Wenwen Liao

Wenwen Liao Art Studio

Minnetonka MN

www.wenwenliao.art/gallery

2023 Booth #81

© Wenwen Manfred

Wenwen learned to love painting from her father who was a local artist and teacher in her hometown of Zhuhai, China. She made art her passion when she went to study animation and film at the Central Academy of Beijing.

Eventually, this led her to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design where she got her Master of Fine Arts in Experimental Animation.

© Wenwen Liao

Wenwen modernizes traditional ink and wash painting techniques. She loves the imagery it produces but wants to give a personal connection to the audience that is not present in traditional themes. Her art uses colors to create tranquil moments of childhood innocence. The paintings create warm and loving scenes that are full of positive energy which enrich the viewer. Her experience with animation allows her to give the characters a sense of movement that creates a story in the imagination.

Kristin Schue

St. Paul, MN

https://kschue.com

2023 Booth #14

© Kristin Schue

Krisitn Schue is known for her thoughtful incorporation of found ephemera and photographs in her mixed media work which evoke memories and familiar stories. Based in Minneapolis - St. Paul, Kristin has shown her work for two decades, developing several series of works utilizing materials from newspapers, and antique cabinet card photographs to View-Master reels. She finds her muse in anonymous discarded materials waiting to be rediscovered and take on a new life. 

© Kristin Schue

My studio looks a bit like a cluttered antique store specializing in papers and photographs. I have always been drawn to these weathered items carrying stories we will never quite know. From these items I glimpse a hidden narrative, which I develop further by adding other materials to contribute to the story. I hope viewers find something strange yet familiar in my work that sparks their own memory, humor or sense of wonder. 

Mindy Sisk

MinDesigns Pottery

Eden Prairie MN

http://mindysiskpottery.com

2023 Booth #150

© Mindy Sick

Growing up in rural Montana, I was drawn to the beauty of nature from a young age. For much of my life, I endeavored to capture nature’s beauty in pencil and paint.When I discovered ceramics after moving to Minnesota, I realized I had found the perfect canvas for my nature-inspired designs. After years of training as a student of ceramics at community art centers, I began sharing my work at local art fairs. I am now instructing a ceramics class at Ceramic Sow, a vibrant pottery studio in Hopkins.

I carve the natural life around me into my wheel-thrown orhand-built pots when they are leather hard, a technique called sgraffito. Some of my sgraffito work involves a process I call slip-carving, where I cover a piece entirely in black slip before carving out my designs. The result resembles a block print, which emphasizes the small details that give my birds and foxes personality and my sunflowers movement. I also use “reverse sgraffito” where I carve a slab that is fired to make a stamp. Iimprint fresh clay with my carved patterns to create unique textures and add dimension. I use all of these techniques and more to express my love of nature and design and give my pieces personality and heart.

I make both functional and decorative ceramic pieces that are handcrafted with much decorative detail. I throw many of my pieces on a potter's wheel, but I also enjoy hand-building, so I have a variety of wares. I also include some sculpted elements such as bird knobs or sculpted animals as totem pieces. I enjoy using many different decorating techniques in the pursuit of my artistic vision, which allows me to appeal to different buyers. However, almost all of my pots are hand-etched or carved, or incorporate hand-carved stamps which makes my work both cohesive and unique. I also have a wide range of prices so that anyone who enjoys my work can find something to buy and enjoy.

Lori Murphy Grafing

Minneapolis, MN

lorimurphygrafing.com

2023 Booth #119

© Lori Murphy Grafing

I paint with watercolor paints on Arches 140 lb. cold press paper. I often start a painting with a series of wet-on-wet transparent washes and transition to a wet brush on dry paper for the more controlled and detailed finish work. I use masking fluid sparingly to block out the white areas, if necessary. My subjects are varied and I paint in a realistic style. On occasion, I will paint watercolor onto Yupo medium. The technique for painting watercolor on Yupo is a totally different beast!
I also use Alcohol Ink on Yupo and on ceramic tiles to create vibrant works of art in a more abstract style.

© Lori Murphy Grafing

Creator of 2022 Loring Park Art Festival Postcard

Kayann Ausherman

Haven KS

http://www.fromvictoryroad.com

2022 Booth #34

© Kayann Ausherman

Through representational abstract, I like to focus on the process of exploration of the world around me while using manmade papers, mediums, and patterns as the interface between the art I make and the world it represents.

I use magazine pages altered with a citrus based organic cleaner which alters the ink. The resulting paper is transformed from its original appearance, and combines well with other papers, paints, and inks. I design and cut my own stencils for use in many of my pieces and love including geometric patterns. I also enjoy 'hiding' elements and words into the layers that make up my artwork, inviting the viewers to take a closer look and rewarding those who do.

© Kayann Ausherman

While I have had a lifelong love of all things creative, I took up making 2D artwork rather late in life. I am largely self-taught, greatly influenced by a drive to experiment and explore different techniques and mediums. I especially love incorporating the discarded into my artwork.

My artwork is typified by a sense of whimsical fun and layers of paper, paint, and other assorted mediums.

Aubrey Hogan

A.D. Hogan Art

Eau Claire WI

www.adhoganart.com

© Aubrey Hogan

2022 Booth #71

A.D. Hogan is a local artist in Eau Claire, WI focused primarily on reclaimed wood mosaics. He works out of a home based studio and enjoys exploring the landscapes represented in his paintings. He enjoys a good philosophical discussion and using art as a medium to call people toward living a better story. 

Reclaimed Wood Mosaic. Each piece of wood within the mosaic is hand cut on a scroll saw and colored with oil based stains. The individual pieces come together to form an impressionistic landscape.

A.D. Hogan is artwork to repurpose our waste and reconnect us to the wild. Each statement piece is created with dozens to hundreds of handcrafted pieces of reclaimed lumber. Art calls us to slow down and anchor us to those transcendental values of goodness, beauty, and truth found right here on the earth around us.

Marti Johnson

MLJ Designs
Minneapolis, MN

© Marti Johnson

2023 Booth #152

Trained as a Silversmith at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Have been a full time artist and in business 28 years, traveling the U.S. showing at fine art fairs and galleries.
My works begins with sheet metal, cutting forging, dapping with applied finishes. My style is modern and contemporary appreciating simple straight forward shapes.

Silver & 14k filled metal sheet cut, dapped, forged, soldered and finished with wire brush & patina.