Allen Downs: Life and Work Winter Quarter in Mexico March 5 – 30, 2013 Katherine E. Nash Gallery Regis Center for Art University of Minnesota
allendowns.org
The Life of
Allen Downs Notes from the Organizers Linda Passon - McNally
February 12, 1915
b. Colorado Springs, CO
1933 – 36
Some years ago, I was asked by Anita Downs to help organize an exhibition of Allen Downs’ photography to be shown in a small town in Mexico. The idea was just along my line of thinking, only – a show to come a little further down the timeline after what I thought was needed to commemorate this gifted artist and distinguished University of Minnesota Professor of Art. First, I felt, was to honor Allen at the school where he spent the majority of his art career, teaching from 1950 to 1977, and heading the Department for many of those years.
Kansas State College, Emporia
Bachelor of Science in Education Major: Zoology and Art Worked as portrait photographer
1936
Rocky Ford, CO
1937
Boulder, CO
Allen’s Winter Quarter in Mexico ( WQIM) program inspired artists, launched careers, and promoted Mexican-American social and cultural interchange. I enrolled in the first WQIM in 1972, embarking on a journey of new images, impressions, and friendships that are still vital to this day. Alumni of the program consider WQIM pivotal to their creative paths. The fact that 24 other students and teachers of WQIM opted to exhibit in this show, decades after their own experience, attests to the significance of the program. Allen had died in 1983, but frequent references to him and to WQIM thrived among the alumni. Then in 2009, as the idea of the multi-faceted Project started to grow in my mind, I approached Gary Hallman and other faculty and administrators at the U of M Art Department to see what they thought. They liked it.
High school science and art instructor
High school science instructor Freelance designer and photographer
1938 – 40
Iowa State University, Iowa City
Creative Thesis: Sculpture
Master of Arts: Fine Arts, Painting, and Printmaking Minor: Museum Work
1939
Iowa
Married Phyliss Zager Children: Gareth, Allison, Barbara, and Amy
1940 – 43
Boulder, CO
High school science instructor Freelance designer and photographer
1943 – 46
Stephens College, Columbia, MO
Instructor of art and established photography program
1946 – 49
Albright Art School, Buffalo, NY
The University of Buffalo Design
The Art School at State Teachers College
Instructor of design, sculpture, and photography
1949
1st place in painting show
1949 – 50
U of M
1950 – 55
U of M
Instructor of drawing, design, and photography
Assistant Professor
Established Film Department at the U of M
1952
First collaboration with Jerome Liebling
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Continued on page 4
Student 1972
Allen Downs was an artist whose practice embraced drawing, painting, printmaking, photography and filmmaking. The exhibition, Allen Downs: Life and Work / Winter Quarter in Mexico, spans his creative practice, including drawings, paintings, digital prints made from their original 2 ¼” color slides, digital videos made from the original 8mm and 16 mm films, and ephemera. Some of the artworks in this exhibition have never been shown to the public. The exhibition coincides with the 40- year anniversary of the Winter Quarter in Mexico Program, founded and led by Professor Downs in 1972. Over 150 students at the University of Minnesota participated in the program under the artistic leadership of Allen Downs, and many more followed in the years after his involvement. This exhibition includes artworks in a wide variety of media, made in Oaxaca by students and faculty from the University of Minnesota who attended the Winter Quarter in Mexico Program with Professor Downs. Allen Downs earned an MA degree in painting and printmaking from the University of Iowa in 1940 and became an accomplished photographer and filmmaker. He was a professor of photography and film at the University of Minnesota from 1950 through 1977 where he established the Film Department in 1952. Professor Downs worked with scores of student artists, both in the Twin Cities and across the United States. From 1972 to 1976, Professor Downs managed the Winter Quarter in Mexico Program. Under the guidance of experienced teachers, and in collaboration with Mexican artists, students learned first-hand both the specific art and craft techniques and the Mexican cultural context in which those arts were developed. Students practiced ceramics, drawing, film, metalwork, photography, watercolor, and weaving within the cultural context of Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca. In Allen’s later years, he divided his time between Minnesota and Mexico. Throughout four decades, Professor Downs brought his love for photography and film alive in award-winning films, including The Flight of the Blue Winged Teal, 1962. His film, Swamp, won the Look Magazine and Screen Producers Guild Intercollegiate Film Achievement Award and played the Brussels World Fair with his picture, Color of the Day. A 5-film series of Downs’ work screened at Walker Art Center in March 1957. In recognition of the extraordinary impact of Allen Downs’ work, the U of M established The Allen Downs Photography and Moving Image Fellowship in his name to support graduate art students majoring in photography or film/video.
In Oaxaca, Allen’s wife Anita liked the idea, too, and offered to loan her collection to the exhibit. She invited my husband, Bernie McNally (MFA, U of M 1973) and me to Mexico to research, review, and document her extensive collection of Allen’s work, produced between the mid-1940’s to the day he passed away. It was then that I conceived the idea to concentrate the exhibition solely on his Mexico years and to invite students from the program to participate. As an added bonus, Lila Downs, Allen’s daughter and internationally acclaimed musician, offered to perform with her band for the exhibition opening. Lila named the concert Una Cancion Para Mi Padre (A Song for My Father). The project solidified. Artist, Matthew Bakkom (MFA, U of M 2007) who discovered and rescued a number of Allen’s films contacted me for our eventual partnership in producing the show. We met with Howard Oransky, Nash Gallery Director; Joe Sullivan, Development Director; Mary Hicks from the U’s Alumni Office; and Ana Luisa Fajer from the Mexican Consulate in Saint Paul. This strong and enthusiastic group began collaborating on a comprehensive event to be called the Allen Downs ‘Project’ because of the many participants, the music and family component, Allen’s body of work, as well as the history and students of WQIM. If only Allen could be here to see what became of his presence at the University of Minnesota.
Matthew Bakkom I initially came into contact with the work of Allen Downs in 2005. Together with Adam Sekuler, we discovered Love Shots and several other titles during the course of Search and Rescue, an exhibition series we produced with Minnesota Film Arts that was based on the remnants of the University's deaccessioned 16mm film library. Neither of us, nor any of our peers, had ever heard of Allen Downs. We felt immediately as if we had discovered some kind of missing link to a dynamic, powerful, experimental art cinema that was simultaneously local and international. In short, it was confirmation of a regional artistic history that we had always dreamed of having. Our enthusiasm blossomed with each film and detail of Allen's artistic life that we subsequently discovered. It was clear that a cultural legacy of such quality and stature should be somehow shared with a broader audience. It turned out that the chair of my own MFA committee at the University of Minnesota, Professor Gary Hallman, was a former student of Allen's and shared my enthusiasm for his memory. Eventually, as the idea of the departmental scholarship was being developed in the summer of 2010 he introduced me to Linda and from that point forward, I happily lent my hand and organizational energy to the current exhibition. Please note that Allen Downs: Life and Work / Winter Quarter in Mexico is largely the result of Linda's tremendous and focused efforts. I’ve been happy to participate in overseeing the presentation of the film elements of the show. Working together with artist’s estate, we have also been able to secure a permanent home for Allen’s film works at the Walker Art Center’s Ruben /Bentson Film and Video Study Collection, where it is our hope that artist's, researchers and audiences may continue to discover and enjoy his cinematic efforts for generations to come. Thanks to Walker Curator, Sheryl Mousley and curatorial fellow Emily Davis for welcoming these materials into a new home.
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The Life of
Allen Downs
1955 – 59
U of M
1958 – 59
Minnesota and Mexico
New Shoes by Bob Brodersen Ceramics Instructor 1975 & 1982
Assistant Professor
Filmed Flight of the Blue Winged Teal, about bird migration from Minnesota to Mexico, with Duain Warner, Curator of Ornithology, Bell Museum of Natural History Met Anita Sanchez in Mexico City
1960
My new shoe smell has vanished. Too soon with loose laces and tipped over by the bed, beside my head; to stir this harried sleeper with leather dreams of the Mexican market and the woman who sold huaraches. Her glistening hair; her deep brown eyes, and slight smile spilled beauty onto the cobblestones of ravished Tlaxiaco.
U of M
Appointed to Full Professor Divorced Phyliss Downs
December 18, 1961
Married Anita Sanchez in Mexico City
1962
Colorado Springs, CO
Allen and Anita’s 2nd wedding
1964
Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico
Allen and Anita establish 2 nd home
September 19, 1968
Lila Downs is born in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico
1971 – 72
U of M
Chairman of Art Department
1972
Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico
Organized first group for Winter Quarter in Mexico
A Prose Memo: The Art of Allen Downs by Lynn A. Gray Drawing Instructor 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982
Photographs film and watercolors All have a common blend To show the place to what reveals Allen Downs head over heels Was attracted to the Love of Image What moves from reel to reel verifies What stays on paper releases The strength of a subject persuades Downs was bound to both eye and hand Long lasting desires for moving and frozen images That sustain the strength of life
My Time in Tlaxiaco by Curt Hoard Ceramics Instructor
1972
One never knows what the future holds. I was a young Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, teaching Ceramics in the Department of Art. There was a Full Professor, Allen Downs, teaching film in the Photo area – who took an interest in what I was up to Allen and I found ourselves driving together to “State Surplus” to look for anything that might help our respective areas. (Budgets at the University in 1971 were terrible.) On our way we talked about our plans for the future. At the time, I was unaware of Allen’s involvement in Tlaxiaco, Mexico and his marriage to Anita Sanchez. Anyway, I told Allen that I was interested, possibly, in living in Mexico when I retired, and Allen shared his personal history as it related to having a home in Tlaxiaco and his plan to retire there with his family. After we talked, the idea of a University organized winter quarter of study in Mexico was hatched. While Allen knew his way around University bureaucracy, I was still trying to figure the politics and landscape as a whole.Allen had experience working with the Extension Division (Continuing Education) and was willing to approach them with the idea if I would teach and be involved in administrating the program in Mexico. In no time, it seems, the Winter Quarter in Mexico program took form. Allen and I presented the idea of taking students to Tlaxiaco where they could earn credits in ceramics, photography / film, metal (blacksmithing) work, and weaving. They could also take Independent Studies credits with professors in other departments, all the while experiencing another culture and being able to work with local crafts people in the area. Our proposal was accepted by the Extension Program as well as our own Department of Art. The course offering was listed in the class bulletin, and we held our preliminary meeting with interested and curious students. This was in Fall Quarter of 1971, and the winter program would start in Winter Quarter 1972. Happily, the first meeting was successful. There was a large turn out of students, and Allen and I presented the credit possibilities and what we hoped the cultural experience would/could offer. We had logistical issues to consider like housing and arranging for local crafts people of the area to give demonstrations. Allen had all the right connections to make such arrangements, and he also had connections with Tlaxiaco’s government. More importantly, we had Anita who was, as Bob Dylan sang, “the brains behind Pa” when it came to Tlaxiaco. Although I was teaching and overseeing the program, I was a work in progress. I was just as excited and a bit overwhelmed by the scope of what we set out to accomplish. The real beauty of the program, from my perspective, was that there was no institution, no classroom restrictions, and no assignments per se. Students worked on and made things that they were interested in. I was available Monday through Thursday for whatever the students needed, and the students were encouraged to travel Friday through Sunday. Not exactly the traditional academic model, but the results were spectacular. The Extension Program sent Dale Huffington, academic supervisor, to Tlaxiaco twice to assess the program. I know he initially questioned the structure or lack thereof (no classroom, no attendance taken) but on his second visit we had installed an Exhibition of the student work. The show was a smashing success – beautiful work and an abundance of it. Dale was now a believer. I lived in a little log cabin on Allen and Anita’s compound. Outside by door was a caged parrot that continually spoke the name Abuelita (Grandmother). There was also a little girl, Allen and Anita’s daughter named Lila. How Abuelita loved that child.
June 1977 Minnesota and Mexico
Retired and moved to Tlaxiaco full-time
November 6, 1983
d. age 68, Oaxaca City, Mexico
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Unlike the strict documentary photographer, I am concerned with pictorial structure over subject matter, but unlike the pure abstractionist, I do make use of the subjects in their natural relationships keeping representational quality. Allen Downs 5
The Work of
Film
Allen Downs Notes from Sheryl Mousley
Painting
Senior Curator, Film / Video, Walker Art Center
Allen Downs sought to push the boundaries of cinema and engage audiences in new ways with works that employed a wide variety of filmmaking styles — from personal essays and lyrical documents of his travels in the Midwest and Mexico to painterly nonlinear portraits about the world around him. His legacy as an artist and professor at the University of Minnesota from the 1950s to 1970s helped shape filmmaking and media arts in the Twin Cities. Downs’ 16mm film prints were recently gifted to the Walker Art Center, enhancing its holdings of some 900 works in the Ruben / Bentson Film and Video Study Collection. The four films included in this exhibition have been digitized for the exhibition with generous support from the Bentson Foundation, to preserve and present the Walker’s collection. Winter in China, 1970
Love Shots, 1971
Making Mixtec Pottery, 1973
A Mexico, 1973
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7
The Work of
Allen Downs
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Photography
9
Exhibition Work
the instructors and students
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Mark Stanley
Jim Crawford
Page 15
Page 16
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Paul Dresang
Bernie McNally
Phil Waters
Lynn Gray
Leah Anton
Page 16
Cindy Peterson Berlovitz
Page 17
Jodi Lind - Hohman
Page 16
Chris Cardozo
Page 17
Bonnie Cutts
Page 18
Barbara Kvasnik-Nunez
Exhibition Work
from the students
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Barb Levie
Eve MacLeish
Paul Mirocha
Joy Liberman
Tony Mayo
David Nelson
Richard Nelson
Rebecca Pavlenko
Mona Toft
Linda Passon - McNally
Randi Rood
Jean Vong
The Instructors
Bernie McNally
1976
Artist’s Statement
Listed Alphabetically
Paul Dresang
Photography & Watercolor Instructor
Ceramics Instructor 1973
Artist’s Statement
The experience of traveling to Mexico, meeting the wonderful people of that country, and especially the people of Tlaxiaco, changed my then young life forever. Memories of Mexico and a visit to Tlaxiaco in 1992 spurred a quest to revive the experience for more students from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where I have been teaching for 35 years. Through the irrepressible efforts of Anita Downs and many other friends in Tlaxiaco, Laura Strand, a professor of textiles, and I took six individual groups to Mexico from 1996 through 2008. Without exception, the students declared their lives were changed forever. This is the legacy of Allen and Anita Downs. There is no way to thank them enough. Biography
Paul Dresang received his MFA degree in ceramics from the University of Minnesota. He has been an instructor at Wisconsin State University at Oshkosh, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and is currently a Distinguished Research Professor and a member of the faculty at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. His work is pursued avidly by collectors and has been shown extensively throughout the country. Dresang makes both functional and sculptural work in stoneware and porcelain.
Cliff and I left Minnesota on December 27, 1975, in his square back VW. We traveled straight through to a Brownsville, Texas motel and then into Mexico, arriving in Tlaxiaco on Tuesday morning, December 30 – a total of 2,463 miles. We caught Allen Downs, leader of the WQIM program, walking in the street toward our common studio. About 50 students of all ages (20 to 65 years) signed up for the program, and they began to trickle in day after day. Several students lived in the studio, while others found acommodations with families, in hotels, and in cabins in the countryside. We began to organize and have fun! I set up the drawing, painting and photography areas while Cliff set up the ceramics area. The students were enthusiastic and produced good work. We had parties! We celebrated New Years, birthdays, and community meals. The nine weeks went by very quickly. We made many friends in Tlaxiaco – shopkeepers, kids in the street, and friendly locals. Allen Downs was a very good mentor. He participated in events at the studio and the ceramic firings that Cliff organized with the clay Maestro and his daughter. Together, we dug clay from the mountain and hauled it to the studio. I was amazed at how much quality work was done, given all the fun we had! Many lasting friendships were formed among the students, teachers and beautiful people of Tlaxiaco. Biography
Born 1944 North Platte, Nebraska Education 1971 Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 1973 Master of Fine Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis – 1975 Teaching 1973 College of St. Teresa, Winona, Minnesota 1976 Winter Quarter in Mexico, University of Minnesota – 1980 1979 University of Minnesota, Duluth – 1983 1980 Century College, White Bear Lake, Minnesota 1984 – 1988 College of Visual Arts, St Paul, Minnesota – Present Drawing Card Signs & Graphics, St. Paul, Minnesota Business 1985
Mark Stanley
Photography Instructor
1975
Artist’s Statement
The 1975 University of Minnesota Winter Quarter in Mexico allowed me to return full-time to working on my MFA degree at the UMN Art Department. Traveling to another country where I did not speak the language was a challenge that ignited my creativity and changed my view of the world. Allen Downs was instrumental in supporting my desire to make 16 mm films and expand upon my love of photography. Focusing on the arts and culture of Mexico with its rich history, and living in a small mountain town was an unforgettable experience. Biography
Lynn Gray
Drawing Instructor
1978, 1980, 1981, 1982
Artist’s Statement
During the years of 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1982, I taught drawing and painting as part of Cliff Morek’s “Winter in the Arts”, which was a follow-up of Allen Downs’ study abroad program, Winter Quarter in Mexico. Located in the mountain town of Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, the art program consisted of drawing, painting, ceramics, photography and Spanish. Each year the program hosted 20 plus students stemming from a diversity of backgrounds. Upon arrival in Tlaxiaco both teacher and student were pressed with confrontational and continuous experiences. The heartbeat of Mexico, past and present, was immediate thus stimulating a new life style and a renewed desire for art making. Biography
– Working as a visual and performing artist – Exhibited local, regional, national, and international – Numerous collections – Associate professor of art at the U of M teaching drawing as a major medium – Influenced by travel in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica and South Western United States – Fifteen years of studio research in Guerrero, Mexico, as part of the University of Minnesota Inloading Program
1972 14
Instructors Ceramics Local Ceramics Maestro
Curt Hoard Marcelano Ortiz Ortega
Mark Douglas Stanley has received numerous awards for television and interactive productions. His program on Prairie School Architecture was widely viewed on public TV. At the Minneapolis Institute of Arts he created many films on art. He helped launched the interactive multimedia stations that brought access to learning into the galleries. Mark was an adjunct faculty member teaching interactive media at the University of Minnesota Department of Design, Housing and Apparel. Currently Mark works in his studio in downtown Minneapolis at the digital design firm 4insight, LLC which he co-founded in 1994.
Phil Waters
Photography Instructor
1981
Artist’s Statement
Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, 10:20 pm, January, 1976: I arrive on the late bus with a heavy trunk stuffed with art supplies, a few clothes and not much else. After paying the driver for the shattered rear window, a casualty of the trunk’s unloading from the roof rack & improvised corral, my travel companion Harry and I ask the few people wandering the unlit dirt streets if anybody knows where Allen Downs lives. We are directed north, uphill, beyond the town proper and toward lives forever transformed. As students and instructors we were vivified. Many of us have remained friends for decades. None of us will ever forget. Biography
Phil Waters moved from San Diego County to the University of Minnesota for his junior and senior years and graduated with a Bachelor of Elective Studies degree in 1977. His career in art, journalism, publishing and interactive media included positions as Art, Design and Creative Director for the Los Angeles Times, Reuters NewMedia and America Online, among others. He currently lives in Evergreen, CO, and makes big, happy prints.
Students Deborah Anderson, Paul Anderson, Harold Bend, Patricia Canny, Suzanne Canny, Deborah Carlson, Alexander Comb, Paul Dresang, Rebecca Fosnight, Carolyn Crane Goodrich, Steve Greenwood, Julie Jackley, Peter Lee, Mary Mahoney, Michael Maxim, Richard (Tony) Mayo, Mary Murphy, David Nelson, Linda Passon, Lorie Paulson, Margaret Rice, Florence Rogers, John Sanford, Nancy Schreier, Robinson Scott, Patricia Smith, Sally Smith, Bill Stone, David Zetterstrom
1973
Instructors Ceramics Local Ceramics Maestro Photography
Paul Dresang Marcelano Ortiz Ortega Al Wiederhold
Students John Beck, Wendy Benton, Chrystine Doyle, Sue Gears, Janette Gitler, Claire Hall, Diane Kaster, Adrianne LaPiana, Barb Levie, Glenn Madson, Cliff Morek, Eve MacLeish, Debbie Meunzer, Richard Nelson, Lynn Nyman, Randi Rood, Robin Schwartz, Sarah Taft, Jim Thompson, Ellen Ziskin
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The TheStudents Students Listed Alphabetically Listed Alphabetically
Leah Anton
Student
Jim Crawford
1982
The past came to life as I scanned the negatives that I developed in a can in the dusty, sunny courtyard in Tlaxiaco over thirty years ago. As the images came up on my computer scree, the sensual experience of Tlaxiaco came forth. I could smell the wood smoke and diesel fumes. I could hear the dogs barking, roosters crowing and clock tower bell amid the echoes of Mariachi music dancing over mountains; whispering a chorus of timelessness. biography
With a background in traditional fine arts, Leah Anton’s career path took her into computer graphics. She has worked in broadcast graphics and design for television along with visual effects, art direction and design for the motion picture industry. She continues to shoot photographs on a daily basis.
Student
1976
Artist’s Statement
Artist’s Statement
Cindy Peterson Berlovitz
Student
1982
As part of the first group of 1976 students to arrive in Tlaxiaco, Jim and his jet set punk pals, Jim Wyman and Harry Aldrich quickly figured out the fun angles of the studio. Little Feat and Oregon music played while students danced and learned how to get clay, roast a pig, shoot fireworks off the roof and make art thanks to the fine tutelage of able guides, Bernie McNally and Cliff Morek. Forever friends were made. Thanks to Allen Downs for starting it all. Biography
- 30 + years experience in Senior Executive Management in Marketing, and Sales / Operations for various industries: advertising, television/video programming, video distribution, cable TV, newspaper, and print - Created award - winning TV and Web video advertising, developed turnkey brand building for both B2B and B2C campaigns, for four national television networks - Created, staffed, and directed sales and marketing for three major cable system regions - Developed new business sectors for largest distributor of special interest home-video in U.S. - Created, contracted, and administered national and local programming for cable systems regions - Plays drums and based in Idyllwild, CA & Carlsbad, CA. www.waldorfcrawford.com
Artist’s Statement
My three months in Tlaxiaco were truly a once in a lifetime experience. Never again have I driven 4 days straight in the back of a pick up in the dead of winter without heat, stopping along the way to photograph road kill. Nor have I spent everyday drawing, trying to learn Spanish and eating avacado’s. I have not again climbed a large mountain & almost set it on fire, been abducted by bandito’s & escaped safely or adopted a small goat. I haven’t had to make a fire to heat my shower water or trust complete strangers to cure me from severe dysentery. But its all still inside, a very valuable piece of who I am today. biography
I met my husband to be (Elliot) that first summer I returned from Mexico. Went back and finished college at the U of M, built a cabin in Wisconsin, got married and had 2 kids. Gabe is 19 and now a sophomore at the U of M & Marie is 13. I live in South Minneapolis and have worked at Abbott Northwestern hospital for 28 years as a recreational therapist in mental health. Lately I’ve been learning & practicing horticulture therapy with a variety of special populations at the Arboretum. My art comes out in my garden and cooking these days . . . when there’s time for that.
Chris Cardozo
Student
Bonnie Cutts
Biography
I graduated from the U of M with a BFA in Studio Arts and I still live in MN. I paint, I lecture about acrylic materials and I teach a variety of workshops using acrylic paint. I continue to travel and enjoy looking at majestic landscapes, walking lovely beaches, and finding interesting patterns and shapes in land forms and in the art of different cultures. I still like the old crumbling walls and feel they speak to me about the past. I have returned to Mexico on several occasions and have a great fondness for the people and country.
Student
1976
Artist’s Statement
The fourteen months I spent based out of Tlaxiaco in 1972-74 and 1977-78 were some of the most extraordinary and seminal in my artistic career. During that time I had the great fortune of spending nearly seven months in a tiny tribal village at the ridge of the Sierra Madres, 60 miles west of Tlaxiaco. This body of work which explored ideas of place, identity, etc... is the most comprehensive and significant work I ever created. For that I owe a great debt of gratitude to Allen and Anita Downs, as well as, the people of Tlaxiaco and San Andres Chicahauxtla. biography
It was the early 70’s – a great time to be an art student. Cultural education through immersion was at the top of my list. I had just returned to MN from teaching in an alternative school in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia where I lived in a log cabin with no water or electricity, so the transition to Mexico was easy for me. The bus from Mexico City to Tlaxiaco dropped me and Paco (another student) at the edge of town, and we had to find our way to the studio which resembled the place I lived in Virginia – again no water or electricity. I felt welcomed, safe and comfortable in the middle of this indigenous culture. So many inspirations to fuel my work – the ruins, the light, the textures, and the freedom of expression.
Christopher Cardozo is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading authority on Edward S. Curtis. Cardozo is the author of eight monographs on Edward Curtis and has created and curated one-person Curtis exhibitions that have been seen in nearly one hundred venues, in over forty countries, and every continent but Antarctica. Cardozo discovered the work of Edward Curtis in 1973 after a friend saw Cardozo’s own sepia-toned photographs of Native people. Cardozo, who holds a BFA (Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude) in photography and film, is a widely exhibited photographer whose personal work is in many public and private collections including the permanent collection at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Biography
1974
1975
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1975
Winter quarter in Mexico 1975 awakened my senses to new smells, tastes, sights, and sounds. The smiling faces of the lovely Mexican people made me feel welcome in their country. Allen said to travel, to experience Mexico, and we did. Beaches, mountains, carnival in Villa Hermosa, the colorful, large hipped women in Salina Cruz, Palenque not yet touched by tourism; all beautiful memories of a college quarter like no other. The photos I worked with captured a small portion of my experiences and what inspired me. The old buildings with crumbling walls, the markets, the vibrant colors, the arts, the crafts, the Mayan culture; all left an impact on me and still influence me to this day. Living and working in Tlaxiaco was a most fulfilling adventure.
Jodi Lind - Hohman
1974
Artist’s Statement
no formal program
Student
Artist’s Statement
Instructor Allen Downs
Students Cam Blodgett, Chris Cardozo, Laura Tiffany
- Attended Minneapolis College of Art and Design and the University of Minnesota - Freelance illustration, animation, and alternative educator - Owner of Artgarden, a landscape design/ build firm for the past 20 years - Presently a working artist in assemblage, creating functional lighting, furniture, and 2D work with encaustic and mixed media - Stylist at Art & Architecture in Minneapolis
Instructors Photography Photography Ceramics Local Ceramics Maestro Organizer
Allen Downs Mark Stanley Bob Brodersen Marcelano Ortiz Ortega Cliff Morek
Students Kurt Bjorklund, Patricia Black, Jill Bosaker, Bonnie Cutts, Gail Deitz, Julie Freedkove, Rhea Gregor, Lisa Jackley, Stacey Komeric, Shirley Korman, Kate Kuluvar, Barbara Kvasnik, Deb Lepsch, David Madson, Paul Mirocha, Rollie Savitt, David Schippe, Robin Segal, Colleen Seitz, Katie Shedd, Mary Siemers, Mike Smith, John Souza, Mary Stahlberger, Angie Tysk
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The Students
Joy Liberman
Student
1981
Artist’s Statement
Barbara Kvasnik - Nunez
Student
1975
Artist’s Statement
In 1974 I saw a poster advertising “Winter Quarter in Mexico” while I visiting a friend at the U of M. I attended an intro meeting which intrigued me enough to sign-up for the adventure. In January 1975, I traveled to Tlaxiaco by bus with another student, Rhea Gregor (she worked at the University, don’t remember where). My first experience – on the very first day I arrived - was being invited to attend a funeral in the mountains high above Tlaxiaco. It was like a “Day of the Dead” event. That’s when I was introduced to pulque. I lived at Hotel Colon with Rhea and other students - Julie Freedkove was one. We lived, worked in the studio, became friends with the townspeople, traveled around the country (Puerto Angel, Palenque, Mexico City, San Cristobal de las Casas), and experienced the rich culture of this indigenous area of Mexico. I worked on photography with Allen Downs and clay with Cliff Morek. The entire experience changed my life! biography
- Freelance artist, photographer, and ESL teacher - B.F.A. from Minneapolis College of Art and Design - Teaching experiences: JCC of Minneapolis, YWCA of Minnetonka, Instituto Anglo-Americano in Chihuahua, Mexico, Houston Womens Art Caucus, The Police Community and Activities Program (Little Earth Native American Housing Project), Longfellow Schools, C.L.U.E.S. Minneapolis,
Cliff Morek directed the program in 1980. Martha, Pam and I drove with him in the back of his red and white truck. We left Minnesota on the eve of John Lennon’s assassination and arrived in Mexico 24 hours later. The adventure had begun. Tlaxiaco was an awakening for me as a young adult. Total immersion in the culture of this remote Oaxacan village, removed from the material comforts of Minnesota, I lived each day in a state of discovery. Walking through the prickly countryside, the aroma of hearth fires, eating mole and homemade tortillas in a woman’s earthen paved home, turkeys clucking, digging for clay in the countryside, standing on a mountain so high that one could see both the Atlantic and Pacific, ebony plaited hair, women wearing ravishingly embroidered huipils, digging for potsherds in a field and uncovering scorpions from their crusty hiding places, swimming in a natural pool unlike anything I had ever imagined, climbing trees to collect beautiful exotic red beans, driving on scary curved mountain roads, buying fresh produce from women in the zocolo on market days, cooking with roommates on a two burner stove, bathing with cold water and occasionally splurging on wood to heat it, hearing unfamiliar languages and communicating with the humble understanding that I was the minority . . . and then there were the classes. Biography
Two life experiences have a continuing influence on the way I see things and the subjects that I paint. The first is the time I spent growing up in my father’s surplus store. The second is my marriage to a native Italian and my love for his country. In my father’s store, the merchandise for sale were liquidations of discarded material from other companies. Shoppers didn’t look at the “stuff” for what it was, but for what it could be! Seeing things in this way early on has carried over into my adult life. I seek unique possibilities for joining common subjects and materials. I began traveling extensively in Italy twenty years ago when I met my husband. The art, the history, the breathtaking landscapes create juxtapositions of past and present that weave through my work. I currently reside in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I paint and teach visual arts at Saint Paul Academy and Summit School.
Edina Park Board & Minneapolis Institute of Art
Eve MacLeish
Student
1973
Artist’s Statement
Barb Levie
Student
1973
Artist’s Statement
I was privileged to learn this traditional weaving method from a young indigenous woman in Tlaxiaco. She invited me into her dirt floored home for instruction. She was very kind and patient. As I recall we created a loom with two wood rods. Though the method was very primitive, it still produced a wonderful textile which has not deteriorated in almost 40 years The experience of going to her home, sitting on her floor, without speaking each others language was one I have never forgotten. biography
After my experience in Tlaxiaco I came back to Minnesota for a few months and then moved to San Francisco. There I attended the Academy of Fine Arts where I studied film and photography. Eventually I moved back to Minneapolis, studied at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and received my BFA. For most of my I career was employed as a producer at a Twin Cities advertising photography studio. Today I still enjoy doing my personal photography mostly through my travels.
Just out of high school, I drove from Minneapolis to Mexico with a ride board connection, which was a revelation in itself. Arriving in Tlaxiaco, I had chosen to live in a grain storage house with no plumbing in the countryside near Tlaxiaco. The beauty of the Sierra and the indigenous people and their handwork was contrasted by the poverty of their lives. Most of my time was spent with photography. I felt timid about revealing the starkness of my subjects’ lives. Everything was new. I established the routine of living in the country and walking to town for market, socializing, and classes. My fellow students were a fascinating group, and some have become life-long friends. Our creative activities went far beyond the curriculum. We were all there to live the unique experience that Allen and his associates had created for us to enter, which was one that encouraged independence, creativity, and exploration.
Eve MacLeish, Market Day, 1973. B/W Photo, 8.5 x 11 inches. Collection of Eve MacLeish.
Biography
Small town girl, moved to Minneapolis as adolescent, and studied photography in high school. The last 2 years of high school I participated in the photography workshops of Wallace Kennedy’s Urban Arts project, with Cheryl Walsh-Bellville as my teacher. After Tlaxiaco, I worked in the darkrooms at the Afro-American Cultural Center (Sabathani), where I learned further printing techniques from Richard Alfton. Later we built a darkroom at home, where I worked on documenting my community, West Bank & Seward. I continued traveling to Mexico, then later to Brazil, and finally moved to Venezuela from 1990 - 2003. Returning from Venezuela, I participated with archival photos in the book West Bank Boogie by Cyn Collins. I now photograph at work, in my community, and at KFAI, where I produce the Corazon Latino music program every Tuesday at noon.
Tony Mayo
Student
1972
Artist’s Statement
1976
Instructors Photography & Watercolor Bernie McNally
Local Ceramics Maestro Marcelano Ortiz Ortega
Ceramics & Organizer Cliff Morek
Students Harry Aldrich, Roberta Anderson, Janine Applequist, Theresa Arieta, Lea Babcock, Jeffrey “Paco” Bathen, Diane Benson, Daniel Bryant, Michele Casey, Gwendolyn Cherne, Elaine Christenson, James Crawford, Mary Gabler, Paul Gerard, Paula Gill, Jeff Green, Virginia Jackson, Pamela Jewson, Juanita Kennedy, Ron Kennedy, Kathleen Kolba, Geralynn Krajeck, Steven Kuhlman, Ann Lampe, JoAnn Lind, Daniela Lindemann, Judy Longville, Mark Lutze, Terry Marchiniak, Bruce Mundt, Rebecca Nolda, Trish O’Brien, Betty Pego, Megan Rooney, Daniel Rounds, Diane Rysdahl, Karen Schefers, Catherine Schwartz, Pamela Starz, Susan Stephens, Mary Streitmatter, Howard Sussman, Elena Swanson, Jeffrey Syme, Mona Toft, Philip Waters, Lori Williams
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My time in Tlaxiaco during the winter of 1972 -73 had a significant influence on my life. Up until then, I had traveled only in the United States and Canada. Visiting various native villages, museums and cathedrals, while journeying throughout Mexico, opened my eyes to stimulating cultures and their vibrant artistic expressions. I already had a deep interest in indigenous beliefs, values, religion, art and artifacts, but observing and experiencing those things firsthand motivated a deeper desire to see and learn more. Since then, I have visited numerous original cultures throughout the world, studying their practices, art and ancient artifacts. biography
Tony Mayo was born in Minnesota in 1942. In 1974 he immigrated to Canada settling first in the Northwest Territories where he traveled much of Canada’s Arctic establishing Inuit Art Co - ops. Mr. Mayo now resides in Abbotsford, British Columbia located in the Fraser Valley. His studio overlooks the Fraser River and is surrounded by stunning snowcapped mountains. One of Tony’s hobbies is studying endangered ethnic groups, an interest that has prompted him to travel remote regions in 90 countries. Tony’s art reflects his fascination with world cultures and often incorporates rare and unusual materials obtained during exotic travels. You may view Mr. Mayo’s current artwork on his website at: tonymayoart.com
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The Students
Paul Mirocha
Student
Richard Nelson
1982
Student
1973
Artist’s Statement
Artist’s Statement
The semester I spent in Oaxaca in 1975 was definitely a defining period of my life, both personally and artistically. I explored new worlds, fell in love, almost left to join a band of hippies. I still study Spanish, which I have used many times in travels to Spain, Mexico and Central America. In 1979, I moved to Tucson, Arizona to be closer to Mexico and live among deserts and mountains, continuing my involvement with the cultures and history of this area. I enjoyed digging out my old negatives and drawings from Tlaxiaco. Some of those old photos have elements that I can still find in my current work.
Studying art, photography and ceramics in Tlaxiaco was a life-changing experience. Allen and Anita Downs taught us to respectfully experience another culture while instilling and appreciation for the indigenous crafts and artisans. It was in the village of Chicahuaxtla that I first saw the Triqui women weaving the complex brocaded clothing on a simple back-strap loom. I learned to choose in-depth photo essay topics, shoot freely and edit later. I’ve returned to visit Tlaxiaco many times on my overland journeys to Guatemala. Many long-lasting friendships were made and I’m forever grateful for my experience in Tlaxiaco.
biography
biography
When Paul Mirocha was a young man in art school, he devoted himself to rendering the intricacies of the natural world. Since starting his own illustration and design business in 1990, his work has appeared in scores of children’s picture books, pop - ups, adult books, science and nature exhibits, magazines, advertisements, and product labels. Although Paul is very experienced with traditional drawing and painting, most of his work is now digital, but uses the same skills. Whether his subject is a rare desert cactus or a scrumptious - looking candy bar – and whether he uses a pencil or a digital paintbrush – his work is always realistic, with a touch of emotional appeal. For Paul, the poetry is in the details.
Richard is an artist, photography and textile collector. He received his photography/design degree from the University of Minnesota. His passion for ethnographic photography and textiles began in 1973 while studying in Tlaxiaco, Mexico. Nelson began traveling to Chiapas, Guatemala and Peru where both the indigenous cultures and weaving traditions are prevalent.
David Nelson
Student
Linda Passon - McNally
1972
Student
1972
Artist’s Statement
Artist’s Statement
David was a Renaissance Man. He was skilled in photography, movie making, cooking, home building, repairing cars, and helping friends with any job that needed to be fixed or moved. Those skills served him well, and when he joined the first group of students to live and study in Tlaxiaco in 1972, he found his second family in Allen Downs. Allen’s influence can be seen in David’s films. He continued to travel to Mexico throughout his lifetime, spending most winters in Oaxaca City or Guanajuato. Sadly, he suffered from bi -polar disorder and ended his life on May 4, 2008. He is missed.
In 1971, my interest in photography led me to a night class at the University of Minnesota. Just outside the darkroom, I noticed a hand-written sign on a bulletin board. It read: Spend Winter Quarter in Mexico. See Professor Allen Downs. Yes!! I took a leave from my job and made it happen. Little did I know how the next 10 weeks would impact my life. On January 3, 1972, I joined 30 new friends as we embarked on an adventure of living, working and playing in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico, a town with a population of 10,000 that swelled to 15,000 on market day. We explored the land and learned from the indigenous artists. Ceramics was the required class, and added to the mix were weaving, metal work, photography, painting, drawing, and studying Spanish. So many vivid memories: the constant smell of wood fire in the air, the clang of the clock tower in thezocalo, the sounds of Saturday’s market, the loss of electricity almost every night – especially while we were in the movie theater, the surprise crunch when eating a torta from the pool hall, the chorus of dogs barking throughout the night, the distinct cadence of the Triqui language, the awesome cloud formations that would roll in every late afternoon, and the beautiful smiles of the people. I cherish my friendships with many of the former students and with Oaxacanios still living in Mexico. An added bonus for me personally is that, when I returned to MN, I met my future husband, Bernie McNally, who was a graduate student in the art department at the University of Minnesota. The Winter Quarter in Mexico program truly changed my life. Biography
After growing up in Duluth and attending college at the University of MN, my small world took on a larger view when I moved to Southern California in 1965. It was there that my visual senses became awakened to art. I bought my first 35mm camera and started playing. I returned to MN in 1966 and set up a darkroom – learning from friends, workshops, and formal classes in night school. I love photography and am drawn to a variety of subjects: people and capturing the human spirit, nature – especially in the details of color and patterns, landscapes and architecture, happenings with family and artists friends. Most of my best work comes from travel experiences when I can wander and get lost in an environment. In addition to working as a freelancer, my photos have appeared in publications Lake Superior Port Cities and Craft Connection, a solo show at the St. Paul JCC, and group shows at the Icebox Gallery, Minneapolis Photo Center, Minnesota State Fair, and with WPVA (Women Photographers and Visual Artists).
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Instructors Drawing Ceramics & Organizer
Lynn Gray Cliff Morek
Students Lisa Kay Bolstad, Geralyn Krajeck, Ann Lampe, Carol Patt, Jennifer Rynes, Jean Vong, Bob Lindell, Nadine, Gwendolyn
1980
Instructors Ceramics Painting Drawing Organizer
Gayle Kendall Al Wiederhold Lynn Gray Cliff Morek
Students Barbara Ann Bies, Lisa Bolstad, Mark Christianson, Ann Darnton, Barb Delong, Mi Cook Ebersole, Jeanie Eich, Barbara Fordyce, Sarah Hernandez, Sue Heeringa, Terry Holzem, Ann Huelsbeck, Vicki & Steve Kimmel, Joan Krmptich, Kristin Lensburg, Carey McDonald, Michael Ness, Karen Nottingham, Jan Olson, Robert Olson, Bonita Sanders, Lynn Saille, Madeline Silber, Mary Sorenson, Catherine Susser, Nancy Thompson Peterson, Mary Ann Wise
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The Students
Rebecca Pavlenko
Student
1981
Artist’s Statement
Student
1976
Artist’s Statement
As a new photography student, my winter quarter in Mexico was transformative. It was my first experience outside the US and it opened my eyes to not only the richness of a neighboring culture but a critical way of seeing the land and people of my birth. It challenged my assumptions about life and art and introduced a new way of seeing. I sought out the murals, paintings and sculptures of well-known Mexican artists and was deeply inspired. The people, the architecture, the landscape and customs of this vibrant, surreal place were endlessly fascinating to my mind and camera. biography
Rebecca Pavlenko is a photographer and photo educator. She spent two years in a cabin in the woods of West Virginia, teaching herself photography and returned to graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota with degrees in Studio Arts and Art History. Her work is exhibited in galleries, museums, and private collections and she is the recipient of MN State Arts Board and MRAC grants. She served as a WARM mentor and teaches numerous classes and workshops. Her current photographic art combines her love of nature with Zen practice and is evolving into a book on Japanese gardens.
Randi Rood
Mona Toft
Student
1973
Living outside the U.S. at 18 was like looking into the Grand Canyon for the first time – witnessing the immensity of the world; it was sometimes daunting, but always an adventure. For me, it was the best kind of education, anywhere. Our studies of Mexican ceramics, drawing, painting and photography were all integrated into our artwork, journals and daily lives. The Oaxacan countryside, with its golden winter hills of dry corn stalks, smell of cooking fires and the delight of early morning café con leche in the mercado...our log cabin, the neighbor family – whose pig routinely dashed into our house for scraps – were just some of the many things documented in my photos, drawings and paintings. They are just a few of the good things that I still carry in my heart to this day from this experience. biography
As an experienced digital artist, Mona Toft has 15 years’ experience and won awards for designing advertising campaigns and public event promotions. At the Pioneer Press, she promoted McClatchy News publications as well as Mall of America, the St. Paul Winter Carnival, Harriet Island music festivals, Grand Old Day and Minnesota Wild events. She is now Creative Director for the St. Paul Publishing Company, producer of 4 publications including La Voz Latina, a Spanish newspaper for the Twin Cities’ Latino community. Independently, Mona has worked for clients including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Pearson Education, Imation, Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine, Richard Scales Advertising, 3M, Medtronic, Minneapolis Star Tribune and independent Minnesota authors. Mona also creates web graphics, presentation materials, prototypes and is a photo retoucher.
Jean Vong
Student
1978
Artist's Statement
Artist’s Statement
At age 19, the experience to live and study art in Tlaxiaco, transformed the way I viewed the world, culturally, politically and spiritually, it was life changing. Experiencing a beautifully authentic, cooperative, gracious and generous people in a developing county, caused me to question the values I had been brought up with; capitalism, individualism, and competition. I’m left with memories of genuine connections with the loving open people of Tlaxiaco, my teachers, my friends along with the rich cultural experiences. All have contributed to who I am today, what I value, my passions and commitments.
I was part of the 1978 “Winter Quarter in Mexico” group, independently directed by Cliff Morek, and taught informally by Allen Downs. It was such a magical experience, that life at that point was described amongst my fellow students and myself, as either before Mexico, or after Mexico in reference to anything and everything. The opportunity to live and work in Tlaxiaco, for almost 3 months was quite extraordinary. Our meetings with Allen, though minimal, had a profound influence on the work produced. It was an amazing time, which I will always hold dear.
Biography
biography
I graduated from the University of MN in Art Education and Studio Arts, and received a Masters from Hamline. I’ve lived in Mexico, Hawaii, Arizona, and San Francisco and have been teaching High School Art for 20 years. Over the years my students have painted children’s portraits, growing up in orphanages around the world. This year, I led a group of students to a Nicaraguan orphanage where we painted the children’s portraits, taught art classes and then learned the Nicaraguan style painting from the local artists, a true cultural exchange. I continue to enjoy drawing, painting, yoga, and breathing fresh air.
Jean Vong, born in St. Paul, Minnesota, has been in many group and one-person shows over the past few decades. She has been a recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, as well as numerous residencies. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BFA in Photography, and from Cal Arts with an MFA degree. Jean currently lives and works in New York City.
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Acknowledgements Sponsorship
This exhibition is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a MN State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. All events are presented in collaboration with the Consulado de MÊxico. Additional support is provided by KFAI Radio, St. Paul Voice and La Voz Latina Newpapers. Allen Downs’ films are part of the Ruben / Bentson Film and Video Study Collection at Walker Art Center.
Thank You! The Department of Art wishes to thank the many individual donors who, through gifts both large and small, came together around this exhibition to honor the life and work of Professor Allen Downs and to support the fellowship for future artists who will benefit from their gifts. Thank you! This project would not have been possible without these wonderful helping-hands, advisers, technical assistants, financial, and emotional supporters: Allen Downs and the blue -winged teal, who started it all The Administrators, Interns, Attendants, and Technical Staff of the Katherine E. Nash Gallery and Regis Center for Art Averil Bach
Matthew Bakkom
Miranda Brandon
Paul Cohen
Geri Connelly
Kat Cook
Emily Davis
Amy Downs
Anita Downs
Lila Downs
Drawing Card Signs & Graphics
Martha Driessen
Ana Luisa Fajer
David Garon
Lynn Gray
Gary Hallman
Mary Hicks
Curtis Hoard
Jodi Lind-Hohman
Terez Iacovino
Rachel Kirchgasler
Lettertech Inc.
Evonne Lindberg
Eve MacLeish
David Madson
Carolina Maranon
Bernie McNally
Syril McNally
Joe Midthun
Al Milgrom
Brad Momsen
the late Cliff Morek
Sheryl Mousley
the late David Nelson
Howard Oransky
Mary Anne Quiroz
Holly Radis-McCluskey
Michael & Sarah Renner
Mason Riddle
Rob Silberman
Mark Stanley
Julia Whoolia Steiner
Joan Strommer
Joe Sullivan
Laura Tiffany
Dr. Dorothy Tucker
Bonnie Wilson
Ellen Ziskin
Exhibition Design & Graphic Design
Syril McNally
syrilmcnally.com
Editor
Joseph Midthun