Sunday, June 23, 2013

You Are Not a Dinosaur - Artists Collective

You are Not a Dinosaur - Photography Collective
California Building: 2205 California St NE, Studio 201, Mpls MN 55418




In May of this year, the “You are not a dinosaur” collective did something I think was absolutely unique. From 17,000 images in our ancillary online group, I invited artists from around the world to essentially give their work to what we hoped would be a gallery. The image guidelines were fairly simple; to show work which demonstrated empathy. The exhibition’s title was taken from the last words of Lincoln’s assassin, who when cornered and paralyzed asked his killers to raise his hands to his face, which he looked at and said “Useless, useless.” I had suffered a pretty bad year, as many in the world had, and this quote struck me at a friend’s memorial service last summer where I saw how profoundly her one life had affected so many. If Booth could not see the impact of his single hateful act, I wondered how we could ever see the nobility and beauty in our small affirmative acts, in trivial things we do everyday with those nearest us.





The title, “Useless, useless” was of course, a come on to challenge your notions of utility and value. I created a new online group to gather entries. As I watched this virtual gallery take shape, I started to see several themes that related especially well to our broader notion that the ordinary can be epic. Of these, romantic relationships, and our friendships were obvious spaces where we could most affect the people around us- as were our families, and themes of parenting. Images that showed a social consciousness began to play a prominent role, but so did less evident ideas such as how we regard ourselves (or how we don't). I was also attracted to images that said less about what a photographer is looking at, and more about how they see.

As the theme both cohered and was elaborated upon, I grew averse to the idea of merely showing such things on a wall- and all that walls connote. In spite of misapprehensions of our intent, fielding frantic queries from participants, and numerous other logistical impediments, parcels began arriving from around the world, with all of their unusual stamps, customs paraphernalia, and distinctive handwriting. A 25’ long table formed, and I became obsessed with the idea of a community table, with having some sort of art potlatch where these gifts could be shared like birthday presents. Why not have guests open them, hang them based on whatever relationships they saw amongst the works? Rather than having a curatorial vision imposed from without where we could scratch our collective chins and contemplate great significances, we had a literal “opening” night, and our wall grew organically like some unorthodox flower.



We did an international livestream, people brought food; kids, neighbors, and scenesters all  worked together, and we had a wonderful night. Even before the event, I knew we wanted this to be something broader, that this was “dinosaur’s” opportunity to establish a grounded gallery with our 100+ submissions as seeds. I made plans to bring “Useless” to a community garden this summer to reinforce my persistent assertion that art is as substantial as food. I began planning our third show which will embrace other mediums, and began looking at pragmatic solutions to accomplish these things. But being realistic has seldom been my strength. I believed that if only 10 of our group stepped up at $100 per month, or 20 at $50, or 40 at $25- whatever the structure- that we could build what we’d so often discussed; a place to meet, give workshops, show films, have somewhere to take root and grow.

I was naive. Whether apathy has crept back into the surrounding culture, or futility has driven people senseless, I don’t know- but we have not been able to “make good” on an idea with so much prospective promise. Minneapolis has an abundance of galleries, but few with an emphasis on photography, and still fewer that aspire to make art accessible (as opposed to offering investment-ready wallpaper to the hyper affluent). Furthermore, Minnesota has a committed culture of granting artistic effort, but to those who work in a strictly proscribed, and tacitly enforced manner. “You are not a dinosaur” still fails to see the work we value given prominence, works that without being blindly sweet, “light a candle” rather than curse the darkness- works that bring spontaneity, joy, and a sense of play to a discourse that is often deadening.

We aspire to give back, building a series of community based programming that can offer darkroom access, digital work stations, a resource library, and courses in alternative process image making. Most of all, we hope to offer a true commons where the state of our art is insistently up for discussion, and subversion.


I owe photography an unpayable debt. It literally saved my life, and gave me back a voice when solvents nearly ended it. It introduced me to my most recent partner, and brought me closer to many good friends through whom sweeping, animated  discussions have been born about meaning, practices, and why we do this. But I also see the medium’s limitations; it’s current fixation with narrative, and context; boundaries and fads that other plastic arts are less-constrained by. I know too many artists laboring in obscurity who merit greater visibility; people whose work's abundant empathy and affirmative vision just aren't being seen.  I want to promote work which is less dependent on its meaning than on what it means to the people who engage it- work that has a strong, consistent, and clear voice as opposed to things that belligerently announce themselves. I know too many artists laboring in obscurity who merit greater visibility; people whose work's abundant empathy and affirmative vision just aren't being seen. That said, I realize we have an amorphous agenda, but believe that “let’s see what happens” is a more critical a part of our effort than knowing what will.



Here are several of many amenities that make the space we’re considering an ideal place to create a conduit for the energy and potential of Northeast Minneapolis, the wider city, and for Minnesota:
1. Ample gallery wall space, full light set in place, beautifully read from a 200 foot corridor when opened
2. Darkroom, shower, loft, and office (unusual features for a NE studio that will allow workshops, classes, etc.)
3. Highly amenable, more-professional location within the building- a place to literally 'hang a shingle' streetside
4. Extremely fast wi-fi with numerous terminals for multi-media display options
5. Private entrance on 22nd Street, next to the former Mill City Cafe (soon to be re-opened by a new, highly-sought restaurant tenant)
6. The California Building's place in the heart of the Northeast Arts District; the ownership’s proven commitment to growth and vision
7. Proximal to local destinations i.e. The Sample Room, Psycho Suzie's, Grumpy's, numerous wellspring storefronts, community gardens, etc.



These assets and more make Studio 201 of the California Building a tremendous place to begin something wholly original. If you believe that attaining a foothold in Northeast Minneapolis at this particular space is an effort that merits your support,  please join us on Tuesday July 2nd from 2-5 to see our efforts to animate it. If you're unable to join us, but would like to make a donation, that can be addressed to the current leasee, Victor Keller, via Paypal at collectorsitem at gmail.com. Bring work, usb drives, enthusiasm, or just your curiosity. 

All the best,

Tim White, Founder of the “You are not a dinosaur” artists collective.




Thursday, June 20, 2013

Janelle Doyle - Painter


Being Born, acrylic on canvas, 2011
Janelle Doyle

Name: Janelle Kay Doyle
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Email: janelledoyle@gmail.com
MNartist.org profile

Bio~
 
Ms. Doyle is a Minneapolis-based painter and teaching artist. She holds a Baccalaureate degree in Fine Arts and Art History and a Master of Arts degree in Art Education. Ms. Doyle’s professional experience includes work with the Science Museum of Minnesota and Walker Art Center. She is the author of many publications on arts education including Children’s Theatre Company’s annual teachers’ guides. In addition to serving on the board of directors for Altered Esthetics, Ms. Doyle is an adviser to Two Rivers Folk School, the Minnesota African-American Museum, and Obsidian Arts.

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

My work is based on the human figure. I think of my work as falling into two categories: portraits and allegories. I am currently working on a series of self-portraits that represent different periods of my life. These works are larger in format and looser in style than my past work. This series also mixes aspects of portraiture and allegorical images.

Dark Roman Wine (Gary Lightbody), 2013

How did you decide to become an artist?
I never made a conscious decision to become an artist. I just always was. My earliest memory is of seeing a program about Ancient Egypt on public television and then drawing a profile of a woman in 
that style. I was three or four years old at the time.



The Golden Floor, 2012

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

Jerry Allen gave me the best advice by sharing the example of his life. When I was a first-year college student, Jerry spoke to me about having to work “regular” jobs and how he managed to still use his time to think about his work. This was a huge influence on how I felt about myself as an artist when supporting myself by working in customer service jobs. It would have been so easy to lose heart and stop working, as many of my college friends did, but I kept working and showing my art.


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

I have worked through the traditional gallery system to sell my major paintings and with art centers to sell smaller paintings, drawings, and prints. To earn additional income through my art, I work extensively as a teaching artist with organizations across the Twin Cities area. I find teaching inspires me to try new ideas and techniques and puts me in contact with a wide range of interesting people.

After the Apple, 2012

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?  
Anne Labovitz                 

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
In addition to shows at major museums like Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Institute of Arts, I am a regular visitor to many smaller art centers and organizations. I enjoy seeing and experiencing contemporary work in a variety of media.

WARM: Women Artists’ Resources of Minnesota member shows at various locations, 
MCAD Gallery     

October 11, 2009, 2010


In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art otherwise?
WARM: Women Artists’ Resources of Minnesota member shows at various locations, 

From the Floorboards Up, 2013

Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
I will have two works in the July exhibit, Physique& Technique, at Altered Esthetics Gallery in Northeast Minneapolis. July 5th through the 25th.  Reception Friday the 5th from 7-10pm.
Janelle Doyle

Altered Esthetics




Saturday, June 15, 2013

Holly Streekstra - Mixed Media Installation


EMANATIONS, at TuckUnder Projects
Holly Streekstra

Name: Holly Streekstra
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Email: holly@hollystreekstra.net
Website: www.hollystreekstra.net
Facebook page: Holly Streekstra

Bio~ 
Holly Streekstra has exhibited at numerous venues, including the Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul; Woman Made Gallery, Chicago; Invisible Dog, Brooklyn; White Canvas Independent Film Festival, Székesfehérvár, Hungary; and the 4th International Video-Art Festival in Camaguey, Cuba. In 2008, she was a Jerome Foundation Fellow at Franconia Sculpture Park. In 2012 she won the Sun-der Preis in the international art competition Betwegter Wind in North Hessen, Germany. Streekstra received a Master of Fine Arts from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since receiving an MFA in 2006, she has taught at various institutions in including Louisiana State University, Boise State University, Heron School of Art and Design, and Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In 2013 she will be a Fulbright Teaching Scholar in mixed media at Káposvar University, Káposvar Hungary.    

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I make 3D work that takes differing forms: video, sound, installation, sculptures. I am generally focused on an investigation of our inner subjective states and psychic vulnerability in contemporary life. Right now I am working on using more visceral materials in unexpected ways as opposed to the tableau vivant arrangements that I typically seem compelled toward. Its a challenge for me to break away from order and sense making but I really feel a transition occurring that is frightening and exhilarating. I hope you will join me to see how things come into shape.

Step on this Side of the Curtain. 2012. mixed media, found objects, digital audio, near-infrasonic tone, lighting, scent. 216in.x 204in. x132in. approx.
Created for TURF IDADA Art Pavilion (on view during 2012 Super Bowl—Indianapolis.)

How did you decide to become an artist?
Visual art is the only thing that felt natural. 

What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 
''Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it.'' -Jasper Johns

"Some people are even better at their second love than at their first… knowing there’s something they’d rather be doing gives them a certain freedom."- Andy Warhol

You Can Do Anything (14 Ways to Acquire Knowledge)-James Mangan

Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?
I want to make art that people enjoy. I work hard to find opportunities and support that keep me busy with deadlines to make fresh work that will be seen.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?

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

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? 

A Co-Efficient of Weirdness. 2012. Mixed media installation, performance, artist’s book and set of divining cards at D’Clinic Studios, Lendava, Slovenia. Collaboration with Allison Halter (USA/Germany).

Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
I'm preparing for a show at TuckUnder Projects. 5120 York Ave S, Mpls, MN
June 27-July 28, with an opening on Thursday, June 27th 6-9pm.

In this recent installation, EMANATIONS, Streekstra creates an ontological microcosm by presenting objects and situations which serve as intermediaries for exploring trans-communication and states of Presence. Studio experiments featuring materializations with a grounded tangible presence (wax, fibers, and found objects) suggest eerie vacillations between mortal and ethereal. The work establishes an inquiry into reflexivity, highlighting the effects of imagination on perception through peculiar arrangements and manipulations referencing illusionist apparatus, apported gifts, and funerary forms.

You will also see work by Jenny Jenkins in the Leaky Sink Gallery
and Look (again) Residency by low tech/high joy Collaboration (Marlaine Cox and Karen Kasel)

Souvenir Horizon. 2012.mixed media installation at Look Gallery,Budapest. 
25”x8”x 6” approximate. (in construction)

Tuck Under Projects

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Mary Bergs - Installation

Mary Bergs



Name:   Mary Bergs
City/State:  Minneapolis, MN
Email:  bergsmary@gmail.com
Website:  www.marybergs.com
MNartist.org profile: www.mnartists.org/mary_bergs

Bio~ 
Mary Bergs is a visual artist who lives and works in Minneapolis, MN.  Bergs works in a variety of  2D and 3D media. She has exhibited her work at The Bloomington Art Center,
Soo Visual Art Center, MN Center for Book Arts and many college and university galleries. Her work is included in the Drawing Center’s Viewing Program Bergs is a recipient of a 2013 Artist Initiative grant through the MN State Arts Board.  She holds a graduate degree in Social Work from the University of Louisville and completed a BFA at the University of MN.



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

I am an installation artist.  I work with found images, objects and materials arranging them into large compositions.  I am interested in the unexpected connections between objects and how this influences our experience with objects we encounter everyday.  In my exhibition at the Bloomington Art Center I incorporated drawings into several of the installations, this is a new direction for my work.  It introduces the maker’s hand into the work and emphasizes formal elements of the found object compositions.  The show is titled the Sublime Mundane and pairs my found object installations with the amazing paintings of Dan Buettner.  Both of us are examining our relationship with objects and re-presenting objects to the viewer.

How did you decide to become an artist?
I decided to become an artist when I visited a remote silk weaving village in India….  a romantic and true story. 



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

Stop thinking.  Go Play.


Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?
I guess I am focused on exhibiting my work and not really on creating work that is saleable.  I occasionally sell drawings, or collage work.  The installations are more about playing with ideas and thinking out loud with objects



Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
Harriet Bart  www.harrietbart.com
Margaret Pezalla-Granlund  www.mpezalla.com
Ken Steinbach  www.kennethsteinbach.com



If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
The Twine Ball in Darwin, MN
David Petersen Gallery  www.davidpetersengallery
Franklin Art Works  www.franklinartworks.org
Rochester Art Center  www.rochesterartcenterorg
Soo VAC  www.soovac.org
Any small town historical society, museum, or thrift store.

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?
Art 21  www.art21.org
But Does it Float  www.butdoesitfloat.com
Drawing Center Viewing Program  www.drawingcenter.org/viewingprogram/




Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
Sublime Mundane at the Bloomington Theater and Art Center
May 23 –July 12, 2013
Artist Talk June 27, 7:00pm
In August I will be doing a project in the garage at Tuck Under. I am playing with architectural and mechanical drawing forms and the geometry of that space.  I told Pete Driessen that I am channeling a frustrated old man who was a recluse and created drawings and inventions in his garage but they were all based on a made up understanding of geometric forms. 


Image List:  All work 2013
1. Sublime Mundane  Gallery View
2. Detail   “Listen”   (Crochet balls)
3. Sublime Mundane  Gallery View  (BlueRedLevels)
4. Detail  “Catalepsy”  (redblue)
5. "Underlined"
6. "Shelf with No.3"
7. Image of artist