AMY JO’S HANDIWORK IS A MÉLANGE OF BURLESQUE CAMP, cowgirl grit, and Victorian flourish. She’s undeniably influenced by ’70s pop design, but this North Dakota girl brings to those psychedelic swirls the frontier spirit of a nineteenth-century Sears Roebuck catalog. For real. When I ask her about it, she cracks up, “Those are actual images from some late 1800s Sears Roebuck catalog I picked up.” But make no mistake. Amy Jo’s work has some bite: Hendrickson’s all-American blonde pigtails read Rollergirl more than Little House on the Prairie.  

If you go to rock shows around Minnesota, you’ve seen (and likely admired) Amy Jo’s posters slapped up on the walls around you. She’s been at it for years. “I grew up in Fargo, and I got into making posters kind of indirectly,” Hendrickson recalls. “When I was about twenty, I started booking musical acts in town, and I just made rock posters and fliers as a promotional tool. It wasn’t until later, when I went to college, that I started thinking of graphic design and screenprinting as something I’d try to do more seriously.”

Once she moved to Minneapolis and set up shop at First Amendment Gallery with some other artists, her graphic design business really took off. Now, she’s doing individual commissions like wedding invites and baby announcements. “A guy hired me to do a portrait of his kids, like they were in a rock poster,” she laughs. “I guess a lot of people just want to do something a little different for their wedding invitations. They want them to be a little cooler than the usual thing. It’s crazy, but sort of fun.”

And for those in the Twin Cities music scene, Amy Jo’s sly grrl power designs have been garnering more and more notice. She might have had to hustle business before, but now, her work is in such demand that she finds herself turning offers down. “I get swamped sometimes and need a little break,” she explains. “It’s pretty time consuming to create a poster—for me it’s such a personal process. My ideas come from how I feel when I listen to the music. All told it takes several days, just to design and print the posters. I want to keep my prices affordable, so I’m really pretty much just doing work for bands I love.”

Amy Jo’s design savvy has the hook of a catchy pop song. She unabashedly draws from all sorts of things to get ideas—‘early twentieth-century burlesque imagery, retro catalog clip art, vintage books and movie posters, ’80s album covers. And then she tweaks those familiar styles with unexpected juxtapositions and cheeky flair.

Even if she didn’t set out to do this, looking back, she says it makes sense that she was drawn to this kind of work. “When I was a kid, I loved flipping through the images in catalogs. I always noticed album covers and ad designs and movie posters,” she remembers. “Now, when I’m not sure whether I’ve got any poster ideas left, I just head out to the library and start looking through old books. There’s all kinds of inspiration out there if you know how to look.”

»»CLICK HERE to browse through a collection of Amy Jo's fabulously retro rock posters on mnartists.org.

About the artist: Amy Jo Hendrickson describes herself as a North Dakota girl who grew up believing it reasonable to become either a ballerina or a cowgirl. But, because "horses are kind of scary and I can't balance on one foot very well" she went to college and got a "fancy schmancy" degree in graphic design. From her home base at Minneapolis’s First Amendment Gallery, Amy Jo designs and screenprints rock posters and album covers for bands all over the country. She occasionally takes on custom screenprint and design commissions and, when she can, she turns her hand to fine art pieces as well. The photo (left) is by her design partner Dale Flattum (a.k.a. Tooth).  (Scroll down for more info on where you can find Amy Jo's work in coming months.)

MnArtsWeekly 1.13

Elsa by Angela Strassheim

This week’s features turn the spotlight on artists that skirt the boundaries between art and “regular” life, bringing art into life and life into art. Highlighted pieces include a profile of artist Ray Rolfe, who strives to make his life a work of art, an interview with Occasional Gallery owner Aaron van Dyke on what it’s like to run a gallery out of his home, review of Angela Strassheim’s magnificently troubling photography. And don’t forget to check out this week’s winning What Light poem from Jen March and the latest podcast installments from Radio mnartists and Some Assembly Required.

Call for Artists: SPACE 144

Photo courtesy mnartists.org

Join us at the Fair!

Courtesy the Minnesota State Fair

mnartists.org will be at the Minnesota State Fair again this year, but we can’t do it without help from our members. So come on out and join in on the fun: help staff the booth, get a free t-shirt, and rub elbows with other members of the mnartists.org community. You can find more information and how to sign up by clicking here.

Classes and Workshops

University of Minnesota (CCE) “Curiosity Camps”

Fruit square with spirals ceramic tile from SoMi Tileworks, the field trip destination for the Ceramics Squared Curiosity Camp.

Who says camp is just for kids? Whether you need a retreat but can’t get away or still cultivate an eagerness to learn new things, these one-day “Curiosity Camps” may be just right for you. There’s something here to capture your imagination—whether your interest is in ceramics or local architecture, Shakespeare, birding, or even medieval illuminated manuscripts. They’re promising a full day of productive play with lectures, field trips, and rousing topical discussions at these engaging summer day camps for adults. University and community experts will help you see an intriguing topic or favorite place in a whole new light by taking you out and about, behind the scenes, or away from it all. Click here for the full line-up of Curiosity Camps and for detailed session descriptions and registration info.

Where: University of Minnesota (Saint Paul campus), Continuing Education and Conference Center

When: From June through August, each session usually runs from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Click here for individual Curiosity Camp descriptions and scheduling information.

Fees: $125 per session (Some scholarships and discounts are available.)

Yoga for Artists at Altered Esthetics

This summer Altered Esthetics is offering a variety of workshops intended to stimulate, relieve, protect and contemplate the creative mind and body. This workshop in Raja Yoga draws from the teachings, postures, and meditation techniques of the centuries-old Himalayan tradition of “Yoga Science and Philosophy.” The class, taught by a veteran yoga instructor and artist, is intended to help keep bodies healthy, senses aware, minds clear, and the creative juices flowing. Good for artists… good for anyone, really.

Where: Altered Esthetics Gallery, Minneapolis, MN

When: Wednesdays in June (6, 13, 20, 27) from 6-7:30 pm.

Fees: $13 each session in advance, $15 at the door ($45 in advance for all four sessions). Click here for registration info. Artists and non-artists alike are welcome.

Dance

TU Dance

Photo by V. Paul Virtuccio

Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands return to the Southern stage with their extraordinary troupe of ten for a program featuring three electrifying company premieres by Artistic Director Uri Sands and guest choreographer Joanie Smith. Since the company’s sold-out opening run in 2005, TU Dance, with its signature fusion of modern and traditional dance forms, has won significant local and international critical acclaim, recently earning raves from Minneapolis Star Tribune dance critic Camille LeFevre who enthused, “Rarely does dance this gracious, lush, complex, emotionally resonant and, well, simply beautiful, appear on local stages.”

Where: The Southern Theater, Minneapolis, MN

When: June 14-17; 21-24. Thursday-Saturday shows start at 8 pm; Sunday show at 7 pm. There will be a matinee performance Saturday, June 23 beginning at 2 pm.

Tickets: $28 ($17 matinee)

Festivals

ArtSoup

If you’re looking for a fun day trip with the family, mark your calendars to head out to ArtSoup, Elk River’s largest community festival. Highlights of this free weekend-long arts celebration will include live music from a variety of Minnesota musicians (this year’s line-up highlights roots music and “Americana”), theater, dance, a juried art show, children's activities, artists’ booths, food, and all kinds of other arts-related hoo-hah.

Where: Handke Stadium, Elk River, MN

When: Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24

Tickets: FREE and open to the public

26th Annual Art on the Lake

Teapot with a Twisted Handle by Carolina Niebres, a potter who’ll be participating in Art on the Lake

The 26th annual Art on the Lake festival will showcase the work of over 200 juried artisans who will be exhibiting their oil paintings, jewelry, pottery, watercolors, clothing, photography, and much more.  Children can enjoy a day long free art activity center, as well as the wandering magicians and face painters. All that, and assorted fried items and fair food too. How can you resist? 

Where: Excelsior Commons Park (by Lake Minnetonka), Excelsior, MN

When: Saturday June 9 (10 am-6 pm) and Sunday June 10 (10 am-4 pm).

Tickets: FREE and open to the public

Noche Hispana

Photo courtesy Paulino Brener

Celebrate la cultura hispana with two evenings of music, poetry, and dance in celebration of Minnesota’s rich Hispanic cultural community. Local performance artist Paulino Brener has assembled a number of talented local performers to present a colorful assortment of traditional arts from Latin-America, Mexico, Bolivia, and Spain.

Where: Patrick’s Cabaret, Minneapolis, MN

When: June 8-9, festivities begin at 8 pm both nights.

Tickets: $8 ($6 in advance)

Minneapolis MOSAIC

Photos courtesy MOSAIC

Minneapolis is known for its vibrant and diverse cultural scene and Minneapolis MOSAIC offers a broad spectrum of events all summer long that celebrate the many ways we express ourselves, in all our cultural traditions, through the arts. From Latin salsa bands to African drummers, you'll find over 40 acts providing entertainment from every culture. There's also street food from the Midtown Global Market, a cultural fashion exhibit, the MOSAIC Visual Art Gallery and lots more—and that’s just what’s going on opening night!

Where: Various venues and performances throughout Minneapolis. Opening night festivities will take place on Hennepin Avenue downtown between 7th & 9th Streets.

When: The opening night celebration is Saturday June 9, from 6-10 pm. MOSAIC events will be held from June 9 through the summer. Click here for a full schedule of MOSAIC events.

Tickets: Opening night events are FREE and open to the public

Literary Events

Second Tuesday Lecture and Nocturnes book release party

Prominent local photographer Chris Faust will present a selection of his evocative nighttime photos drawn from his new book Nocturnes. After Faust presents his photos writer, art historian, and former Walker Art Center curator, Joan Rothfuss (who contributed an essay to the book) will also lead a conversation about his work.

Where: Minnesota Center for Photography, Minneapolis, MN

When: June 12, 7 pm. There will be a reception following the lecture at Gallery 13 where you can see some of his photographs on display until July 3.

Tickets: $5 (free for MCP members and students with ID)

Art Review & Preview Launches

Detail from Mail Art by Aesthetics Incorporated. All the orders of 2, 3, 4, 5 & 10 cent stamps (post card postage = .24). Exhibited at Quarter Gallery, University of Minnesota Minneapolis Campus, March-April, 2007.

Art Review & Preview, a new Minneapolis-based quarterly art publication with smart profiles, essays, and reviews/previews of notable regional and national art happenings will soon be delivered (hot off the presses) to a gallery near you. The inaugural issue, which tackles the tension between notions of private and public interest, also includes a profile of “featured artist” photographer David Enblom (Aesthetics Incorporated) and articles on MOMA’s (and soon, the Walker’s) Picasso and American Art exhibit, Kara Walker, and Carey Young, and thoughtful examinations of the balance between public vs. private interest in the arts.

ARP! releases June 6. Visit the ARP! website to find out where you can pick up a copy.

Music

Latin-American Folk Fusion with the Pachamama Band

Courtesy Pachamama Band

Using voices, strings, and a variety of both modern and traditional Andean wind and percussion instruments, the Pachamama Band combines harmonies and rhythms from different Latin American musical traditions—from Chilean Cueca and "New Song" to Afro-Cuban Son to Peruvian Huayno—to create its own unique sound. You’ll have an opportunity to see this lively band perform in a free family-friendly afternoon concert of Latin American folk and fusion music. Click here to listen to some of their songs on mnartists.org.

Where: Hosmer Library, Minneapolis, MN

When: June 16 at 2 pm

Tickets: FREE and open to the public

Theater

Love’s Prick a new play by Matthew Everett

Logo design by Kate Metzger

Presented in partnership with Outward Spiral Theatre Company, Love’s Prick (directed by Todd Hughes) is a modern day riff on the themes of love and gender confusion in Shakespeare's romantic comedy As You Like It. In a coffeehouse known as "The Forest" a high school girl masquerades as a boy and finds herself fielding romantic interest both gay and straight; two college wrestlers and the student editor of the campus literary magazine struggle with a complicated love triangle and a mysterious online poet; a transgender minister finds the possibility of companionship with a local police officer. These semi-staged workshop performances will hold audience feedback sessions after each show.

Where: Center for Independent Artists, Minneapolis, MN

When: Friday and Saturday, June 15-16; Monday, June 18; Friday and Saturday, June 22-23. Shows begin at 7:30 pm.

Visual Arts

Picasso and American Art

Girl with Beach Ball III by Roy Lichtenstein, 1977. Oil and Magna on canvas 80 x 66 in. (203.2 x 167.6 cm) Collection Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Modern Art Foundation, Inc. © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein Image © 2006 Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington Photograph by Edward Owen. Courtesy WAC.

This landmark exhibition, organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, examines the fundamental role that Pablo Picasso played in the development of American art over the past century by juxtaposing his work with that of groundbreaking American artists who were inspired or influenced by his example. The exhibition features nearly 30 works by Picasso as well as a wide-ranging display of works by nine American artists: Max Weber, Stuart Davis, Arshile Gorky, John Graham, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, David Smith, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns. Each will be represented by approximately 10 artworks spanning their careers. In addition, works by Marsden Hartley, May Ray, Louise Bourgeois, Jan Matulka, Robert Motherwell, Andy Warhol, and Claes Oldenburg, among others, will be on view. Look below for details on the Walker’s plans for Picasso-related lectures and events.

Where: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

When: The exhibit opens June 16 and runs through September 9. There is a Walker After Hours preview party Friday, June 15 (9 pm-midnight). Opening day, attend a special lecture by exhibit curator Michael FitzGerald, or explore the cultural and social aspects of Picasso’s status as a media icon at a lecture a week later entitled “Why is Picasso famous?”. The exhibit will run through September 9.

Tickets: Exhibit admission is $10. (Free for WAC members and kids under 12; discounts for students and seniors). Click the specific event links above for ticket info on individual lectures and the preview party.

Three-Dimensional Saturday Nights Symposia at Franconia Sculpture Park

Franconia Sculpture Park and V.A.C.U.M. (Visual Arts Critics Union of Minnesota) are partnering to present a monthly series of lively evenings to foster an interchange of ideas between artists and art critics. FSP artists and some of Minnesota’s most interesting art critics will converge on FSP once a month for a no-holds-barred dialogue among artists, writers, and anyone in the public interested in art of three or more dimensions. These symposia will include slide shows of current resident artists’ work, a freewheeling discussion between artists and critics, and things to eat and drink.

Where: Franconia Sculpture Park, Franconia, MN

When: Monthly through the summer: June 9, July 14, August 11, and September 8. The conversation will run from 6-10.

Tickets: FREE and open to the public. If you’d like to eat, a BBQ dinner is $8 (additional donations are welcome). Click here for directions to the park.

Charlie Parr tour poster by Keegan Wenkman.

You can see much more of this Minneapolis artist's appealingly weird fine art and his stylish rock posters on the website One Foot In Front. (For a mere $20, you can buy a copy of this cool Charlie Parr poster there too.)

One in the New Wave by Keegan Wenkman.