Fulbright recipient and Visual Studies alumni discovers new medium
Derek Frankhouser began at Mizzou as an English major and turned to art after taking a drawing class as an elective and received his BFA in 2011. Derek says he always liked drawing, comic books, and illustration, but had no expectations for a career in art.
During Derek's time at Mizzou he studied abroad in Florence, Italy with Professor Mark Langeneckert and made many studies of figurative and narrative works during the trip. Upon his return Derek continued to develop his drawing skills, but ultimately decided to focus his major on printmaking when he took an introductory class with Professor Chris Daniggelis and fell in love with intaglio, a traditional print medium that involves drawing precise lines in copper and results in a clean inked image.
Noticing Derek's growing enthusiasm for printmaking, Daniggelis encouraged him to submit his artwork to juried shows, apply for grants, and seek internship opportunities. With his mentorship support for a research grant, Derek secured two summer internships in New York City at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in Manhattan and Brooklyn Artists Alliance.
During Derek's senior year, he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and chose Germany, where the printing press was invented, as his destination and explored graphic archives in museums after graduation.
After completing his Fulbright project, Derek took a job as a media producer for an educational company in Manhattan and continued to experiment and reinvent his art practice outside of his day job.
Derek slowly gravitated towards tattooing, a contemporary medium that combined his passions for fine linework in printmaking, illustration, and figurative artwork. "I was drawn to tattooing because it was somewhat off the radar of fine art, operated by different commercial rules compared to galleries, and was growing in popularity and sensationalized by the media. It seemed to exist in a nebulous cultural space that blended folk art, fine art, and pop art.
Derek established a private tattoo practice and spread awareness of his work through social media and in his local community in Brooklyn by installing street art. Over three years into his tattoo practice, he is fortunate to be surrounded by a growing community of supporters and has begun to mentor aspiring tattoo artists.