Port Townsend artist Mike Biskup created five different paintings for the “Art in Embassies” program, of which only one was used. Courtesy photo by Sam Black, PT Leader.
Mike Biskup’s paintings can be seen locally at the Bazaar Girls knitting and yarn shop, as well as the recently inaugurated Zee Tai Collective of fellow artists, both within walking distance of each other downtown, but his art has also represented the Pacific Northwest, and the United States as a whole, overseas.
In 2022, the Port Townsend artist was selected as an “Arts in Embassies” for the U.S. Department of State, to be featured in a three-year exhibition at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, Kosovo, alongside Tacoma’s Dale Chihuly, Anacortes’ Kathleen Faulkner and New York’s William Daniels.
“When I first received an email, saying they wanted to use my art, I thought it was spam,” Biskup laughed. “But as soon as I was able to confirm it was real, I understood what an honor this was. I’m one of only four artists selected for this installation.”
Jeffrey M. Hovenier, who became the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo in January of 2022, explained that the “Art in Embassies” program was established in 1963 to enable the State Department to exhibit art from the United States, and host countries such as Kosovo, in embassies and ambassador residences worldwide.
“One role of an ambassador, which I take very seriously, is to promote cultural exchange,” Hovenier said. “The Art in Embassies program has allowed me to share art from both Kosovo and the U.S. with a diverse international audience.”
Hovenier and his wife Laura selected artwork that resonated with them, and since he’s from Bellingham, he wanted to display art that would introduce the Pacific Northwest to the people of Kosovo, while also demonstrating the commonalities between that region and his new home in Kosovo.
“Art expresses messages that bring people together, and Mike’s work stood out for the way it reminds the viewers of the interconnectedness of people, no matter where they come from,” Hovenier said. “This is a core theme for our work as U.S. diplomats, as we strive to build bridges and make connections with people from all over the world.” Read More
“It was important to us that the art had meaning, not only to us as Americans, but also to our many guests,” Hovenier said. “This piece has added great value to our residence, and we are so grateful to Mike for allowing us to display his work.”
Biskup created five different paintings for the “Art in Embassies” program, of which only one was used, which was at least partly inspired by the Medieval Christian mystic Meister Eckhart, an Inquisition-targeted theologian whose outlook on spirituality has found favor with more modern proponents of neopaganism and ultimate Buddhism.
Biskup’s freeform approach to creating art aspires to shamantic traditions outlined by mythologists such as Joseph Campbell, and ever since 2020, he’s worked by listening to either audiobooks or music, and laying down lines into shapes “a little faster than I can think,” to the point that “the picture seems to start making itself.”
Biskup has described himself as inspired by how he almost never has any idea what his completed painting will look like when he starts working on them, but he trusts the spontaneous choices of his subconscious mind to guide him in shaping the layers of his work.
“I’m inspired by nature, architecture, history, God and the interconnectedness of all things,” Biskup said. “I want my paintings to be open-ended, to symbolize concepts and tell stories particular to each viewer’s life experiences, beliefs and context.”
“Many of our Kosovan guests have remarked on how much they enjoyed seeing Mike Biskup’s piece, as well as other art on display,” Hovenier said. “It helps make the house our home.”
