St. Paul Art Crawl, Spring 2017

Minnesota winters are good for artists. It is a season for nurturing the creative mind, as days are spent indoors and early dusks make the nights seem endless. Plenty of idle time to dream up ideas and make new art.

 

Come springtime, St. Paul artists prepare to open their doors to the public during the biannual St. Paul Art Crawl to share with strangers the new creations that they have kept in secret all winter. And Minnesotans who have spent the majority of winter indoors, wrapped in the familiarity of their immediate surroundings, are eager to leave their own homes and venture into the artists' studios. It is more than just an urge to break free from cabin fever. It is a chance for inquisitive minds to connect with something outside of their usual circle, to seek out a different perspective, meet some interesting new people, and support their local creative community.

 

The upcoming Spring 2017 Art Crawl, now a quarter of a century old, will take place April 28th-30th in downtown and throughout St. Paul, with over 300 artists in 33 locations including warehouses, studios, live/work spaces, galleries, and performance venues. The Art Crawl is a well-rounded arts experience with a wide range of art forms from artists at all levels of expertise, and it is matched with an opportunity to visit the places where the art is created and talk with the artists who make it. It is also an opportunity for artists to debut new work or just bounce ideas off an audience in a pressure-free environment, while garnering support for their art and establishing a stronger relationship with the community.

 

Here is a preview of three of the many artists who will be exhibiting at the Art Crawl and their take on why the Art Crawl is important to them.

 

Jeremy Szopinski, Monument #13, oil on panel, 20” x 16”

 

Jeremy Szopinski

Jeremy Szopinski creates abstract oil paintings with a dynamic interplay between turbulence and serenity. He employs rich layers of impasto that fall against restful, gradient atmospheres. He is currently working on a new series called Monument where the shapes of the paintings take on nontraditional forms. “The paintings are triangles and trapezoids, reminiscent of the pyramids in Egypt or Mayan ruins in Central America. I’m currently working on a very large scale triangular painting that’s 12 feet high by 14 feet wide with a 3 dimensional element that shoots out on the floor six feet. I’m really excited and if all goes according to plan I’ll have it finished and ready to preview at the Art Crawl.”

 

Szopinski is part of the Rock 9 Art Studio art collective, made up of five artists including himself, Jon Reischl, Ed Charbonneau, Garrett Perry, and Neil Johnston. They have shared a studio space in the Vandalia Tower building for the past decade. For the Art Crawl, they work together to turn a busy work space into an exhibition space. One of the misconceptions about the Art Crawl is that an open-studio event is plainly opening the studio: as if artists simply put down their brushes and prop open the door for the weekend. Wrong. It is a lot of prep work and promoting. For Rock 9, the benefit of a shared studio space means that the artists can divide up the amount of the work. “Between the five of us, there are a lot of people we can invite and we all chip in to make the studio an interesting place to have an exhibit.”

 

Jeremy Szopinski, Monument #26, oil on panel, 45” x 27”

 

Szopinski remarks how the Art Crawl incites great conversations that are beneficial to both artist and guest. “The thing I really love about opening our studio is the interactions I have with folks who are seeing my work for the first time and aren’t well-versed in the history or theory of abstraction. If people spend some time with the paintings and are willing to talk to me, we usually have a great conversation and I can get a real sense if the paintings are doing the job I intend them to do.”

 

Meet Jeremy Szopinski at Rock 9 Art Studio in the Vandalia Tower building, Studio 312, 550 Vandalia Street, St. Paul.

 

Marisa Martinez, original jewelry

 

Marisa Martinez

Marisa Martinez is an artist, teacher, and jewelry designer. She involves her background with her art by integrating her Mexican heritage into original jewelry and ofrendas. She works mostly in silver and turquoise in her jewelry, and creates ofrendas from found and repurposed objects and collected mementos.

 

Martinez has operated her own business since 2005 and teaches workshops in various metalsmithing techniques. She values the opportunity to teach these classes, not only for the purpose of sharing techniques, but also for the important life lessons that her students gain through creative expression, such as building self-esteem, confidence, and positivity.

 

Martinez appreciates the Art Crawl for the ability to share her passion and make connections with people who are looking for classes or unique ways to express themselves. “I love being a part of the Art Crawl because it gives me the chance to meet new people and introduce them to my work. I also love sharing my space with guest artists allowing them the chance to show their pieces as well as make new connections. I have been very fortunate to meet some of my most loyal collectors during these art crawls. I think patrons really value making personal connections with the Artist. This also gives them the chance to be able to see first hand where the artist creates.”

 

Marisa Martinez, orginal jewelry

 

Martinez offers some tips for attending the upcoming Art Crawl: “This year pick two to three buildings that you haven't gone to before and visit those first. Take advantage of the light rail; it's convenient and easy to use. Ask questions; artists like to know that people are engaged in their work and want to know more about it.”

 

Visit Marisa Martinez  along with five guest artists: Marina Castillo, Cynthia Welle, Laura White, Lisa Erickson, and Amy Sabatier in the Midway Triangle Building, Studio F5 at 2500 University Ave., St. Paul.

 

Justin Terlecki, Oakland, acrylic on canvas, 39"x 47"

 

Justin Terlecki

Painter and printmaker Justin Terlecki builds his work around themes from his memories and personal experiences. He works with the figure and landscape to create narratives that are inspired by travel, personal relationships, and his surrounding environment. He records the root of his ideas as they arise.

“My sketchbooks, which I carry with me at all times, are very instrumental in this creative process. The sketches end up as references which help recreate a mood or atmosphere in my larger acrylic on canvas paintings.”

 

Visit Terlecki at his new studio space in the Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative and talk to him about his process, how ideas originate from sketches into finished paintings. Conversations with the artists at the Art Crawl are encouraged, especially when focused on the art or themes within the art. “Artists love it when you engage with them about their work or particular process. Artists don't love it when you ask about their rent. The artists work hard to exhibit their work and feel gratitude when the public responds. I really enjoy meeting so many different kinds of people and getting a chance to discuss my work and share my passion. There are not really a lot of opportunities for the general public to talk to the artist one-on-one and view their work space in such a casual environment.”

 

Justin Terlecki, Plaza Vasquez de Mella, lithography & screenprint, 24" x 26"

 

Terlecki values the Art Crawl and acknowledges the enormous amount of work that it takes to pull it off, which often goes unrecognized as most people are unaware of the busy behind-the-scenes workload. “I love the collective energy of the St. Paul Art Collective [the organization that runs the Crawl] and many volunteers that make this biannual event happen. Lowertown is a very special place and I am proud to call this my home.”

 

Justin Terlecki  will have his studio open in the Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative, Studio 408, 255 Kellogg Blvd East, Lowertown St. Paul.

 

St. Paul Art Crawl, Spring 2017

A weekend of art and performances, the Art Crawl is a self-guided tour of artists' studios and galleries throughout St. Paul.

Friday, April 28th 6pm to 10pm

Saturday, April 29th 12pm to 8pm

Sunday, April 30th 12pm to 5pm

View a map of all locations and a digital catalog of all participating artists and performances (print copies will be available at all participating buildings during the event).

Art Crawl website: http://www.saintpaulartcrawl.org/

Banner image: Jeremy Szopinski, Monument #4 (detail), oil on panel, 28" x 23"