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.

SUBPAR wins Salt City Dishes

I finally have some news on a project that was been in development for a few months called SUBPAR. SUBPAR stands for “Syracuse Urban Beautification Public Art Resistance”. It is an open collective that encourages and creates public art interventions.

The purpose of SUBPAR is to integrate art into the visual landscape of Syracuse. SUBPAR aims to create street art installations that force beauty into the urban surroundings.

We had the opportunity to present a project at the first ever Salt City DISHES and we won! We have been awarded a $1,000 to create our first project. We'll be combining screenprinting with ceramics to create a dynamic new look of street decor. (See the example of a test tile above). A huge thank you to the engaged and dedicated populace of Syracuse who attended DISHES. We have great things planned...

FYI Grant

Recently I, with a group of 3 other students, have been awarded a First Year Interdisciplinary Grant from Syracuse University. Our proposal was entitled, "A Sense of Place". Our project involves collecting thoughts, feelings, meanings and memories of specific public spaces and putting them on display, as a way for the space itself to "talk back". In doing this, we are striving to create a dialogue between the space an its occupants.

One of my roles in the project will be the creation of the visuals used in to assist in collecting people's reactions to certain spaces, as well as the later exhibition that will be created around this information. More information will be provided as the project progresses.

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.

It's Official!

Well it's official, my screenprint I am Fine has been included in the permanent collections of both the Weisman Art Museum and the Minnesota Museum of American Art!

The print received Purchase Awards from both institutions while on display during the Sixth National Minnesota Print Biennial. However, both purchases had to be approved by the Museums' acquisition committees before the work was formally accepted into their permanent collections.

I was informed today that this process had been completed, making it official that my artwork is now included in two museum collections! What lovely news.

An image of I am Fine, along with additional information about the print can be found on my website.

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!

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.

I am Fine purchased by the Weisman Art Museum!

Tonight was the opening of the Sixth National Minnesota Print Biennial. I am very proud to say that at the opening it was announced the my screenprint, I am Fine was given a purchase award from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum (pending approval of its acquisitions committee, of course). I am thrilled at the chance to have one of my prints in the permanent collection of a museum!A fabulous little catalog of the exhibition was also produced. In addition to the an image of I am Fine, an interview I conducted with Kristen Martincic (also in the Biennial) was included at the beginning of the catalog.

All and all it was a lovely night!

The exhibition is at the Katherine E Nash Gallery and runs through November 6th. If you did not have a chance to make it to the opening, I would really suggest checking it out. All the work in the exhibition is really strong, and combined it makes for a very dynamic show. Do check it out.