New Print- So Bad

So Bad
Tonja Torgerson
Screenprint
22 x 19"
Edition of 12
2010

A larger image can be found here.

Sick Prints on Etsy

Sick Prints are now available for purchase on Etsy.
This set of six prints includes an image of each of the five drawings in the 'ill' series, as well as a Sick title card.
Find them here.

Sick

Sick will be up until March 1st. Go see it in person if you can, otherwise here's a glimpse:

Find the full photo tour here.
For more information about XYandZ and Sick visit www.thexyandz.com.

XYand Z
3258 Minnehaha Ave S
Minneapolis, 55406

"Sick" opening

For those of you who missed it, here are a few photos from the Sick opening last night.

Sick will be on display at XYandZ through March 1, 2010.

The works in Sick can be seen here.
For more information about XYandZ and Sick visit www.thexyandz.com.

XYand Z
3258 Minnehaha Ave S
Minneapolis, 55406

"Sick" opens at XYandZ on Friday, January 22nd

Deterioration by Tonja Torgerson

On Friday, January 22nd I will be celebrating the opening Sick, my solo exhibition of new works.

Sick includes five life-sized self-portraits on paper. These paintings analyze the altering identity of a young woman learning to live with a permanent illness. Sick presents the personal side of what is becoming an ever-increasingly political issue through a girlish lens of soft aesthetic and sad whimsy. These paintings focus on the revision of self that accompanies illness. In addition, the exhibition consists of several smaller screen prints and works of mixed media. Sick creates an engaging fusion of feminism, craft, printmaking and street-art.

The opening reception for Sick will be held at XYandZ on Friday January 22nd, 2010 from 7-11p. Sick will be on display at XYandZ through March 1, 2010.

A preview of the works in Sick can be seen here.
For more information about XYandZ and Sick visit www.thexyandz.com.

XYand Z
3258 Minnehaha Ave S
Minneapolis, 55406

18 months @ XYandZ

Come see my work at XYandZ this Friday, November 13th.
18 months is a preview show that will feature original pieces of work from artists scheduled to show at XYandZ through early 2011.

18 Months
Presented by XYandZ
3258 Minnehaha Ave S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406

November 13th through December 30th
Opening Reception: November 13th 7p-11p

Control

Day 29 in New York Mills, and my project is complete.

Control is the fifth drawing in the Ill Series.
I have a few more days left in my artist residency, then it is back to Minneapolis!

New York Mills- Day Eight

It is the eighth day of my Artist Residency in New York Mills, MN.
Sadly the weather has been miserable the last few days, so I do not have any photos of the town to share. But the cold and dreary weather is great motivation for studio time.

The sketch for the final large drawing in the Ill series is almost done.
I am to finish the drawing in its entirety during this residency.

Preparing class supplies for the printmaking classes I will start teaching next week. First class is relief printing, and I am excited to be a part of a classroom setting again.

I am also taking pinhole photographs and working with some vintage cameras, and will post images once I am able to develop the film.
So far the residency has been a real treat!

Ill Photo Shoot

Last weekend was spent documenting the Ill drawings, thanks to the help of a good friend. Here are the results:

And finally, a good photo of one of the three pillows (sans pins) that make up Needles & Pins.

Deterioration

After many long days and nights in the studio, Deterioration is now complete.

It is the fourth life-sized drawing in the Ill Series. The fifth and final drawing of the series will be created in October during my New York Mills Art Retreat.

In Progress- Fourth Ill Drawing

Hard at work on the fourth drawing in the ill series.

Here is a sketch of the drawing on mylar:


And the actual drawing in progress:

Fall Residency

Plans for autumn are falling into place.


I am the recipient of a Jerome Fellowship for the New York Mills Arts Retreat. I will spend the month finishing the final drawing in my ill series, as well as several smaller projects.

Many thanks to New York Mills and the Jerome Foundation, for funding such a great program.

William & Mary Review

COBRA and Loss were published in the 2009 issue of the William & Mary Review.

Spring 2009 Summary

Spring is turning into summer and so I am taking a moment to review the last few months.

I have been hard at work in my new studio, and completed a new line of cards and two new artworks, Medicine and Needles & Pins. Three more works of art are currently in progress, and should be finished this summer.

I was also fortunate enough to participate in two exhibitions this spring.
I am Fine is in a group exhibition of emerging artists running through May 12th at the Pulp gallery in Omaha.
And opening May 25th, my screen print Manifest Destiny will be at the DeVos Art Museum in Michigan. It is a part of North of the 45th, a regional juried exhibition.


Upcoming is a new edition for Sweet Hair, an exhibition of screen printing that will benefit Locks of Love. Plus much more art and hopefully some traveling.

Happy Spring!

Finished.

Busy week and I am short on time, but here is a quick update on some projects that were in the making for a while.After over three months of hard work, Medicine is done.

Also finished are all of the 'human pin cushions', titled Needles and Pins.

Plenty of more art projects are in the works: more photos soon!

Needles and Pins

Medicine is still in progress, with the hope to be completed in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile I have been distracted with my 'human pincushions', the newest addition of the ill series.

I love these.

They are so fun and challenging to create.
Each one was screen printed in two sections that have to line up perfectly in order to create such a large image. Then comes lots of needle work!

I don't think there is anything more wonderfully creepy than sewing and stuffing a pillow the happens to be a life-size self portrait.


A friend shot this photo of me holding one in downtown Minneapolis.


The plan is to make three "pillows" in a variety of color combinations. Check back soon to see the finished project!

Almost Finished- Medicine

Medicine is almost complete. Here is a sneak peak.

The rest of the ill series can be found here.

Work in Progress- Medicine

Plaid. Plaid. Plaid.

Studio Update

I have settled into my new studio in the Ivy Building. Here are a few blurry images of the new space:

It has great light, though it's short lived in the winter. The green wall is actually a green screen that my studio-mates, Brennan and Pete, use for their videos. Pretty cool.

After moving into the studio, I have been able to start on the next drawing from the ill series. Here is Medicine in its very early stages. I have been painting plaid for weeks now.

Nine for 2009

Inspired by Andrew Schroeder's blog post of a similar theme, I thought I would make some goals for the New Year. Not one for the traditional resolutions, I liked the simplicity of Andrew's list and the way it can be approached from many directions and still be accomplished.

Here is what I hope to do this year:

Nine Intentions for 2009
1. Rest. It is okay to not always be working on some big project. Take time to recharge.
2. Plan. Graduate school is not going to happen without some major legwork.
3. Make. More art. Finishing the 'ill' series this year is priority.
4. Connect. More time/communications with colleagues from school and those who have moved on from Mpls.
5. Sell. My apartment is becoming treacherous with stacks of art. Must find new homes.
6. Settle. Into my new studio in the Ivy Building.
7. Go. Out. To art openings, to movies, anything. Minnesota winters are making me into a hermit.
8. Read. Dust off my library card.
9. Relax. Stop worrying about what I cannot control.

I'll give it a shot.