M.A.R.
Manifest Artist Residency
2019/2020
Nate Gaefcke
Nathaniel Lloyd Gaefcke (Nate) was born in 1982 in Springfield Illinois. Out of high school, against his parents wishes, Nate changed his major from Accounting to Fine Art, and thus he began his journey as an artist. As Nate was interested in the Old Masters, he naturally wanted to work representationally. However, this kind of training was/is largely unavailable in the college and University systems, and as a result, Nate attended multiple Universities in an attempt to obtain this kind of training. He received a BFA degree from Southern Illionois University in 2010, then entered the Graduate School of Figurative Art, also called The New York Academy of Art, on a merit scholarship. There he studied classical figurative drawing and printmaking techniques, and in 2012, he graduated with honors with his first Master of Fine Art degree. In 2014, Nate entered into his second MFA program at Fontbonne University in Saint Louis, Missouri, graduating in 2016. He has shown work both nationally and internationally, and has work in national publications.
Artist's Statement:
"One of my former professors once said: If you can live without being an artist, you probably should. As a young student, I could not have understood the profundity of this statement. However, after two MFA degrees, and facing the difficulties and struggles that come from pursuing a life in fine art, I see tremendous depth in those words. My life is not uncommon for an artist. I work multiple low paying teaching positions. I make just enough money to survive. My life is certainly not romantic, or glamorous, even though I had previously envisioned it that way. I must juggle my responsibilities as a grown up, while trying to hold on to the love that started me down this road in the first place. However, this, I believe, is what it is all about."
The images pictured at right are a sampling of those submitted with Nate's application.
See more and learn about Nate's work here:
www.nategaefcke.com
Information on how to apply for future MAR awards can be found here.
