September 1999

Sherida Johnson from Floodwood, MN, utilizes fabric appliqué works to "convey a lightheartedness and innocence we like to remember from our earlier years."  Her work is based on snapshots from the 1930's through the 1960's  All are meant "to entertain or jog a memory -- often generating a laugh."  She likes to "depict people at their snap-shotiest."  Created by machine stitching pieces of fabric together, Johnson first employs an extensive amount of graphite and watercolor pencil drawing, dyeing, painting and stenciling before joining the many pieces together.  Sherida Johnson's works are included in many private collections throughout Minnesota and Montana and have been exhibited in several shows in Minnesota and Iowa.  Represented in recent years by three Duluth galleries, Johnson collaborated with fiber artist Linda Franzel to produce a weaving installation in a local bank.

Sherida Johnson - Artist's Statement

To entertain, to jog a memory, or to generate a laugh is the current emphasis behind my work.  I like to depict people at their "snap-shotiest" in surrounding dating between the 1930's through the 1960's.  To formulate my ideas I "read" through my horde of old photographs, like someone would a favorite book."

                    "Why does this person wear a plastic smile?"
                    "Why are their clothes wrinkled?"
                    "What color would that small kitchen be?"

Questions like these come to mind as I try to visualize these people in the moments they were living.

After an idea is decided upon, I employ an extensive amount of graphite and watercolor, pencil drawing, fabric, dyeing, painting, and stenciling.  These elements on fabric are then incorporated with other fabrics of specific colors, textures and patterns to create a desired mood and era.  They are then machine sewn together.

My pictures convey the light heartedness and innocence we like to remember of our earlier years.  The photograph-like format lends itself to portraying people in awkward, comical or reflective moments.

Lona J. Jenson of Saginaw, MN, will exhibit a collection of clay luminaries based on animal forms.  Billed as "playful ceramic sculpture," Jensen's works are the result of combining several hand-building techniques: slab, coil, and pinch methods.  They also are fired via several firing procedures including Japanese Raku, low-fire salt, sagar wood and saw dust, oxidation and reduction firing.  Inspired by the rich history of primitive pottery, Jensen feels her work "tends to keep her grounded in appreciating both the profundity and simplicity of life and the connectedness of all generations."  She also says that working with clay is "like having a conversations with your subconscious or on a deeper level, it is spiritual."  Lona J. Jensen's work has been exhibited at the Duluth Art Institute, the Kan-Nee-Tah Gallery near Lutsen, MN, and the Gathering Gallery of Duluth.  She has been commissioned by private individuals from Minnesota as well as Arizona.

Lona J. Jensen - ceramic sculpture
Artist's Statement

Working in clay has been more or less a coincidence.  I bumped into clay one day and it felt good.  When I am at work, I can completely forget myself, life seems less serious, and I become playful.  Working in clay is like having a conversation with your subconscious or on a deeper level, it is spiritual.  Anything that might concern you about life can be corrected by expressing it in clay.  Absorption in the process of making brings things together for me -- from thoughts, memories, feelings, etc.   The more creativity in my life, the more joy.

The rich history of primitive pottery and firing techniques has been the inspiration for the majority of my work, as I truly feel that as much as things change, they stay the same.  It tends to keep me grounded in appreciation both the profundity and simplicity of life and the connectedness of all generations, as we are all creating and repeating history.

This exhibit is a reflection of that rich primitive history of pottery combined with my own personal interpretation.  I am a hand-builder using the ancient techniques of coil, slab, pinch, and sculptural methods to form my objects.  I find particular delight in creating my Luminaries as all techniques are utilized.  They are my most playful pieces.

A variety of firing techniques have been used to finish my work -- Japanese Raku, low-fire salt, sagar wood and saw dust, oxidation and reduction.  My pieces are about control and accident.  At each step of the process, I react to what is there, produced by all previous steps.  Lately, consigning pieces to the kiln or other firing methods and accepting what is given back, is not always enough.  I find myself becoming more involved with a process of painting after firing, which gives me the last word.

I use clay as a form of communication, to speak when I cannot or will not.