January 2011
2011 was the first official year of the Solo Exhibitions Program at AE. I am the developer of this program and as Director of Solo Exhibitions, I teach emerging artists how to become working professionals in the art world.
February 2011
I began the year off with my biggest exhibition to date, Two Perspectives. It was at the Coffman Art Gallery at the University of Minnesota and featured my animal paintings along side Katherine Sheehan from Texas. I had 9 works in the show and it had a great turn out. Many family and friends showed up for support. Thank you to all that attended.
In February, I also worked at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for the Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting,. I absolutely Loooved working there, even though it was just the gift store!
March-May 2011
The next following months I had many exhibitions, 7 to be exact I had work showing at Altered Esthetics in the Online (Dis) Connect show as well as Flesh and Form. I also got a few press articles printed about me, and I was featured on Michael McGraw’s Local Artist Interviews blog page. I also won a membership to Visual Arts Minnesota in the First Annual Interviewed Contest.
Read my interview here:
http://www.local-artist-interviews.com/2011/04/kate-johnson-painter.html
The Katherine E. Nash Gallery and Nude Night in Florida featured life drawings. I had a bookarts piece at the Susan Hensel Gallery.
July 2011
But what was more exciting was my artist residency at Prairie Center for the Arts. This residency was 6 weeks long and I got to travel to Illinois. I packed up my little Saturn and drove the 7 hours there. I had lovely accommodations in Germantown Hills, and then a big painting studio in Peoria, the next town over.
I managed to make 50 some paintings, as well as a whole list of other projects. I began to also blog during this time; I figured I would like to remember my residency experience. Since then I have expanded my blogging topics to include my work habits, career guidance topics, artist interviews, book reviews, recipes and my current projects. I have always had a passion for creative writing and this really feeds into it!
2011 came with a bunch of fun commissions too!
My Toes Are Cold, 2011
Commission made for Rusty Gallaway
I Can Blow Bubbles With My Nose, 2011
Commission for MJ Winlaw
September 2011
Bringing back all my paintings from IL was quite the haul, but everything made it home alright! Upon returning from my residency, I sent out submission packets, and still anxiously wait replies from galleries. I am excited to show all of my new work, I also wrote and submitted 4 grants!
November 2011
November was a very busy month; I had my first installation piece shown at Altered Esthetics in the Food Fight show. It was called The Bad Fortune Cookie. I began to create this piece while at my residency this summer.
I created 100 fortunes out of wood. They were made from a Waterjet machine. I stained 3 times and ployacrylic-ed each cookie. Then I created custom bad fortunes for each one…good fortunes are boring. Then I stuck the fortunes all over a wall. Bad fortunes only cost $5 and you get to keep the cookie! I received a scholarship from Springboard for the Arts to attend the Giant Steps conference in 2011.
Following a project I began at my residency, I have begun to custom paint shoes. Since July I have made three pairs of shoes and a possible commission on the way! I made Cassy Lahr (Peterka) two pairs of custom shoes for her wedding this past December. They turned out gorgeous!
December 2011
I have my own studio at Faux Poco in St Paul! It’s the best thing I have done for my art career. This year I learned that I can’t work and live in the same space, and a computer and the internet are a huge distraction. So my studio is now my safe haven, and productivity master. I have completed 3 commissions during my first month there! And have clocked about 60 some hours of studio time already.
January 2012
2012 is already around the corner, but believe it or not, do not make any art related resolutions!…I do it in Julys Don’t as me why, but I goal set, and career plan in July and it seems to be extremely effective for me. I’ve done it two years in a row.
So here’s some upcoming 2012 art updates:
I was awarded the 2012 Featured Artist for the Level_13 Classic Video Game Art Show at AE… I was printed in the 2012 Altered Esthetics calendar with my work: Tipsy Shrooms. The exhibition is in April 2012.
I also got hired by Bloomington Art Center to teach a workshop on internet and social networking for artists. This workshop will be May 1st 2012. Contact me or Bloomington Art Center for more information. Register on their website.
2012 I am also working on some re-branding of my work. Soon I will have a new website under Kate Renee. Keep up with me and my work on Twitter, Youtube, MNartists, Linked In, Facebook and here on my blog The Suction Cup! Email me with any questions or comments; they are always appreciated kate.r.johnson (at) comcast.net
Thanks for reading my blog and supporting me and my creative work. And I am looking forward to another year of blogging! Now time to break in that new easel I got for Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
