IN THE WINDOWS

December 2020-February 2021

Remaking

by

Kathryn D'Elia

This exhibition is a collection of work created through gathered observations: a person, a moment of speech, shapes of a curtain, bodily structures, snow-blanketed objects. They are exaggerated, warped, stacked, built and lit to "remake" them into something new--to create something familiar, but on edge. 

Further discoveries can be made between artworks.  Bridges of color and value marry mold structures, into lung tissue, into the curving forms of an elderly woman's cheek--into a lrager and larger environment of association, one that reaches, leans, sucks, and grows, one that changes dramatically in theme and propensity once rearranged and reassociated.

Kathryn D'Elia was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL.  She attended a high school for the arts before attending Flagler College to earn her BFA in 2011 and the University of Washington for her MFA in 2014.  She moved to Minnesota in 2016 and currently resides in St. Paul.  She enjoys her work teaching drawing and painting at Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley and adult painters at Artistry in Bloomington, MN.

See more of her work at Kdelia.com and Instagram @kathryn_delia_studio.

IN THE WINDOWS Mississippi River: Water Washes

I met Annie Hejny last summer, during the Women's Art Institute at St. Kate's.  She began this series of paintings then, collecting river water and combining them with her paints.  A subtle, worshipful consideration of the value of our water supply.  These paintings, that will be up through October, are especially beautiful at night.   Come by at night to see them glow.

Mississippi River: Water Washes

by

Annie Hejny

Annie Hejny was born in St. Paul and studied at the University of St. Thomas and St. Catherine

University, earning a double-major B.A. in Elementary Education and Studio Art with honors (2012).

Participating as a mentor and artist in the Twin Cities community, she has volunteered with Free Arts

Minnesota, blankslate theater, VISION and founded the PAINT Project, a collaboration between local

establishments to implement mural painting events in 10 countries during 2010-2013. Since 2014,

Annie is a member of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA) and the Women's Art

Resources of Minnesota (WARM).

As an emerging visual artist, she intentionally explores the spaces from her daily life and larger travels to create highly-saturated paintings. Recent exhibitions include Art-A-Whirl (Minneapolis, MN), 6x6x2015 (Rochester, NY) and One Wall (Chicago, IL).

She currently resides in St. Paul and works at the Casket Arts Building in Northeast Minneapolis. Last summer she participated in the Women's Art Institute at St. Catherine University. Most recently, she converted her single-stall garage into Gallery Three, a pop-up exhibition space for local artists.

Catching up a bit on the Windows on Cedar.

Please go to the gallery webpage and click on the archives!  It looks like I neglected to blog about the last 2 shows!!!!!!!!  And now there is a new one in the windows.  

The marvelous work of Ayanna Muata was in the windows  October through December, 2014. She was followed by the young illustrator Nathan Motzko.

NOW SHOWING in the Susan Hensel Window Gallery Windows are fifteen paintings by Iraqi artists and presented to you by Iraqi American Reconciliation Project (IARP), a Minneapolis based non-profit. This exhibition which features paintings on raw canvases tells a story about a group of artists who began sending their paintings to Minnesota in the hopes of being heard and understood.

In 2005, a group of trained, professional artists in Najaf and Karbala, Iraq who were affiliated with IARP’s sister program, the Muslim Peace Maker’s team sent their art work to IARP rolled in the suitcases of those participating in peacemaking exchanges between the U.S. and Iraq. IARP had the loose canvas paintings stretched and framed and then displayed them in coffee shops, churches and galleries. Over the years these paintings have been shown in over fifty galleries and public spaces in Minneapolis. IARP’s art program has greatly expanded to include a documentary video series, bookmaking program as well as several curated exhibits that have toured the country. As the ten-year anniversary of the Iraqi Art Program approaches we believe that it is only appropriate to highlight some of these paintings and to take a look back at the messages of peace and understanding that they inspired.

To learn more about the artwork and Iraqi American Art Project please visit:

http://reconciliationproject.org/

http://www.iraqiartproject.org/

Contact:

info@reconciliationproject.org

952-545-9981

Sergio Mojica, Music and Art

IN THE WINDOWS

Sergio Mojica was born in El Salvador and grew up in New York City. A self taught artist and musician he believes that music and art influence each other. Some of the musicians who have shaped his art have been Carlos Santana and Thelonious Monk to name a few. He sees his art as a marriage between the old folklore of Latin America and the European influnces such as Surrealism, Abstraction, as well as Expressionism. It is somewhere between these vast universes that Sergio exists while trying to defy category. He says, "I still refer to some of these art movements as "cool" since their age to me is irrelevant. These styles were cool then and they will forever be "cool" to me. I am influenced by countless artists musically and artistically, even by writers such as Rod Serling or subversive poets like Roque Dalton. My inspiration comes from every day people and life."

New Works by Marjorie Nilssen

 Marjorie Nilssen installed her show of new works in the Windows on Cedar today.  Marjorie is on the faculty of Ridgewater College, in Wilmar, MN.

ARTIST STATEMENT BY MARJORIE NILSSEN

My paintings are based on my long time interest in color, texture and unity.

While I am visually intrigued by nature; rocks, algae, moss, etc., my paintings are not

representations or ‘pictures’ of nature.

I am constantly amazed at what happens in my studio when I let go of ideas and allow the

various processes of painting;  melting wax, mixing paint, scraping, etc., to develop into a work.

It is the mystery of this process that intrigues and inspires me.

Studying under the direction of Larry and Paula Poons at The Art Students League of New York

(September 15-October 1, 2012) enhanced my artistic skills by reinforcing the significance of

color development and the concept of losing yourself in order to make a good painting.

I can still hear Poon’s saying “stop trying to make a painting!!”

Although I was aware of this concept prior to my time at the Art League this idea becomes

more clear to me as I continue to work in my studio in Atwater, Minnesota.

Below is a quote from Larry Poons that I really like:

“Ultimately, the issue with art is art.  And you really shouldn’t worry about:  ‘well….if I do this,

it’s not me.’  It’s always you.  That’s the important part of art:  that this thing comes through if

you let it.  The essential part of what you, the artist is, comes through if you don’t try to be so

overly protective of what you think is your way of doing things.  I think you have to constantly relearn this in your working career---that what you think you can’t do is what you already should be doing, and you’re just putting it off.  Simply because you’re afraid to lose yourself.   But when you lose yourself, that’s when the art happens.”

*From a 1989 interview with John Zinsser in ‘Larry Poons:  Paintings, 1963-1990

How much is that doggie in the window?

Kat Corrigan is a superb painter of all things.  She really knows how to throw paint and color around to create works that come alive.  She has just begun 30 dogs in 30 days.  Follow her progress on her blog.

Meanwhile, at the bus stop, a happy group on their way to a Twins game, asked me to take their picture.