Visual Artist in Residence Ivo Makianich

September 26, 2025 by Kelby

As we welcome our 2025/26 cohort of Artists in Residence to The Umbrella, we are enjoying getting each one's take (five!) on a series of questions about their formative experiences, current interests, and residency goals. Next up in our series is visual artist Ivo Makianich.

Ivo is a painter and educator whose work explores the relationship between time, space, and memory through a reductive, time-bound painting process. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in California, he later moved to New England. He holds a B.A. in Studio Art from California State University, Long Beach, an M.A. in Art from Eastern Illinois University, and an M.F.A. in Painting from Boston University. He teaches in the Rhode Island School of Design’s Summer Pre-College program and the Fine Arts Department at St. Paul’s School, and has also taught at Boston University and Eastern Illinois University. His work has been exhibited nationally across the United States and has earned recognition including the Academy Scholar Award from the New York Academy of Art’s Summer Undergraduate Residency Program and the King-Mertz Research/Creative Activity College Award of Excellence.

We're excited to see what Ivo creates and shares with The Umbrella's resources and for Concord's community in the coming year!

 
What's your earliest or most treasured memory of making art?
I’m not sure about my very earliest memory, but just before I immigrated from Argentina to the United States, my mom enrolled me in art classes at one of her student’s homes. We would take the bus together and she would drop me off. I remember loving those afternoons. The space was set up like a real artist’s studio and it gave me my first glimpse of what an artist’s life might look like.
 
What most excites you about your current projects or portfolio?
Right now I am excited about pushing deeper into color theory. I spent much of last year working strictly in black and white, but recently I have begun slowly introducing color into my reductive painting process. My goal during my time at Umbrella is to keep exploring this shift and see how far I can take it.

Who do you most admire who is currently working in your field?

I admire many artists, but lately I have been especially drawn to William Kentridge’s charcoal animations and the way they feel spontaneous and alive. His work carries a sense of ephemerality, urgency, and even accessibility. It contrasts with the historically slow and methodical painting approaches I was trained in, and I have worked to develop a process that keeps that sense of immediacy while still being grounded in painting.

What are you most looking forward to experiencing or accomplishing during your time as an Umbrella artist-in-residence?
Even in my first few days here I have already met many generous and curious artists who were eager to share their work and studio spaces with me. There is clearly a strong sense of community here, and I am looking forward to spending my time fully engaged with it.
 
What's your philosophy as a teacher of and/or ambassador for your art form?

For me teaching is about shared discovery. There is a special satisfaction in watching students become curious or energized by ideas I have long taken for granted. Those moments remind me that learning never stops. They keep me questioning, evolving, and staying present in both my classroom and my studio practice.

Posted In

Posted In: 
Studio Arts

Tagged In

Tagged In: 
artist in residence

Image Gallery