Before coming to Duluth in 1986 I had been a publishing freelance writer for several years in the Twin Cities. A natural-born extrovert, I enjoyed the whole process of listening to and capturing people's stories, then writing about them. Some of these early pieces included a photographer who wondered if he'd captured a photo of the Loch Ness monster and a couple who met and married in their late eighties. It's been a real privilege to meet so many interesting people and hear so many interesting stories.
In recent years I began interviewing artists whom I met through social media. My motivations were several. First, to show the variety of ways in which creativity can be expressed. Second, as a mechanism for sharing their art with others. Third, to see what makes them tick.
Eventually, this led me to focus on the local arts scene here in the Twin Ports. I still reach out to artists abroad but I've taken a keen interest in nurturing our local arts community.
There's an experimental quality to all this. When I was a young idealist I wanted to change the world. It didn't take long for that to become disillusioning. Thirty years later I've decided to roll up my sleeves and see if in some small way I can make a difference here locally. I'm testing the idea that a strong arts community can be a catalyst for the betterment of the larger community, a theory I first heard proposed by the Art Works coalition that brought Richard Florida's ideas here a half dozen years ago.
Here are most of the interviews from January thru April. Enjoy.
Ten Minutes with Cellist/Artist Kathy McTavish
Ten Minutes with Artist/Cartoonist Simon Gray
Ten Minutes with Gary Swanson, The Modern Primitive
Seven Minutes with Painter Melanie Sternberg
Ten Minutes with Annie Dugan, Curator at the DAI
Ten Minutes with Veteran Artist Martin DeWitt
Ten Minutes with Kat Eldred, an Arts-Centered Life
Ten Minutes with Kat Eldred, Part II
Five Minutes With Sandra Cragin
Five Minutes with Colin Wiita
Eight Minutes with Prøve Gallery Director and Co-founder Steven Read
Spotlight on Artist / Writer Jeffrey Woolverton
Thank you to each and all for sharing yourselves here.
Gary Swanson |
Eventually, this led me to focus on the local arts scene here in the Twin Ports. I still reach out to artists abroad but I've taken a keen interest in nurturing our local arts community.
There's an experimental quality to all this. When I was a young idealist I wanted to change the world. It didn't take long for that to become disillusioning. Thirty years later I've decided to roll up my sleeves and see if in some small way I can make a difference here locally. I'm testing the idea that a strong arts community can be a catalyst for the betterment of the larger community, a theory I first heard proposed by the Art Works coalition that brought Richard Florida's ideas here a half dozen years ago.
Here are most of the interviews from January thru April. Enjoy.
Ten Minutes with Cellist/Artist Kathy McTavish
Ten Minutes with Artist/Cartoonist Simon Gray
The Modern Primitive |
Seven Minutes with Painter Melanie Sternberg
Ten Minutes with Annie Dugan, Curator at the DAI
Ten Minutes with Veteran Artist Martin DeWitt
Ten Minutes with Kat Eldred, an Arts-Centered Life
Ten Minutes with Kat Eldred, Part II
Five Minutes With Sandra Cragin
Five Minutes with Colin Wiita
Eight Minutes with Prøve Gallery Director and Co-founder Steven Read
Spotlight on Artist / Writer Jeffrey Woolverton
Thank you to each and all for sharing yourselves here.
2 comments:
Love your interviews.
Love Kathy McTavish!
I interviewed Sheila Packa a few years ago..
Have you interviewed her yet?
She is Dynamic and Beautiful.
Great Job!!
Thanks for the encouragement, comments and suggestion. Sheila is on my short list of people to reach out to in 2013....
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