Kristina Bilonick grew up in Chevy Chase, MD, and many of her screen printings and mixed media works reflect journal entries from her childhood. (Luis Gomez Photos)

From Cecile Oreste

Kristina Bilonick is one of the local artists featured in Vastu’s current $500 or Less art exhibition. When asked to contribute her work to the exhibition, she considered the aesthetic of the store and selected pieces that would complement its modern décor.

Some of her works on sale at Vastu include an acrylic painting on canvas titled “Frutas” and a screen print with acrylic and graphite on paper titled “Love Boat,” which portrays her childhood dreams of being a famous actress.

“My work is about family, personal experiences and growing up in the DC suburb of Chevy Chase,” she said. “A lot of ideas come from journal entries I’d written when I was in grade school.”

Bilonick recalls being inspired by summers spent in Panama as a youth, as well as observations of her grandmother. Her grandmother collected Maybelline Great Lash mascara, a memory which inspired her to create a five foot sculpture of the pink-and-green makeup tube.

Bilonick has shown at several galleries in the DC Metro area including Transformer and Studio Gallery. However, this is her first time showing at Vastu despite previously working out of the store’s basement studio space. She now calls Gold Leaf Studios, between Union Station and Chinatown, home. Artists Sarah McLaughlin and Nick Pimentel also share the space, where Bilonick has worked out of since last September.

Bedroom by Kristina Bilonick (Luis Gomez Photos)

In addition to creating interactive installations, Bilonick designs a line of screen-printed apparel and accessories which can be purchased at Smash! Records in Adams Morgan, The Shop @ Civilian Art Projects and her own website. She is also involved in other areas of the arts community in DC.

She recently performed in “Memoria Brassica”—one of the “Artistic Blind Dates” during Week 2 of the Source Festival and currently works as Program Director for the Washington Project for the Arts.

More Information

• Smash! Records
• The Shop @ Civilian Art Projects
• Kristina’s website
• Kristina’s blog

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