Sunday, December 15, 2013

Michael McGraw - Photographer


Name:  Michael McGraw
City/State: Mpls, MN
Email: mcgrawphoto at gmail.com

Bio~ 
I have been a photographer since the early nineties when I started out as a wedding photographer.  That worked out pretty well for me for about 12 years, but it was exhausting work and when wedding work no longer made me happy, I stopped completely and rented a studio in the Northrup King Building in the NE Mpls Arts District. I've been there since about 2005 and currently share a studio with painter Megan Bell Honigman.


Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?

Right now I am working on something completely different from past years. Until recently, I had been working on abstract nature images --  close-cropped shots of tree branches or weeds, using a shallow focus to draw the viewer into the details of the subject so that the images become more about patterns and shapes than the source subject. Crabapple trees were my favorite subject.

Now, I am working on a project where the subjects are mannequins in storefront windows. Portraits, mainly headshots. Most of the mannequins in store windows do not have heads, or, if they do, they have heads that are head-shaped, but not meant to fool you into thinking that they are life-like. Mannequins with wigs and human-ish features are rare, at least in the twin cities.  There are about five or six places in the metro area that have the life-like mannequins I am looking for. Thank you Via's Vintage, Ragstock, and Lickity Split for putting some effort into your window displays!

I recently took a trip to London where they seriously put a lot of effort into lifelike mannequins and window displays. What was most interesting to me about the differences between London displays and Minneapolis displays was the difference in how hi-end the stores were.  Here, the stores that use lifelike mannequins are Ragstock and American Apparel, in London it was Chanel and Versace.

With my local subjects, since I go back to the same few places every week, weirdly, each mannequin becomes like a friend.  From how they are styled they seem to have unique personalities and I've come to imagine whole lives and back stories for them.  Sad stories. From their blank expressions, I imagine that they have "settled" for work in the window displays, that they have run out of other options. I imagine that since they never acknowledge me they are trying to keep their distance from everyone. So I try to respect that and always show them in the most flattering way possible. 


What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 

That's hard to say. I'm mainly self taught, so I haven't had a lot of those feedback opportunties I would have had in school, but if I was giving advice to someone else it would be to create work that resonates most truly with yourself, regardless of trends or what other people tell you. Now this might not translate into sales or exhibit opportunities, but at least your art will represent the real you. Then, I would recommend that you learn the business and marketing side of art.  This is something I haven't really figured out, but there are certainly a lot of people making a living making art so you might want to ask them. 



Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?

I sell my work mainly through my studio (Northrup King #274) where people can see framed work on the walls and meet with me and ask questions.  Most of my sales are commissions where people want a certain image but in custom size. Art-Attack and Art-a-Whirl and the Fall and Spring open audio events in NE Mpls where thousands of people come out to see and buy local art.

I use my website, Facebook (Me), and my blog to get my new work seen. You can email me for custom prints. 




Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? 
I run the Local Artist Interviews website (yes, this website), which has been an amazing opportunity to connect with artists I love and artists I might never have known about. This is just a short list, but I really like the work of…




If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?

SooVac Gallery, Walker Art Center and the MAEP Gallery at the MIA.  These are my usual first stops.  Having to answer this question reminds my that I need to get out more.  There are so many galleries in town.  Maybe today I'll get to Circa Gallery and Gallery 360. I haven't been to Instinct Gallery yet, so we'd go there, too.

In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise? 

I mainly follow links through Facebook and Tumblr


Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?

I am showing in January 2014 at Altered Esthetics in NE Mpls for "Remasterpiece". I have  photograph of the Mona Lisa that I found in the window of a Robbinsdale second hand shop. The window reflects car headlights which make a brand new set of nostrils for her.  I can't wait to see what else is going to be in this show.  The opening is Friday, 1/3 and the show runs through 1/30/14.

Mona Lisa of Robbinsdale


Altered Esthetics Gallery Profile



Thursday, November 21, 2013

Jacqui Rosenbush - Sculptor/Painter

Jacqui Rosenbush
When to Push and When to Pull


Name: Jacqui Rosenbush
City/State: Bloomington/MN
MNartist.org profile: Jacquilyn Rosenbush

Jacqui Rosenbush is a multimedia sculptor and painter. Her childlike wonder of creation drives the aesthetic of her work, producing pieces that are both grounded in earthy forms and spirited with expressive spunk. During her years at the University of Minnesota, she traveled to Mexico and Venezuela to study visual art and culture and earned a BA in Studio Art with a minor in Spanish Studies in 2009. She currently runs a business providing handmade and eclectic décor for special events and engages communities in the arts as a teaching artist, a live painter, and is training as a mural-maker. Her sculptures and paintings take shape in her Bloomington Studio, where she can be found singing and dancing while simultaneously, and quite spontaneously, creating something out of nothing. In addition to living a life that creatively brings forth life in others, her dream for the future is to open a Center for the Arts.



Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?

I like to consider my work as visual poetry that provokes emotive reactions that are felt before they are understood. I believe its best appreciated when approached with an openness to be affected. It is often presented in a raw state, not perfectly crafted, but honest. I typically work with wood, but love to incorporate materials like lace, wool, rocks, and other found objects. I like working with loose canvas when painting, for the sculptural, off-the-wall effect, or on plywood for the heft and texture. I'm currently working on a commission for three paintings of aerial views of fields and I'm having a lot of fun with it. It's very detailed and I have to work slowly, which is not something I'm used to, but it's really worth the challenge. 


How did you decide to become an artist?

I pursed a degree in Nutrition Science in college in an attempt to combat the starving artist career, only to discover that investing in my talents as an artist would be the most satisfying and rewarding choice for me after all. It was as if I needed to try something else so that I would be confident in my choice to pursue what I wanted all along. 



What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 

A poetry teacher of mine, in reference to editing a poem, stated, "Where is it hot? Follow that." And I have found that simple concept to be a gentle and effective tool through the nuances of creating art and pursing this career. 

Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?

My family is my biggest support and is always offerings to buy my work. Friends and community members have been a great support as I'm starting out too. I enjoy trading my art with other creatives who are interested in an equal value swap. I created an Etsy shop for smaller handmade accessories as a starting point to eventually sell fine art, but have yet to enter that transition. [etsy.com/shop/buttonsandbottletops]. Having a profile on MNartists is highly suggested since many people search that site to find artists in Minnesota. And also being connected with organizations like RAWartists and the East Side Arts Council that do a great job at promoting their artists is like catching a free marketing ride to success! I often remind myself to not despise the day of small beginnings, because we all have to start somewhere and we are all trying to figure out the best way to do it. Luckily, Minnesota is a GREAT place to learn. 



Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? 

I love the work of Kate Casanova. Just last year she was featured as one of City Pages' Artists of the Year. I think we should keep an eye on her… she's off to big places! http://www.katecasanova.com

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?

I'm a solid fan of the M.I.A. So, we would stop there and be sure to visit the MAEP (Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program) Gallery [artsmia.org]. And since I love sculpture and road trips, we would go to Franconia Sculpture Park to romp around under over and through big and awesome sculptures [franconia.org]. We would also go to the Walker for good measure and to stay current [walkerart.org] And then to Art-A-Whirl, for exposure to an overwhelming amount of amazing and entertaining stuff [nemaa.org/art-a-whirl].



In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise? 

mnartists.org, and springboardforthearts.org are great resources. 



Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future? 

I will have two pieces in the Knot What it Seams Exhibition at Altered Esthetics in NE, Thursday, December 5th through Saturday, December 21st. Opening night is Friday, December 6th from 7pm-10pm.

Jacqui Rosenbush
Altered Esthetics Featured Artist




Image List:
1. When to Push and When to Pull
2. Among Wolves
3. Not One Falls
4. The Bride
5. for[the]sake
6. Apathy

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Dani Roach - Painter

North Shore Rocks 1
Dani Roach

Name:             Dani L. Roach
City/State:     Minneapolis, MN
Email:             art@daniroachart.com
Website:         www.daniroachart.com
MNartist.org profile:   http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=8920

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I just finished a group of paintings for an upcoming solo show around the theme Pairings/Parings. I realized that I was creating twos – a pair of paintings of the same subject matter, or a pair in different mediums, or one horizontal and one vertical, etc.  I became more intentional about it after I noticed. The paring part, stripping away details or changing them, is pretty common to my previous work. At this point, I’m finishing up an interactive piece with a friend I’ve collaborated with for years, Roxann Reisdorf.  For the last twelve years I’ve included a piece that people can touch and play with, for my solo shows. My inspiration for the interactive pieces is an older sister that became blind later in life. I still wanted to be able to share my work with her.



How did you decide to become an artist?
I don’t remember it as a decision, but I was always creating things, drawing, and painting from early childhood. Given a choice, it was the one thing that always made sense to study and do.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
Don’t expect to make your living from your art. Somewhere along the line in college that message crept in. It was a very practical idea – get trained in a trade you enjoy. Then, if you could work seasonally or take breaks when you needed them for the studio, you could still make a living. I didn’t end up pursuing a trade, but I ended up working in libraries – for as long as I’ve been making art.


Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?
I’m very fortunate to be represented by Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis, http://www.grovelandgallery.com/ for over 25 years now. I have a website http://www.daniroachart.com/ and maintain mailing lists. I also make sure that I participate in occasional juried and invitational exhibitions. The Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Competition is one venue where the volume of viewers is high.



Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
In addition to the other artists at Groveland Gallery, there are artists and friends whose work I’ve enjoyed seeing over the years.
Roxann Reisdorf http://rockdorf.zenfolio.com/
Marty Nash http://marthanash.wordpress.com/
Jody Williams http://www.flyingpaperpress.com/
Petronella Ytsma http://petronellaytsma.com/


If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
You could follow me to the major local museums like the MIA, Walker and Weisman, but I’d rather you follow me to some smaller venues. We’d see a good sampling of local and regional artists (as well as some big names) and some well-organized exhibitions around interesting themes. To name just a few:

Groveland Gallery www.grovelandgallery.com/
Form + Content   http://www.formandcontent.org/index.htm
Marine Art Museum in Winona www.minnesotamarineart.org/
Katherine E. Nash Gallery https://art.umn.edu/nash
Minnesota Museum of American Art  http://mmaa.org/
Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Building http://www.mnstatefair.org/


In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise?
Mnartists.org  http://www.mnartists.org/
Springboard for the Arts http://springboardforthearts.org/
MN Original http://www.mnoriginal.org/
WARM http://www.thewarm.org/
Wet Paint’s site http://www.wetpaintart.com/ is chock full of information and I enjoy Beth Bergman’s blog.

Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future? 
Yes. Pairings/Parings opens at Groveland Gallery on 10/25/13 through 11/30/13.  Reception: Friday 10/25/13 5-8 PM.


Groveland Gallery - Gallery Profile

Image List:
1.      North Shore Rocks 1
2.      North Shore Rocks 2
3.      Tumbling Prams
4.      Hovering Prams
5.      Red Reflection
6.      Woven
7.      Image of artist

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Zamara Cuyun - Painter


The Awakening
Zamara Cuyun

Name:  Zamara Cuyún
City/State:  Minneapolis, MN
Email:  zcuyun at hotmail.com
MNartist.org profile:  http://www.mnartists.org/Zamara_Cuyun
Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/ZamaraCuyunArt

Website: www.zamaracuyun.com


Bio~ 
Zamara Cuyún is a self-taught, Minneapolis born-and-raised, Guatemalan-American painter working with acrylics.  She incorporates elements of Maya and European myth, ideology, and iconography - sometimes to explore and create a vibrant, colorful, imaginary dream universe and, at other times, to represent the restless, violent, and unsettling world we are often forced to inhabit.

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?

I look to the past - to the collective roots of my ancestral tree - to inspire and inform my creations.  As a Grimm (literally) on my mother’s side, and Guatemalan on my father’s side, I strive to create pieces that meld indigenous Maya mythical traditions regarding cycles of life, death, and rebirth with the popular legends born of the interaction of Maya, Spaniard, and African in the Americas, as well as the folklore of Germany and other Western traditions. 

On the more technical side of things, color and light are of the utmost importance in my work.  I want my subjects – the lovely, as well as the gruesome – to pulse with color, light, and life from within. Vibrant Guatemalan indigenous textiles and folk-art, as well as European stained-glass and Rosemaling inspire and inform my use of color and brushstroke.

My current work continues to follow this same path, although I have departed thematically from the more mythical to focus on something more concretely socio-political in nature.  I am periodically drawn back to using my work as a tool to educate, explore, and protest.  In light of current events in Guatemala, I have been thinking more recently about indigenous identity (my own, as well as that represented in Guatemalan society and in the U.S.), the history of racism, colonization and resistance, the persecution and genocide of the indigenous population, and the call for social justice, reconciliation, and revitalization. I feel compelled to process this information through my art and communicate with a larger audience regarding these issues.  This portion of my work is definitely not something a person might feel comfortable hanging in their home, perhaps, but in some ways it is, to me, much more urgent in nature.

I’m also learning to “let go” a little, stylistically – which is incredibly difficult for a perfectionist – allowing the artwork and the process to deviate from the original plan I had when I first envisioned it.  My most current painting in progress is what I would consider “unfinished” – not polished, not complete, not perfect.  It’s telling me what it wants to be.  To “complete” it would destroy the story it wants to tell and the mood it wants to convey.


How did you decide to become an artist?

I didn’t decide that this is what I was going to do until about five years ago.  I took a few art classes in high school and it was really my teachers that recognized my talent and encouraged me to continue painting.  I left it for awhile, completed a degree in anthropology and archaeology, and took the odd art history class here and there.  Then, one day, I decided to pick up a paintbrush again and I haven’t stopped since.  I am terribly slow (being a perfectionist) and easily distracted, so my output isn’t quite where I would like it to be yet.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 

Someone once told me that an artist should exercise their art as they would a muscle.  You should sit down and draw or paint or whatever it is you do at least once a day to stay limber and strong.  I have good intentions of following this advice but, like I said, I’m easily distracted.

Oh – and even more importantly, it doesn’t matter if anyone else likes it, if you need to paint it, then you should.



Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?

I do need to be better about marketing myself.  I’m not very tech-savvy either.  That said, I do show my work from time to time in local coffee shops and galleries and that’s where I do make the majority of my sales.  People have also contacted me via email zcuyun at hotmail.com to make purchases and commission work.  You can also find me on mnartists.org, http://www.mnartists.org/Zamara_Cuyun and facebook, https://www.facebook.com/zamara.cuyun (but then you’d have to “friend” me).

More often than not, however, I find the act of sharing my work with the public more gratifying than the financial rewards.



Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? 
In no particular order:

Kara Faye Gregory http://karafayegregory.com/
Linnea M. Doyle http://www.linneamaas.com/#

And a shout-out to a great oil-painting teacher, Haley Stampp http://haleystampp.weebly.com/

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
Since I live in Minneapolis, we’d definitely go to the MIA http://new.artsmia.org/ and the Walker http://www.walkerart.org/, including the sculpture garden.  I just discovered this year that the Red Hot Art Festival (http://redhotart.org/) is my favorite art fair in Minneapolis.  The Casket Arts Building http://www.casketarts.com/, Intermedia Arts http://intermediaarts.org/, and Soo Vac http://www.soovac.org/ are some of my favorite places to go to enjoy great art and get inspired.  I also really enjoy surprise encounters with local talent showing in coffee shops, restaurants, and galleries around the Twin Cities.  Public art abounds without even having to hunt it down. 



In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise? 
MNartists.org http://www.mnartists.org/ is a great resource!  I have to credit them with getting me up and running.  I’m also a fan of MNOriginal http://www.mnoriginal.org/ and go to the online site to see what’s going on in Minnesota.

Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
On Friday, November 1st, 7-10pm, I am participating as the featured artist for Altered Esthetics “Día de los Muertos,” a celebration of “the lives of those we have lost.”  I am really looking forward to it.
At the moment, I have several pieces hanging in the “Fabled” exhibition at Altered Esthetics, which opened September 5 and runs through September 26, 2013
Then, from November 11 through January 5, I am planning to exhibit some pieces over at the Coffee Grounds Gallery http://www.thecoffeegrounds.net/.
Zamara Cuyun


Image List:  1. Awakening 2. Vueltas  3. Her Burden  4. Las Tres Hermanas  5. Bosque de Verapaz  6. The Artist   7. Image of artist

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Kenneth Steinbach - Drawing and Sculpture


Kenneth Steinbach
The Machine in the Ghost. Installation view.  2010-2013  Unique carved and polychromed wood, about 2600 individual elements.  Wood for the work was stolen from the grounds of the museum of the childhood home of Charles Lindbergh in Little Falls, Minnesota.

Name:  Kenneth Steinbach  
City/State:  Shoreview, MN


Bio~Kenneth Steinbach is an artist who uses a variety of media and approaches, but works principally in sculpture.  Recent exhibits include The New Forests of Thoreau’s America at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, and Still There at the Gallery at Fox Tax in Minneapolis.  He has shown throughout the United States, including exhibits at the Phillip Slein Gallery in St. Louis, and Koplin Del Rio Gallery in Los Angeles, and Circa Gallery in Minneapolis who has represented his work for the past seven years.  He has work in numerous corporate, academic, and individual collections including Midway Contemporary Art in Minneapolis, and NYCAMS in New York. Kenneth Steinbach is the recipient of two Minnesota State Arts Board grants and two grants from Bethel University in direct support of his work and research.  He is Professor of Art in Sculpture at Bethel University in St. Paul, and a member of Form + Content Gallery. 


Kenneth is currently working on a body of research investigating the cognitive and creative habits of mid career artists.  He lives in Shoreview with his wife Kari, and daughter Harper Leigh, and two impossibly enthusiastic wiener dogs.

The Machine in the Ghost.  Detail view.

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I am continuing a series of drawings and sculptural works that explore the shifting of narratives and memories attached to materials, objects and locations.  Many of those works use materials/objects with very loaded histories- wood taken from the grounds of the Lindbergh House in Little Falls, Minnesota for example, or slate chalkboards from an abandoned schoolhouse.  I am also continuing a 10 year series of works using epoxy resin, in which dozens of ink drawings are suspended in layers of epoxy resin.  For the first time I am using the figure in the resin works, and engaging ideas related to geography and exploration. The upcoming show at Circa Gallery will feature these drawings, as well as multiple sculptural works using slate, drawings on ivory piano keys, and slate from an abandoned middle school. 

How did you decide to become an artist?
When I started studying art in college I realized that I responded to the physicality of making work.  The resistance of the materials allowed me to focus on specific themes and concerns for a longer time and allowed for an expressive gravitas that other art forms did not.  I have never really considered doing anything else.

For Pierre Menard, Author of the Don Quixote.  
Found and carved wood.  Dimensions variable.  2010.


What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 
Try everything.  Which, interestingly, is the same advice that you might give someone if you were trying to drive them crazy.


Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?
I am represented by Circa Gallery in Minneapolis and also belong to Form + Content Gallery, a cooperative gallery, in Minneapolis. http://www.formandcontent.org
My website:  Kennethsteinbach.com

Untitled (Lindbergh House #6).  
Ink drawings suspended in layers of epoxy resin.  30” x 60” x 1.5”

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
The writing of Louise Erdrich (http://birchbarkbooks.com/), Kent Meyers (http://kentmeyers.com/), and Tim O’Brien (http://www.illyria.com/tobhp.html).  Also Annie Proulx, who is not from Minnesota but should be.
Aesthetic Apparatus:  http://aestheticapparatus.com/
Lex Thompson:  http://www.lexthompson.com/
Megan Vossler:  http://www.meganvossler.com
Michael Kareken:  http://www.michaelkareken.com/
Jennifer Danos: http://jenniferdanos.com/


If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
Assuming that I could bend time and space, we would spend the day hitting all the small town museums across the state.  They hold such fantastic assortments of art, history, artifacts, local oddities, civic records, donated collections.  All of it cheek by jowl in a completely unfiltered way, with terrific interactions and cross references.  Some of the most engaging exhibits around, with enthusiastic staffs- many of whom volunteer just for the love of the museum.

Memoria Animus:  Granville Falls.  8” x 13.25”.  
Scrimshaw on used elephant ivory piano keys. 2010/2013.


In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise? 
I generally find more artists off the grid, by attending openings, exhibits, and talking with other artists.  MNartists (http://www.mnartists.org/) is also a main point of reference, a terrific resource.


Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future? 
I have a solo exhibit at Circa gallery in Minneapolis opening Sept 21st, 2013.  http://www.circagallery.org/exhibits/
I am also curating a show titled Orders of Possibility with Paula McCartney, Lex Thompson, and Sonja Thomsen at Form + Content Gallery, opening in early December.

Untitled (Lamb’s Ear #2).  Waterjet cut chalkboard slate.  42” x 72”.  2012.

What can we expect to see from you in the future? 
As part of an academic research project, I am currently interviewing a large collection of mid career visual artists to determine the suite of creative habits and activities that are engaged by high functioning artists. At some point I hope to present my findings to the creative community in Minnesota in a series of dialogues or workshops.

Kenneth Steinbach


Circa Gallery - Featured Artist