Katie Machain

Work Life: Katie began working at Art Attic Framing & Design in 2014, after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Montana in 2013. As a student, Katie learned the proper techniques for handling and installation of artwork. She is now the Art Attic’s professional art installer and has installed artwork for local businesses and residences using a variety of hanging techniques. When she is not out installing, she helps maintain the productivity in the shop. From designing, cutting and building the frames, to fitting the frame with artwork, Katie enjoys every aspect of the framing industry.

Katie’s favorite task at work is building the frames, especially challenging designs that stack together several different moulding styles. For Katie, every framing project is an opportunity to learn and improve her skills for (hopefully) a lifetime of framing.

Art Life: Katie is a Missoula based artist who uses traditional methods of printmaking to create her colorful woodcut prints. Much of her subject matter explores the relationship between the human experience and nature. To Katie, the reduction printing process is just as much a part of the meaning as the artwork itself. Each piece was created by carving into a wood block that is then inked-up and printed during different stages of the carving process. Thus, each color is its own layer, and once the final layer is printed, all previous layers are lost. This process is a metaphor for life itself, and our inability to change the previous layers of our lives. For more of Katie’s work and to learn more about her process visit katiemachain.com.