ink, books about art and nature, knick-knacks, and other things that bring her joy. “Making my studio feel comfortable and home-y makes me want to spend time there, and create.” 

Gracie is on her own in Boston, although she’ll is living in a campus house with other graduate students. “I don’t know anyone in the immediate Boston area, but I have family in Maine, which is about a two-hour commute,” she says. “I’ve only lived in South Dakota, so this is a big transition.” She quickly adds, “It’s one that I’m ready to embrace.” In that same spirit of adventure, she signed up to take a sculpture class this semester. 

Gracie says her favorite color is blue. “However, I tend to gravitate towards pinks in my work.” She also shares “Right now, I’m really into insects and other creatures that might otherwise be overlooked due to the stereotypes associated with them.”

She thinks the addition of unusual materials, such as thread, beads, embroidery and weaving in her prints is often what makes a Gracie Korstjens piece, a Gracie Korstjens piece. “I would say something else that makes a piece mine is my use of color. I’m often drawn to bright and playful color palettes,” she says.  She didn’t say, but ditto for playful shapes as she usually wears heart-shaped glasses. Color also played an important role in the job Gracie held at the Milbank floral shop the past two summers. “I found my job allowed me to be creative outside of the studio,” she remarks.

One day, I had the opportunity to get a glimpse of Gracie’s talent firsthand. I stopped by the floral shop, Gracie waited on me, and I soon departed with a small, but delightful bouquet .That might not sound like high praise, but I assure you it is. The flowers were for an occasion dear to my heart, and needed to be just right. I wasn’t looking for an over-the-top display, and I didn’t want ho-hum either. The posy I walked out with was simple but magical. It sang with natural elegance and vibrant beauty. It brought to mind something the famous painter of ballerinas, Edgar Degas, said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”