This year we are doing about twenty-five shows between April and October from Texas to Michigan and up and down the Mississippi River Valley. Because of all the getting around we do, this year we began a project to video document the artists and people that we meet around us. The videos are far from professional, but like my friends, I prefer to think of them as authentic. The result is that you will get to meet some really wonderful people and fantastic artists that you may not know are out there.
At least that is the hope. You get to decide. Where possible we will include links to their websites, Facebook pages and their other social media.
First of all, next year, there is no way we are doing an art show every weekend between April and September. NO WAY! We are exhausted.
I’m sorry we haven’t been able to post much this year. Not even pictures but with only five shows left this season I wanted to make a moment and let you know of one close to home in Minneapolis.
The Powderhorn Art Fair is this weekend. Of the three major art shows in Minneapolis this weekend – Uptown, Loring Park and Powderhorn, I like the cool grassy, tree-lined park overlooking the lake of Powderhorn best.
Especially if it is as hot as they are predicting this weekend.
I will be in Booth 102 overlooking the lake and, hopefully, under a tree. Come see me.
My first three passions in life, after my kids, are genealogical history, vintage Americana, and what I feel is great music. All of those passions come together in my paintings.
I spent most of the 90s following the grunge and punk scene in the Twin Cities. Essentially, going to see original bands every night throughout the Minneapolis and St. Paul region. My girlfriends and I spent hundreds of hours going from music bar to music bar following the best acts in the upper Midwest. On any night you could find us at the Turf Club, Uptown Bar (now gone), Cabooze, 400 Bar (also gone), and of course, First Ave.
Plus dozens and dozens of now lost and forgotten dives and corner music clubs. Live original music? We were there.
And, like the clubs, dozens and dozens of great, but now lost and forgotten, musicians and bands.
Sidebar: Because of the lyrics this is mostly a NSFW video
In our free time we shopped at thrift stores and that is when I started picking up vintage leather jackets. I thought “I could paint these up and use them as my canvases.” I researched paints and dyes and found a great dye that I could brush on and they would be highly wearable and not crack. This was long before YouTube and the internet so the research was done old school.
As such, for several years I painted original themed surrealism and abstracts on a broad range of canvases including on my vintage leather coats and boots. At one time I had 30 or 40 coats I gave away or sold. I even had one stolen when I was a student in Germany.
A few weeks ago my Partner was digging through the garage when he stumbled upon the last five of these jackets. He brought them into the house and he took pictures of me wearing them. He then uploaded them to Facebook, Google+ and a few other of my Vintage Painter social media sites.
It was interesting to see people’s reactions.
Sidebar: Yes, I know there is only four of the five here. My Partner wants me to keep the fifth one for a while. He has some plans for it.
Coat: “Innocence”
Coat: “Bent Man”
Coat: “Angel Cat”
Most people who have met me over the last 10 years assume I only paint vintage and Americana themes. They never thought about what else I paint or have painted. I generally only show my Vintage Painter work publicly and am very protective of my brand and my Vision. Right now that is how I want to be known but I have a large collection of other work that is in my basement and in my studio.
The hand-dyed and painted vintage leather coats were amongst them.
As an artist I am very Vision oriented. When you look at the jackets, each one is very original. I let the jackets speak to me and they would tell me what they wanted painted. I’m not sure non-creatives can completely understand what that means, and I’m not sure how else to explain it, but that is how it works.
When I found a beautiful tan fringed leather jacket, I instantly knew it would become my “Love is a Rose,” Neil Young jacket.
This jacket features three of my loves – surrealism, dogs and Mr. Neil Young and his song Love is a Rose.
I guess that is four things.
Sidebar: This video is completely safe for work.
Nevertheless, a few weeks after my Partner posted the pictures online, the Neil Young Fan Club contacted me and they wanted to write a little post about the coat.
I’m selling it through my eBay store with a starting minimum bid of $75. Of that, 25% will be going to Neil Young’s personal charity, The Bridge School. The school offers an innovative program for educating children with severe speech and physical impairments.
Depending on the response, over the next several months I will be selling the other coats too. Hopefully, they will find a good home. Please help me spread the word. Below are some pictures of the other coats.
My Partner has already started to dig though some of my other art relics. It will be interesting to see what else pops up.
My partner and I – and about seven other artists and craftsmen opened a little pop-up seasonal gallery in downtown Minneapolis. We are in Gaviidae Commons II on the corner southeast corner of S 6th Street and Nicollet Mall. You can find on the street level in front of the elevator and between D’Amico and Sons and the RBC Plaza. Below is the map.
We have so wonderful painters, sculptors, woodworkers, metal artists and jewelers.
Please spread the word. Because we are open seven days a week we haven’t had much time to do many other things so some of us are working in the gallery. Come see us. We will sleep in January.
In the meantime feel free to go to The Art Elves website to learn more about our art and the artist.
Looking into one the store front windows from the atrium.
The Art Elves – where Santa goes for fine art – is looking for regional Wisconsin, Iowan, and Minnesota artists to participate in a seasonal artists show at the Gaviidae Commons in the heart of downtown Minneapolis.
The Target Holidazzle Parade passes the store every Thursday through Sunday until December 18 bringing in additional foot traffic and interest.
The store will be open from Black Friday (November 23) through January 4, 2o13 (Yes. I know. 2013 already?!) and through a lottery system every artist will rotate through the storefront windows and have access to the street window.
Store View.
We have space for ten artists. Each artist will have approximately 100 square feet depending on the type of art and how it needs to be displayed. Although the store has excellent track lighting and display space you may need to provide your own booth panels, displays and lighting.
You must provide your own insurance.
Let’s get the money questions out of the way: $800.00 Participation Fee + 10% commission + 3% for credit card transactions. Art Elves will collect and pay all applicable sales taxes.
Did I mention that is a total of six weekends and five weeks over the holidays in downtown Minneapolis? On the parade route? In a high-end, high traffic location? Alongside other heavily promoted retailers? Over the holidays?
With fresh coffee nearby? And you don’t even have to work in the store unless you want too.
Participating artists will be mailed a check on Monday, December 17 for sales registered between November 23 to Friday December 14 and on Friday, January 11 for all sales registered between Saturday, December 15 and Friday, January, 4th. Checks will include a statement reflecting all sales.
All credit card transactions in the store will be taken via a Square.
Artists are responsible for delivering, setting up, replenishing inventory and picking-up their own work during strict hours.
Artists may opt into sales and promotional opportunities that may include Groupon, Living Social, Google Offers, Facebook promotions, Google+ promotions, Linkedin promotions, SMS text marketing and in-store promotions.
More details to follow.
The space is limited to ten artists and is first come, first served and until the spaces are filled. To the best of our ability we will not have competing artists.
Did I mention? This is first come.
Call or email Chrissy Mount (Kapp) or Sean Kinney for details. Chrissy@vintagepainter.com or Sean@vintagepainter.com or visit www.vintagepainter.com.
Hi Everyone,
Please spread the word. Because we are open seven days a week we haven’t had much time to do many other things so some of us are working in the gallery. Come see us. We will sleep in January.
The Vintage Painter 