Monday, December 7, 2015

Donny Gettinger - Mixed Media

Donny Gettinger


Name: Donny Gettinger

City/State: Minneapolis, MN

Email: donnygettinger at gmail.com

Website: www.donnygettinger.com
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnygettinger


 Bio~
I was born and raised in the rural heartland of America. I completed my MFA at Indiana University in 2014 and moved to Minnesota to pursue various artistic endeavors. I first arrived in Mankato and found work at a publishing company which produced titles for the library and school market. It was certainly not my area of expertise, but it definitely proved to be an interesting little life experience. I now work as an assistant artist at James Brenner Sculpture in Minneapolis and also as the Curator/ Gallery Coordinator for the ECRAC exhibition space.

This year I attended residencies at the Grin City Collective (Grinnell, IA) and the Scuola di Grafica (Venice, Italy). I currently have work up at Circa Gallery for This from Here (ending soon) and Altered Esthetic’s 3-D exhibition at the Southern Theater (closes in Janurary), both in Minneapolis. Also, a few pieces of mine are available for “check out” through the Minneapolis Art Lending Library collection (http://www.artlending.org).







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

As an artist, my work maintains a focus on the tension and latent potential found within these transitional spaces, while humoring a youth-stricken sense of adventure. I have concentrated on regionally specific subjects, such as the grey space between male adolescence and adulthood within the country landscape and the contradictory reality beneath the popular portrayal of the rural Midwest, to serve as platforms for my work.

I am currently working on projects which integrate a curatorial/ collaborative element into my practice- definitely a new approach, but I think the step is not far from the direction of my previous work. One specific work involves modifying the cargo area of my pickup truck to accommodate for drive-by puppet performances. I plan to line up a set list of local puppet troupes with the end goal of putting on a rotation of pop-up shows which entertain frustrated commuters stuck in traffic. I think elements of the construction retain a connection to country kid car modification/ boredom culture, but within the context of traffic associated with larger populations. I am very excited to get that project rolling in spring 2016. More on that project can be seen here: http://puppettruck.weebly.com









How did you decide to become an artist?


I just started to feel comfortable with the title of “artist”. I always wanted and desired to be an artist, but I didn’t feel like I had committed myself to the task until recently- when I experienced what it takes to support a career away from the safe zone of academia. If I had to claim a point when I “officially” became an artist, I would say it was somewhere after a year of surviving the shift from student to a creative person, operating in the real world.




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

There are two statements which continually resurface as I continue my journey as an artist:
“Good art does not have to be serious” and “Be mindful of your hands”.

The second statement was more impactful at the moment of delivery because the person lecturing me was missing a few of their digits. I think of that person every time I pick up a power tool- even a cordless drill.

The first bit of advice is something which has certainly shaped who I am as an artist today. It is such a simple line, but I have found it to answer a lot of the internal debates which occur when creating work. I always start out desiring some sort of profound response or experience to be had by those viewing my work. I assume this result requires the work itself to be serious in delivery or construction- which is not true, and the idea that everyone will have this universal interpretation is so goofy and naive.

I think the compositions and concepts I am most satisfied with after completion, are the ones which cause me to laugh, and possibly leave me with questions. I think this perspective has persuaded me to really embrace humor, both formally and conceptually, as a tool to deliver topics which may be rejected or dismissed if delivered directly. Things can be simultaneously funny and serious, and I feel as though they are better that way.


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


To be honest, I do not sell my creations very often. Most of the work I love to make is not really available/ able to be sold. I do produce work which is more “wall-friendly” and collectible, but I can’t say that I am successful in supporting my career entirely through the sale of my artwork. I am grateful to work two jobs, despite loss of potential studio time, and not feel pushed to make work which is intentionally commercially friendly. I’d refer anyone interested in purchasing my work to my website (www.donnygettinger.com) and to contact me directly (donnygettinger@gmail.com). 



  

 

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?

 I fell in love with Jenny Schmid’s print work (www.jennyschmid.com) when she visited Indiana University during my time as a student, so I am enthusiastic to now be located in the same city. Sharon Louden (www.sharonlouden.com) is another Minneapolis-based person of interest- her book of artist essays “Living and Sustaining a Creative Life” is pretty rad. I also really feel a connection to the unabashed poetry style of Paul Dickinson - and seeing his performance in Britni West’s “Tired Moonlight” was awesome. I could go on, but I’ll stop there. This city is a wonderful little crockpot of artists and creatives which I am thrilled to be a part of.






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

Oh, now that could be a dangerous escapade!

First, we would probably get warmed up by checking out whatever is going on at the Walker. (http://www.walkerart.org/)

Then we could peek around some of the places in my neighborhood- SooVac (http://www.soovac.org) and Intermedia Arts (http://www.intermediaarts.org) are my favorites. Then we would make our way across the river and investigate what Northeast has to offer. I have enjoyed pretty much everything I have seen at the Soap Factory (http://www.soapfactory.org) - which is an awesome space in itself. I would also check out what is happening at Public Functionary (http://publicfunctionary.org), Altered Esthetics (http://www.alteredesthetics.org), and CO Exhibitions (http://brlsq.net/burlesque/temp/coexhibitions).

If time was not a restriction on our field trip, we would stop by the Cathedral of St. Paul (https://www.cathedralsaintpaul.org) and I would spend an uncomfortable amount of time staring at Michelangelo’s Pietà. I know it a copy, but it is easily my favorite piece of Renaissance sculpture, and the original was carved from a single block of marble, and Michelangelo was only 24 when he completed it – what a little rock star!

After Church, we would probably head to some form of a watering hole. If I have money in my pockets, I would visit Betty Danger’s (because I love to use artificial turf in my work, and the place happens to be covered in it) or someplace that has karaoke.






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 is awesome for connecting with other artists within the area. It also showcases some excellent writings which expand beyond what’s going on in Minnesota. I definitely visit the site on a daily basis and am not ashamed to admit it. I live fairly close to the Walker, so I usually check their current events calendar for any upcoming screenings or lectures. I try to feel more connected to the art world outside of Minnesota by following museums, galleries, and art magazines on Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr- it is more far convenient to open an App and have all the separate establishments neatly arranged for you, as opposed to visiting each individual website. Some of the ones I follow on Instagram which I found to be informative:
ARTNEWSMAG, LACMA, ARTNET




Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
My work as a featured artist alongside Laura Cornell (http://laracornell.com) in Ae’s 3-D show  is up at the Southern Theater until January 6, 2016. There are some other great artists involved the exhibition, so stop by and give it a peek!








Image List:

1. Looking Forward,
Walnut, Artificial Turf, Slip Cast Thrift Store Figurine, Decorative Shelf, Light Switch
2015

2. On the River
Mixed Media Performance
Rurally Good Festival, Grin City Collective
2015

3. Math Class Day Dreaming,
Match Book, Artificial Turf, Cherry Wood, Candy Cigarettes, Paper, Negative
3 1/2” x 2 1/2" x 3 1/2”,
2015

4. House Plants and Home Emergencies #4
Collage
11" x 8 1/2"
2015

5. HOT DOG,
Hot Dog Buns, Single Channel Video Monitor,
variable dimensions
2013

6. Call you later. I’m at the Fairgrounds, Deep Fat Fried iPhone, Varnish 
5" x 2 1/2" x 1 1/4"
2015


7. Donny Gettinger

Friday, October 23, 2015

Lara Cornell - Painter


Lara Cornell
Name :Lara Cornell
City/State :Minneapolis, MN
Email: lara@laracornell.com
Website: laracornell.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/laracornellart

Twitter: @laracornellart
Instagram: @laracornellartEtsy Page: www.etsy.com/shop/laracornellart
Society6: www.society6.com/laracornell

Bio~  
Listening to the whispers, following my dreams, expressing my heart and loving living life as an artist.
Lara was born and raised in Northfield, Minnesota. After living, traveling, teaching and studying internationally she graduated with a BA from the University of Minnesota in French language, English literature, and Secondary Education. In 2014, she turned to painting for a creative outlet from the stresses of daily life and the flood gates opened. Lara’s style is Soulful Expressionism; painting bright colors, mixing medias, using original photography, lettering words of love and encouragement, and often focusing around her love of nature.
This year Lara has designed a new series called “A Single Moment” for a solo gallery show with Altered Esthetics in Minneapolis which focuses on using real (ethically sourced) butterflies and resin; a line of new yoga inspired Heart Strings for yoga mats and yoga blankets for local boutiques and yoga studios. This past year her artwork has appeared in Alena Hennessy's Intuitive Painting Workshop, in MN Yoga + Life magazine, at the Louvre in Paris, at SCOPE 2015 in Miami, and at various juried shows in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Her artwork can be found for purchase at gallery shops and yoga studios around the U.S., as well as in her own studio at the Solar Arts Building starting in November. 

For 2016, Lara plans to start teaching workshops encompassing her yoga therapy and meditation training, her flower essence practitioner training, and her love of intuitive art. She also plans to start working on her own book. 




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

I've started drawing more and more mandala-like flowers and I find them so meditative. I started with adding a few in my Single Moment series, and then I started drawing them on larger pieces, on tables, on yoga mats, and now on coloring pages! I find them very calming.




How did you decide to become an artist?

I don't know that I actually decided to become an artist. I think I always was and it just started leaking out and building this whole art world reality around me. It's been amazing.

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

"You can always paint over it". Seriously, just think about that for a minute. There's so much freedom in that statement.




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

I'm definitely still learning and growing in this area. I try to get my art in front of as many people as possible and I'm just starting to find that people find me later from having seen me somewhere previously. It's all connected. 
(links listed at the beginning of this email)


Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? 

So many and so many different kids of art!
Johanna Jones - painter
Jacqueline Fletcher - writer
Angie Renee - potter
Elizabeth Crust - painter/crafter
I could go on and on and on......



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

I've loved the Solar Arts Building in NE since I did my first Art-A-Whirl there just a year and a half ago. I'm so excited to be in the studios there with some other amazing artists. 
http://solarartsbuilding.com/. There's a great art community in NE Minneapolis as well as in Lowertown St. Paul.

Other than that, quite honestly, I think Minneapolis and St. Paul have an incredibly supportive community. You can see art EVERYWHERE! Coffee shops, restaurants, on the streets, art fairs, galleries, parks, open studios, and there are so many handmade in Minnesota shops popping up around the cities as well. 


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 follow the NEMAA newsletter for local information at nemaa.org, as well as mnartists.org, springboardforthearts.org, stpaulartcollective.org, and I'm active on several facebook art communities where I really enjoy finding new artists.



Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
 
I am moving into my first studio space at the Solar Arts Building on November 1st. The first Art Crawl for me in this building will be the Art This Way event November 5-8http://nemaa.org/events/art-this-way-fallcrawl

We are also planning MANY new classes and events in our new space! Follow along on my blog, or on facebook to get the details.

Yoga Mat

I will also be one of the featured artists for the upcoming AE 3D show: https://www.facebook.com/events/412491495542885/




Image List:
1) Gratitude Fall - 9x12 on paper 2015
2) Waiting - 11x14 canvas panel 2014
3) A Single Moment 13 - 18x24 resin on wood panel 2015
4) Believe in Magic - 9x12 resin on wood panel 2014
5) A Single Moment 3 - 12x16 resin on wood panel 2015
6) What you Seek - 4x4 resin on wood panel 2015
7) Yoga mat
8) Lara Cornell

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Schuyler Huber - Mixed Media

 Schuyler Huber
 
Schuyler Huber
Minneapolis, MN
Facebook page - NA
Twitter - @schuyber
Etsy page - NA

Bio
I am currently working on a body of work that incorporates structures into my paintings, which have been confined to a primarily abstract realm up until quite recently.  I wanted to challenge myself and go outside that comfort zone so I began using realistic objects to add a more tangible element. In previous works I had been using perspective to enhance the sense of space, so adding buildings and houses went hand in hand with ideas I was familiar with and I believe my paintings are stronger as a result.

How is your new work different?
I originally took an interest in art through comic books. There was something very rigid about the medium and I eventually began working on a larger scale in both drawing and painting. 

Best advice given to you?
Know when the work is complete. Its easy to overwork a piece, especially when fussing with details in perspective and proportion. From my experience, sometimes leaving things looking unfinished adds a great deal and can inform the process.

How do you sell and promote yourself?
Mostly through exhibitions and word of mouth. I have gotten some commissions in this way.
It is helpful to be well versed in media and styles to help fully realize a clients idea.
Maintaining a strong social media presence always help to get your work out there.
 
What local artists do you like?


Allegra Lockstadt - http://www.allegralockstadt.com/
 
 
What galleries do you like locally?
The MIA, the Weisman Art Museum, Intermedia Arts, Light Grey Art Lab, Gamut Gallery, Burnet Gallery

Where do you go online to learn find art?
I'm always checking MN Artists and Springboard for the Arts for local art calls and opportunities.

What events do you have to promote at this time?
I will have a couple paintings up at the Southern Theater starting the week of Oct. 22nd for the Twin Cities Horror Festival.

Image dimensions - 
Huber.Schuyler1.jpg 46" x 26" Mixed media on canvas 2014

Huber.Schuyler2.jpg 35"x 35" Acrylic on canvas, work in progress, 2015

Monday, September 28, 2015

Terri Myers Wentzka - Drawing and Watercolor

Terri Myers Wentzka


Name:  Terri Myers Wentzka
City/State:  Shoreview, MN
Email:  terri@naturalhistoryarts.com
Instagram:  terriwentzka

Bio:  Terri Myers Wentzka is a drawing, watercolor, and collage artist whose work is inspired by mysteries of the natural world and by mundane human detritus. She received her BA in Painting from the University of Minnesota, and has returned to making art after spending many years as an award-winning writer and filmmaker. Her work has been exhibited at numerous local venues, including the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts, the Bloomington Center for the Arts, and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts.

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
Right now I’m finishing work for a show that opens at TuckUnder’s Leaky Sink Gallery on October 8. This will be my first site-specific installation, so it’s challenging my thinking in some different ways and I’m enjoying that process. I’m also getting ready for Art Attack (at my studio in the Northrup King Building) the first weekend in November, and for a show at the First Unitarian Society at the end of November. While all that’s going on, I’m noodling about ideas for the new series I’ve recently started, which is about protection. Some of the early, small pieces will be at TuckUnder, but I’m also planning to make a number of large drawings next year. They’ll be bigger than anything I’ve done to date, since I’ve always worked relatively small. So I’m doing tests, and research, and figuring out how to proceed.



How did you decide to become an artist?
It wasn’t really a decision. I always knew I was an artist, despite the years I spent attempting to do other things. So the decision wasn’t to become an artist, but rather to allow myself to return to art. I never feel quite right unless I’m making art, even if I’m doing something else creative, so I simply had to.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
Draw. Actually, this is good advice for anybody, even non-artists. It’s not possible to draw too much, no matter what medium you work in.



Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art. How do you sell your work? How do you market yourself? (Include links to your Esty store, finartamerica.com, your website, etc.)
Selling art is hard. Most of my sales have been during studio crawls:  Art-A-Whirl and Art Attack. I’m currently stepping up my efforts online with Facebook and Instagram and learning all I can about art sales and marketing.

Instagram:  terriwentzka

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? (Provide links)

Scott Wentzka  http://wentzka.com
Terry Genesen Becker  http://terrygenesenbecker.com
Mary Bergs  http://marybergs.com
Jantje Visscher  http://jantjevisscher.com
Brandon Kuehn  http://brandonkuehn.com
Wing Young Huie  http://www.wingyounghuie.com

For every person I’ve listed, there are probably five more wonderful artists I love, but I have to stop somewhere!



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

I don’t know if I’m a good person to follow anywhere (I might hide if I know you’re up to such a thing), but these are some of the places I like to go:
Groveland Gallery  http://grovelandgallery.com
Artistry at Bloomington  http://btacmn.org
Bockley Gallery  http://bockleygallery.com
2001: A Space  http://2001aspace.com



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?

Hyperallergic  http://hyperallergic.com

Those are a few. There’s so much information everywhere these days that random tidbits seem to come from everywhere. Many bread crumbs to follow.



Choose one:
Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future? What can we expect to see from you in the future?
My solo show, Hideaway, opens October 8 and runs through November 15, in the Leaky Sink Gallery at TuckUnder Projects. It’s all recent work that reflects upon the real and illusory ways humans and other creatures protect themselves from all manner of threats, while also exploring the mysteries of bathroom cabinets and found papers. The show will include drawings and watercolors that allude to scientific studies in their composition, but upon taking a closer look it becomes obvious that each one incorporates the text of someone’s discarded grocery list or other scribbled notes. Hideaway takes advantage of the mysterious nooks and crannies of the Leaky Sink Gallery, with art and collections of objects of uncertain purpose hidden away in cabinets for visitors to find. 


If you are promoting an event, by what date do you want your interview/profile to be online?
My opening at TuckUnder is October 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. It would be wonderful if you could post this interview sometime between Sept. 30 and October 2.  Thank you very much!!


(Include dimensions and year made if applicable)
Image List: 1. Not Home, 2015, 22 x 14”
2.  
Scattered, 2015, 5 x 4”
3.  
Bean Guardian, 2015, 11 x 8”
4.  Protected, 2015, 10.75 x 8”
5.  
Osprey Eggs with Erased List, 2014, 11 x 9.25”
6.  
Curiosity Cabinet #1: Three Eggs & a Cootie Catcher, 2014, 11 x 14”
7. Image of artist

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Evan Ishmael - Mixed Media


Evan Ishmael

Name: Evan Ishmael
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Emailinfo@evanishmael.com
Websitewww.evanishmael.com
Facebook page: Evan Ishmael Fine Art
Etsy Page: EvanIshmaelFineArt


Bio:
I am an artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In my collection of untitled works, I explore the unique and idiosyncratic medium of flame to compose visual images on canvas, wood and glass and paper.  The residue that’s left behind creates formations in soot reminiscent of the vast landscapes of ethereal worlds, experimenting with form and composition by using hard edges and, most recently, the addition of color and wood in my latest works.


Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I'm currently exploring a series of work in collaboration with my wife. We are using my signature soot style along with ink washes, to create new, abstract compositions. She is an amazing artist in her own right, but this has been our first attempt at an art collaboration. We're both really looking forward where this series is going to take us. 
In the past, my work has always centered around the exploration of form. It started as an attempt to explore a new medium and has evolved into a fascination with larger, more complicated compositions. I begin each piece by envisioning myself building an organic object—sometimes a towering form, other times delicate or minimal ones. I continue to push my own limits with size as well as content; constantly pushing the boundaries of an intensively restrictive medium. My goal is for the piece to entirely encompass the person interacting with it, and I want for the viewer to imagine the work perpetually expanding into space beyond the canvas in front of them.



How did you decide to become an artist?
It's never really been something I had made a conscious decision to do. It has always been something I've just had to do. I don't know what else I'd be doing with my life. Accounting? 

What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 
When I was a teenager I read Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art." Among a lot of valuable advice, what I got out of it was that the most important part of being an artist is just putting in the time, regardless of the quality of the product. The quality doesn't matter if you can't even get yourself into your studio.



Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?
I sell most of my work through my shows and from my website. I've recently set up profiles on Etsy (EvanIshmaelFineArt) as well as Vango (Evan Ishmael). I'm excited to see if this opens up new avenues to sell work. 


Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? 
I'm a huge fan of HOTTEA (@hotxtea on Instagram). I've also been loving the works of Morgan Pease (www.morganpease.com) and Russ White (www.russ-white.com), who are both based here in Minneapolis.


If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
I love checking out new work at Waiting Room Gallery in Loring Park, as well as Public Functionary and Gamut Gallery. Sometimes I'll find myself popping in and out of Circa Gallery and Burnett Gallery, too, just to see what's new.  But I also love wandering through downtown alleys trying to find new street art. There is an alley between 1st and 2nd Ave near Washington that always has some amazing new stuff. 



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? Well, I curate several locations around the metro, so MnArtists.org has been an invaluable resource for finding new artists. Aside from that I've had great experiences finding new artists on Instagram or visiting large scale venues like the State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. 


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

My next show is at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis (1420 S Washington Ave, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454) in September 2015. It's titled "Sootloose and Fancy Free". The reception will be September 11 from 5:30-7pm, and will include several different series of my work from the past 3 years.




Image List:
1.Blue on Wood, 2015, 42"x42"
2.Yellow on Wood, 2015, 42"x42"
3.Blue 2, 2014, 22"x30"
4.Blue 1, 2014, 30"x36"
5.Orange 1, 2014, 20"x34"
6. Untitled 13, 2013, 36"x48"
7. Image of artist

Friday, July 31, 2015

Shana Kaplow - Painter and Video Artist

Particulates, 2015, ink on paper in 300 parts, 16’ x 20’
Shana Kaplow



Name: Shana Kaplow
City/State: St. Paul, MN
Email: skaplow@iphouse.com
Website: www.shanakaplow.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shana.kaplow

Bio: 
Shana Kaplow is a painter and video artist living and working in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her work deals with issues of connection and separation linking personal narratives to larger social forces. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally at museums and galleries including The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The TEDA Museum of Contemporary Art (Tianjin, China), The Asheville Museum of Art (NC), The Plains Art Museum (ND), 55 Mercer Gallery (NY), Franklin Art Works (MN), Detroit Artists Market (MI), The Art Space (Tel Aviv), The Soap Factory (MN), The Third Place Gallery (MN), The Weinstein Gallery (MN), Macalester College Gallery (MN), and Thom Barry Fine Arts (MN). Her video work has been screened at The Walker Art Center, and the Austro-Sino Arts Program in Beijing, China. She has received several grants and fellowships for her work including the MN State Arts Board Artists Initiative Grant, the Joan Mitchell Foundation Artists Grant for Painters and Sculptors, the Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship, the McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowship, and the Arts Midwest/NEA fellowship. She was an artist in residence at the Red Gate International Art Residency in Beijing, China, and the Vermont Studio Center Artist Residency in Vermont. She has an upcoming exhibition at Rosalux Gallery (Minneapolis) in August, 2015, and will be included in the Midwest Biennial at The Soap Factory in September, 2015. Shana is Professor in the Art Department at St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota.



Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I am continuing to work with ink painting on paper, video, and sometimes three-dimensional structures. I am currently working with the idea of connection and separation through the depiction of everyday objects like chairs and tables. These are utilitarian objects but they are also intimate ones. We use them with our bodies – they reflect the architecture of the body and the home. I am thinking about various ways of working with the materials as a way to straddle what seem like opposite attitudes. Sometimes I work in super tight realism and other times I work really loose and improvisationally. Mostly I am interested in infusing the ‘body’ of each approach with something of the other’s qualities. I am spending time with this idea of residues and the unseen qualities that come to mind. For me, the work stems from questions about how these ineffable qualities also create challenging implications that link personal lives to larger global and industrial conditions. I want to take that on as a both a poetic and a real world concern.

How did you decide to become an artist?
I grew up around art and artists (and scientists). My mother is a painter - making and looking at art was always part of the culture of our home. The idea of asking questions as a creative or scientific endeavor was encouraged. But it was during college that I realized that my heart and mind were the most engaged in the art department and decided to listen to that. I was attracted to the freedom of thought that art made room for.



What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 
That this endeavor has a long arc – you don’t have to have it all figured out. Just keep working and asking questions of yourself and your work.

Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?
I do not have commercial gallery representation, but over the years have sold work through a variety of different gallery contacts. (http://www.thomasbarry.com, http://www.weinstein-gallery.com and http://www.elizabethleach.com). I have occasionally sold independently. More recently, I became a member of Rosalux Gallery www.rosaluxgallery.org, an artists’ collective gallery in Minneapolis. I don’t always think of it as “marketing myself”, but I do think that building real relationships is one of the most meaningful channels that helps to connect my work to someone that might want to own it. I also have a web presence as a way to inform people about my work. www.shanakaplow.com, http://www.mnartists.org/skaplow

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
There are so many!
Alexa Horochowski http://alexahorochowski.com
Andrea Carlson http://mikinaak.com
Anne Sugnet
Christine Baeumler https://vimeo.com/48815490
JoAnne Verburg http://joannverburg.com
Margaret Pezalla-Granlund http://www.mpezalla.com
Anne George…. http://annegeorge.net
Val Jenkins
I could go on …



If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
The Bindery Projects http://thebinderyprojects.com/thebindery_projects/home.html
MAEP/MIA http://new.artsmia.org/exhibitions/maep/
The Soap Factory http://www.soapfactory.org
The Third Place Gallery http://www.wingyounghuie.com/events
The Waiting Room http://www.waitingroomart.org
David Peterson Gallery http://davidpetersengallery.com
Walker Art Center http://www.walkerart.org
Burnet Gallery http://burnetgallery.com/home.html



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? 
Two Coats of Paint http://www.twocoatsofpaint.com
Painters Table http://painters-table.com
Bomb Magazine http://bombmagazine.org
Walker Art Center Blog http://blogs.walkerart.org
Contemporary Art Daily http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com
Gorky’s Granddaughter http://www.gorkysgranddaughter.com
Minneapolis City Pages http://www.citypages.com

What can we expect to see from you in the future?
I have an exhibition with Rebecca Krinke coming up in August 2015 at Rosalux Gallery called Low Lying Area. The show runs August 2 – 30th. The opening reception is Saturday, August 8th from 7-10 (it’s free and open to the public). In September, my work will be included in the Midwest biennial entitled, Superusted, curated by Cheryl Wilgren Clyne at The Soap Factory (September 12 – November 1, Opening September 12, 7-11pm). In October, I will have work in the Drawing Project’s inaugural show at Homewood Studios.


Shana Kaplow


Image List:
1. Particulates, 2015, ink on paper in 300 parts, 16’ x 20’
2. Particulates (detail), 2015, ink on paper in 300 parts, 16’ x 20’
3. The Table’s Body and Persistent Fugitive 1 + 2, 2015, ink on paper, 48” x 70” and 40” x 50”
4. Studio view, new work in progress, 2015, ink on paper, 44” x 30”
5. New work in progress, 2015, ink on paper, 44” x 30”
6. Image of artist