Jessie McNally - Mixed Media

"Buddha Belly" Mixed Media

Jessie McNally

Name:Jessie McNally
City/State:St.Paul MN
Email: jessie_mcnally@hotmail.com
Website: www.jessiemcnally.com
MNartist.org profile:  http://www.mnartists.org/Jessie_McNally
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/jessiemcnallyisrad


Bio~ Jessie McNally is an Australian born Minnesota raised emerging artist who resides in Saint Paul. She works as a tattoo artist at Steady Tattoo in Minneapolis. Jessie is inspired by folk art, Mexican culture, Dias de los Muertes, religious icons and symbols, flora, fauna, alchemy and her work as a tattoo artist. Her artwork is a combination of painting, sculpting, assemblage and mixed media.

"Vivian" Mixed Media

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

At the moment, I use a lot of mixed media in my work. I shop at thrift stores weekly and pick up interesting things that I turn into "art" using glue, paint, hardware etc. Right now I am working on so many different pieces. Because I use random objects as starting points no two are alike. Right now I'm finishing a mannequin torso and it's arms. I'm constantly trying out new materials in my work. Using fabric as my under painting has proved a lot more challenging that I thought. It's made me slow down and I'm enjoying the process.

 For 18 months I lived in the Northern Warehouse Artist Co-op and that's when the sculptural aspect of my work really started. Previously, I had mostly painted before on canvas and old framed prints that I had found at thrift stores because of the restrictions on my work space. Having so much work space In the Northern Warehouse really allowed me to create on a larger scale. 

"Mater Dolorosa" Mixed Media

"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?

My hope is that my audience simply remembers my art. Whether or not people find it disturbing, beautiful, scary, fun etc I just hope it sticks in their head. I'm not sure if there is a statement other than "turning other peoples junk into awesomeness"! 

Really, it's just fun to me. When I make the things I do I get really excited, my heart skips a beat and I think YES! And sometimes even I think what I do is scary or disturbing but I still love it. And if I hit that cord with my audience then I'm happy. 

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

My mom gave me a card for my 18th that said "some people may say you are going the wrong way, when it is simply a way of your own."  This quote rings out in my head all the time. 

Tell me about your work space and your creative process.

I just moved into a house so my work space has changed quite a bit. I have a studio in my basement but now that it's warmer I'm in the process of taking over the garage. I like to have lots of room to work as I am a messy worker. When I go to thrift stores. I'm like a robot scanning the shelves, looking at the junk but not looking at it for what it is but what it could be. What could take on the shape of a wing, arm, head, eyeballs, or how cool would that Jesus statue look with a pretty skull face! Etc.Whenever I get new pieces that I'm excited about I clear a space on my workbench for them. And then I stare at them until something pops into my head.  I also have bins of junk that I surround myself with and I pick out pieces to see if they fit as if it were a puzzle. From there it is layers of paint and washes, bits and pieces, until an end result is achieved. 

Workspace (I wish it still looked this clean!)

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?

To be honest, I don't know that many. I'm starting to pay attention more, really I am. But here's a few I've been watching as of late.

www.alecsoth.com

Curlytalefineart.com / Alex Kuno

www.erinsayer.com

www.karahendershot.com 

www.jmculver.com

www.divergentlayers.com

www.louisagreenstock.com

www.rheapappas.com

And all the artists of AZ Gallery www.theazgallery.org

"Oya" Mixed Media

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

I'm not very good at going to galleries and museums, I do love them when I go, I just don't do it often. But the places I have gone to in the last year or so to various shows have been, Cult Status Gallery, Rogue Buddha Gallery, MIA, Walker, The AZ Gallery, and Echo Arts. 

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?

www.google.com - for image searches when I have an idea but need references.

www.juxtapose.com  -  cuz it's inspiring.

www.artaustralia.com - to stay connected

www.etsy.com

www.facebook.com

www.michaeldemeng.com

"Medicine Man" Mixed Media

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

I will be at The AZ Gallery for St. Paul Art Crawl in 2 weeks (April 27-29, 2012) and I'm be showing at Northeast Tattoo for Art-A-Whirl in May (May 18-20). I'm also putting together a show with local tattoo artists for the first weekend in June. And then the second weekend of June I'm opening at Nevermind Gallery on W.7th with a couple friends and we are calling it 'A Crude Menagerie'. 

Jessie McNally

Gina Louise - Sculptor - Painter

Gina Louise

name: Gina Louise
website: www.divergentlayers.com
email: gina@divergentlayers.com
MN artists.org page: http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=267303
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ginalouise.divergentlayers

Bio:
Gina Louise is a sculptor and painter born 1972 in St.Paul, Minnesota, USA. In 1994 she received her B.F.A in Sculpture from Minneapolis College of Art & Design.
 Within Louise's artwork, the most predominate propositions materialize as an acknowledgment to what she sees as both the important visual conversations as well as the tactile leftover layers of our unified human imprint upon the landscape in flux. The structural footing which visually underlies all of Louise's art is her reverence for the "Industrial Installations" of her childhood, IE. oil refineries, grain elevators and concrete batch plants.

Fundamentally, her work investigates the compositions we may pass daily which might otherwise be overlooked; the underdog compositions, the scraps of our existence.

Through her sculpture, this compositional conversation generally presents itself simply with the materials themselves. For example, the juxtaposition of steel, concrete, plastic and soft fabric elements. However, within her painting and drawing this consistently spills out as flattened form and line referencing the chosen context.

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

For the last 15 years I have been working as a sculptor, creating large scale pieces with steel, concrete and epoxy for museums, zoos, aquariums and private residences across the US. However, During the last 4 months I have taken a sabbatical from doing sculpture full time during the day and painting at night to focus strictly on the 2D work for my upcoming solo show "S.E.A.10" which opens 11.11.11 at Cult Status Gallery.

There will be 150 pieces, each one referencing a moment pulled from within the landscapes of South East Asia. In addition, I am making several pieces for the "Beauty School Dropouts" show at Gallery 13 which opens on 11.12.11.

The pieces for "Beauty School Dropouts" are a complete departure from my usual inspiration in that they are referencing the female body in the context of modern society.


While the individual pieces for S.E.A. 10 are themselves not rigidly rendered, my self imposed parameters of process were methodical in nature. My intent is that each piece is a visual conversation reduced further and further down. In this way the true disposition of each moment being referenced is able to unfold.

Part 1: pictures
I am by no means a photographer, however it was ultimately necessary to document the compositional junctures that grabbed me, so I could work with them upon returning to the studio.

Part 2: drawings
Next, using the photos as reference, I drew from them. Only 5" x 8" in size, they are small drawings meant to be held close.

Part 3: paintings
Lastly, no longer referencing the original photograph, only a completed drawing, I distill and paint said compositional moment.

At 24" x 36", each painting is larger than the corresponding drawing. However, the paintings are small enough to still feel intimate.

"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?

While all my artwork is an offering to others as a visual acknowledgement of the way I see, I hope that the experience of viewing my work is personal to them. it is not necessary to see the way I see, but perhaps there is a momentary shift. In turn, I do believe that it is only through making that I will ever get close to understanding the layers of our existence which I hold dear;
construction sites, 
oil refineries, 
batch plants, 
broken pavement, plastic scraps, trains, 
bio-mimicry, 
concrete, and steel structures. 


What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
My Dad, Charlie Grote, taught me through example that to honestly create beauty, one must work ,work, work, work, and not ever be afraid of getting dirty.

Kinji Akagawa shared with all of his students at MCAD many bits of sage wisdom, but the one that I keep forever in my pocket is "you cannot create in a vacuum".

Tell me about your workspace and your creative process.

In order to be able to fully focus on my S.E.A.10 series, I set up a studio for the time being in Seattle. Here at the studio there is a wonderful south facing, sliding glass door with a deck from where I can see the mountains. Inside there are numerous older wood crates (originally for fruit and ammo) stacked vertically, holding books, tools, paint cans and random bits of colored plastic. On the wall, a sweet painting by Christopher (CAW) Williams, and by my side, Mildred the bulldog.

The crates are an attempt to create order but usually the order has to be put back together every few days as it starts to spin into chaos while I'm working.

My working methodology differs quite a bit from 3D and 2D. While work from either dimensionality consistently reference structure as form, they each commence in seemingly different operational modes. With this new body of 2D work I am simply taking the initial compositional moment that drew my attention and exploring it through the act of sifting, pulling and flattening visual information.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
Shannyn Joy Potter www.shannynjoypotter.com
Christopher Williams christopherwilliamsart.blogspot.com/
Allison Hiltner www.alisonhiltner.com
John Grider / Broken Crow www.brokencrow.com
Shawn McNulty www.shawnmcnulty.com
Erin Sayer erinsayer.com and her Gallery, Cult Status.
+ ALL her ladies that currently make up THE CULT SISTERS. the original core includes the following super talents :

Kara Hendershot,

JM Culver
and Louisa Greenstock

Mark Edward Hayden www.markedwardhayden.info
Todd Peterson http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/todd-peterson.html
Louis LaPierre www.louisnlapierre.com
Tara Costello www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=97935
Caroline Keefe carolinekeefe.com

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?
1st stop would be AMBLES www.amblesmachinery.com/ for it is truly the closest thing to heaven in my mind. What could be better than a machine and hardware shop / tool bone-yard / scrap yard?! Plus the owner is .... well, someone needs to put him in a movie. Ambles is my one stop resource and inspiration destination.

2nd, the studios of Shannyn Joy Potter, Tracy Olson , Duanne Ditty, and Mike Welton in the Northrup King Building. They each consistently remind me how truly beautiful art can be to experience.

The train yard along HWY 61 by Pigs Eye.
In addition, the train yard along HWY 61 by Pigs Eye.

And lastly, My parents property in Denmark Township where they have created a 20 acre earthwork/ living sculpture.

Where do you go on-line for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise?
In addition to learning about artists in-depth through your interviews on LAI, the 3 sites that I simply relish are:

The Dirt Floor www.thedirtfloor.com
Artlog artlog.com
Artslant www.artslant.com

What can we expect to see from you in the future?
If the S.E.A.10 show goes well, then hopefully I can start on plans to head back to Bangkok. My overarching hope for this show is to raise funding to travel back, and in conjunction with the Empower Foundation, make art alongside the amazing women who are part of the Sex Workers Union.

My desire is to have an exhibition with their artwork that is able to be shown in their home city of Bangkok and also here in Minneapolis. In the mean time, I will be starting straight away on my next 2 series. The first is inspired by the structures within the villages of Juan Mata Ortiz and Santa Rosa, Chihuahua Mexico. The show dates for this series are TBA for this but will be opening in Los Angles, CA sometime in 2012.

Concurrently, I will be embarking on what I hope is a long running series relating to spatial form and structure within major Shipping Harbors as well as processing the nature/necessity/nurture of their qualified existence. Finally, for each of the above mentioned series', including S.E.A.10, there will be a corresponding book published cataloging each body of work.

Erin Sayer- Painter - Cult Status Gallery

Erin Sayer
Minneapolis, MN
erin@erinsayer.com
http://www.erinsayer.com
facebook.com/erinsayer33

Cult Status Gallery / Owner

BIO: Have always been a painter, went to school, then more school. Opened a gallery in Duluth called 'Duluth Artists'Guild,' taught high school art, became a full-time painter, made studio into gallery in St. Louis Park, met Nate Szklarski, had him curate a bunch of shows at the old space, found a new space (Cult Status Gallery), opened it, and now here we are.

WORK: I'm known for painting icons on sheet aluminum. But I feel the subject matter is boring, so now I've retreated to my roots; old school, large scale oil on canvas and murals. I have an extensive background in scenic painting, which translates to my love for large/giant/huge scale work. I started a series of huge oil on canvas paintings based on Tom Robbins novels, a la Renaissance. The first in the body is my interpretation of the book 'Jitterbug Perfume.' It depicts 3 of the main characters, who are immortal, about to 'dematerialize' from Paris to the New World in 1776. I am simultaneously working on 4 huge pinups for the Herkimer mural, and have 2 more lined up for the rest of the summer.

WHAT IS ART: Art is anything that keeps us from being bored.

BEST ADVICE: I have a few: 'Kill your babies,' 'If you can do it once you can do it again,' 'Draw what you see, not what you know.' Sr. Kelly, Drawing 101, St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN, 1993. 'White sucks.' Father Bruno, 2011.

WORK SPACE: I have a garage full of tools, some huge walls, and a million ideas. I head to the studio at 10 after walking the dog. Stare at things for 4 hours, then start doing things, which usually don't end well. Then at midnight I go home and start over in the morning.

ARTISTS I ENJOY: Don't make me choose!

MINNESOTA ART: Graffiti Graveyard in Duluth, some studios in Duluth, then to Minneapolis: Rogue Buddha to visit Nick, and to SpotArt to visit Scottie and Carissa; Northern Warehouse in St. Paul, visit Steve and Karen at Gallery13, SooVAC always has something amazing, and last but not least to Cause Spirit and Sound Bar to see what new show Tony has curated -- he has a knack for finding the best of the new.

ONLINE: Mostly Facebook and Twitter, I follow Juxtapoze, Fecal Face, all the museums, Brooklyn/London Street Art, and a bunch of my favorite artists, who I learn about through these sources or friends. I would not know anything about local modern art without Twitter or Facebook. I also follow all of the local galleries.

EXHIBITS:
Cult Sisters II

At Cult Status Gallery

Featuring the work of some of the best female artists in the twin cities: Kristen Arden, JM Culver, Louisa Greenstock, Kate Keke Hall, Amina Harper, Kara Hendershot, Alison Hiltner, Gina Louise, Rhea Pappas, Wendy Petersen, Erin Sayer, Tonja Torgerson

Links to Cult Sisters Artists information and MNOriginals interviews (Link)

Opening Reception: Saturday May 14, 2011 (7:30 - ?)

Closing Reception: Friday June 17th

2913 Harriet Ave S

Mpls, MN 55408

Also, look for me painting murals on scaffolding around LynLake and St. Paul this summer. This January, I'll have a solo show at CSG debuting my new Tom Robbins series. And this summer, CSG will not only be a venue for Fringe Fest, but I will also be a featured artist in the production 'The 612.'