Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nan Onkka. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Growing up, I was surrounded by creativity. My dad recently celebrated 50 years as a potter and my mom is a retired art teacher. I knew I wanted to be like them from a young age and I was always pretending to be a teacher or working on lots of art projects. So, I guess it didn’t surprise anyone that I went on to get a masters degree in art education. I worked for 10 years as a high school art teacher and truly enjoyed it. I loved that everyday I got to help students not only learn art techniques but use art as a way to learn about themselves. I had no aspirations of becoming an artist; I enjoyed teaching!

That all changed when I took a few printmaking courses for fun. I started getting the feedback from classmates and instructors that I had potential to go farther. I had always been drawn to printmaking and the positive feedback gave me the push I needed to do more of it on my own. I started selling my work for fun in 2017 – doing a few events and selling mostly to friends and family. In 2018, I had my first child and was able to work on some printmaking during my maternity leave.

I don’t think I ever had a moment where I decided to become an artist. It kind of crept into my life in a very natural way. I didn’t feel ready to end my maternity leave so my husband and I started to wonder what an alternative plan could be. Turns out we both left our teaching jobs and bought our first house way up north. Even with that big change, I still assumed I would go back to teaching, but then the pandemic hit. It felt too overwhelming to try to get a new teaching job in a new community during the pandemic with a toddler, so I ended up focusing more on my business.

Nan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a printmaking artist based in Grand Marais, Minnesota. I specialize in reductive woodcut printmaking. It is a type of printmaking where I carve an image into a woodblock, apply ink, and then press it onto paper. I repeat that process multiple times to create multi-color, multi-layer images from a single woodblock. I work out of my home studio where I have a small press. I sell the original limited edition woodcut prints on my website (www.nanonkka.com) and also manage a wholesale business. I have greeting cards, stickers, calendars, and more in over 100 stores nationwide.

My work is directly inspired by my natural environment. I live on the north shore of Lake Superior surrounded by the boreal forest. The Boundary Waters, Superior Hiking Trail, and Superior National Forest are all at my fingertips. I love to camp, hike, and go for daily walks. I find endless inspiration just by watching the seasons change.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

People can do so much to support creatives. Obviously, the first thing is to financially support us. However, that might not be in your budget. So I think the second thing is to do what you can to help us find our ideal clientele. This might mean sharing our work on social media, or suggesting our business to a friend. Subscribe to a newsletter, patreon, or substack. Leave a review, or comment on a post. Take a class, or suggest something you’d like to learn from us! Forward a cool opportunity – maybe a grant, or a gallery looking for new artists.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Two things come to mind:

First, I love that my work aligns with my values. For better or worse, I make all the decisions about my business and get to choose solutions that align with what I believe in. I truly started my business as a way to spend more time with my family, so I love that I can set my own schedule. It’s not perfect, but I have been able to be much more present than if I was still working a teaching job. My work is inspired by my natural surroundings, so I also try to honor the environment by choosing eco-friendly supplies and materials.

Secondly, I have been surprised and delighted by the community of women I have been able to meet. I have met so many incredible creatives through working as an artist and I am constantly inspired by them. Locally, I am part of a group of women creatives who meet every few weeks to chat about our work. I have also connected with artists on social media who I may or may not have met in person. Being self-employed can be very lonely, so it is extra meaningful to have friends who understand and support you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nanonkka.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/onkka.prints
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/onkka.prints
• Other: Video about my work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT4_kPw8YKw

Image Credits
Laura Muus Photography (for the portrait image in the studio and the image working in the studio).