Chicago, IL

Mike Pennekamp received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in Printmaking from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville in 2010. Upon graduation, he started apprenticing under internationally-renowned printmaker, Tom Huck at Tom Huck’s Evil Prints in St. Louis, MO. Mike worked at Evil Prints for four years, transitioning from apprentice, to press assistant, and eventually assuming the role of Studio Manager and Master Printer. In 2014, Mike decided to further his academic career and earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Arkansas in 2017. Mike currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

“My work explores beliefs we construct in order to cope with anxieties surrounding the unknown or unknowable. I incorporate personal experience, nostalgic tropes, and elements of popular culture in order to create armatures of shared experience against a post-truth landscape. Through this approach I hope to provide the­­­­ viewer with environmental and cultural context while acknowledging the historical place of the American landscape as its own site where anxieties and myths about the unknown have long been probed.”

WHY MIKE JOINED THE SPEEDBALL DEMO ARTIST PROGRAM

The only thing I love more than printmaking is exposing others to printmaking! It’s a special moment when someone pulls their first print. In a single instant, you can see everything about the process click inside the brain of the printer. Their eyes get wide and they feel empowered- it’s magical. There’s nothing more rewarding than facilitating and sharing that moment with printers. I couldn’t be more excited to join the Speedball team and spread the Gospel of Print to the masses!

AVAILABLE DEMONSTRATION FORMATS

Tabletop / Open to Public Events
Lecture Demonstrations
Workshops

View Artist Website

Images of Work

Techniques

Woodcut | Linocut
Screen Printing
Intaglio
Lithography

Favorite Products

I’ve been using Speedball products in my screen printing practice for years. I even have old cans of Hunt Speedball textile screen printing ink from 30+ years ago around my apartment- I wonder if they’re still good…

Anyway, as much as I adore Speedball’s screen printing offerings, I’m a relief printer at heart. That said, it took no time at all for me to fall madly in love with Speedball’s Supergraphic Black Relief Ink by Bill Fick. It’s got a great consistency, which allows me to capture all the details in my woodcuts while also providing great coverage, plus it’s water miscible- meaning I can clean my rollers, ink knives, and pallets in just a few moments with nothing more than liquid soap and water. No more chemicals or harsh fumes! It’s a game changer!