Staff art shows have become a feature of many museums now, and for good reason: many museum staffers are artists, professionally or otherwise, putting their creativity to work and being inspired in return. Mia’s annual staff art show, “Artists at Work,” is up through April 13 in the museum’s Community Commons. Here we present a selection of pieces and the stories behind them, showcasing the many talents within.
Erin Piel, Audience, Sorrow and Rage, acrylic on canvas.
I painted this piece while grieving the loss of a dear friend. Blues, teals, and greens are some of my favorite colors to paint with, and I found that mixing the paint and applying it to the canvas was calming and therapeutic. But the anger that’s an inevitable part of loss found its way into my process and interrupted the peace and calm I was seeking.
Cameron Jarvis, Registration, Coast to Coast, oil, pastel, marker and collage on canvas.
I trace the movement of Black people across land and water, and I investigate the many environments we inhabit. My visual art combines ubiquitous materials like concrete, dust, old advertisements, and trash with traditional art-making methods like oil painting and printmaking. I want to connect complex abstract ideas with things, places, and words that people already know. How can we understand the systems that created and govern the built environment around us?
I collect, archive, and re-contextualize images, objects, and materials. Allusions to cars and driving culture filter into my art because they symbolize a uniquely American idea of freedom. Car infrastructure dominates our urban landscape and allows us to dominate the vast distances that make up this nation.
Rob McBroom, Security, “Menacing Loon” Minnesota state flag redesign submission, polyester with metal grommets.
About a year ago, there was a call for submissions from the Minnesota State Emblems Design Commission to redesign the state flag and seal. You may find it hard to believe, but if you’re working as a security guard here, that gives you a lot of extra time to think about a gamut of random things ALL DAY LONG. Such was the case here and about 95 percent of the concept for my flag design was thought up right there on the second floor of the galleries.
What can I say, this one really made an impression with people and went viral even before Nate Silver (of FiveThirtyEight fame) posted it on social media. Officially, it was known as “F408” for its unceremonious placement as an entry number on the SERC website, but was given various nicknames including “ominous loon,” “threatening loon,” “sinister loon,” “terrifying loon” and “obey the loon” before everyone seemingly coalesced around “Menacing Loon.” Not exactly what I was thinking when designing it, but I’m okay with it and it’s definitely catchier than F408.
Unfortunately, all of the loon flag designs were immediately given the axe for whatever reason and none were contenders for the new Minnesota flag. It’s worth noting that the same criteria wasn’t applied to the new state seal, which is very much loonified. But hey, who needs unified branding when you can have a mishmash of “whatever”? Luckily, that wasn’t the end of my design, because now it’s being produced by Flags for Good of Indianapolis.
What’s particularly great about having it in the Staff Art Show is that I no longer have to clarify which design was mine when people excitedly ask, “Oh ,you did the one with the laser eyes?” and I have to say “No, it’s the extreme close-up loon.” That’s often followed up with, “It’s the one that looks like it’s waiting for you to say something disparaging about their mom, so they have an excuse to show you the business end of that bill.”
Flags exactly like this one are for sale on the Flags for Good website (FlagsForGood.com), though you might have to dig around a little to find ‘em. (Hint: Keyword searching “loon,” will be a vast help.) Vinyl stickers of the design are also available on RobMcBroom.BigCartel.com, for anyone who only wants five inches of fun.
Kara ZumBahlen, Learning and Programming, sake set, porcelain with iron and black slip decoration.
In decorating this set, I was inspired by my collection of agates, which I have found through years of walking on rock beaches and gravel roads in northern Minnesota. The set is made from porcelain, painted with iron slip, which is then carved in banded patterns and interlocked with black slip trailing.
Kate Brenner-Adam, Visitor Experience, The Chariot (Minnesota State Fair Edition), basil seeds, poppy seeds, amaranth seeds.
Making crop art helped me during the difficult parts of our IVF journey, so it only seemed appropriate that our baby would arrive (unexpectedly) just in time for the State Fair! I began telling people that I may have gotten fourth in crop art, but I got first in the best baby competition.
Cara O’Connell, Visitor Experience and The Store Casual, Myrna’s Healing Hands, graphite and oil on paper.
This piece is part of an ongoing series about the privilege of aging. Myrna works as an in-home caregiver and her role plays an integral part in helping people age with dignity and respect.