Jay Nielsen

Jay Nielsen Jewelry

Minneapolis, MN

http://jaynielsenjewelry.com

2022 Booth #64

© Jay Nielsen

I've had the pleasure of exhibiting at art festivals across the country since 1990....it's been one big adventure filled with memorable experiences and even more memorable people....after 6 years studying Architecture and Structural Engineering at the University of Minnesota, I took a detour and began designing jewelry....it's been great!

Hand fabrication using high karat gold and sterling silver...cutting, forming, and connecting precious metals then applying different finishes and patinas, all work conceived and completed by me alone.

I mostly rely on these materials....5 kinds of gold and 2 types of silver..... 3 patinas, myriad textures, and any stone I find interesting....assymetry and irregular shapes such as those found in the natural world are design elements I'm attracted to.

Megan Murrell

Megan Murrell Illustration

Minneapolis, MN

http://www.meganmurrellart.com

2022 Booth #72

© Megan Murrell

Hello! I am an illustrator and painter, and I live in Minneapolis Minnesota, with my husband, Luke, and our dog, Nana. I have been creating art for as long as I can remember and I am so lucky that I am able to share my passion with others. I love the outdoors and being in nature, and my art is reflective of that.

My work is significantly inspired by nature and the fluid line, pattern and design found within the natural world, if you only look close enough. I work with watercolors and gouache and am enchanted by the loose and unpredictable nature of the medium. I work on cold pressed paper and use flat washes, as well as wet-on-dry and wet-on-wet methods to create beautiful watercolor washes and perfectly unexpected blooms. I love the fact that I only have so much control over what the water and pigment will do once my brush hits the paper, watercolor blooms are my favorite surprise when I paint.

Emily Gray Koehler

Minneapolis, MN

https://emilygraykoehler.com/

2023 Booth #124

© Emily Koehler

I work primarily with color-reduction woodcuts printed with oil-based ink on Rives BFK paper. All blocks and plates are carved and/or built by me. I also hand-ink and pull all of my prints. I do not create any reproductions of my work and my editions typically number 16 prints or less. Color-reduction woodcuts involve carving and printing the same woodblock in sequence for each layer of color on the print. This process is also called a “suicide print” because the block is destroyed through the action of successive carvings thus rendering the edition finite. I occasionally incorporate collagraph between the layers of my woodcuts to add textural elements. Collagraph is a process where I create a low-relief collage on a printing plate using materials that can be safely run through a press (plants, sand, gesso, etc.). I print collagraph plates in an intaglio method, where ink is wiped into the crevices of the collage and off the surface and then printed, transferring the ink and texture to the print.

In every print ever made, there is a history of process, a story told in wood and ink, paper and pressure. These mechanisms of printmaking guide my hand, while my heart is inspired by the wonder of nature. The marrying of these two passions has informed my art as I seek to explore the intersection of humanity and nature in a world where nothing is untouched by man or womankind.

Artist Bio

Emily Gray Koehler has spent over fifteen years developing her expertise in printmaking while delving artistically into themes of nature and the environment. Working out of her studio in NE Minneapolis, she holds a B.F.A. in printmaking and has art in public and private collections throughout the United States and in Europe.

Josh Driver

White Bear Lake, MN

joshdriverphotography.com

© Josh Driver

2021 Booth #86

In a competitive landscape photography world, I aim to photograph images rarely or never captured at familiar and unfamiliar places.

I’m a self-taught photographer from White Bear Lake who simply used two tools, passion and practice, to photograph the fascinating natural world and it’s immense and detailed beauty. I’ve been privileged to have a photography mentor since 2018 pouring into my craft. I’ve never considered myself an artist but I am excited and humbled every time a photograph brings delight to another.

My goal is to spend as much time in the field photographing as I can. This means I limit my time in the post-processing stage. I’m not a digital artist, not a photoshop guru, and not a post processor. While those can also be good things, I’m a photographer and will travel as many times as it takes to get the right lighting, sky or desired composition. My successes are printed primarily on aluminum metal and slate stone for others to enjoy.

Janine Schwendinger

Pine Island, MN

Wolf Tracks Clay

2023 Booth #75

©Janine Schwendinger

I’m Janine Schwendinger. I took 1 ceramics class in high school, and have loved this medium ever since, being inspired by it’s functional beauty. I earned a degree in molecular biology, and have a nursing degree.  In 2012 I could no longer resist my true passion, pottery, and I began the process of teaching myself the art of pottery. I now live near Rochester, Minnesota in the middle of the woods surrounded by my first love, nature, and all it’s glorious inspiration.

My pieces are made with a stoneware clay body and are wheel thrown, hand built or a combination of both techniques. I do freehanded slip trailing, carving and sgraffito to decorate much of my work. Hand pulled handles and hand built appliqué are also used on many of my pieces.

I am inspired by nature, and it’s perpetual movement through time and space. Sgraffito is my way of showing this movement. As I scratch through the clay each stroke leaves a story, a history of motion and energy, a way to immortalize a moment in time. Each piece is it’s own story.

Aryn & Courtney Kern

Longshadow Woodworks

Little Falls, MN

www.longshadowwoodworks.com

2023 Booth #117

In our work, we strive to combine beauty and function while doing our part to use our natural resources wisely.

We began our work as professional wood artists in 2006 when we realized the vast amount of wood waste that is created by larger wood product manufacturers. These businesses produce cut-offs and rippings that are usually chipped, burned, or simply thrown away so we set our woodshop up to utilize even the smallest pieces of cast off woods.

Each piece of wood is hand selected for its grain and character then it is laminated, planed, shaped, sanded, and finished.

Since reclaimed hardwoods are used, each piece is unique.

We truly feel as though we are making a difference not only in narrowing the stream of waste woods in the industry, but also in educating and creating an appreciation for different species of native hardwoods in our customers.

What began as a weekend shop project has turned into our passion and profession.

© Aryn & Courtney Kern