SUBPAR on the front page of The Eagle

SUBPAR and Salt City Dishes are the front page story of this week's The Eagle (CNY). The paper included two articles about the grant and gives a glowing review of the microgrant event:

"Only one of the nine project proposals would walk away with the $1,000 minigrant from the debut Salt City DISHES dinner on Sunday, but the intangible benefits, the networking and exposure each project gained from the event were just as invaluable."

A second article details the ideas behind our winning proposal:

"The SUBPAR proposal will create "unconventional street art" using hand-made, screenprinted ceramic tiles mortared permanently into place in an otherwise unused, unnoticed public space.
'Imagine a series of tiles that add a splash of color on a drab grey wall or boarded up window,' the team said during their presentation Sunday."

You can find the whole article here.

And more about the first Salt City DISHES event here.

New York Mills

Day Two in New York Mills and I am still settling in. It was been great to get familiar with the town. Here are some images of where I will be spending the next 30 days:

This is my home, its a little one bedroom bungalow in the center of New York Mills. Everything is within walking distance here, but I also have a bike at my disposal (I'll post a photo of that soon).

This is the Cultural Center, where I have 24 hour access to my studio space. Its a beautiful building just a block from my house.

This is my studio space. Located on the second floor of the Cultural Center, it is definitely the biggest studio space I have ever had and will be the center of most of my activity.

And finally, this was my welcome wagon! The local paper has published an article about my residency and the classes I will be teaching while here. So nice!

William & Mary Review

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

Press for Perpich

Governor Pawlenty's plan for the Perpich Center for Arts Education continues to receive a lot of local media attention. In the last two weeks many articles have been written about the past success of the institution and its current budget woes, including one by the Star Tribune. While school's future is still in danger, public support seems to be growing.

I was recently interviewed by Shelia Regan of the TC Daily Planet in regards to Perpich's future. The article highlights a variety of people who have benefited from the opportunities provided by the Perpich Center. You can read the article here.

Pawlenty vs. Perpich

Governor Pawlenty's recently released budget proposal hit a personal note.

It calls for the virtual elimination of the Perpich Center for Arts Education; converting it to a charter school and taking away almost all of its funding. These cuts would force the institution to end its housing option for students.
In 2001, I moved into the residence hall of Perpich to attend school. The Perpich Center for Arts Education was 240 miles away from my parents' home, and to go there I paid to stay in the dormitory with half of the student population whose parents lived too far away to commute. Going to Perpich was a huge opportunity for me and many other rural students. Unlike the metropolitan area that has many options within commuting distance (including schools that have adequate art departments) my rural background did not allow for in depth arts education. My only real option for additional arts training while in high school was Perpich.

It was at Perpich that I learned to screenprint.

The elimination of the boarding house at the Perpich Center for Arts Education would make it impossible for rural Minnesota high school students to have a second chance at receiving the arts education their local school lacks. The Star Tribune had a front page article today on the consequences of Pawlenty's proposed budget for the school. Please read it.

A Year in Review

This blog started about 12 months ago and since then a lot of things have happened for me and my art. So in the spirit of the New Year, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on the past year.

In February, I had my first experience curating the group show Anxiety Dreams. Six months of preparation with my curating partner Ellen Mueller, and the exhibition was a wonderful success. Paired with Altered Esthetics' Bitter Fruit, the opening was packed. The exhibition also received several positive reviews, including one in MinnPost:

"Torgerson and Mueller have an eye for creating a cohesive show of up-and-comers." - Molly Priesmeyer

I was also the featured artist for Altered Esthetic's February exhibition, Bitter Fruit. My print, Stitch & Bitch, was featured on the show's postcards and included in the gallery's 2008 calendar.

I am Fine was also included in Self-Evident: Contemporary American Self-Portraiture at the Claypool-Young Gallery during the same month.

In March I moved in to my first shared studio on Lake and Chicago, which would soon be named Camphor Studios.

Two of my prints were included in Minneapolis 55408 at Intermedia Arts. And Molly Priesmeyer gave a lovely interpretation of my work as a part of a review for MinnPost.com.

May saw the completion on the first drawing in the ill series, titled COBRA.

Summer peaked in June, and we celebrated with Art Soak Yard Sale our first public event at Camphor Studios.

My first international exhibition occurred in August when I was included in Old School at UPPERCASE gallery in Alberta, Canada. The exhibition featured my new screen print, Nature/Nurture. A beautiful little book of the exhibition was also published by the gallery.

I finished Loss (the second of in ill series) in September, and then promptly left for New York City for a week of museums and adventures!

October was the highlight of my year. I am Fine and ThinkGirl Posters were included in the Sixth Minnesota National Print Biennial. I am Fine received purchase awards from both the Weisman Art Museum and the Minnesota Museum of American Arts. This marked the first inclusion of my art into a museum's permanent collection! It was also the first time my work was mentioned in the Star Tribune as a part of a review of the Biennial. I was fortunate to be complimented in a largely critical article. A catalog was also produced showing a select grouping of artwork from Biennial exhibition, of which I am Fine was included.

I created stickers and magnets that were included in the Prints Gone Wild print fair in Brooklyn, NY as a part of Bikini Press International's booth. Both the magnets and stickers are now for sale in my online shop and at Soo VAC's store.

Throughout the year, my website was continuously updated and expanded to feature new art and information!

Finally, November saw my first collaborative project Nite Lite. Built with the other members of Camphor Studio, Nite Lite continues to shine in the Shoebox Gallery into the New Year.

What a wonderful year! Thank you to all my friends, family and patrons supported me in this past year.

Happy New Year!

Old School Mentioned In ReadyMade Magazine

The lasted volume of ReadyMade Magazine includes a recommendation of the Old School book!

Published last summer, this little book was created in concurrence with an exhibition at UPPERCASE Gallery and includes my screenprint, Nature/Nurture.
The book is filled with a lot of great art, including work by my friend Ellen Mueller. It is great to see it getting press months after its debut. More information about the magazine's mention can be found here.
Information about Old School and how to purchase it can be found at UPPERCASE's online shop. If you haven't already checked it out, I really recommend you do.

Star Tribune Article "Perils of Printmaking"

Yesterday, the Star Tribune published an article reviewing the Minnesota National Print Biennial. My work was mentioned:

"Feminist themes fared well in the hands of Tonja Torgerson, who created a poignant screen print..."

Reading this article also deepened my appreciation for the arts writer Molly Priesmeyer, who wrote a stunningly precise interpretation of the same print earlier this year:

"Tonja Torgerson's screen print, "I Am Fine," is a portrait of a girl with snaking leaves framing her head, the ends of which are festooned with two syringes. The word "okay" has been crossed out and replaced with "fine." While the design and colors are cheery and childlike, the image tells a more complicated story: a struggle, an illness, a push to put on a pretty face in the midst of it all." -Molly Priesmeyer "What's up with the art and zeitgeist in ZIP code 55408?" Minnpost.com


Please take a moment to read the entire article for yourself.

Minnesota National Print Catalog

The Katherine E Nash Gallery published a beautiful catalog in unison with the Minnesota National Print Biennial, and I thought I would share a few images of it.I have to say that I love the cover, especially the transparency and how the imagery of a printmaking studio has been incorporated into the design. It is very thoughtful and elegant.
The preface of the book includes two interviews, including an interview I conducted with Kristen Martincic. This was a wonderful opportunity and a great learning experience which I feel fortunate to have been offered.
The catalog includes my artist statement and an image of I am Fine which has since been purchased by the Weisman Art Museum.
Finally I wanted to show an image from Drew Peterson, who was also included in the catalog and conducted the other interview at the beginning of the catalog. I went to school with Drew and its been interesting to see how our styles have evolved over the years while often working in the same medium.

The catalog can be found online in the form of a pdf, made available by Katherine E Nash Gallery.
Find it here.

MinnPost Article on 55408

I was written about in a recent article by Molly Priesmeyer for MinnPost about the Minneapolis 55408 exhibition. Priesmeyer was kind enough to discuss the motivation behind my work in some detail, and I was most impressed with her interpretation of my print, I am Fine. She nailed it.

"Tonja Torgerson's screen print, "I Am Fine," is a portrait of a girl with snaking leaves framing her head, the ends of which are festooned with two syringes. The word "okay" has been crossed out and replaced with "fine." While the design and colors are cheery and childlike, the image tells a more complicated story: a struggle, an illness, a push to put on a pretty face in the midst of it all." -Molly Priesmeyer

An image of ThinkGirl Poster was also included in the article. Talent artists and colleagues, Ellen Mueller and Isaac Arvold, were also featured in the article.

You can read the full article on MinnPost.com

Artwork Featured in the Southwest Journal

My artwork is featured in the Southwest Journal for an article on Minneapolis 55408 at Intermedia Arts. A small image of I am Fine, is featured on the front page of the current issue (above). And the inside spread features a great picture of one of the ThinkGirl Posters (see image below). The Southwest Journal is available through out the Uptown area, so pick up a copy and check out the article. Its very exciting, especially since the opening is only two days away!

Press for Anxiety Dreams Exhibition

I thought it was worth mentioning again the great press we have been receiving for the Anxiety Dreams Exhibition. I am especially delighted as it was my first curatorial venture. Two years ago, Ellen Mueller and I had only a great idea for an exhibition. Here are some of my favorite highlights from the articles that have been written:

"Artists Ellen Mueller and Tonja Torgerson curated "Anxiety Dreams," a collection based on discussions they had while working at The Soap Factory last summer. In fact, Torgerson's mixed-media pieces are inspired by dreams she had while putting together an exhibit at the Soap. The show required delicately arranging red string, which wove itself into her nightmares.

Torgerson's wooden boxes are whimsical yet foreboding, private and revealing. Encased in one is a medical-book-like painting of a foot. Red string represents blood dripping from a half-toe. The missing tip appears in the corner, next to a bloody razor blade. "They're biographical," Torgerson says. "I had been struggling with illness. And I had these work dreams, too."

Like anxiety dreams themselves, many of the pieces in this exhibit are personally revealing. In fact, this exhibit of young artists' work — from large-scale drawings to videos – is pleasantly compelling. Torgerson and Mueller have an eye for creating a cohesive show of up-and-comers."
--- Molly Priesmeyer, MinnPost

..................................................................................

"Altered Aesthetics has picked an irresistible premise for one of two shows currently up at the gallery. Who hasn't had dreams that the universe may be more malevolent than you thought? Anxiety Dreams, curated by Tonja Torgerson and Ellen Mueller, features the work of nine artists offering their take on this familiar expression of subconscious angst in the form of photographs, paintings, mixed media, and video."

"White night gowns, paper-doll streamers, and haunted expressions figure prominently into Noelle McCleaf's photographs. Tonja Torgerson's bright, graphic shadow boxes depict not-so-bright-and-cheery subject matter. Lindsay Noble's zombie-like, life-sized, 3D cutouts are straight out of a down-market catalog. Each offers the familiar turned askew, much the way dreams do." --- Stephanie Xenos, The Morning After

Postcards

For Altered Esthetics' exhibition, Bitter Fruits, my print titled Stitch and Bitch was selected for the exhibition postcard.

And in Kentucky, my self-portrait I am Fine was included on the postcard for Self-Evident: Contemporary American Self-Portraiture at the Claypool-Young Gallery.

Anxiety Dreams Press

I am gathering a list of the press for the Anxiety Dreams exhibition. Here is what I have so far.

We have a full length article for the exhibition in MinnPost!

As of 2/4 Anxiety Dreams made the TC Daily Planet homepage with a picture of Ellen Mueller's performance and a nice overview of the exhibition.

Also a review at Mpls St Paul Magazine's The Morning After.

Listings include:
mnartists.org
l'etoile magazine blog
minneapolis st paul magazine online
mplsart.com

Bitter Fruits Press

eThe Bitter Fruits exhibition has been getting good press. Links to articles and announcements for the show can be found below.

City Pages A-List
TC Daily Planet
l'etoile magazine blog
The Rake
mnartists.org
mplsart.com

More info about the exhibition can be found on Altered Esthetics' website.