New Work by Shawna Gilmore Catches My Eye and Sparks an Interview

I can't recall where I first noticed Shawna Gilmore's distinctive paintings. It may have been at the Kruk Gallery in Superior, or maybe not. Perhaps it was Art on the Planet, or not. Last summer her Woodlandia show at Lakeside Gallery proved utterly delightful, and Aaron Kloss has continued to carry some of her upbeat work to this day. During Wendy Clouse's exhibition at Lizzard's this past month I noticed that Jeff there had taken in some of her work, and I also noticed she was moving into some new kinds of dimensions. Same spirit, new designs... always fun.

As a result I reached out and ask if I might share a little more about this Northland painter who has been capturing a lot of attention.

EN: I see that you now have some of your work at Lizzard’s. How did that come about?

Shawna Gilmore: I've wanted to have my work in Lizzards since I first visited there as a college student many moons ago. Over the years, I had checked in with them and they were too short on space to take me on. I had a few Chameleon paintings remaining from my winter show and decided to float these by them. I think the timing was right this time. That's how the art world is, you really have to put your time in and just keep trying. There are so many reasons a gallery might not take you on. . .  sometimes it is a space issue, sometimes your work doesn't fit their style or it's the wrong timing, and sometimes your work needs to mature. It's really important not to take it personally or it can paralyze you.

EN: What does your painting regimen look like? Do you have set hours each day or is it a muse-driven affair? How many hours a week are you in the studio?

SG: Painting is my full time profession. I dress for my work. I have set hours. I limit distractions(including my husband who works from home as well). And I treat it with the seriousness I would if I worked for someone else. I don't have time to sit around waiting for a muse. I've learned that by daily exercising creative muscles, you rarely have to wait for the "muse". Actually, I've found I have the opposite problem. . . .I have more ideas than I could ever paint in a lifetime. They aren't all good ideas, but they just keep coming.

EN: Do you listen to music while you paint? Or… ? If yes, what kind of music do you paint to?

SG: I tend to listen to music when I have to focus on business-y stuff like working on the website, responding to emails or anything that requires me to use words. In those times I need wordless, atmospheric or classical music to really declutter my mind. Weirdly, I find music boring and exhausting while I paint. Painting requires a different part of my brain I suppose. I listen to lots of podcasts, audiobooks or have Netflix going in the background. I wish I could even say the stories I have going are directly reflected in my work, but usually I enjoy crime dramas or science fiction action/thrillers. I'm sure there's an Oliver Sacks theory on why that might be, but I just know a good story energizes me and activates my brain.

EN: How long have you been painting professionally?

SG: I've been professionally painting since 2010. Before that it was more of a hobby and I would paint in the evenings after the kids were asleep.

EN: The whimsical nature of your work seems like it would lend itself to picture book illustration. Have you ever considered that kind of avenue? Do you draw your ideas from children’s picture books?

SG: I have and it was something I was seriously considering over the years. But as I looked into it more and as I've gotten more busy with galleries, etc, I just don't have the time to apply myself to pursuing the illustration field. Financially it doesn't make sense for me to sacrifice time away from my main job right now. You have to be careful to not get derailed and not to spread yourself a mile wide and an inch deep. Perhaps down the line. I'm open to it at some point, but thankfully I have more than enough to focus on at the moment.

I pull my ideas from a lifetime of loving stories. Very rarely are they direct references to any one story. Most often they are culmination of different threads that are subliminally working themselves out in my paintings.

EN: You mentioned having an over-active imagination. How do you decide which of your many ideas to pursue next?

SG: Sifting through the ideas to find one that has staying power is my greatest challenge. Some ideas, just from past experience, are obvious solid ones, but some are more risky. I try to stay playful. . .to not get caught up in fear of failure. We all have the natural desire for safety, comfort and predictability. . . essentially avoiding fear or pain. But if you're not failing and learning, you're not growing as a person and that's a stagnation more risky than failure. I'm not interested in things I already know. I want to learn. I want to be challenged. I want to stitch together new understanding with old. I want to find the nugget of discovery about myself or humanity or this beautiful world. To jump over the hurdle of fear, I remind myself that I can always paint over it if in fact I'm not able to execute it in a satisfying way. Ideas don't always come to me fully formed either. Sometimes they are more of a seed, but with age or experience or developing skills sometimes those seeds from years ago become a viable series.

EN: What are you working on now?

SG: I have some Chameleon paintings I'm busily finishing for a small June showing at Gallery 360 in Minneapolis. I just sent a bunch of work up to The Big Lake store opening in Grand Marais in May. I also just sent some work out to Coastal Contemporary Gallery in Rhode Island that I recently connected with. It's an exciting time. :)

EN: I see your work at Lizzard’s, Art on the Planet and Lakeside Gallery. Anywhere else in town?

SG: I have a rotating selection of work at Amity Coffee as well as a collection of paintings and prints at Makers Mercantile in West Duluth.

* * * *
To see and purchase more of Shawna's work, visit www.shawnagilmore.com

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Get into it.

Artist Shawna Gilmore's Woodlandia

Two years ago when I saw Shawna Gilmore's show at the Kruk Gallery in Superior I was swept away by the personality and vim she put in her paintings. This month Gilmore has an exhibition of new works on display at the Lakeside Gallery, and it's equally fun, her spunk and spirit continuing to run amok. If you get a chance, drop by during the month of August and acquaint yourself with Gilmore's work. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her paintings around town over the coming years.

EN: Where do your ideas come from?

Shawna Gilmore: I think it wouldn't be a surprise to know I have a very active imagination and vivid dream life. I find a healthy dose of escapism through my work which gives me fortitude to walk through the challenges of life. I read a lot. I laugh a lot. I enjoy playfulness and the bizarre. I love to learn and observe. I enjoy a sense of wonder and perpetual curiosity. All of these things feed into ideas for paintings. I don't really limit myself to reality when I think of images for paintings. There are a lot of what ifs in my world which makes for limitless possibilities and scenarios.

EN: Your colors are vibrant and uplifting. Is this a reflection of your own spirit?

SG: I used to be so afraid of color. My focus in college was drawing and printmaking, color seemed scary. But color is so emotive that it became increasingly difficult to avoid my fear for much longer. So instead of running from it, I decided to try it. I've really learned a lot about color in the few years. I try to use colors I'm drawn to that have a sort of timelessness to them. I don't think I'll ever be a color expert. So much of life is facing your fears and putting aside your insecurities, for me it builds my faith and brings me much joy to overcome even something as common as using color.

I suppose the colors I use reflect my own spirit, I guess I never thought too hard about that. But I can lean towards the optimistic side of life so that makes sense. It's hard to feel glum when you recognize all the blessings you have. I want to enjoy life. I want to find the hidden treasures in it and be filled with gratitude not languish in a pit of despair. When I paint, I want to enjoy what I paint. I want to look at it for years to come and still like it. I want to paint pictures that bring joy, hope, amusement, or wonder.

EN: The word whimsical comes to mind when I look at your work. Is that a fair description of your subject matter? Or are their hidden political messages in your paintings?

SG: Hahaha, no hidden politics in my work, I think you might call me apolitical. I have enough drama and chaos in my own personal life that gives me little margin for the intense emotions of politics. My paintings are for the weary of heart, those who need a moment to breathe, dream or escape the weight of the day.

EN: For example, is that a poisonous snake you have decorated with daisies? 

SG: Well, I do enjoy a little mischief, danger and unknown outcomes in my work. Those more politically passionate might be able to draw conclusions in my work that connect with them and to me that is ok. I'm most interested in providing part of a narrative for the viewer to enter and make their own. I'm not especially fond of snakes, but one with friendly daisy flowers seemed a little less creepy.

EN: I see you have begun painting on panel substrates. Care to comment on this new direction? 

SG:  I've always preferred painting on wood. I've dabbled on plywood, hardboard, paper, never canvas, but I continually return to wood. There is something about the solid, smoothness that makes me happy. Once I discovered deep cradled wood panels, I never turned back. Framing has always been a hang up for me and cradled wood eliminates the need for a frame.

EN: Do you have any local artists whose work has inspired you? 

SG: There are so many excellent creatives in our area, but I am particularly fond of the work of Wendy Rouse, Adam Swanson and Jonathan Thunder.

* * * *
Thanks for sharing, Shawna.

EdNote: You can see more of Shawna Gilmore's paintings next door to Lakeside Gallery at the Amity Coffee Shop (have some java while you're there) and at Art on the Planet on Tower Avenue in Superior, as well as at her website.

Wendy Rouse frequently has work on display at Lizzards Gallery in Downtown Duluth, and Adam Swanson's work will be found there as well.

EdNote: TONIGHT Jonathan Thunder will be giving an Artist Talk at the Duluth Art Institute at 5:30 in conjunction with a book signing. Will I see you there?

* * * *
Meantime art goes on all around you. Get into it.

Wordless Wednesday: Shawna Gilmore's Fantasy Worlds Come To Life @ the DAI

When I Paint My Masterpiece: DAI Presents "Public Doman" & "Land of Wonder"

"Someday, everything is gonna be diff’rent when I paint my masterpiece."

One privilege of youth is that you can throw caution to the wind and liberally pursue your passions, no strings to tie you down. The whole experience is made richer by the recklessness of your abandon. Even when you get too close to the sun because you tried to kiss the sky and the the heat melts the wax off your feathers, you can later remember with fondness how it felt... assuming you have a place to make a soft landing.

Later in life you have too many responsibilities to be so carefree. If you have assets you have to think about them. If you have children, a job, a mortgage... you cannot -- unless you're a one-percenter -- just set out like a message in a bottle leaving your destination to the wind and currents.

I mention all this because tonight Ken Bloom's photography exhibit "Public Doman" goes on display at the Duluth Art Institute. In his youth, Bloom followed his bliss and bought a one way ticket to Japan, accompanied by his Leica camera. "Public Domain" is a fulfilling backward look at this experience.

Bloom is Director of the Tweed Museum of Art located on the campus of UMD. Tonight is the opening reception for this show in the Morrison Gallery along with Shawna Gilmore's exhibition of new work. Both galleries are on the fourth floor of the Duluth Depot.

You will find “Land of Wonder: New Paintings by Shawna Gilmore” in the John Steffl Gallery. Gilmore, who paints in acrylic, is a storyteller whose imagery crosses generations. On March 9 she will be giving a family-friendly Artist Talk that will include youth activities, but her work isn't all kid's stuff. As Picasso famously quipped, "It takes a lifetime to learn how to paint like a child." In this case, it is learning to paint with the eyes of a child, to see something fresh in the world we move through and often take for granted. A special feature of this exhibit is a cell phone audio tour stop, where you can listen to the artist talk about her work.

When Jim Morrison of The Doors sang, "This is the strangest life I've ever known" he conveyed it with an ominous texture. Gilmore's world may also be a rendering of strange imagery, but her stories reflect whimsy and delight. You can get a feel for her approach by reading about her show at the Kruk Gallery at UWS last fall.

Also on display during tonight's event is the annual Members Exhibition in the Depot's Great Hall, comprised of work by DAI members created during the past year. If you missed that reception in January, here's a second chance.

For more, visit the Facebook page for this event.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Check it out. It's free.

Local Art Seen: Mischief and Other Tales by Shawna Gilmore at the Kruk

"Blending In"

Thursday evening I slid over to the Kruk Gallery at UWS to see the opening of Shawna Gilmore's "Mischief and Other Tales." As you'll see here, Gilmore's show is fun and full of whimsy. In keeping with the well-worn saying, every picture tells a story.

The titles alone make one smile. "Don't Poke the Bear While He's Bird Watching" and "Carrots Really Improved Her Vision" and "The Boy With Bionic Hearing Was An Excellent Listener" can't help but lighten your heart.

Stylistically I can easily see Gilmore as an illustrator of children's picture books. A few of the paintings made me think of some of local artist Scott Murphy's imagery, including the painting of an infant being carried away by balloons, which also reminded me of Adam Swanson, another local painter. But Gilmore has her own style, with crisp edges, living colors and a good sense of proportion.

Earlier this year I interviewed her husband Eddy Gilmore, author of The Emancipation of a Buried Man. Shawna and Eddy have a set of twins, a theme is reflected in paintings like "Sucker Punch" and "Double Trouble."

"Gladys Did't Act Her Age"

Of this show, the artist has explained in her statement, "The paintings in this series are directly inspired by the creativity and mischief of my own twin ten year olds. The misadventures and humorous scenarios they find themselves in are forever entertaining and challenging me to not take myself too seriously. I am interested in stepping over the bounds of reality to a place where anything is possible. What if I had a personal sasquatch? What if I carrots gave you laser vision? or What if I had the courage to be different? To see the world in this limitless way is the magical part of childhood I hope to never lose. And to laugh. We need to laugh."    --Shawna 11/14/15

"With His Own Personal Sasquatch..."

Here are some of the other pieces I enjoyed including "With His Own Personal Sasquatch, Victor Knew School Would Be Different This Year."

There are many more pictures I'd love to share here with you, but the better way to enjoy the 25 paintings in "Mischief and Other Tales" is to visit the gallery in person. (See the gallery's hours here.)

"The Great Escape"

"Chicken Fight"

"Double Trouble"

"Sucker Punch"

"Gloria Wasn't Like the Other Children"

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Enjoy it.