Elana Wolowitz Schwartzman

How and why did you become an artist?

I like to think that I found my way *back* to being an artist as an adult, after being an artist in childhood and then slowly losing it as I progressed through school.

I was working in political organizing and nonprofit communications in my 20s, and was deeply influenced by the visual impact of the 2008 Obama campaign and the power of words to build movements.

I took a class at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Letterpress printing and from the moment I first touched it, I knew this was what I was meant to be. For me, letterpress printing from hand-set type combines my interest in using words and language to connect, challenge and mobilize people with a physical process of design and building that is very satisfying. To me, art is about play, and letterpress is an unlimited source of play for me. 

How and why did you become an artist?

What medium(s) do you work in?

Letterpress Printing.

How and why did you become an artist?

How long have you been working as an artist?

15 years.

How and why did you become an artist?

What are some of your biggest inspirations as an artist?

Jenny Holzer is one of my biggest inspirations for her use of words and language in her art. I am also inspired by contemporary letterpress printers who break the mold, like Jen Farrell at Starshaped Press and Amos Paul Kennedy.

How and why did you become an artist?

What is your connection to Northeast Minneapolis?

I have been part of the Northeast artist community since 2021.

How and why did you become an artist?

How does Art-A-Whirl benefit you as an artist?

Art-A-Whirl is an amazing opportunity to connect with people. I thrive on sharing my process with the public, even more so than sharing what I create. So,

Art-A-Whirl brings people inside my studio where they can see the type, see the presses, sometimes even try their hand at letterpress printing. It’s this engagement with the community that I love most about AAW.

How and why did you become an artist?

Any good stories or memories of an experience at Art-A-Whirl that you can share? What stands out?

I love when an older person (usually a man) comes into my shop and is transported back in time to when he took printing as a vocational class in high school. The smell of the ink, the feel of the type, is very Proustian. Everyone who has ever printed usually has fond memories of the process. Similarly, I love showing young children (and young at heart) who have never seen it before, and explain that this was how everything used to be printed. 

How and why did you become an artist?

What has being a NEMAA member meant to you? What do you value most about membership?

I like being part of a community.

How and why did you become an artist?

What do you wish more people knew about the arts scene in Northeast Minneapolis?

How collaborative and open it is. And how it is driven by curiosity and wonder at how lucky we are to be able to make art and for anyone to enjoy it. 

How and why did you become an artist?

Art-A-Whirl and NEMAA turn 30 years old in 2025. Can you believe it? What changes have you witnessed?

I think that for a while there, AAW was kind of co-opted by people mostly interested in drinking outdoors while listening to music. But I think we’ve had a shift back to drawing a community that is very engaged in the arts, respectful of artist’s work and process, and is seeking wonder.

The best AAW experience involves stumbling on something you never expected and just allowing yourself to be part of it, and I think that has been carefully cultivated by NEMAA members.

How and why did you become an artist?

Why is art important in our community?

Artists cultivate curiosity, prompt reflection, build community, and allow us to appreciate our surroundings.

How and why did you become an artist?

Can you imagine a world WITHOUT the arts community in Northeast Minneapolis? How would the community be different?

I don’t want to imagine it! I think it is a glue that holds many things together. Local businesses, community development, livability — it would be missing something essential.

How and why did you become an artist?

What are your hopes and dreams for Art-A-Whirl, NEMAA, and/or the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District in the next 30 years?

That it manages to stay strong and independent and fueled by artists, for artists.

How and why did you become an artist?

If you could make one change in Northeast Minneapolis, no matter the cost, what would it be?

More public placemaking with artists.

How and why did you become an artist?

Tell us again why you love being an artist and what your work brings to the community.

The potential for human connection through art.

How and why did you become an artist?

What do you want to share that we haven’t covered?

These questions don’t get at a lot about my individual art or my process, which I’m happy to share more about!

I print the old-fashioned way using hand-set wood and metal type. My projects are often interactive and involve prompts for the public to engage with.