Description
As part of the Spring into Art Festival, on Friday, March 22nd from 5 to 7 p.m., Lanesboro Arts is hosting an artist meet and greet. The featured artists are a part of the juried exhibition “Spitting Image,” showcasing the self-portraits of forty-one artists working in a variety of mediums, such as painting, drawing, photography, and mixed media. If you missed the exhibit opening or if you missed meeting some of the artists featured in the show, this will be an opportunity to talk to artists about their work in a casual setting. The meet and greet will include wine and hors d’oeuvres.
Artists who will be at the “Meet & Greet” are: Karen Aarre, April Royet, Annette Hanley, Elmer Petersen, Ashton Hall, Robbie Brokken, Autumn Wooden, Shari Albers, Erik Pearson, Dirk Nelson, Carol Slade, Debra James, Layne Moser, Nancy Unnasch, Krystl Lauwagie, Paul Brokken, Diane Knight, Jean Manrique, and Marlene Maloney.
Spring into Art is an interactive, two-weekend celebration of creativity and community co-presented by Commonweal Theatre and Lanesboro Arts. Featuring an art crawl, a canvas clash, an original art exhibition, film screenings, live music, panel discussions, a production of “Bakersfield Mist” by Stephen Sachs, and more, the Spring into Art Festival is your cure for cabin fever. View the full schedule of events here: https://www.commonwealtheatre.org/news-events/spring-into-art/
The exhibit opened on Saturday, February 9th and runs through April 6th, 2019. Always free and open to the public, the Lanesboro Arts Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
“Historically, artists would use themselves as models because they couldn’t afford to pay someone else,” shares Gallery Director Robbie Brokken. “This tradition has given us a glimpse into the past and continues to provide insight into the mind of the artist and how they see themselves.” Brokken reveals, “You could give ten artists all the same materials and each one would make something entirely unique. It’s been fascinating to see all the different mediums in ‘Spitting Image’ and what each individual artist has done with them.”
Participating artist Erik Pearson says that many of his paintings serve as unintentional portraits, because they contain a character with elements based on him. “Every once and a while I enjoy creating a deliberate self-portrait, to examine what it is that I think portrays myself.” Pearson adds, “It gives me a chance to add personal elements, tendencies, or inside jokes, and to see if anyone can recognize those elements.”
Parent and participating artist Dinah Langsjoen explains that her piece, “Self-Portrait with Torin,” is a visual testimony to how the love of a child can change someone into a better version of themselves. Langsjoen states, “This painting transformed dramatically in the first year of our lives together, and represents how a mother’s life becomes an extension of their children.”
Participating artist Julie Fakler of Fairbault, Minn. comments, “I only create artwork based around domestic animals, so this show was outside my comfort zone. In high school and college, I produced lots of self-portraits, but I have not done one in 20 years. My piece “Willy-Willy, Charlie, and I” features one of my lap cats, my dog and my lap – It’s the closest I’ve came to painting a human in a long time! I’m very excited to be included in this group.”