Preface
Memories serve to encapsulate our experiences and personal narratives. Just as a mosaic is composed of many diverse pieces, these memories come together to shape our identities and aspirations for the future. The Mosaic of Memoirs exhibition encapsulates this essence and invites viewers on a journey to experience the multitude of unique recollectionsofourclass.
The title, Mosaic of Memoirs, was chosen to evoke the complex process of recalling and assembling these personal experiences into a consolidated exhibition. Each artwork contributes to the overall composition, offering glimpses into the personal experiences and identities of the artists. It also speaks to the diverse range of artistic expressions featured in the exhibition. From paintings and sculptures to installations and performances, each piece adds to the unique makeup of our mosaic. Mosaic of Memoirs celebrates the individuality of each artistwhilealsounitingusthroughthethemeofmemories.
As viewers navigate through this exhibition, they are invited to reflect on their own personal experiences and identities, recognizing how they contribute to their own mosaic. By engaging with these artworks, viewersmayfindrelationswithintheirownstoriesandexperiences.
As we look back on this time in the future, Mosaic of Memoirs will serve as a reminder to us as artists how our artwork not only represents a piece of our personal mosaics, but also fits into the larger mosaic we created together. In embracing this mosaic of our collective experiences andlabor,wecelebratebothourdifferencesandsimilarities.
AmiraMcLendon
You are invited to take a shrimp, oyster, or anchovy home with you.
Scout is a sculpture artist that works with paper and ceramics to explore concepts relating to touchiness, insides/outsides, and love. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in art and cultural studies. Scout’s work has been featured in Minneapolis-based literary magazines The Tower and The Wake. Her work has also appeared in the University of Minnesota Art Department exhibition “Biovisions.” Scout has accepted a position as a resident teaching artist in New York that will begin in August of 2024.
Scout Albrecht, The Minneapolis Fresh-Caught Saltwater Fish Market, 2024, Ceramics, Wood Pallets, Fabric, Fishing Equipment
Morgan Babl, Go Sit In The Corner and Think About What You’ve Done, 2024, PVC Pipe, Insulating Foam, Aerosol Paint, Pom-poms, Tulle, Pantyhose Tights, Stuffing.
The phrase "Go sit in the corner and think about what you've done" typically carries connotations of reprimand and reflection. In the context of this artwork, this phrase is playfully subverted, transforming the act of contemplation into an opportunity for self-discovery within a whimsical and inviting space. Go Sit In The Corner and Think About What You’ve Done is a captivating exploration of whimsy and introspection, inviting viewers into a realm of vibrant colors and playful forms. Inspired by the whimsy of children's art, this large, organic structure offers a sanctuary for contemplation and curiosity. Viewers are invited to step inside and explore the space, enveloped by a world of color, texture, and playful forms akin to the uninhibited creativity of children's art. Guided by the artist's intention to evoke a sense of wonder and introspection, this artwork invites viewers to embrace their inner child and explore the depths of their imagination.
Morgan Babl is a Twin-Cities-based multimedia artist originating from Wausau, Wisconsin. Her work wanders across disciplines, from photography to abstract sculpture, following the whimsy of her inner child. Inspired by childlike artistic methods and her experiences as an art educator at Articulture, a non-profit visual art center in Minneapolis, her work exists beyond tangible reality, tapping into senses of humanness as focal constructs. Babl was a 2023 recipient of the Wayne and Virginia Potratz Scholarship in recognition of her sculptural work. She will graduate with her BA Arts degree from the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2024 and her Masters of Education in Visual Arts in the spring of 2025.
Connor Robert Bennett is an artist based in Minnesota where he has developed his creative process for capturing or perceiving the emotional connection a subject has with nature. Captivating these moments in time with ambitions to help humans become more appreciative of the earth they live on. Accompanying these ideas with the use of color theory and space has allowed him to portray life in a new creative perspective. His artistic ability isn’t limited to a camera, he also explores and adapts to new aspects of art or media.
Connor Bennett, Serenity, 2024, InkJet on Luster
Marissa Beugen is an artist who strives working with and exploring many different mediums. She is mainly a ceramicist taking inspiration from her life, culture, travels, and the world around her. She is striving to become an elementary school art teacher to inspire the next generation of artists. Marissa hopes to add a richness in her work for people to be able to explore and interpret in their own ways while offering a model of artistry to do so.
Marissa Beugen, Sea-ing is Believing, 2024, Ceramics
Kei Caro-Bustillos, Reprised Light, 2024, Inkjet Print on Canvas and Found Material.
Kei Caro-Bustillos is an interdisciplinary photographic artist based in Minneapolis currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her work explores themes such as her culture & heritage, identity, nostalgia, the ordinary, and perfectionism through varying media. These themes serve as a visual meditation which invites individuals to join her in reflecting on the importance of the mundane.
Deep within the Owl’s Nest, far beneath the scorching bromide salt flats and towering mesas lie the many secrets of the knights of House Glaucidium. One by one the nomadic Cult of the Flighted Wyrm seeks to unearth these secrets, topple the massive walking constructs of House Glaucidium, and free those kept under the lock and watchful eyes of the once great house as their rebellion rages ever onwards. I encourage the viewer to entrench themselves in this world that I’ve created, to lose themselves in stories of cults torn apart from within by clashing desires for freedom and the search for a greater master, of noble houses clinging desperately to the glory they once held as they fall to stagnation and are swept away by the tides of change, or to simply give in to the childlike wonder and awe of watching a giant mech lay waste to anything that dares stand in its way. I hold a deep love for worldbuilding and storytelling, and to be able to share these stories and characters with those around me is something that truly drives me forward in my artistic practices.
Annette Casson is a miniature painter and sculptor who primarily works in realms of sci-fi and fantasy. She's always been invested in the arts but found a passion for world building through miniatures in her early teens. She finds inspiration through artists like Francis Bacon, John Blanche, and Scott Walter, whose grungy yet vibrant styles she tries to evoke through her own works. Through environmental storytelling and the detail oriented work that comes with working on a small scale, she finds joy through the creation of worlds and the characters that inhabit said worlds.
Annette Casson, Chainbreaker, 2024, Miniatures, Acrylic Paints, Laser Cut MDF Board, Insulation Foam, Cork
Jennifer Chao, Contemplations in the House of Mirth, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas
Jennifer Chao, Vale of Salt, Raise Your Eyes, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas
Jennifer Chao, Wishing, Waking–At Once, Forgotten, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas
Jennifer Chao, Persistent Artifice, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas
Jennifer Chao, Blood from a Stone, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas
Jennifer Chao is an artist and poet who explores desires for escape alongside struggles with truth and purpose through illusive, fantasy worlds. Her most recent series reflects on an ongoing relationship with faith. Jennifer will graduate from the University of Minnesota with majors in Art and English Literature.
JenniferChao:TheValleyI flutter near the edge of thresholds to transcendental domains I am inexplicably drawn cross over, I wish, and bind me–to anything but truth
do you feel it? there’s a strong breeze today do you smell it? the watery soft rot of fruits don’t you know? the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick
I would scrape my knees to feel warmth bloom for just a moment peel away my scalp to feel a sliver of control I would do anything to reach for freedom except take a halting step forward and relinquish it
can you be cradled as you are trapped–safe as you are devoured? get up the hill, crawl if you must! come and see the world as it truly is valleys overlooking valleys each one more dramatic than the last
man is a worm, or much less the flesh is stinking but it will still be consumed
I wish to forget my own fragility not to gain true strength I wish to forget my own wickedness not to become righteous I wish to be blessed but not loved to be rescued but not called to have good without God to forget truth and be free
they say I have been saved, but in weakness I wish to forfeit my soul.
what remains here after rain? the inky shadow persists and spills if only the light would not strike my eyes and the flowers would grow over me so I would not look up from this poisoned well and wake up–gaze at the sky moved to worship
I am nothing against divinity yet fear does not curve rebellion but only love though I grind myself deep into the earth you would free me to walk on mountains though I throw rocks into the path between you and me still you seek me
my will is tempestuous, fickle as wind subdue my spirit my heart is indifferent break it to pieces my wishes have poisoned the water so heal me apart from you I can do nothing
known before I knew, this world is not my home so I will take hold of you again that I might yet live.
Margot Dupont is Minneapolis based ceramicist, videographer, woodworker. Margot's focus and source of creativity begins with an exploration of mixed media while emphasizing the practice of craft. They will be graduating from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in Art and a minor in Film Studies. Using earthly materials and capturing organic forms, Margot strives to restructure their understanding and connection to local natural settings.
Margot Dupont, Classic Expressions, 2024, Ceramics (Thrown, Handbuilt, Composited), Wood, Graffiti
Seren Erden, “Bloom”, 2024, Short Film. Song: “Bloom” by Odesza (2014).
“Bloom” is an experimental short film that illustrates a psychedelic journey.
Seren Erden is a Minneapolis based photographer and videographer. Her work mostly consists of portraits, explore the underlying spiritual experience she has had throughout her life. She is currently working towards her Bachelors degree in Art at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities; with a focus on photography, videography, and film.
This artwork combines written poetry, charcoal sketches, black ink, and red yarn into a mobile of moments. The poetry draws from a diverse range of literary works, including "North Point North" by John Koethe, "Self Love Poetry for: Thinkers and Feelers" by Melody Godfred, and "Dark Between the Stars" by Atticus Poetry, among others, selected to capture the universal essence of the human experience. At its core, this piece is incorporated with the East Asian concept of the "red string of fate." Rooted in the Chinese folklore of soulmates bound together ), the ancient lunar matchmaker deity, it symbolizes the inexplicable connection between individuals destined to meet and achieve greatness together. My inspiration also stems from the influence of my grandmother, whose yarn and scissors are featured in this piece. For as long as I can recall, her skills in knitting, sewing, and crafting have created meaningful connections. Her craft not only serves as a means of creative expression but also as a way to establish strong bonds. In my eyes, she embodies
Halle Knoll is a visual artist based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her work focuses on a variety of themes including, identity, experience & perspective, connection, and the soul. Her work mainly consists of charcoal and graphite drawings as well as acrylic and watercolor paintings.
I am a visual artist working in photography and art education. My work in photography consists of digital photos that explore ideas of aloneness and solitude, as well as documenting homes and places. This work led to my newest project Home is a Body where I started exploring the idea of what home meant to me. In photographing homes I have lived in throughout my life I realized, these are no longer homes to me, just houses filled with memories and people I don’t know. So then what is home to me? My body is a home, it stays with me, it is my forever home.
Chelsea Kucera is a photographer who makes digital photographs documenting the world around her. Her work focuses on the ideas of aloneness and solitude and how those ideas intersect. Her new body of work is focused on documenting homes and exploring the idea of the body as a home. Her work has been shown in the group exhibition “Our Movement” at Anoka Ramsey Community College. Chelsea will graduate with a BA degree in Art from the University of Minnesota in 2024.
Chelsea Kucera, Home is a body, 2024, Matte Prints
Luella Langlinais, untitled series (XX, Encore), 2024, Charcoal and Ink on Canvas
Luella Langlinais is a conceptual and figurative artist who works with found and salvaged materials such as wood, metal, fibers, cardboard, and foliage. They work with concepts which fall into both personal and political realms, such as identity politics, sexuality, gender, sexual and racial violence, and semiotics informed by their degree in arts and cultural studies and comparative literature from the University of Minnesota. They are currently working on their thesis project on the psychoanalytic properties of visual arts which focuses on media-specific interpretations and connections to critical theories of gender, race, and identification.
Annie Lynch, Memento Mori (III), 2024, Fabric, Yarn, Plaster, Wood, Embroidery Thread, Acrylic Paint, Air Dry Clay, Beads, Metal Rod.
This work is the third version of my contemplation on the idea of “memento mori”, which is a philosophy that everyone will die, including oneself. The sculpture is essentially a “funeral” for myself, where I have made my own grave goods, funeral shroud, and a doll with similar proportions to my own body. In my lifetime, particularly during my later high school and throughout my college years I have had many important people in my life pass away. Thus, my grief and mourning process has permeated into my artwork, whether I want it to or not. Thus, I decided to use my art as a way to try to experience my grief in a new or more productive way. This culminated in me creating a “funeral” essentially for myself. The process of creating this piece has helped to think through complex feelings I have about my own health, personal loss, and acknowledgement of the eventuality of death. The painted cloth on top of my “body” is a painting that uses elements of Norse mythology, about the end of the world and the ouroboros motif. The idea of death and eventual rebirth is one that I personally find comfort in. I have found peace in understanding that everything will end, and everything must begin.
Annie Lynch is a mixed media, sculpture, painting, and fiber arts based artist. Her work often contemplates the idea of mortality, grief, disability, and world mythology. Her work also frequently references art history, particularly ancient and funeral art.
Pick up and rearrange the tiles to change the image. Seek to create a unique experience.
How do we view our bodies? What framework do we use to understand our wellbeing? How do these perceptions alter the ways we approach healing and medicine? We often categorize and organize fragments of ourselves to make sense of our hurt and pain. But these are interpretations, pieces that don't always fit so neatly with each other. Fragments of Healing utilizes the imagery of a sliding puzzle to encourage viewers to make connections and incorporate familiar ideas with new ones. With each passing hand, the image changes, waiting to be observed and altered once more.
Jaime Pedregón-Mendoza is a Mexican-American visual artist living in Minneapolis, MN. His work explores various aspects of his culture and his experiences growing up in a Spanish-speaking immigrant household. He is currently a student at the University of Minnesota pursuing a BA in Art and a minor in Chicano/Latino Studies. His awards include a Gold Key for the Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards in 2020 for a charcoal portrait. He also participated in the Voice to Vision project under the guidance of David Feinberg through the Dean’s First-Year Research and Creative Scholars Program (2021).
, 2024, Ceramic, Wood, Fabric
Amelia Merfeld is a multidisciplinary artist and arts educator based in the Twin Cities. With a double major in Art and Spanish from the University of Minnesota, where she gained a wide knowledge base studying a variety of subjects from linguistics, philosophy, and almost every art course available. Her artistic practice has a focus in a wide range of mediums including but not limited to photography, painting, sculpture, and ceramics, she creates works with themes usually focused on nature and everyday life. This wide base of knowledge helps her educate and encourage development of artistic and creative skills in the children she teaches.
Amelia Merfeld, Touched and Untouched, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas
Haven Mills, Fathoms Below, 2022, Acrylic on Canvas
Haven Mills, Whispering Wind, 2023, Digital Art Printed on Canvas
Haven Mills, Trick of the Light, 2024, Digital Art Printed on Canvas
Haven Mills, Seaborne Desires, Digital Art Printed on Canvas
A Minneapolis based artist, Haven Mills works in multiple mediums including digital, acrylic paint, and graphite. They have created art all their life but became serious about it in 2015. Haven is influenced and inspired by legends, myths, and folklore from around the world, as well as their own struggles with depression and anxiety. They're fascinated by the darker stories that people have created and brings those stories to life in their art.
Hazel Nahan, Kitchen Table, 2023, Acrylic on Canvas
Hazel Nahan, Halloween Night, 2023, Acrylic on Canvas
Hazel Nahan, Intimate Details, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas
Hazel Nahan is a practicing visual artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Curious about the life around her and the nature of people, she specializes in painting portraiture and setting up a narrative which tells the story of her life currently. Hazel will be receiving her BA in studio art with a management minor with a focus in general business from the University of Minnesota. She has exhibited work at Regis West Gallery and Northrop in Minneapolis, MN.
CJ Nelson, Miscellanea Filigree, 2024, 5mm Paper Strips, Craft Glue, Acrylic Paint on Gesso Board
I am a Chinese-born artist who works in mixed media, specializing in collage and paper arts. I have been exploring new and fascinating methods to express my creativity through the medium of paper. I am currently working on the skill of paper quilling and the meticulous methods of gluing small strands of paper to create intricately designed imagery. My most recent practice is the time-consuming art of paper quilling or “filigree.” This involves taking small strips of paper, tightly coiled and shaped, to create intricate swirling patterns and designs. I became interested in paper quilling when I encountered my first paper-quilled cards in a gift shop, and I fell in love with the simplistic complexity of these designs.
CJ is a Chinese-born artist who works in mixed media, specializing in collage and paper arts. She has been exploring new and fascinating methods to express her creativity through the medium of paper. She is currently working on the skill of paper quilling and the meticulous methods of gluing small strands of paper to create intricately designed imagery.
Phuong Nguyen, Love’s Last Bite, 2024, Printed Digital Comic
Inspired by the concept of cannibalism as a metaphor for love, the comic serves as an interpretation that tells a story of one’s loss of humanity during a zombie apocalypse. The love for her lover remains, except it has taken on another form. The 3-page comic was created digitally and incorporates a Japanese manga drawing style. The comic follows themes such as grief, reflection, and trauma, which are often depicted in other illustrated works by the artist.
Phuong Nguyen is a Vietnamese American illustrator based in Minnesota. Her works vary between illustration, comics, and animation through the use of digital art software such as Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop. She is interested in capturing narratives that hold different interpretations through the characters and symbolism within her works. Her illustrations also focus on colors and expression, which she would experiment and play with throughout her process.
Okuly
Growing up, Princess Leia was a constant form of stability for me. Throughout the good and bad times of my life, she was always there, silently comforting me and cheering me on. As we have both aged, I have realized that she will always be a part of my soul, prompting me to lock her memory in time, so she will still be with me even when she is no longer here. Through the layers and layers of paint and brushstrokes, I wanted to encapsulate the love that we both share, in a light-hearted and imaginative way.
Samantha Okuly is a mixed-media artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in Interdisciplinary Design at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her work features improvisation in various mediums such as ceramics, sculpture making, found materials, textiles, painting, drawing, and digital design. Common themes expressed in her work are womanhood, romance, bodily autonomy, and memories. With a motto of “how minimalism meets maximalism,” she creates art from her heart with an attention to detail and raw emotion to capture a story. Okuly has been a part of an Exhibition called Reclaimed Earth: Shifting Dimensions in Clay at the Regis Center-West in Minneapolis in 2022. In her free time, Samantha enjoys crocheting, spending time with her cat Princess Leia, and relaxing in nature.
Samantha , An Ode to Princess Leia, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas, 24x30 in.
Andres comes from the distant, sunny land of California wherein he first discovered his love of drawing. He loves to explore different mediums, but he's always been partial to drawing the human figure and dreamlike visages.
Andres Ortega, Love Blooming, 2024, Color Pastel Andres Ortega, Distant City Thoughts, 2024, Color Pencils
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Justin Pascua is a 21 year old illustrator and painter from Northfield, Minnesota. Pascua creates detailed comic/pop-art style drawings that are heavily inspired by pop culture. He uses a variety of black and white ink pens and collages concept images together in order to tell a story between the figures or to create hidden messages and easter eggs. Inspired by moments in media such as movies, video games, and musical artists like Mac Miller, Logic, AC/DC, or Frank Sinatra, Pascua hopes to keep creating works that show his passions and evoke inspiring conversations.
Justin Pascua, SERIAL MEDIA!, 2024, Illustration, Micron Pen, White Graphite Pencil, Blending Stump, Black Gesso
Joleece Pecore, futurity in/by/with Native Women, 2024, Fabric, Metal, Ribbon, Leather, Sinew, Thread, Mixed Media
This work was made to show appreciation for all the Native women in my life, from my sisters and cousins, to my mothers, my aunts, my grandmothers, all of my role models. Ho-Chunk women used to wear shawls that had ribbonwork going down the length of it, something I wanted to bring back but with a contemporary touch, as shown with the shawl installed on the wall. With women often seen as caretakers and mother figures, I created the metal cradleboard to show women’s roles in communities, especially matriarchal communities. The size and material used for the cradleboard exemplify the protection given to our children, to the thought given to the next seven generations in our decisions. Lastly, the mobile made from a large dreamcatcher and beaded necklaces also show the forethought given to the next seven generations, the hope for the future and Native/Indigenous survivance, and the representation of each woman featured in the overlapping audio. This audio then represents the joy and happiness of Native women. Despite Native struggles and oppressions, we still thrive today, we adapt and create contemporary practices and ways of living and constantly find joy, humor, and creativity.
Joleece Pecore is a Ho-Chunk, Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican, Oneida, and Menominee woman from Wisconsin. She is a multimedia artist who works in traditional and digital drawing, painting, sewing, beading, and filmmaking. Her work centers on authentic and contemporary Native representation, creating awareness about and educating on past and current issues in Indian Country. Joleece’s work earned awards in the Ho-Chunk Nation art contest in 2017 and 2018, first place in the Oneida Woodland Indian Art Show in 2019, and 2nd place for her film “Reel NDNS” at the inaugural UMN Film Festival in 2023. She also has had work exhibited in the Riverfront Gallery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and the Circle of Indigenous Nations office on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Joleece is a member of the American Indian Student Cultural Center where she served as Co-Media Director, Co-President, and now as Media Director. She has also been a student intern at the Circle of Indigenous Nations for three years. Joleece will graduate from the University of Minnesota in 2024 with degrees in American Indian Studies and Art. During that time, she received the Harry S. Truman Scholarship and the Udall Scholarship for her leadership, commitment to serving her communities, and future goals for serving Indian Country.
This project started as a thought in 2021 and came into being in 2022. The initial thought was to showcase beadwork from Indigenous artists all across Turtle Island, showing our different ways we learned to bead, what materials we use, and different designs or inspirations. In 2022, I made a FaceBook Group titled “Community Beaded Quilt Project” where I pitched this idea and asked for donations of 7inx7in squares. My only requirement was the size and I gave everyone creative freedom for how they wanted to design their square. I see this as a continual project where I will continue to receive squares from beaders and add them to the quilt, constantly showing new work. With this project, I want to discuss what is considered craft and what is considered art, and how function and non-functional elements play a part. Oftentimes, especially in Western dominated areas, cultural art is considered craft, especially when it has a function. I want to show that cultural art, especially Native art, can be both. I want this project to showcase Native creativity, passions, and history and allow others to see it as the intricate art form it is.
Joleece Pecore, Community Beaded Quilt, 2024, Mixed Media
Ellie Rogers is a multimedia artist with a focus on photography. Her combination of analogue and digital technique echoes the work of photographers from the past through a modern lens. Her process serves as an exploration of the medium, herself, and the world around her. Ellie's work is a mode of personal introspection and a practice in sharing vulnerability. In her art, she finds solace, liberation, and a canvas upon which to contemplate her perceptions.
Ellie Rogers, Time Throws Us Around, 2024, Silver Gelatin Prints, Contact Sheets and Cutouts, Thrifted Frames
Ash Thilmony is a Twin-Cities based artist working with acrylic painting and mixed media. Their work is based around the lasting effects of grief and trauma. She utilizes concepts of nature and wildlife, along with nostalgic imagery and materials as a way to create “portraits”. Currently, she is attending the University of Minnesota and is graduating Summer of 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in Psychology. Ash exhibited in ‘Art of The Word’ at the Jan Johansen Gallery, and “Portraits,” a virtual exhibition at Omnibus Gallery. Thilmony is an advocate of mental health and wellness and a huge fan of fish and wildlife.
Ash Thilmony, Deters The Dear, 2024, Acrylic on Canvas, Acrylic Yarn, Metal Grommets
William Vuong, 20220415.jpg, 2024, Digital
William Vuong, 20230613.jpg, 2024, Digital
William Vuong, 20220430.jpg, 2024, Digital
For the works I am displaying, I utilize digital drawing on top of photographs that I’ve taken within the past few years. Utilizating photography as backgrounds is a interesting concept I wanted to attempt to blend fiction and reality together. From left to right, the photos are from Jay Cooke State Park, Galveston Beach, and the Houston Space Center.In essence, I am utilizing the artistic style that I enjoy and combining it with my real life experiences in photographic form, hence imprinting my identity into record.
William Vuong is a digital illustrator based in Minnesota who originally began as a traditional black and white artist. He primarily derives his stylistic art style from the entertainment medium he enjoys, Anime and Manga, because it is a medium that he grew up enjoying and drawing from. He continues to leisurely enjoy said medium while keeping up the medium's evolving trends for the past many years. With heavy inspirations from the Anime community, online media he consumes, and life experiences he has, William seeks to share his love for the craft to the audience.
This series is inspired by lakeside landscapes I have observed and explored. The serene yet ever-changing nature of the lake serves as a canvas for my thoughts, and the different seasons of the painting reflect my past state of mind. The serene waters of the lakes stand in stark contrast to the tumultuous thoughts swirling in my mind. Painting these landscapes becomes a conduit for expressing the shifting tides of my emotions, allowing the transient to be crystallized. Each piece serves as a poignant reminder of past experiences, embodying happy moments that, once lived, can never be revisited in the same way.
Boyu is a painter from Minnesota, currently advancing her B.A. in Art at the University of Minnesota. Her passion for art is deeply rooted in her admiration for the natural world's beauty, which significantly influences her creations. Specializing in acrylics, Boyu skillfully brings to life the vibrancy and intricate details of the natural landscapes that captivate her imagination. Her artwork is a celebration of nature, characterized by a nuanced blend of mediums that capture the ephemeral beauty of the environment. With watercolors particularly dear to her, she is working towards a large-scale project that promises to encapsulate her vision. Her paintings are more than visual representations; they are sensory journeys that embody a profound connection with nature, marked by each thoughtful brushstroke. Boyu’s art is an invitation to explore the boundless wonders of our world, encouraging viewers to discover the magic and curiosity interlaced within her vivid, emotive landscapes.
Boyu Wen, Dreaming of the Past, 2024 , Acrylic
Josh Wojnar, 12 Hours Is Too Short, 2024, Copper Etching (Selective Wiping) on Leather
Josh Wojnar, 4 years and, 2024, Journal Notebook, Copper Etching, and Foam Board
I explore intimacy in small moments through ambiguous creatures similar to chimeras- combinations of various animals that can include humans. These small moments are captured in items relating to copper etching and stone lithography prints inspired by characters in Dark Crystal and Where the Wild Things Are. Like the Russian artist Geli Korzhev, my work features dark and eerie characters, but instead to teach the importance of enjoyment through experiencing the everyday snapshots shared with companions throughout time. These flawed creatures allow reflection with oneself to play out conversations with openness and kindness no matter their monstrous appearances. I infuse these topics into moments reminiscent of the objects ranging from a playing card, a windshield, or a journal list entry which ground the scenes in reality. My work conveys language in moments that may be full of words, or those that do not need any at all. I enjoy print etchings and lithography on various items because the mediums remind me of lessons from children's books, and allow the spread of ideas through copies no matter the surface.
Josh Wojnar, it’s okay, we can play open hand, 2024, Copper Etching, Linocut Relief, Foam board, and Playing Cards
Josh Wojnar, Here’s the Flyer, 2024, Stone Lithography on Paper
Josh Wojnar creates works inspired by dreary children's books, such as Where The Wild Things Are, that entail monstrous creature designs. His illustrations stress the importance of experiencing companionship with words. He is currently in his senior year at the University of Minnesota pursuing their Bachelor of Arts in Art and Psychology, along with an Asian and Middle Eastern Studies minor focused in Japan. They presented and sold two pieces: Aren't You Cold? And Cephalopod of the Many in the 410 Project Annual Juried Exhibition on show at Mankato in 2024. He served as the President of the on-campus printmaking club Bohemian Press, and has had prints at numerous club art sales. Through Bohemian Press, Wojnar hosted and assisted printing an edition with the local Stone Lithography Collab Printer Brian Wagner. Along with commissioned assistance on the MFA graduate student Whalen Polikoff’s thesis work.
Bonnie Young, Dinner is Served, 2024, Glazed Earthenware Clay, Fabric, Fake Flowers, Found Table, Utensils
Bonnie Young is a ceramic artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota who focuses on themes of a fun, funky life. She is due to graduate from the University of Minnesota in May 2024, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Strategic Communication. Using bright colors and abstract shapes, Bonnie has a vision of a vibrant, colorful world, and she is working on creating it.
About The Creator
Amira McLendon is a visual artist and emerging curator from Apple Valley, MN, currently based in Minneapolis, MN. She is receiving her BA in Art from the University of Minnesota. In her artistic practice, she focuses on digital illustration and explores diverse storytelling from a curatorial lens. McLendon views art and curation as one medium for calling upon social change and justice and her interests reflect that. McLendon is interested in the untold stories of people that historically haven’t always given the space to tell their stories themselves such as LGBTQ+individuals,andBlack,Indigenous,PeopleofColor.
Acknowledgement
Deep gratitude is extended to the entire BA Art class for their unwavering trust and collaboration in bringing this catalog to life. As the first of its kind, there was a lot anticipation and with your help and encouragement it was able to come together.
Thank you to Emmett Ramstad and Anna Clowser for allowing this unique capstone project to come to fruition. Their guidance and support was invaluable duringthisprocess.
A special thank you to Seren Erden and Ellie Rogers for their help in developing the catalog photographs. Without their help this project may not have been realized.ThankyoutoCJNelsonaswellforthecoverandpostcarddesigns.
