I am happy to announce that I’ve been able to mark a few paintings as SOLD, including these two favorites. I’m so excited they get to leave the studio and start a life of their own. Amazingly, both paintings are still available as prints through Tiny Showcase
In Other Exciting News: I am in the process of adding an online shop to my website. I hope to have all the work available to sell listed by Thanksgiving!
Stay tuned!!
Through litigation and advocacy, the American Civil Liberties Union is fighting back against attempts to curtail an essential right in our democracy, the right to vote.
I WILL VOTE 8” diameter
I WILL VOTE 12” diameter
VOTE. 8” diameter (SOLD)
Each painting is mixed media on canvas stretched over an ultra light bamboo hoop. They have been sprayed with a protective coating, but best used indoors. Each one has a hidden a loop for easy display. An ideal conversation starter, use them as an opportunity to talk with the people in your life about making a plan to vote for 2020!
Email or Direct message me if you would like to purchase: mgrillpainting@gmail.com. Shipping or contactless delivery available!
Current Options:
Sm I WILL VOTE 8” diameter
Lg I WILL VOTE 12” diameter
Sm VOTE 8” diameter (SOLD)
***More in the works***
UPDATE: All three paintings have sold out!! Thank you!
This last year was spent working on twelve paintings that illustrate the invasive species in Minnesota for a show entitled “Gone to Seed” exhibited at Silverwood Park. I was fortunate that the opening was right before the Minnesota Stay in Home Order. All park buildings are now closed, which includes the park gallery, but the trails, sculpture garden and poetry stops are still open. You can even see several of my paintings from the windows of the gallery, thanks to the creative working of Eileen Cohen the Exhibition Coordinator.
The Gallery Conversation with the Invasive Species Cooridator, Missy Anderson has transitioned to become a virtual conversation about Garlic Mustard and will be paired with a video about my process making the painting depicting the species. I hope you’ll check it out once it’s posted!
Finally, I used this opportunity to completely redesign my website to highlight specific installations, including the work from Gone to Seed. It is a project I have wanted to tackle for a while, but I needed time to fully devote myself to it. I currently have time and I am really happy with the redesign!
Take a tour through my exhibit: Gone to Seed
Garlic Mustard | Alliaria petiolata Oil on board, 10 x 26
Gone to Seed considers the ornamental origins of Minnesota’s invasive plant species. Each botanical illustration sprawls over the boards in lavish patterns enveloping the walls of the gallery. The series challenges the viewer to reconcile the allure of these intricate and beautiful plants with their harmful impact on the ecosystem.
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 12th, 6 pm- 8 pm
Gone to Seed: March 12th - April 30th
Silverwood Gallery is free and open daily to the public from 9 am - 5 pm.
Silverwood Park
2500 County Road E
St. Anthony, MN 55421
www.threeriversparks.org
Gallery Discussion: Saturday, April 18th, 10 - 11:30 am
Join Margi Grill and Three Rivers Park District Invasive Species Coordinator Missy Anderson for a discussion about invasive plants and how they inspired Gone to Seed.
Hope to see you there!
Check out some of my newest paintings and have a cup of coffee with me and St Paul City Council President, Amy Brendmoen, as part of the Ward 5 Featured Artist Exhibit.
Council President Brendmoen
Wednesday, March 27th from 9:30-10:30am
320-A City Hall 15 Kellogg Blvd West
Saint Paul, MN 55102
See you there!
-Margi
Embrace the Standee: Also known as a-face-in-a-hole. It’s a classic format for people to pose and snap a photo.
Pay Homage: I wanted this piece to be about Neighborhood pride, so I used one of the many views from Loeb Lake (located inside Marydale Park) for the background scene.
Find a Theme: I decided upon catfish riding bikes because I’ve long been inspired by my neighbors who bike over to the lake while balancing a fishing pole, tackle box, and sometimes another person. Also, what is better than a “Channel Cat” having it’s whiskers blowing in the wind as they zoom around the lake!
Sketch, Trace, and Project: I worked from the photos I took on my phone, vintage bicycle ads and illustrations from the Department of Natural Resources. I used a light box and tracing paper to layer each of the elements, then an opaque projector to broadcast that image onto plywood.
Take a Deep Breath and Get the Jigsaw: A lot of work went into the project so far and having those holes cut out was pretty stressful. There’s isn’t much room to fix a mistake, but a-face-in-a-hole doesn’t work without the holes!
Invest in Acrylic Paints: I haven’t worked in Acrylic paints for sometime. I’m more of a water-soluble oil paint and soft pastel kinda gal these days, but a polymer based paint is the best bet for an art project at an outdoor event. Thankfully, the Third Saturday of September just happened to be a top ten weather day!
Sit Back, Relax, and Tell People “Yeah, Come Take a Picture”: Some people needed a little coaxing or coaching, but I got to experience people running up to see my work. I saw families take photos of smiling kids as they became Catfish Riding Bikes about Loeb Lake. It was the best art exhibit experience I could ever have!
Special Thanks to Nathan Kastle, Beth Baden, Carl Grill, Cris Miles, and Margot Mickey Jeanne!
1. Eat a frozen pizza
2. Save that circular piece of cardboard
3. Use vinyl letters, stencils, or freehand your slogan: “I Voted,” “I Will Vote, ” or “VOTE!!!”
4. Block out the negative space. I used a red student grade acrylic. This is the most time consuming part, but you can pretend you work in the art department at Sterling Cooper, so old-timey!
5. Final and most important step: Display prominently and use as an opportunity to talk about your plan to vote with friends, neighbors, co-workers, even family! Make a goal to talk to at least three people!!!
You can vote early at your County Election Office: More Infomation to Vote Early in MN
More Information to Vote by Mail in MN
I am honored to be one of the featured artists at The Mill Yard Artist Collective at Stonebridge Lofts with an exciting opening this Wednesday, July 18th from 5-8pm.
Join us and make a night of it with Peeps Hot Box food truck, an Izzy Buck for all attendees, and Misfits Coffee truck! Come for incredible food, a summer signature cocktail and amazing art!
Moonlight on the Marquee Mixed media on paper, 11 x 15, $275
Available for sale at The Mill Yard Artist Collective at Stonebridge Lofts
The Mill Yard Yard at Stonebridge Lofts
1120 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN
Opening Reception: July 18th 5-7pm
I wanted to share some of the exciting collaborative projects I have been working on recently and highlight the amazing artists with which I have been conspiring.
The paper making process, during a 'Meet and Make' for the Fourth Annual CoLab Exhibit.
The first project is in conjunction with the Fourth Annual CoLab exhibition at The Show Gallery, where artists are paired up to create projects that will raise funds to benefit artists with disabilities. The exhibit is judged by none other than Bill Murray for the "Bill Murray Choice Award." The venture gave me the opportunity to learn from and work with with Annie Young. Our project focused on the differences that inform our artwork, using the Box Elder tree as a metaphor. We created a series of one-of-a-kind handmade papers, a process and medium that was entirely new for me. Annie and I have a lot of big ideas for the installation of the project, so please come check it out at the CoLab Opening, September 8th from 4-7pm.
The other collaborative project I want to share is one I'm working on with my longtime partner in art, Alyssa Wendorff. We have literally been working together since we met at the University of Minnesota Art Department 15 years ago! We recently showcased our work together at the Robbin Gallery in Robbinsdale, MN. This time we have an opportunity to exhibit at the Hudson Hospital & Clinic through the The Phipps Center for the Arts. For this opportunity we've devised a plan where each of us completes a 24” by 24” canvas for the other to create an additional 24” by 24” canvas in response. The pieces are then displayed as a 24” by 48” two paneled painting, or as a diptych. Here's a sneak peak of our first diptych:
Untitled Diptych Oil, acrylic, and mixed media on canvas 30 x 60
Please stay tuned for more updates on this exciting project!
I just learned the prints of Spring Map have completely SOLD OUT on Tiny Showcase! Thank you to everyone for your support and for supporting local artists!
FUN FACT: I still have two high-quality, limited edition prints available through Tiny Showcase! Get them before they're gone!
10 x 8" prints of this painting available through tinyshowcase.com
10 x 8" prints of this painting available through tinyshowcase.com
Untitled Oil and mixed media on canvas, 24 x 24
I finished this painting and I'm so proud of it! It was also a joy to paint; things just flowed and came together. Every so often this will happen and it is great.
When I thought it might be done, I brought it down to get my family's opinion. I asked my 2 year old daughter "What colors are in Mom's paintings?" To which she replied "Lettuce."
Yep! Lettuce pretty much sums it up!
Check out my newest showcase at tinyshowcase.com
The curators at Tiny Showcase have selected one of my favorite paintings, "Expedition" for this week's showcase.
About "Expedition": This painting was built up slowly with layers of translucent washes. Illustrations of the zippered shelters that dot Midwestern shores were then painted onto the 40" by 30" canvas. This work is a tribute to the experience of floating through a wild and open landscape.
Print Details: “Expedition” is a limited edition of 100 prints. Sized to fit a standard 10” x 8” frame, the artwork measures approximately 9” high by 6.5” wide. The archival print was created by Tiny Showcase and ships with a corresponding certificate of authenticity. The archival artwork has been printed on a heavy 290gsm natural white print making paper made from 90% bamboo fibres and 10% cotton.
$250 from the sale of the showcase will be donated to Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. Through advocacy and education, the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness works to protect, preserve and restore the wilderness character of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico-Superior ecosystem.
Prints are only $25, a perfect holiday gift or a treat for yourself!
Check it out: tiny showcase.com
I am so honored to have work selected for the Roots and Wings exhibition at Silverwood Park!
Spring Map is available as 4.8 x 8" print with a border for framing for ONLY $20! Spring map has been printed on a heavy 290gsm natural white print making paper made from 90% bamboo fibres and 10% cotton. Purchase the print here: tinyshowcase.com
Spring Map Oil and mixed media on canvas
Cold Start is available as a 8 x 10" print with a border for framing for $25. Cold Start is printed on a heavy 290gsm natural white print making paper made from 90% bamboo fibres and 10% cotton. This print has the option to be purchased with an archival mat and custom maple frame. Purchase the print here: tiny showcase.com
Cold Start Oil and mixed media on canvas
More about this painting can be found here: New Painting
East Window and West Window, two works on paper are now on view at Though My Eyes, at the Paramount Center for the Arts in St. Cloud. The exhibit will be up through September 26th, with a closing party on Tuesday, September 26th from 5:45-8:00pm. If you have not seen the Paramount Theater in person it is truly a treasure to behold.
Cold Start Oil and mixed media on canvas
I also have a larger scale painting on view at the In Art Show and Competition. Cold Start will be on view at the Hallberg Center for the Arts, in Wyoming, Minnesota, from August 24th though October 14th, 2017. An opening and awards ceremony will be held on August 24, 2017 starting at 4:00pm.
Cold Start is also one of the works I have available as a print through Tiny Showcase. You can purchase an 8" x 10" print here: tinyshowcase.com
Remember to check out my EXHIBITS page for any upcoming or current shows and my PURCHASE page for all my works that are for sale. I am updating both pages as often as I can.
Thanks everyone and maybe I'll see you in St. Cloud or Wyoming!
This painting just got boxed up and shipped out to Queens , NY because it SOLD!
Such a Fool I've Been Oil and mixed media on canvas
I'm always thrilled when someone loves a painting as much as I do, that they want to spend their hard earned money on it, but this sale made me especially happy!
I painted this piece in that listless, but hopeful time right after college. I was living by myself for the first time and put my art studio in my kitchen. It was my plan to motivate myself to paint in my new post-college life. It kinda worked. Any unfinished painting just stared at me as I ate my lean cuisines.
My most productive time In college was spent painting landscapes that dealt with suburban sprawl, specifically the experience of the woods I grew up with becoming housing. I wanted something fresh and challenging to paint, so I turned to the plight of Snow White and the breathtaking landscapes she inhabited. There might be some deep reason that bought me to Disney iconography, but I think I really just wanted to do something that was more graphically-minded. I wanted bright colors and a sharp outline. Also, the movie is really beautiful!
This painting took me forever. The style was so different from anything I'd done. It was also big: 30 x 40. There was a day when I worked on this painting for 6 hours straight. I remember telling people "I haven't worked that long on a painting in one day, since college." Unfortunately, I probably haven't since (6 hours is a really long time.)
I always think of this painting when I'm trying something new and it doesn't work out right away. I need to keep going, repaint, and see where it leads me!
Now until the end of June 2017 I will have a handful of my favorite paintings up at Black Coffee and Waffle Bar. A beautiful space on the corner of Cretin and Marshall in St. Paul. Coffee, Waffles, and art will make any day better! The waffles are pretty amazing!
Margot and I snapped a few photos when we stopped by last:
The postcards are here!
Color of Land, an exhibit Alyssa Wendorff and I have created specifically for the Robbin Gallery is going up this September!! Be sure to come to the Opening: Friday, September 9th, 2016 from 6-8pm!!
More info about the exhibit can be found on the gallery's website: Robbin Gallery
I'm so proud of the work we've done for this show, I cannot wait to see it hanging on gallery walls!!
I have submitted artwork to the Minnesota State Fair for so many years. This is the first year I have had something accepted.
Wesselman with Flowers
The painting I entered is entitled Wesselman with Flowers. It is a very personal piece. Years and years ago my good friend and I created a floral arrangement for the Minneapolis Institute of Art's Art in Bloom, an annual event that puts inspired floral arrangements next inspiring works of art from the museum's collection. This friend and I met working at the Minneapolis Institute of Art checking coats and selling tickets. Her name was Jeanne Platt. She past away 5 years ago this month.
The artwork we chose for Art in Bloom was Pink Nude Banner, by Tom Wesselman, a "color vinyl construction." This piece would not be considered the museum's most feminist work of art, which made creating a floral arrangement for it so satisfying! Also, the pink and peach color palette made it pretty easy to find corresponding flowers.
I started the painting a year or so after Jeanne's passing. I had been spending a lot of time pouring over photos of our time together and rereading the emails I still had from her. I found a snapshot we had taken from Art in Bloom that year and began to try to translate it onto a canvas. It was a difficult painting to complete. For someone who paints a lot of landscapes, I had a really hard time depicting the carnations and lilies we'd teased into the hot pink vase we found. It also brought up a lot of emotions surrounding Jeanne. Mostly guilt over having not called her recently, having not visited her, and not sending her letters like she had sent me. However, working on this piece helped me remember the amazing time I did get to spend with her. She was such an amazing person.
I am so glad that this piece made it into the fair! I miss you friend!
I've been working really hard! I've woken up before the baby, worked after she went to bed, and even sneaked in a few hours during naps!
All this work has been for an exhibit my long time friend and fellow landscape enthusiast, Alyssa Wendorff and I have scheduled for this September at the Robbin Gallery in Robbinsdale. For so long we have had plenty of time to paint, but with just over a month left until the installation, it's now time to put on the finishing touches and start framing.
Here's a glimpse of a few of the pieces I've completed:
Part of the Process, Mixed media on paper
Gravity, Oil and mixed media on canvas
Expedition, Oil and mixed media on canvas
A Gaze, Oil and mixed media on canvas
Courtyard, Mixed media on paper
In Reflection, Oil and mixed media on paper
Passing Trains, mixed media on paper
