Artcrank Artist Profile: Annie Riker

Artcrank comes to DC this Saturday. Today we meet local artist Annie Riker. 

"I've considered myself an artist ever since I was old enough to hold a paintbrush. I went to an art college (Ringling College of Art and Design), and chose Graphic Design as a major. I decided design would let me incorporate all of my artistic interests (illustration, photography, painting...), and allow me to regularly use the "problem solving" side of my brain. It has worked out well!" 

"I'm brand new to screen printing. I had been wanting to try it for awhile, so the ARTCRANK project gave me the nudge to take a lesson and print my posters myself. I have an even greater appreciation for screen printers now—it's quite a bit of work to get everything set up!"

"I like to be outside, so it's nice to start the day on my bike. I get a bit of a zen feeling from it. I even like to ride in the rain and cold weather (I'll draw the line at slushy snow, though...). 

[The City] offers a great balance for me—good energy, diversity in activities and people, with plenty of parks and green space for me to reflect. Plus, I work for an organization with a mission I care deeply about, and it's inspiring to be surrounded by my passionate coworkers with similar values. "

Connect with Annie:

http://annieriker.com  twitter - @AnnieRiker  instagram - TeaTimePhoto

Artcrank Artist Profile: Dana Maier

ARTCRANK, the poster party for bike people comes to DC November 8th. Leading up to the show we chat with local artists about their work and riding in D.C. 

Meet Dana Maier a Columbia Heights based artist. 

"I use Bikeshare to ride to the Metro, the gym, run errands, meet friends...it's rare that I don't use it at least once a day. Biking in DC is one of my favorite things to do, particularly in the autumn. " 

Dana has been working in D.C. for six years. "My drawings tend to start observationally, so I'm always incorporating the stuff I see in the city into my work. Also, I am more of a classic DC Type A personality than I feel comfortable admitting."

Dana's preferred medium is pen and ink. She sketches her piece titled "The Bikerack," which will be screenprinted as a poster for next weeks show. "I learned (or relearned, rather) that it's always best to draw from what's right in front of you, rather than try to draw from something you see in a book or on a screen. " 

Connect with Dana via danajerimaier.com and @danajerimaier on twitter and instagram. 

Ed and Mary

Ed and Mary spent their first date on a 100 mile tandem ride and never looked back. Most recently they completed the Colorado High Country 1200k and the Paris-Brest-Paris. Cycling allows them to connect with the world around them.

Stand Up and Deliver

Lesly Jones

Meet Lesly, Car-free for the past 10 years, she's a Grandmother that doesn't mind knocking out a century every now and then. As an active member of Black Women Bike DC, Lesly hopes to encourage others to get involved in an activity that's brought her a lifetime of joy.