Amelia Biewald - Painting, Sculpture, Installation

Amelia Biewald

Name: Amelia Biewald
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Email: ameliabiewald@yahoo.com
Website: www.ameliabiewald.com  

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amelia_biewald_artworks/
MNartist.org profile

Bio~

Amelia Biewald was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. She attended the Rhode Island School of Design as an undergraduate, and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design for graduate school. She has been working as a visual artist in the areas of painting, sculpture and installation and has been fortunate in receiving awards, residencies, and fellowships for her artworks. Some notable awards include a Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Fellowship, a Smack Mellon “Tops Picks” Award, a Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Space Program Award, the Schick Residency Award at Skidmore College, a Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Assistant Fellowship and a Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship. She has worked with the public in the visual arts on many occasions, and has held positions as visiting artist/professor at Skidmore College, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and the College of Visual Art. Amelia’s work has been exhibited internationally, and is currently exhibiting at Rosalux Gallery in NE Minneapolis. 

Artist Amelia Biewald’s recent works explores the fantastic visual possibilities of Elizabethan England. A time that saw extremely elaborate but exceedingly uncomfortable stylized clothing, with heavy ornamentation and silhouettes based on geometric shapes and patterns. Influenced by imaginative histories and fashion scandals of this Golden Age, Biewald’s mixed media paintings and sculptural installations mock this duality. From her visual obsession with the neck ruff, an iconic fashion accessory of the age, to her manipulation of both traditional and invented artist materials and techniques, her sensuous surfaces draw the viewer into this alluringly theatrical and voyeuristic costume drama. Biewald’s work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. She has been a recipient of various artist grants and fellowships, including the Bush Artist Fellowship, a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Award, and a Jerome Artist Fellowship.

Inspired by his recent time in the rural Deep South—a landscape dotted with deteriorating infrastructures of forgotten mill villages, faded hues of old commercial signs, and the overgrown structures of a once thriving agricultural base, Jonas Criscoe visually explores the oxymoron, “Beautiful Detritus.” Through his densely layered mixed media compositions, use of distressed and worn surfaces, and graffiti-like drawings, Criscoe’s work conveys his interest in society’s disposable mind-set towards progress and nature's ability to reclaim the things that we abandon. A native of Austin, Texas, he received his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2008. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States, notably the Texas Biennial and the International Print Center in New York. Criscoe has also been featured in various art publications, including Art Lies and New American Painting, and most recently was a West Prize acquisition recipient.

(Detail)

Together, these artist’s works engage dualities that are present in both art and culture. Through their subtle manipulation of various art media, techniques, and processes, both Biewald and Criscoe create elaborate compositions and surfaces that convey an aura of touch, and a sense of history to the viewer through the materials and subject matter that they employ.

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

I have always been fairly obsessed with art and fashion histories and my recent works explore the fantastic visual possibilities of Elizabethan England. All the pattern and construction was extremely elaborate AND exceedingly uncomfortable! My favorite item of that time is the ruff. A complex, stiffly starched accessory that framed the face and could make your head appear as being set upon a dinner plate. This is the work I have included in my show at Rosalux in September. I am showing paintings, drawings and sculptural works. I have some works on paper which I really like and I don't often include in my exhibitions- they started out as sketches for sculptural works and I just kept working on them to make them finished drawings.

How did you decide to become an artist?
I was obsessed with horses when I was a kid and still am. I could draw a pretty good life-like horse by the time I was about 3 and I just kept at it. I spent a lot of time drawing down in the basement, and the horses became other animals, unicorns and dragons. I have such an overactive creative imagination no one else would take me. I did sort of want to become a plastic surgeon, but I'm not sure my clients would be ok with my inventions.

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

Sometimes it is better to attack an idea than over think it.

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

I try to show as often as I can and also apply for a lot of grants and residencies, etc. You might not get the grant, but your work is shown to people who often want to work with you in the future and know collectors who would like your work. I also show with a gallery in New York which helps a lot.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?

I like a lot of work here- it's a great art city! A few names that come to mind are 
Terrence Payne http://rosaluxgallery.com/my_portfolio/terrence-payne/, 
Jennifer Davis http://www.jenniferdavisart.com/info.html, 
and Melissa Loop http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=47543

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

I would go to the MIA and see what is up for the MAEP. That space is so awesome I would love to do a huge installation there sometime. I would then go and look at the interiors or period rooms they have. I love art history so I could be in there for hours. I would then go to the Walker and see if they had the Paul Thek's Hippopotamus sculpture out. Love that.

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?

Actually I get so many invites and notifiications just in my email and Facebook that I just use the links provided. I like that most galleries now have pages for all their artist so you can figure out what is new that way too.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?
I have a work in progress that is going to be pretty amazing- a huge full body mount deer that I mounted upside-down. This is going to be the basis of a huge mixed media installation.

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

“Nature’s Beast” Works by Amelia Biewald and Jonas Criscoe at Rosalux Gallery

Exhibit runs: September 6th – September 30, 2012 

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 8th, 6:30 – 10:00PM

Rosalux is a cooperative art gallery that was founded in Minneapolis in 2002. The gallery is home to twenty artists whose work is well known both nationally and internationally, featured in various major collections, and who have individually received numerous prestigious awards and grant recognitions.

Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays 12-4PM, admission is free. For more information on the Rosalux Art Collective, visit www.rosaluxgallery.com.  
https://www.facebook.com/rosalux.gallery/events

Nick Howard - Illustrator

“Circle”

Nick Howard

Name: Nick Howard
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Email: nickhowardart@yahoo.com
Website: http://nickhowardart.blogspot.com/
MNartist.org profile: http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=48220

Bio- Nick Howard grew up in St. Louis Park, MN and went to St. John’s University where he received a BA in studio art. Nick has been showing his drawings for the past six years locally and received a MN state arts board grant in 2009. He has also shown work at the Design Shop in Athens Greece, Grandview University in Des Moines, Iowa, and the State Street Gallery in Madison, WI.

"Exam Discovery"

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?
At the moment I am making work for my upcoming solo show at Rosalux Gallery (http://rosaluxgallery.com/) in October. This new body of work features drawings of large armies of masked figures that are gathered in loose formation as well as some abstracted figures, which look like structures or mountains. In some drawings the armies surround or emerge from the mountainous figures and in others the mountainous figures appears to emerge quietly from the background The new work seems to take a step back to look at patterns and how things proliferate and the sometimes obvious and sometimes subtle nature of these patterns. I have found these drawings feel quieter and maybe at times more ominous then my previous work. They also seem to have less of a narrative feel than my older work, which typically revolved around a few reoccurring toothy multiple mouthed characters. .

"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 art has always had a very psychological bend to it. I have had a very strong interest in studying how the mind works in order to understand why world is the way it is. I have drawn as much from reading books about the brain to observation of my own behavior and experience. I used to really want to make conclusions about the way things are in hopes it would help change them but now I feel more interested in just observing and the art is a product of this observation. Therefore, I don’t have a directed statement and leave conclusions pretty open for the audience and myself.

"Formation of Masked Figures

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

I was told that a career has many ups and downs and to be patient and persistent with the low times and ride the swell of the up times. I was also told to take a day off and relax now and then.



Tell me about your workspace and your creative process.
I work in a shared studio space that is within walking distance from my apartment in Northeast Minneapolis. It is really great to be close to my studio because the sometimes labor intensive nature of my work means I spend a good deal of time there. I usually start a handful of drawing at once but then really focus on one or two until they are finished. Overall I find that my process is very finicky and changes a lot depending on where I’m at, so really the biggest part of my process is just showing up and trying to do what feels right. This is especially true with the work I am making now because the concepts are fairly simple, pattern and proliferation. I am learning to let the drawings develop very naturally and play off one another.

”Masked Group with Structure”

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
There are so many great artists in this state it would be a long list if I mentioned all of them so here are a few people’s work I really like and follow.

Joel Starkey http://www.flickr.com/photos/30693446@N04/
Anna Tsantir http://www.annatsantir.com/annatsantir/
Dan Luedtke http://danimaldanimal.blogspot.com/
Aaron Dysart http://www.aarondysart.com/index.htm


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

I actually make the MIA a pretty regular stop. I like to see what is going on in the MAEP gallery. While there we would look at the Dutch paintings, Christian icons and the Japanese Buddhist sculptures and prints. I usually don’t have the time to do this but we’d hit the road and head out to Franconia. I also always enjoy seeing what is going on at Soo Vac.

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?

There are a few places I stop by on the internet:
Fecal Face (http://www.fecalface.com/SF/),
My Love for you is a Stampede of Horses (http://myloveforyou.typepad.com/),
The Drawing Center (http://www.drawingcenter.org/),
and sometimes I watch the Art 21 videos on PBS’s website (http://www.pbs.org/art21/).
Most of the best stuff I find out about is from word of mouth recommendation though.

"Profusion"

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

Yes, I am working on my first solo show called “Profusion/Glimmer” which will be at Roslaux’s (http://rosaluxgallery.com/) new location in October.
I am also looking forward to showing at Barbette this fall with another one of my favorite local artists Terrence Payne (http://www.terrencepayne.com/index.html).

Joe Sinness - Drawing

Joe Sinness~

Website: http://www.mnartists.org/joseph_sinness
www.joesinness.com

Flourish / Blog: http://flourishmaep.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jsinness?ref=ts

You are currently exhibiting as part of the Minnesota Artist Exhibition Program (MAEP) at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. This seems like quite and honor and opportunity. Tell me about the work you are showing there.

I have eight colored pencil drawings in the exhibit. The drawings are still lives comprised of items from around my home and garden, some objects purchased at antique stores or ebay, and many of the still lives contain encapsulated still shots from iconic films, eccentric personas or art history references. I wanted each still life to have a visual richness or lushness to highlight and celebrate the figures or kitsch objects presented (and I use the term ‘kitsch’ with the utmost seriousness).

I’m ‘queering’ each still life through incongruous juxtapositions of objects and identities, and by capturing, containing and making a commodity of portraits, nature, memory and behavior. I’m a portrait artist and symbolist, so the genre of still life seemed like a natural fit for this exhibit at the MIA, an institute that celebrates ‘objectness’. Coding and concealment are an important part of queer history; the slowness of the conceal and reveal in the drawings is intentional and necessary. Dolly Parton is visually present in one of the drawings, and I also appropriate her song titles as titles for each of the works.

What process did you go through to exhibit with the MAEP program?

I like to think of it more as a process of courting and persuading Erika Olson Gross into applying with me! We had previously exhibited together in a show called ‘Garden Variety’ in Milwaukee, and so we decided to create a proposal for the MAEP and submitted to the committee. When we learned that we were paired with Jennifer Davis and Terrence Payne we were delighted, as we were both very familiar with their work. We have all since become a hyperactive little family.

Many artists find art to be a solitary experience, where creating community can be difficult. I wonder if you have a similar or different experience. How would you describe the Twin Cities art community and your place in it.

I would describe the art community as very welcoming, energetic, encouraging, and generous. I always know that if I decide to escape from my studio to go to an art opening or event that I’m going to see some great work, run into friends and make some new ones. Local galleries are incredibly supportive of local arts and I’m always inspired by local artists’ generosity - donating time, artwork, labor, or cash to local arts organizations. It’s a fun place to live and work.

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

Many of my past art instructors and mentors have stressed taking the role of artist very seriously, and so I make sure that everything I make is done with sincerity, that I’m honest with myself as well as others. Drawing still lives, there’s an interest in allegory and concealment, but I’m also dedicated to making those lies add up to a truth.


Which Minnesota artists do you enjoy?

So many – too many to mention. Of course, Erika Olson Gross, Terrence Payne and Jennifer Davis.

Andrea Carlson is my idol forever, and her new exhibit, “VORE” at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo is incredible.

I love photographer Erika Ritzel’s “SOLD” Series.

Other favorites include

Clea Felien,

Allen Brewer,

Ute Bertog,

Alison Hiltner,

Brian Frink,

Megan Vossler,

Jim Denomie

Robin Cotton,

Sonja Peterson . . . .

If I were to follow you around on an “art day” in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?

I’ve been working on sculpture for an upcoming exhibit with Allen Brewer at St Cloud State University, so lately I’ve been hoarding collecting materials. Lots of trips to Michael’s, JoAnn Fabrics, SR Harris, and other crafty-type places.Hunt and Gather Antiques has seen too much of me lately. I like to stop in and visit the lovely ladies of Soo Visual Arts Center when I’m in the area, or check out other local galleries during the day.

What was the last local exhibit you saw and what were your impressions?

Andrea Carlson’s exhibit, “VORE,” at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, ND (that’s local, right?). The amount of work and thought that Andrea has put into this show is awe-inspiring, and I was lucky to be able to hear her artist talk on cannibal movies and museum collections.

Do you have any exhibits or any interesting things going on in your life or coming up in the near future?

As I mentioned before, I have an upcoming exhibit, “Drawn and Quartered” with Allen Brewer in the Kiehle Gallery at St. Cloud State University. I will be exhibiting mostly sculptural work, comprised of fabric, fur and silk flowers. These sculptures are what I would call memorial or ceremonial wreaths and magic objects. Allen has been working on some really exciting “blind” portraits and sculptures – I’m really looking forward to this show.

I currently have a six-drawing series in the show “Vertical Currency: Five Years of Emerging Artists at the Rochester Art Center,” and a solo exhibition at the College of St Benedict, “Here you come again.”

This winter I’ll be cozying up in my studio and plotting some new work– there will definitely be more colored pencil drawings and still lives in the future.

Terrence Payne - Painter

Terrence Payne has lived and worked in the Minneapolis area for the past fifteen years, building a body of unique and thought provoking work while exhibiting at galleries and universities throughout the united states. His work can be found in private, corporate and collegiate collections throughout the world. Terrence founded Rosalux gallery eight years ago to give local emerging and mid career artists an opportunity to exhibit their work in an environment that would bring them higher visibility while nurturing their artistic callings without the limitations imposed by many commercial galleries. Serving as gallery director since its inception , he has helped over sixty local artists further their art careers through their involvement with Rosalux.

Terrence Payne

www.terrencepayne.com

terrencepayne.blogspot.com

tjpayne@comcast.net

You are currently exhibiting as part of the Minnesota Artist Exhibition Program (MAEP) at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. This seems like quite and honor and opportunity. Tell me about the work you are showing there.

I'm showing a group of eight large oil pastel drawings. My drawings are typically portraits of different archetypes defined by the figure in the piece, their costume, action, secondary objects around the figure and a sort of wallpaper pattern behind them which sets the undertone for the entire work. For this show I am using the same pattern in each individual drawing to give an underlying unity to the entire show. I'm hoping that it will read as to how different sorts of personalities react to a similar situation and how what each one brings to a scenario can affect its outcome.

You have a special place in the Minneapolis arts community in that not only are you an artist, but you are also the founder of the Rosalux Gallery, which is one of the relatively few galleries in the twin cities accessible to emerging artists to show their work. Whose work have you shown that you are proud to say you have been able to provide an opportunity for exposure?

I would have to say that I am proud to have been a part of giving any and all of our artists past and present an opportunity for exposure. When I started the gallery I had this idea of creating a space where the artists have an active roll not only in the creation of their work but also in the promotion and exhibition of it as well. By asking that they take on the financial risks of exhibiting their work that also gave them the freedom to do what they wanted to do how they wanted to do it. Specifically for emerging artists I think that this is an extremely valuable experience because they are learning how to write a press release, edit the work in a show, garner and maintain a database of individuals who are interested in their work, put together a portfolio of their work to send out to new markets and begin to build a network of peers to share information with with regards to furthering their careers.

In the time since we opened our first location we have worked with over sixty local artists as members in the group, as well as the many others who have participated in the annual open door exhibition, and through these connection I hope that we have managed to make a positive impact on the local arts scene. The main motivation for Rosalux has always been to act as a tool with which to strengthen the Minneapolis arts community with the belief that by strengthening our artists at how it will create a better impression for all abroad.

Many artists find art to be a solitary experience, where creating community can be difficult. I wonder if you might have a different experience. I referring specifically to the Pilot Arts Group. The Pilot Arts webpage says it was created to provide updates of the “collective and individual endeavors of Pilot Artists.” Can you tell me how this group came together? What advantages have you found by working as part of a collective? Do you have any advice for others who might want to go down this same path?

Pilot is something that grew out of an idea that John Alspach and I had for Rosalux several years ago as a different way of promoting our art in hopes of finding a larger audience for the work of local artists. The basic idea of it being that we would work with a smaller group of artists and buy advertising in national design magazines to promote a website for the group and do one or two shows at alternative spaces each year.

The Rosalux group wasn't ready to give it a go so we decided to work with some other artists who were further along in their careers and would be more comfortable trying some new things. The first show we had was in a vacant storefront in uptown that coincided with our first ads in Dwell magazine and it went pretty well. As time went on and newer less traditional media started to spring up which made more sense for artists to put their efforts into pursuing rather than print ads the group changed its focus to being an annual exhibition collective which seeks out one show a year outside of minnesota.

Our next show is this coming october at the Greyduck gallery in Austin, Texas. Overall I think that pilot has been a great thing for us, its seems to have evolved into more of a guild than a collective in that it is a place for a group of peers to share ideas and experiences and try new things.

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

I can't remember any specific words of wisdom that I ever received from anyone in particular, but I would like to give a shout out to M.C. Anderson of the former M.C. Gallery which used to be downtown back in the day. It was my first experience showing in a gallery and M.C. tolerated me hanging around and asking annoying questions about the art world which was really where I learned great deal about how things work in the world of art and commerce.

Which Minnesota artists do you enjoy?

eeerghh! I am terrible at remembering the names of artists but I have no problem remembering the images I see. First off, there are none better than Jen Davis, Joe Sinness, and Erica Olson Gross who are my exhibition partners this fall inthe MAEP Galleries at the MIA. I have seen a lot of awesome local art this year but these are a few that have really stuck with me: I have really enjoyed following the design work of Land Land this year, the drawings of Nick Howard, the photos of Areca Roe, and the sculpture of Amelia Biewald. These are some of the artists who have made definite impact on what I am doing right now in one way or another.

If I were to follow you around on an “art day” in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?

We would probably start our day at the MIA looking around and wandering aimlessly waiting for something to spark something for us( I usually go there and do that when I am stuck on an idea or looking for inspiration). then we might stop for lunch at Victors and head over to Andy Ducetts garage and see what kind of weirdness is going on there. next stop is the shiny robot studios in NE to see whats being made up there and probably we would end up at Jim Wrayge's studio in the Northrup King getting drunk and embellishing stories about stupid things we used to do.

What was the last local exhibit you saw and what were your impressions?

I just went to the opening for Tara Costello's new show at Rosalux this past weekend as well as the new shows at SooVac the weekend before which features work by Liz Miller, Justin Stewart, Pam Valfer and Allen Brewer. They were all top notch and the biggest impression I am usually left with after visiting most shows in the twin cities is how lucky we are to be living in a community that turns out and supports its artists as well as the quality of work happening in town on any given day.


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 like to check out Fecal Face, Tiny Showcase, Artist a Day, and then whatever links I find on Facebook or that get sent to me by other artists.

How do you incorporate your blog, Facebook, and other social media/internet resources into your life as an artist?

I pretty much use my blog as a diary for my own purposes considering the amount of traffic it gets. Its a good place to put up new work and sketches I am working on to see how they fit in with a larger group of work. Facebook is great for sending out invites to shows and spy on what others are doing and I use my website as an online point of reference for others to get a sense of who I am as an artist.

Do you have any exhibits or any interesting things going on in your life or coming up in the near future?

I do, I will be showing in the MAEP galleries at the art institute (MIA) this month with Jen Davis, Joe Siness, and Erica Olson Gross in a show called Flourish which opens October 21st as well as another group show this month in Austin,Ttexas at the Grayduck Gallery with the Pilot Arts Group and that one opens on the fourteenth. Then its back to Rosalux which will be hosting our annual juried competition Open Door this November and I'll be spending the winter preparing new work for a show there this coming April.