Artist Fellowship
Artist Fellowship
Study Traditional Scandinavian Birch Bark Weaving with John Zasada and support ongoing work.
Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Moira Villiard: visual artist, Cultural Programming Coordinator at American Indian Community Housing Organization; Jeanne Doty: Retired Associate Professor UMD Music, pianist; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Margaret Holmes: visual artist, poet, and former Children’s Theatre employee; Tammy Mattonen: visual artists, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Kayla Aubid: Native American craft artist, writer, employee at MacRostie Art Center; Ariana Daniel: mixed media artist, arts instructor; Emily Fasbender: student liaison, visual artist.
Moira Villiard: visual artist, Cultural Programming Coordinator at American Indian Community Housing Organization; Scott Knudson: filmmaker, Legacy Producer at Lakeland Public Television; Amy Sharpe: weaver, writer, co-owner of Ripple River Gallery; Annamarie Gutsch: Executive Director at Arc Northland, musician; Nathan Bray: ceramic artist; Christian McShane: experimental musician; Brooke Boulton: poet, instructor of English at Rainy River Community College.
ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage
I will use this grant for two main purposes - to study traditional Scandinavian birch bark weaving with master weaver John Zasada, and to develop my ongoing artistic work. I will study with John Zasada for six months, going in-depth into the art of birch bark weaving. I will then take the next six months to complete artwork begun under his guidance, and to continue with my ongoing artistic projects. At the end of the year, I will have a created a new body of art based on my learning and on my ongoing development. At the end of my 6 months studying under John Zasada, I will have created a new body of art work using the methods I have learned from him. At the end of the grant period, in another six months, I will have had time to create an additional selection of works drawing on other forms and materials, as well as utilizing newfound Scandinavian birch bark techniques.
Under the guidance of John Zasada, a master birch bark weaver in the Scandinavian tradition, I created a new body of work. After my time with him, I have been able to continue developing my art using birch bark, as well as developing my art in general. We explored different baskets, containers, forms, and methods, and went deep into understanding how to work with the medium, as well as learning better the history of the art.
Other,local or private