April Gornik

• Name — April Gornik • Born — 20 April 1953 • Birthplace — Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. • Education — NSCAD University • Spouse — Eric Fischl • Known for — Painting: • Illustration — Landscape by April Gornik on display at the Dayton Art Institute in 2008.

Gornik received in 1976 her B.F.A. from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (now called NSCAD University), and while attending the school she met her future husband, painter Eric Fischl. Art dealer Ed Thorp hosted her first solo exhibition in 1981, after having caught sight of her paintings while viewing Fischl's work. She is influenced by the feminist consciousness-raising of the late 20th century and, in speaking about female artists who have worked in the shadows of better known male artists, including Elaine de Kooning and Lee Krasner, she has said, "It's a problem. Women artists still receive lower prices for their art and remain less shown than their male counterparts." In 2014, FigureGround Press published the monograph April Gornik: Drawings, an extensive look at charcoal drawings done since the mid 1980s. The book includes essays by Steve Martin and Archie Rand, an interview with Lawrence Weschler, and a digital download of a piano and cello composition by composer Bruce Wolosoff, played by Wolosoff and Sara Sant'Ambrogio of the Eroica Trio. Gornik has remained committed to helping her community. In 2017, she and her husband donated 26 acres of land to the town of North Haven for preservation. She also supports the Southampton Animal Shelter and is involved with the Eastville Historical Society.

In 2020, Gornik co-founded The Church, a cultural and artistic center in a deconsecrated Methodist church in Sag Harbor, New York, alongside her husband, Eric Fischl. The space was envisioned as “a sanctuary for creativity,” housing exhibitions, residencies, lectures, and performances to foster cross-disciplinary artistic exchange.