The Emerging Artists Exhibit
Christy Goulet
Boozhoo (Hello in Ojibwe),
Wiishkobizi Nibi Ikwe (To be sweet like the water women) is my Indigenous name, and my English name is Christy Goulet. I am a tribaly enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. I strive for cultural preservation and education and am grateful that I try to live my traditional lifestyle and teach it to my family. Also, I am equally grateful to have been adopted by Wanbli Ishnala Win/Anna LittleGhost and gone through ceremonial rite of passage which includes the Sundance, Vision Quest, Naming ceremony etc. I love teaching Indigenous Dreamcatchers classes, Traditional chockers, Music and Meditation, and Frybread cooking classes! I have lived in the F-M area my whole life, except for four years when I moved to Devils Lake, ND to mentor under Wanbli Ishnala Win/Anna Littleghost on how to conduct women's traditional indigenous ceremonies/teachings.
Makwa (Bear) Sundance skirt made for Mato Kenapa (The Bear comes out) Kuris Moose an enrolled member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Wishkobizi Nibi Ikwe (To be sweet like the water woman)- Christy Goulet created this skirt to honor Mato Kenapa for his dedication to his traditional way of life. Mato Kenapa wore this during a Sundance at Mni Wakan (Spirit Lake) North Dakota, Crow Hill District 2019.
Bear Paw Earrings that pay tribute to Makwa (The Bear Spirit). Among the Ojibweg, it is Makwa the bear who guards and protects the midewigaan (Mide Lodge) as well as the madoodiswan (sweat, or purifcation lodge) – which is where Mide candidates cleanse their bodies and minds before entering the ceremony inside the midewigaan. It was a bear who gifted his hide when the very first Ojibwe madoodiswan was built; thus, in a symbolic way, his hide served to cover the Anishinaabeg as a People.
Sundance Medallion which signifies the Giizis the Sun, as traditional indigenous knowledge believes without the Giizis life will seize to exist. Sundancer’s greet the Giizis every morning as it rises above the Sundance arbor throughout the Sundance at 4:00 A.M. as the Giizis is rising!
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Lori Kurpiers
This Emergence body of work has helped me dig deeper into my feminist journey. The writings of Gloria Steinem, Sue Monk Kidd, and Sarah Lacy have been especially impactful for me over the past year, as well as the increased coverage of women’s voices in the news.
A grief cycle has been triggered in me, and I travel between: Denial (I know the phrase “all men are created equal” really means “everyone.”) Anger (Who was supposed to explain feminism to me? Why did it take me so long to get to this point of understanding?) Depression (I feel sorry for myself, and for the loss of all the time I spent unknowingly reinforcing and explaining away the patriarchy.) Acceptance (So the patriarchy is real. And I need to do something about it.)
My brain continues to stew over things through the night, and sometimes I need to scramble for my sketchbook in the morning as ideas for projects come tumbling into my mind’s eye.
Knitting, sewing, and other domestic arts that have been viewed as women’s work have provided me with a gentle, approachable, yet subversive way to create art. My work explores the objectification and silencing of women, the finding of inner strength, and a willingness to be vulnerable with the hope that it helps the next person find their strength. And voice.
Danielle Patton
I'm inspired by stories/books, animals and different characters I meet. Using my own spin and signature style by the use of spray paint and acrylic details, and some hand sewn characters, I try to retell the stories that relay to me. I love an eclectic style of street art and pop art with layers of color and texture! I Also love cosplaying photography! I use art as therapy, a sort of meditation that clears my mind and evens my mood after a long day working in Healthcare!
As an artist it is hard to pin down one type of style I love. My art changes with my moods and my inspiration with my dreams and stories. Some days I’m anxious and some days happy. You can see it in the stokes of my brush, the bold colors used and the subject matter that eventually makes itself known on the canvas.
Growing up I was inspired by the creativity and amazing imagination of Salvador Dali, and the beautiful colors and strokes of Georgia O’Keeffe. I am amazed at the talent of street art and love the colors for pop art. So here I am smack dab in the middle of all that, trying to get my mangled emotions and own creative process down as it comes to me. When I have a spare moment!
"Interest is the most important thing in life; happiness is temporary, but interest is continuous." - Georgia O'Keeffe
Katie Lou Sandberg
As an artist, I’ve always enjoyed the therapeutic aspects of creating art. It’s helped me process difficult times in my life and it’s helped me express myself. I want to help create equal access to the arts for everyone, for all ages and abilities. I believe art can improve lives and benefit such a wide variety of individuals. I want to help others through art as it’s helped me.
I create my art using mostly with oil paints on canvas, although I also paint using acrylics. Having an art education background has given me experience in working a variety of mediums that I also enjoy such as photography, watercolors, pastels, and ceramics. The subjects that I create vary from self-reflection pieces, nature, landscapes, wildlife, dreams, and abstract expressions of emotions.
The works I selected for this exhibition have all been completed within the last year during the pandemic, when it was unknown if galleries would be able to open.
I learned a lot this year, I struggled with creative block, I experimented with new styles, I grew from comfort zones, and I am pleased with the variety of work I created this year.
Jess Schmidt
I am inspired to create abstract works because the intricate and flowing line-work affords me the opportunity to stay present. In my process, the act of creating allows me to enter a meditative state known as “flow state.” Before I set out to create a new piece, I like to focus on a topic or concept related to personal growth, development, emotions, or a state of mind. I focus on this concept throughout my creation and I try not to stray away from that until the piece is finished. The work then becomes an embodiment of my relationship with that concept.
The relationship I am able to have as the Artist with the Viewer turns into a very harmonious and, at times, healing experience for both of us. Often, people will share with me different things that my work reminds them of. People will share sincere and deeply emotional experiences that they have had in their own lives that the work has somehow allowed them to feel strong enough to share with me.
The symbiotic relationship that is shared between the artist and the viewer is, quite possibly, my favorite thing about being an abstract artist. I once heard someone say: “As an artist, I have already created this body of work for you, now it is your turn to tell me a story.”
I arrived at my current process by allowing myself to explore through pure experimentation. I enjoy messing around with various types of paint to see how they will react to one another. I also enjoy visual manipulation.
My current process involves using black primed canvas, a layer of white acrylic line-work using fine script brushes, and covering the piece with fluorescent aerosol(s). In my most recent paintings, I have increased layers of depth in my work, by adding additional layers of acrylic line-work on top.
Being an Abstract Artist is my calling. It affords me the opportunity to reach a meditative state and share many deep and positive connections with others who would otherwise be mere strangers. I plan to continue advancing and exploring this creative direction throughout the entirety of my creative career.
