Based in Cincinnati, OH. All works for sale unless stated otherwise. Shop now using the "For Sale" tab, or inquire on availability and price at drewyaks@icloud.com.
When I was four years old, I was diagnosed with non-hodgkin's Burkitt's Lymphoma. With a tumor the size of a grapefruit, I spent the next six to eight months in and out of surgeries and chemotherapy. One vivid memory I have from this time is my first experience coloring inside the lines. This may not qualify as a residency, but my history with cancer without a doubt served as a catalyst for my art career, and began a lifelong devotion to the healing power of creative endeavors.
Process: Reminiscent of Surrealist Automatism, stream of consciousness writing, and other mindful play activities, my artistic practice is an amalgamation of drawing, painting, printmaking, teaching and advocacy. My artworks typically start from a small, spontaneous doodle. I then use a variety of methodologies including but not limited to charcoal, pastel, pencil, acrylic and oil paint, and printmaking to execute my doodles as large-scale, two-dimensional art-works. The act of doodling primarily serves to preserve the spontaneity of my creative process but it also helps me suss out the imagery in my finished works. I often find myself seeing facial features and expressions in my mark making but any imagery seen is more revelatory than predetermined. Recently, my experiences teaching and collaborating with artists with disabilities have been the driving force behind my compulsion to make art and has reinvigorated my faith in the healing power that any creative process holds personally and to my community. Staying loyal to that faith is the reason for my artistic practice.