Our Artists

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MetroSketchers Founded by Lowertown Lofts Co-op Members Liz Carlson and Tim Jennen

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Have you heard of MetroSketchers? As of today there are 465 members in the Minneapolis/St.Paul Metro area. What do MetroSketchers do? Keep scrolling to find out more!

Liz Carlson and Tim Jennen - Founders of MetroSketchers

Liz Carlson and Tim Jennen - Founders of MetroSketchers

Here is the group from the September Sketch at Raspberry Park in Saint Paul

Here is the group from the September Sketch at Raspberry Park in Saint Paul

MISSION

 

MetroSketchers is an open, inclusive group that was founded by Liz Carlson and administered by Liz and Tim Jennen. It has the simple mission to get out in the world and draw. We meet once a month, usually the first Sunday of the month from 12-3pm at locations that are of interest to the sketcher. If you are a person who has always wanted to draw, but has never picked up a pencil, this is a group for you. If you are a person who used to draw and wants to get back into it, this is a group for you. If you are a professional artist looking for new opportunities to draw, it's the group for you as well.

 

There are no fees to belong. We try to keep the group as free as possible. Most of our locations are chosen with the idea that costs are kept to around $10 or less, depending upon the location and parking. We do encourage members to make donations to organizations and galleries we visit, who have been very generous in allowing us to draw at their location.

 

The level of participation is entirely up to the individual. No one is required to share their work with other sketchers or even to announce that they are at the event. The important thing is to get out and draw. Those interested in sharing their work can meet up with others at the end of each sketch gathering at a designated location.

We'd love for you to join us! Get all the details and see many of the sketches here on our MetroSketchers Facebook page!

911 Remembered by Lowertown Lofts Artist Marla Gamble

Marla remembers, 

"I did these chalk drawings during the day of 9-11. Jim and I were on a remote Native American reservation in Wisconsin when we heard someone had bombed New York City. 

Everyone gathered around one television in the general store/bar and restaurant for the next two days. The camaraderie among these 20+ strangers from around the country was memorable." Marla Gamble. 

This is one of the series of three done that day. ©Marla Gamble

This is one of the series of three done that day. ©Marla Gamble

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Lowertown Lofts Co-op Author Gretchen Thompson Presents "The Artist's Way"

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“A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity” by Julie Cameron
Mondays, 1:00 – 3:00 PM, September 21 – December 7
$144 for 12 weekly sessions.
Registration required. No artistic experience necessary.
Bring your own copy of Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way.

The Artist’s Way offers an opportunity to spark the creative process or deepen your spiritual expression. Be prepared for the artistic synergy of the group to build community and help you develop a greater alignment with your creative energy. This 12-week ‘course’ follows the chapters of Julia Cameron’s book of the same title. It is appropriate both for those beginning on their creative path and as a refresher for established artists. Applicable to all art forms – visual, musical, theater, writing, etc.

To register or get more information on this and other workshops please visit this link.

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Patrick Clancy Featured at the Art Leadership Program, ‎Anniversary Exhibition OPENING Artists Reception

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Image: © Patrick Clancy

Image: © Patrick Clancy

  • Thursday, September 17, 2015, from 5 to 8 pm
  • Gallery One OST, 800 Washington Ave N, Suite 510, Mpls, MN 55401
  • 612.562.0889, ArtLeadershipProgram@gmail.com
  • Other times view by appointment only through November 2
  • Event is free and open to the public

All artists are alumni of the Emerging Artists Series, a partnership with the Art Leadership Program™ and Open Systems Technologies. Featured are new works by these talented artists:

Zac Adams-Bliss
Patrick Clancy
Brian Matthew Hart
Michael McGraw
Josh Meillier
Neal Perbix
Lindsay Splichal
Amber Tyrrell

For the past 3 years, Open Systems Technologies (OST) has opened their Minneapolis office as exhibition space for local artists, converting their unused wall space into a contemporary art gallery.

Gallery One OST
TractorWorks Building
800 Washington Ave N, Suite 510
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 562-0889

Art Leadership Program link

Image: © Patrick Clancy

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Powderhorn Art Fair Weekend - August 8-9

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Lowertown Lofts Kristi Abbott can be found here this weekend, look for her in booth #117! Just for you a link to all the activities. Have fun! 

One of the Finest Regional Art Fairs in the Country

For two days each August, white tents dot the landscape around Powderhorn Park bringing individuals from all over the country together to enjoy an abundance of creativity and skill that flows through the artists participating in the Powderhorn Art Fair.

Come enjoy the show!

Saturday - August 8th: 10am-6pm
Sunday - August 9th: 10am-5pm


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Re[f]use: Transforming the Landscape by Lowertown Lofts Co-op Artist Gina Dabrowski

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Photographic work by Lowertown Lofts Artist, Gina Dabrowski looks at contemporary landfills as well as re-purposed sites to explore the relationships between people and their belongings. The large-scale prints examine the business of waste disposal through the lens of a 4×5 camera.

Exhibition Statement:

In my landfills project, I use photography to capture the residue of people’s presence, which is preserved in man-made landscapes composed of garbage. I photographed re-purposed landfills using a large format camera and film. The resulting color photographs look at old dump sites located on the boundaries of our daily life, as well as the people who dispose of their personal belongings.

Artist Bio:

Gina Dabrowski is a visual artist who lives in St Paul, Minnesota and teaches at North Hennepin Community College. She received her MFA in Photography and Video from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), as well as a Master of Art in Visual and Cultural Studies from the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. Gina has received awards of support from the McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowship for Photographers, the Jerome Foundation, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. For the McKnight Fellowship, Gina gave a presentation on her Landfills project at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

 

Show ends August 10, 2015

Augsburg College Gallery Hours

Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Closed on major holidays

Augsburg College

2211 Riverside Ave. S.

Minneapolis, MN 55454

Tel: 612-330-1524

Flights of Fancy: Unexpected Works of Whimsy - Featuring work by Beth Barron

Lowertown Lofts Artist, Beth Barron just received notice that all three of her Implosion pieces will be hung in a show called “Flights of Fancy: Unexpected Works of Whimsy” at the Northbrook Public Library, north of Chicago from October 9th - November 20th, 2015. 

© Beth Barron Implosion 1

© Beth Barron Implosion 2

© Beth Barron Implosion 3


​Northbrook Public Library
1201 Cedar Lane
Northbrook, IL 60062

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REALLY SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (6-second videos), MINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, FRIDAY JULY 31st, 7:30 PM.

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"MMAA’s exhibition, Summertime, looks at the spirit and essence of summer through the lens of its permanent collection. Using the lens of your smartphone or digital camera, we want you to create art in the form of a 6-second video” (MMAA website). An outdoor screening with FREE food and prizes will take place on Friday, July 31st, 7:30 pm, on the Pioneer Endicott Green Roof (2nd floor across from chocolate shop). For more info visit: http://mmaa.org

 

Lowertown Loft Artist Co-op, curator and video artist William G. Franklin submitted two entries to join the fun. Here’s one of his entries titled 31 years later, YouTube below. The video was inspired by forgotten bobsled tracks in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, now used by locals and visitors for hiking and biking.  

 


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New Works by So-And-So Featuring: Nancy Robinson at Instinct Art Gallery

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NEW WORKS BY SO-AND-SO 

The Featured Artists Show

Featuring: David Aschenbrener, Elizabeth Garvey, Ben Moren, Judy Onofrio, Nancy Robinson, Lynn Speaker, and Jantje Visscher

Exhibition Run: July 18 - September 12, 2015

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 18, 6-8pm

 

Visit Nancy's Website!

Visit Instinct Gallery's Website!

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McNALLY SMITH COLLEGE OF MUSIC’S “ART-INSPIRED MUSIC PROJECT"

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33 Musicians and Composers Interpret 32 Diverse Works by Minnesota Artists

McNALLY SMITH COLLEGE OF MUSIC’S “ART-INSPIRED MUSIC PROJECT – SECOND EDITION” - OPENING FEBRUARY 24 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2015, ST. PAUL 

You can thank the 20th century French Impressionist composer Claude Debussy ("Clair de Lune") for motivating the creation of the "Art-Inspired Music Project - Second Edition," opening February 24 and running through April 30 in the lobby of McNally Smith College of Music (19 Exchange Street East, St. Paul 55101, www.mcnallysmith.edu). 

Upon attending an exhibition on Debussy at the Musée de 'Orangerie (Paris) in 2012, curator William G. Franklin was so moved by the composer’s grasp of the power of visual arts on music that he wrote an essay focused on the French composer's use of The Great Wave by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. From the program notes of the gallery show, Franklin learned Debussy asked his publisher to put the image on the cover of the score of his masterpiece, "The Sea." Afterward, Debussy declared his love for the visual arts, stating, “Moi qui aime les images presque autant que la musique.” (“I love pictures almost as much as I love music.”)

In a rare collaborative display of music and art, this multi-media installation at McNally Smith features 33 students, faculty, staff, and alumni musically interpreting 32 visual works by Minnesota artists - ranging from painting and sculpture, to architecture, glass pieces, and video. Contributors include well-known artists like painter Ta-coumba Aiken, mixed-media artist Erica Spitzer Rasmussen, and animator and filmmaker Tom Schroeder. Visitors can listen to the new musical compositions on headphones, while viewing the physical artwork that inspired them.

The public is invited to the opening reception of the “Art-Inspired Music Project – Second Edition,” on February 24 at 7:30 p.m. Regular gallery hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The exhibition is paired with free satellite lectures in March and April, focusing on the impact music and art have on each other. 

"This project is one of many initiatives directed by the College's Liberal Arts Department to inspire creative thinking," says Franklin. "There is increasing interest in the arts and the Twin Cities arts scene, and we wanted to leverage that interest for the public - but also spur some interdisciplinary thought among participating musicians and artists."

The “Art-Inspired Music Project - Second Edition,” is sponsored by the American Composers Forum (ACF), the Minnesota Museum of American Art (MMAA) "Project Space," the American Swedish Institute, and Union Depot. The Project is curated by William G. Franklin, a member of McNally Smith’s Liberal Arts faculty, and Curatorial Assistant and artist Elizabeth Black.