Layl McDill - Mixed Media

Blue Bird Reveal's Spring, 

Colored pencil, acrylic, polymer clay, 14"x14"x2", 2012

Layl McDill

Name: Layl McDill
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Email: layl@claysquared.com
Website: www.claysquared.com
MNartist.org profile: http://mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=232908
Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Layl-McDill/51305441418
Twitter: @  https://twitter.com/#!/LaylM
Etsy Page: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Laylmcdill

Bio~ 

Layl McDill grew up in Gillette, Wyoming where she began creating things at a very young age. She majored in illustration in art school at the Columbus College of Art and Design with plans to write and illustrate children’s books. Layl did illustrate three books for a small publishing company in Columbus, Ohio but the restraints of working on a flat surface were too frustrating.  When Layl found success selling her art at arts festivals even when she was still in art school she began to realize conventional illustration was not her real love.  Now she works primarily in polymer clay  creating series of work that tell stories about whimsical worlds including animals, women, bugs, flowers and whatever else pops into her imagination.  She is a master of the millefiore technique where she creates tiny pictures in the clay which cover all of her creations.  Layl lives and creates in NE Minneapolis with her two daughters and husband.  In 1999 she and her husband, Josh Blanc, opened their studio/showroom Clay Squared to Infinity in North East Minneapolis.  Here she sells her work and Josh makes and sells tiles.  She still does many festivals through out the year and teaches her clay technique to children and adults.

Bees and Keys, 

Polymer clay, Mica Powder, Colored Pencil, Acrylic, Wire, Beads, 26”x22”x3”, 2012

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

I create playful imaginative sculptures from polymer clay (a colorful oven baked clay), glitter, found objects and Apoxy Scupt (an air dry clay).  Most of my pieces are wall pieces ranging in size from a few inches to 4 to 5 feet.  My goal with my art is to provoke a feeling of wonder that is similar to what it felt like to be a kid experiencing the world for the first time.  I like to embed whimsical stories into my work- sometimes with actual words but mostly with scenes that make you wonder what will happen next or why something is happening.  In the last two years my work has steadily gotten bigger and more involved than it had been since I first switched to the mediums I use now.  In a lot of ways I am going full circle back to the types of works I made as far back as high school when I had a feeling of "anything can be created".  

My upcoming show at the Bloomington Art Center with the large amount of space to fill has really given me the incentive to make these larger more involved pieces.  A lot of thought has to go into structural issues when using my medium of polymer clay (which is usually used for jewelry).  Larger pieces also give me a chance to slow down and work on one piece for a much longer time and really enjoy the trip that the piece takes me on.  Many of these pieces have revealed truths to me about myself and life in general that I didn't realize until the piece was actually finished.  

In particular I didn't see the resemblance to my own life in "She Made it Look Easy to Control the Rhino Puppet Show" until this piece was finished.   Another new aspect to my work as been the integration of sketches into my pieces.  I have been making a series of 1 foot square pieces that start with a sketch applied to the painted board and then dimensional clay pieces are added to create the final piece. 

She Made it Look Easy to Control the Rhino, 

Polymer Clay, Wire, Beads, Apoxy Sculpt 28"x20"x4", 2011

How did you decide to become an artist?

The story goes in my family that as soon as I could talk I declared "I want to be an Artist and a Mother" and this is what I have done.  I always knew both would be equally important to me and I took on the challenge of making this work.  I never slowed down when I had my daughters who are now 12 and 15.  When they were newborns I even brought them to art fairs and nursed them as I sold work!  It has helped to have a husband who is also an artist.  I am driven to create no matter what I am lucky that I get to do it everyday of my life.


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

When I was at an art camp as a teenager an artist said "There is a market for every kind of art you just have to find it".  

This sticks in my mind anytime I find myself doubting that I can sell something that I plan to make.  A large part of making my art is finding an eventual home for it (otherwise it would fill up my house!) so I am always thinking about who will be it's eventual owner but it is also important for me to feel free to create on a whim without knowing for sure who will own it one day.  So I constantly remind myself of this concept.

Cup Cake Factory in the Flowers, 

polymer clay, wire, beads, Apoxy Sculpt, 35"x32"x5"

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

Art fairs have been my primary selling opportunity since 1993.  I really enjoy all aspects of the art fair- even packing up my car which is always a fun puzzle.  I love to meet people and talk to them.  It is true that art fairs have been less profitable than in the "old days" but I still find that they are the best way to get my work out there.  It is a great way to be seen by a lot of people even if they don't all buy.  I also like to show my work in the many amazing art centers in the Twin Cities.  I may not sell a lot at these venues but this gives me a new audience besides those that go to art fairs.  

I also have a website (www.claysquared.com) that has been mainly a great place to sell smaller works but I find that the more large works I do and post there the more luck I have had selling these too.  I love to market on my facebook pages ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/Layl-McDill/51305441418 

and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silly-Millies/47507292705 )  It is a great way to interact with fans all over the country and I have had many sales directly related to my facebook postings.  My husband Josh Blanc and I also have a permanent showroom in the Keg House in NE Minneapolis- this means everyday I have a chance to show and sell my work to whoever walks in the door.  I also teach a lot of classes which has really become popular since the recession.

Just Think How a Book is Like a Birdhouse,  

Polymer clay, Mica Powder, Colored Pencil, Acrylic, Wire, Beads 36”x24”x3’, 2012

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?  

 I totally idolize Judy Onofrio (  http://www.judyonofrio.com/ ) When I want to push my art to go further I think of her work and what she has done over her long career.

An up and coming artist whom I have known for many years and just completely admire is Felice Amato ( http://www.feliceamato.com)  Her work has such depth and strength and imagination.

Other favorites are Ann Wood and Dean Lucker (http://woodlucker.com/) 

Kyle Fokken (http://kylefokken.com) 

Mimi Holmes (http://mnartists.org/artistHome.do?action=info&rid=47536), 

Eleanor McGough (http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=96594), 

Nicholas Harper (http://www.roguebuddha.com/artists/nicharper.html), 

Heidi Henderson (http://www.hkhpaintings.com/)   And many more!

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

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (http://www.artsmia.org/) is my number one go to place when I want to get some art in my brain.  

I also try to get to First Thursdays at the Northrup King Building and other studios in NE Mpls.

(http://www.northrupkingbuilding.com/) 

And my new favorite is Flow Arts Gallery (http://www.flowartspace.com/) which is in the basement of the Keg House - .  Melissa Metzler puts together juried shows along themes and brings in works from all over the country.  The variety is outstanding and it's right below our studio/showroom!

She Knew All the Best Ways to Deliver Word Kites, 

Polymer Clay, Wire, Apoxy Sculpt, Acrylic, Wood 50”x44”x6”, 2012

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? 

My main resource for info on art fairs, art marketing and to see new art is www.artfairinsiders.com/

Etsy.com also has great pointers on marketing but I mostly go there to look for art inspiration- I like their system of putting people in your circle because you can follow what other artists like and see more art along the same theme.

Pintrest.com - I have just started to get into this world but I still find that I can find more interesting art on Etsy.

And some of my friends on Facebook post some pretty cool stuff

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

My show "Fresh Baked Stories" at the Bloomington Art Center runs from July 26th to September 9th in the Atrium Gallery. 

Most of the pieces in this show will be being shown for the very first time.

Bloomington Theater and Art Center

Website

Featured Interviews

Layl McDill

Kim Matthews - Sculptor

Colony II

Kim Matthews

Sculptor

Name:Kim Matthews
City/State:Minneapolis, MN
Email:kim@kimmatthewsart.com
Website:www.kimmatthewsart.com
MNartist.org profile: (id #28872)
Facebook page: (Optional) kim matthews

Bio~ Born, Anchorage, Alaska, 1965. Grew up in Belfast and Hampden, Maine, attended University of Maine at Orono before moving to Minneapolis in 1984.

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I’m a mixed-media sculptor of the monochromatic, postminimalist variety: that is, I’m concerned with process, materials, serial forms, and an idiosyncratic, handmade geometry. In terms of content, I’m interested in consciousness. I’ve been a daily meditator for the past twelve years, and this work documents the process of awakening—on a subtle level, anyway.

I’m currently working on a Jerome Fiber Art Project Grant, which involves learning how to cast paper. I haven’t worked with multiples in this way since I was a printmaking student at the University of Minnesota. The show in September (at the Textile Center) will be a combination of composite forms and single-element reliefs, which will be editioned.

AquaBoogie

"What is Art?" is certainly too big of a question to ask here, but what do you hope your audience takes away from your art? What statement do you hope to make?
Although my work has a lot of rhythm and suggests vital forces, it’s ultimately about silence.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
“You’ll make it.”

Tell me about your work space and your creative process.
I work in several places depending on what I’m doing. I process pulp at MCBA. I make molds in my basement.
Re: process, I do a lot of reading: art theory and history, artists’ biographies, science or Eastern philosophy sometimes. I keep composition books next to my bed and sometimes I wake up abruptly from sleep or suddenly have a thought while meditating, and it will produce little ideas which may or may not become something. Sometimes I have a fairly formed idea of what I want to do and other times it starts with materials or making models. One of my goals for the Jerome project is to learn to be more willing to experiment.

Relief VI

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
I know I’m going to leave someone out! But:
Tina Blondell is an extremely skilled and hardworking painter and a friend. She got me my first solo exhibition. (http://www.tinablondell.com www.tinablondell.com);

John Rummelhoff is the most prolific artist I’ve ever known, and his drafting skills will make you weep (http://www.johnrummelhoff.com);

Lisa Nankivil’s work is great for its materiality and stripey goodness (www.nankivil.com);

Kyle Fokken’s work is so smart—well-thought-out and beautifully made. (www.kylefokken.com);

I also really admire Karen Searle (www.karensearle.com) and Erica Spitzer Rasmussen (http://www.ericaspitzerrasmussen.com ) They’re both using traditional craft media and techniques and dealing with women’s issues but they’re not “identity artists”--nor does the strength of craft come at the cost of content.

None of these people have much in common except one very important thing: dedication to technical and conceptual excellence. In my world, that’s nonnegotiable. Karen, Tina & I are in a traveling show next year curated by John Schuerman called Lace & Gunpowder along with Lynn Speaker, Nick Harper, David Aschenbrener and Ron Taylor, and we’re all looking forward to it. The show is subtitled “the Male-Female exhibit" because we’re paired up as a way to ask questions about the relationship of gender to artmaking.

Colony

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see? (Links)
Uh, probably nowhere unless you got me on just the right day! I’m horribly introverted and trying to get out more but it usually takes a special event like a lecture at the U of M or MCAD or an opening at the MIA or MCBA. I tend to be more “institutional” than a gallery scenester.

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?

http://www.artdaily.org

http://www.artinfo.com
Jerry Saltz in the New Yorker
http://www.joannemattera.blogspot.com
http://www.artslant.com
http://www.minusspace.com (for those of you who like reductive art)
http://www.yatzer.com
http://www.artlog.com
http://www.royboydgallery.com
and of course, Facebook!

Relief

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

I think I covered that already: there’s the Jerome show in September and the two scheduled Lace & Gunpowder shows early next year. And more, I hope! Hope I’m not too busy to submit for the State Fair. It’s one of the best venues we have in terms of sheer exposure.

Kyle Fokken - Sculptor

"Tank IV (Schlepper)"

Kyle Fokken

Kyle Fokken
Minneapolis, MN
Kyle@KyleFokken.com
Website: www.KyleFokken.com
MNartist.org profile: http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=9204
Facebook page: facebook.com/kfokken


Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I am primarily a mixed media sculptor who uses found objects when appropriate and fabricates other parts to form a unique aesthetic. I am known for my "toy inspired" sculptures that speak of the cultural transfer of beliefs and values between generations within our society. I use distressed materials to convey an "antique" aesthetic to emphasize that these beliefs have been long established but are decayed and in need of renewal or examination.

I am currently working on artwork for two local shows each featuring something I haven't done in a while - drawing for drawings sake and figurative sculpture for a self portrait show. (Titles, reception date and links down below)

These are different from other projects since I've been doing my "toys" for about 10 years and haven't done figurative work in about 15. Drawing for me has been more of a means to an end - a way to document and flesh out ideas for sculpture rather than an exploration of shadow and line quality. The dilemma is whether to maintain my "brand" by doing work in a similar vein - i.e. drawings and sculpture that feature elements of my current work or to veer off on something entirely different and risk failure.

"Uptet"

"What is Art?" is certainly too big of a question to ask here, but what do you hope your audience takes away from your art? What statement do you hope to make?
I want people to look at my work and be aware of the beauty and absurdity of the world around them. I've often had people coming up to me and say "why don't your dogs have heads" while they should ask when they last saw a dog with wheels. Wheels are a regular feature on many toys and is a practical solution to making the toy move so the concept is commonplace and is not questioned. We've grown up with it.

I also want them to notice the engineering I put into the pieces. All pieces feature working parts to cement the "toy-ness" of the piece in the mind of the viewer but they are designed with a nod towards good engineering design - counter rotating propellors, streamlined forms, shock absorbers and a sense of direction of movement- up/down, forward/backward. The function of the piece dictates the form. The idea that the sculptures are able to act as model prototypes of functioning vehicles ads a level of realism to the work allowing them to be enjoyed on many different levels.

"Eggo"

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
Stick to it. Apply to everything you can and make as much work as possible. Just like evolution, after each successive generation, the good mutations will stick and you'll continue to get better and more efficient at doing making your work. When it gets boring, try something new.


Tell me about your work space and your creative process?
Complete utter chaos. Plain and simple. I have to bounce between a lot of different tools and media in my studio. It's is a messier version of "Old Maid" or "Husker Du?" - I have to remember where I saw a particular found object or material. I liken my process to mental juggling of forms and ideas. Deadlines are necessary to help them to congeal together.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
Being a sculptor, my first thought is of sculptors so I will list them first.
My early favorites are from my years of volunteering at the Soap Factory - Michael Rathbun -www.mikerathbun.com,

Rob Fisher - www.re-title.com/artists/ROB-FISCHER.asp and

Chris Larson www.mnartists.org/event.do?rid=206441 who currently has work up at the Walker Art Center.

Unfortunately, they've moved out of state, but I consider them MN artists since they based here when they influenced me. I started out doing installation work and it will always be my first love, but storage and family come first so I had to boil them down into forms I could manage and sell.

Rollin Marquette and Amy Toscani are two more favorite sculptors.

2 D favorites include Pete Driessen , John Diebel and photographer Steve Ozone.

All have a political bent to their work which really tickles my mind.

"Ship of Fools"

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
Well, I've got two kids so I've got to keep them in mind when I go to look at work. I've been taking my kids to the "Monster Museum" which is what we call Minneapolis Institute of Arts. I started calling it that since it's hard to get a 2 year old to wrap his mind around the term "art". We'd always start out at the New South Pacific and African areas first and work our way through the Far East and finally to the European area's decapitated head of John the Baptist! There is so much work through history that is monstrous in nature. To see the collection from a child's viewpoint it really is a "monster museum".

I try to make it up to see the Tantra Car and always the MAEP Gallery. Of course the Walker Art Center and Soap Factory are on my list, but it really depends on the show. I love cerebral modern work but as big a fan of a lot of the minimalism in the permanent collection. Other favorite haunts of mine are the Rogue Buddha Gallery, Traffic Zone Gallery and SpotArt Gallery. The truth of the matter is that I'm usually busy with the kids or trying to get into the studio to get work done.


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 pretty good as well as the City of Minneapolis' "Mary Altman's Opportunities List" via email - www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us. Otherwise, I subscribe and write for a blog on Applied Kinetic Arts (AKA) appliedkineticarts.com . I often check out Call for Entry (CAFE) callforentry.org or Sculpture.com.

Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
I tend to keep very busy. I have a show "Reusing My Religion" currently up at Ridgewater Community College in Willmar, MN - until March 16th, a group show of drawings at the Rogue Buddha Gallery "Tableau" opening on March 11th, 2011, an opening at Hennes Art Company Gallery the next day March 12th "Art of the Self Portrait" , Hopkins Sculpture Walk, Art-A-Whirl. I have a trio of sculpture walks happening out of state -Sioux Falls, SD, Eau Claire, WI, and Castlegar, BC Canada. I also am participating in an outdoor art festival in Chicago in June.

"Airway to Heaven"

Soo Visual Arts Gallery

Marc Lamm - Woodworking

Marc Lamm

Marc Lamm
cubsrmarc@msn.com
theartofwoodmlamm.com
MNArtist page = marclamm.com

I started building furniture and experimenting with simple but uncommon shapes in 1973. In 1996, I started putting all my efforts into furniture and other items focusing on art. My technical woodworking has been mostly influenced by Tage Frid and George Nakashima. Both have methods which contradict widely used techniques and have worked for me.

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
I combine traditional woodworking standards – solid joinery, drawers that open easily, doors that fit with uniform reveals, etc. – with my artistic expression.

I am a fierce recycler and use nearly every scrap that comes from my work to make bowls, cutting boards and small art pieces. Friends bring old furniture to me or I find discarded wood. A neighbor took down an ash tree and gave me the larger sections. I estimate that 90% of my bowls and 50% of my furniture comes from recycled or found wood.

I am currently working in two areas. One is bowls. Although I’ve been turning for years, it has not been a focus of my work until recently. It’s a kick seeing what’s inside the blanks of wood. It’s a give and take between my concepts and what the wood offers. I also create turning blanks from scraps in my shop which I laminate to create specific patterns in a bowl.

Second is cabinets. Although I have been making carved cabinets for years, I recently came up with a new style which you can see in the image of the stained cherry cabinet. In the past, I carved the entire cabinet into an organic figure but this cabinet has a “traditional” shape with a frame and panel door and drawer. Only the panels are carved. By the way, this cabinet was made entirely from recycled wood.

"What is Art?" is certainly too big of a question to ask here, but what do you hope your audience takes away from your art? What statement do you hope to make?

The experience of hearing or seeing art is personal. No person, including the artist, can dictate what a person takes from a piece. Of course, Guernica makes a statement but the feeling a person takes from it varies with each person. That is the emotional aspect of art. Since I work in feelings, not concepts, people interpret my work through their own experiences and sensibilities and I never correct them.

When I designed and built the cross for the 1st Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights, I met with the building committee and listened. I asked a few questions to draw them out but mostly, I listened. My goal was to make a statement of feelings, of emotional interpretation of the sensibilities of the congregation. When I’m focused, spirit guides me - not the spirit of religion or philosophy but the spirit within me. My skills give me the language to communicate it. It’s like making a perfect throw to first base or a layup. The skills must be there but at that instant, I don’t think, it comes from within me.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
Work hard, do a lot, pay attention. Accept my imperfections. If I don’t like or believe in a piece, set it aside or throw it away.


Tell me about your work space and your creative process.
My shop is as organized as I can make it. It’s a battle and I do my best. I’ve always been good at geometry so I rarely make drawings. I see it all except the carving. I have a general idea what I’ll do but the details come later.
I have to say that sometimes, I do plan a piece. If my design is based on laminations or bends then of course, I have to plan the process which is an intellectual and engineering process.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?

I don’t know how Kyle Fokken (www.kylefokken.com) comes up with his zany ideas. You have to know him to understand that. Kat Corrigan is great. I watched her working and her eye is remarkable http://www.katcorrigan.com/iWeb/katcorrigan.com/Welcome.html

I’m lousy with names but I’ve seen some fabulous stuff around. I bought a tiny little painting from a guy during the St. Paul Art Crawl – three inches square – and it’s absolutely stunning. Four years and it’s still one of my favorites in the house.

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
There are so many great galleries in the area, not the ones in downtown, but in the NE art district and in St. Paul. So, I have to say, there’s two general areas I love, the NE Art District and the St. Paul art district. That said, there are hundreds of artists all over the area doing great work.

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 belong to NEMAA nemaa.org and MNArtist.org.


Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?
Art-a-Whirl (Details) I’ll be showing all my recent work (approximately 40 pieces) at the Keg House.

Carved Door

Northside Arts Collective