My journey through the world of art began in Warsaw, Poland in 1965. As a 7 year old I attended an art class with my best friend Marysia. The subject matter might not have been the most ambitious, but the passion for expressing myself through various forms of art remains.

Since that first art class I have dipped my fingers in many art forms like oil painting, mixed media, ceramic, mosaic, and photography. I love them all. To me, the most important thing about art is not the form, but the feeling. The feeling of being, of living.

                20 years ago I moved to the United States with my daughter Dorota. Soon after arriving here I got involved in the Chicago art scene. In 1991 Gosia Garbalska and I established a non for profit organization called Art Moves International, which was devoted to artist exchange between Eastern Europe and the United States. Later on I represented Polish artists as the curator of Gallery 58, and helped organize many exhibits and art events such as ‘Around the Coyote’.

After a long period of playing the role of art curator, I decided to focus on my own development as an artist.

Art is everywhere. Art has different forms and different languages, but there is no need for translation.

The paintings presented here are part of my journey, my life in the United States. Each of them represents a story, which I couldn’t explain using words. Few years ago I underwent a serious surgery and art became the best friend throughout the long healing process. And still is.

The series of photos is just a sample of my current work, which pays more attention to my inner journey. In the day of globalization, Internet, and consumption, I wanted to bring people’s attention back to something much more simple.

Joanna A. Rytel
cell
jrytel@yahoo.com

Exhibitions

2007             Solo exhibition of paintings and photography at UIC clinic”Healing through arts”Chicago IL
2005             Polish Museum of America - 70th Annual Jured Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture/3rdplace                  
2005             12th Annual Fine Arts Exhibit / Historic Woodstock Square /Court House
2004             Members Show/Illinois Arts Council/Woodstock Court House Art Center
2003             16th    “Women Works” jJuried Exhibit of Fine Arts by Women /Woodstock
2003             11th    Annual Art Exhibit of fine Arts by Northwest Ara Art Council            
2001            “The country we live in”/Polnishe Fotografie Weltweit/ Berlin-Warsaw-   Szczecin                        
2000               Chicago Art Open-Chicago Artist' Coalition members Show
1999                Around the Coyote Arts festival No.10,
1999                Art Bar, Chicago Ill
1998                Akainyah Gallery, Chicago , Ill
1990                Around the Coyote Arts Festival, Wicker Park/ Chicago, Ill

Member of:
Northwest Area Art Council
Women Made Gallery
Polish Arts Club of Chicago