Leah Lundgaard
Introducing 'Art al fresco' Artist: Leah Lundgaard
Leah Lundgaard is the latest 'Art al fresco' artist. We have had the pleasure of knowing Leah for several years and have enjoyed watching her grow as an artist. Leah is a full-time artist, both a painter and a potter.
She typically paints with either a watercolor pencil or oils. A common element in her paintings is a burst of color and activity, such as fall leaves or waves crashing on beach rocks.
Her pottery features an interesting pattern of geometry. I see a Fibonacci sequence in her patterns, a common sequence found in nature. Sunflower heads, honeybee combs, and artichoke flowers are all examples of Fibonacci patterns.
Leah is modest, soft-spoken, and a very genuine person. She clearly has an inner voice that she expresses through her art.
Art al fresco
Art al Fresco: A Weekend Mini-Art Festival
No, not art in the nude (maybe next year), but rather 'art in fresh air'. We're trying something different this weekend by hosting a mini-art festival in our parking lot. We have a terrific street-side parking lot, and the plan is to pop up a tent and host a different artist each weekend.
This brilliant idea came from Ingrid Bjerstedt Rogers of Beldenville, Wisconsin. Ingrid is a veteran of the art fair circuit, and it was her suggestion to turn our parking lot into an art venue. And why not? We have a beautiful black walnut tree that shades the entire lot and it's very pedestrian-friendly. Stop by this Saturday and check it out.
Ingrid will be our first artist. I would describe her pottery as both primal and whimsical. It creates a very positive vibe and is very affordable. Good stuff.
I will post the 'Art al Fresco' schedule as it evolves. We aim to have something new every week.
Cream of Wheat; 1913-1925
Hosting Our First Major Exhibit at the New Location
This week, we decided to host our first major exhibit at our new location. It features original art from the Cream of Wheat advertising campaign from the period of 1913-1925. The exhibit begins on October 10, 2008, which doesn't leave much runway for a show of this magnitude, but it was a fairly spontaneous decision by all the players involved.
The worst thing an art gallery can do is be boring, and this exhibit is anything but.
This exhibit is fascinating on many levels. To begin with, the art is amazing. The campaign director was very insistent on using the best available illustration artists, and the art reflects that. The imagery is very wholesome and comforting, and humor is a common element in many of the illustrations.
The exhibit also presents and discusses the use of racial stereotypes in the media. Times change, and so do acceptable standards. The Cream of Wheat campaign usually used an African-American chef as a welcoming and reassuring icon. Was this naive, demeaning, or enlightened on the part of Cream of Wheat?
Additionally, Cream of Wheat went from a minor grain mill in North Dakota to a major worldwide cereal company in ten years because of its effective use of advertising and image branding. This alone is worthy of a Harvard business case study.
Cream of Wheat was located in Northeast Minneapolis from 1897 to 2002. The company has changed hands several times and is no longer independent. These paintings were in storage in the archives of the headquarters until the building was converted to condominiums in 2005. This might be the last opportunity to see a body of work this complete.
The best part of this exhibit is the chance to work with Dan and Sarah again. We first worked with them last year for The Dream Girl exhibit, and they are a class act. Maybe next year we can do a pulp fiction or science fiction theme?