I’ve finally finished the piece that I started earlier this year. What can I say, I got sidetracked with a new job. Thanks to my friend Zac, I was able to add the perfect phrase of text. It’s off to the framer since it will appear in Gallery 360’s ten year anniversary event in June.
Marilyn Stevens, All Your Beauty, 36w x 44h, 2010
We visited our Wisconsin creative space building site this weekend. Although both Gregg and I are very excited, our reasons are very different. Gregg wanted me to see the rocks he had collected for later landscaping, where he planned to store the wood and how he was going to use his bobcat to clear out a nice landing. I on the other hand wanted to stop and take pictures of the hundred plus horses in the pasture across from our land and take photos of what my art studio view will look like from above! It’s all good.
Gregg's Man Toy
Rocks Collected from Site
Horse Farm Across From Us
Future View From My Art Studio
It’s finally happening. The heavy equipment has arrived and we are starting to move the earth. We are in the infancy stages of building our dream creative space. I know these photos are probably not that exciting but they represent a monumental step in this journey. The beginning…
Diamond Bluff, WI, 2010
Please join me at Gallery 360 where owner Merry Beck seamlessly combines art, design, fashion and craft into one inspiring retail event. I was thrilled when I met Merry and heard about her vision for the trunk show. It is the perfect venue where my art can be a backdrop with fashion. I have three pieces in this show and hope to be part of their 10 year anniversary event next month. I would love to see you.
Martha McQuade
Marilyn Stevens, Letting Go of the Words, 2009
Spring Trunk Show Event
Thursday, May 13, 6-9 pm
Featured Clothing Artists: Martha McQuade, Kimberly Jurek, Liz Plambeck & Heather Hambrecht
20% off Sale
Thursday, May 13 through Sunday, May 16
Gallery 360
3011 West 50th St
Minneapolis, MN 55410
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10-6, Thurs until 8, Sunday 12 to 5
Gallery 360 is a contemporary retail gallery located at the corner of 50th and Xerxes in Southwest Minneapolis. Opened by owner Merry Beck in the summer of 2000, this neighborhood gallery is situated amongst an eclectic array of independently owned boutique shops. With exhibitions rotating every six weeks, Merry Beck and her staff are able to recreate the space with an ever-changing collection of local and national talent. The gallery’s tag line “art in every degree”, sums up the extensive variety of fine art and handmade product available within. While representing traditional art media, such as painting, photography, and sculpture Gallery 360 is also known to take an offbeat approach by offering contemporary art jewelry, locally designed fashions, and multi media window installations.
We haven’t broke ground yet and Gregg and I have already started discussions on “what if we build this creative space and don’t have any new ideas?” “Or money?” Nothing like two Virgos getting together to worry and obsess about stupid things we can’t control. Then we snapped out of it and started talking about all of the possibilities. My dreams include events featuring local chefs, musicians, artisans and artists. Gregg has visions of more equipment, tools and things that require more storage. This is part 2 of what I’m certain will be many interesting twist and turns in the unfolding of our dream creative space.
We worked with the Minneapolis, architectural firm, Altus to create our new space. We have followed Tim Alt on several building projects over the last several years and have always admired his firms modern aesthetic, use of materials and ability to integrate design naturally with the land and individuals who live there.
Our land site has some very challenging issues given it sits on the side of a hill. Altus was able to guide us with thoughtful placement of the home fitting it into the landscape and taking advantage of the best views and optimum light. Our goal was an emphasis on natural light, easy movement from indoors to outdoors and from creative space to living space. We are so excited with the results which features loft like flexible spaces, high ceiling and lots of windows. Our favorite is a huge rooftop deck over a portion of the shop in the back.
East, front view
First floor, wood shop and art studio
Gregg with land permit
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has brought in internationally known environmental artist Patrick Dougherty to create a one-of-kind work inspired by the Arboretum itself.
When: 6:30-8 p.m. May 13
Where: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum visitor center, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chanhassen
Admission: $10 for Arboretum members, $20 for nonmembers
To register: Go to www.arboretum.umn.edu and click on “Learn pages.”
Ongoing: Dougherty also will be on-site 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily through May 21, except for this Saturday and Sunday.
Webcam: To see progress on the “Big Build,” go to the Arboretum’s website.
More info: For more on Dougherty’s work, go to www.stickwork.net.
* Sortie de Cave Jardin des Arts, Chateaubourg, France, 2008. Photography: Charles Crie. *
As reported by a staff writer at the Star Tribune today, the “Big Build” has begun.
Renowned environmental sculptor Patrick Dougherty this week is gathering raw materials and inspiration at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for his newest creation: A giant and unique outdoor “stick” sculpture that he will assemble over the next three weeks during his “Big Build residency.”
Through May 22, Dougherty and a group of volunteers will collect and weave together tree saplings and forest thinnings into a vision inspired by the Arboretum itself. Dougherty is expected to use about five truckloads of willow branches and tree samplings in the creation, according to the Arboretum.
Dougherty, who lives in Chapel Hill, N.C., will be accessible to the public during the build. “An Evening with Patrick Dougherty” is scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. May 13 at the visitor center, when he will present a visual tour of other art installations he’s created around the world and share his personal story about how he developed his art form.
Well, it’s finally going to happen. My husband Gregg and I are going to take the plunge and build our dream creative space and apartment studio in Wisconsin. Almost three years ago, we sold our cabin up north (pre-recession, thank God) so that we could build a modern, country studio space with a wood workshop, art studio and weekend apartment.
My husband had his shop in the warehouse district of Minneapolis for over twenty years when it was sold to condominium developers. Not ready to make a commitment to a new space, his equipment has been sitting in storage for four years. In the mean time we bought an apartment building, I left my job and we dove head first into hiring an architect and creating our dream studio design that cost about five times what we expected. Then the recession hit and we stopped everything.
Now two years later, I have a new job, we hired a new architect and have a design that we think is doable. All still very scary but something we feel is worth the risk. And my husband needs his power tools. We are hoping to break ground in two weeks however that’s city time, not Wisconsin time.
View over the Trimbelle river valley
New road
Clearing the land
Trimbelle River
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