Winter/Spring 2012 Exhibits

January 2 - 23

Space Equals Oxygen

Paintings & Drawings by Lois Peterson

Lois Peterson: Artist Statement

The work in this exhibition has been the most enjoyable work to produce that I have ever experienced.

The drawings in this exhibition are done primarily with oil sticks on a variety of drawing surfaces, including drawing paper, paper drawing boards and large ½ inch foam- core boards. Working with oil sticks is seductive because they are so lush that they are similar to ceramic glazes; minus the headaches that glazes, kilns, firings, clay bodies and equipment can cause to the creative process ( a material I worked in for 25 years)

I am attracted to the beauty of space; I do not want detailed, descriptive information about what I am looking at to enter into my work. I have always been drawn to landscapes that are mostly void of visual variety. The open, flowing water of the Mississippi River is perfect in its simplicity and uniformity, as are the open plains and prairies of the Dakotas and also the ice pack of the Arctic. I traveled to Barrow, Alaska this past year and was mesmerized by how the white ground and the white sky became one. The local skin boats, waiting for sealskins to be stretched over the boat frames, inspired two of the drawings in the exhibition. The boat frames seemed poetic, perched on stilts above the white ground, waiting to be used again for the whale hunt, they represented a fragment of a story well known to the community.

I am drawn to water and it is a frequent topic in my work. Another drawing in the exhibit is inspired by ice fishing houses. A house sitting on top of ice with flowing water underneath seems like the stuff of dreams, a house on water.

Small details are an endless fascination for me, twigs protruding out of snow covered ground, cracks in rock surfaces, ice breaking apart atop of flowing water underneath its surface and the wave of grasses in the wind; all are the inspiration for my work. If I were to try to imitate these images realistically they would turn stiff and artificial looking. I choose instead to focus only on the impression of my experience with these sparse, quiet spaces.

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February 8 - March 4

TWENTY: the 20th Cooperative Exhibition
Celebrating 10 Years of Highpoint Printshop
Cooperative Exhibitions

Reception: Wednesday, February 15, from 5-7 PM

TWENTY, the 2011 Winter Cooperative Exhibition marks a milestone for Highpoint and the Printshop Cooperative. The Winona Arts Center has traveled the the 20th Cooperative Exhibition, celebrating 10 years of semi-annual exhibitions to Winona for a very special exhibition.

This exhibition features work by twenty-eight local printmakers with a wide range of experiences. For some, printmaking is an avocation; others create prints professionally and have placed works in public and private collections across the country. Working at Highpoint provides the artists with access to a state-of-the-art printmaking facility, the chance to exhibit and sell prints at semi-annual shows and the opportunity to work alongside fellow printmakers in a supportive workshop setting.

About Highpoint:
Highpoint Center for Printmaking, located at 912 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, is dedicated to advancing the art of printmaking. Its goals are to provide educational programs, community access, and collaborative publishing opportunities to engage the public and increase the appreciation and understanding of the printmaking arts.

For more information: www.highpointprintmaking.org

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March 16 - April 22

Earth Day / Sun-Day Open Show

Reception: Thursday, March 22, from 5:30-7:00 PM

DROP OFF: Tuesday March 6, Wed., March 7 from 5:30-7:00 PM

PICK-UP: Wednesday, April 25, Thursday April 26 from 5:30-7:00 PM

Earth and Sun Themed Exhibit, see Prospectus for more details.

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May 9-29

Winona Senior High School Senior Art Show

Reception: May 9th, 4-6:00 PM