Commissions, Submissions, and a Fall Clearance
“Iowa” 24 x 36, acrylic and paper on canvas.
It’s September when many cycles seem to renew—the students and teachers go back to school; some businesses start a new fiscal year; car dealerships unveil the next season’s models; the fall harvest season explodes as just about everything from the garden is ripe and plentiful. And after the typically slow summer “open studios,” artists are eager to get back to their studios and share their summer experiments and progress on new projects (See “Iowa” at the top.) September and October are particularly filled with submissions for the busy fall exhibition season and, in Northeast Minneapolis, with preparations of work and studios for our annual Fall Open Studio weekend, this year November 14-16 at Casket Arts, Northrup King, California Building, Solar Arts and other clusters of studios. It’s much smaller than Art-a-Whirl and much bigger than any other open studio event.
Fall is also, for me at least, a great time to plan for a commissioned work or two. I’m back in work mode, I’ve prepared submissions for fall exhibits, and there is ample time to meet with potential clients to discuss a custom-designed work in time for holiday gifting or personal collecting. Or office facelifting! So what exactly is a commissioned artwork? It’s one or more works directed (at least to a degree) by the client. Generally artists work within their usual parameters—portrait artists will paint portraits of family members from photos or sketches (or even an in-person sitting); landscape painters will re-create a favorite scene or locale. And abstract artists? We work with ideas, color palettes, emotions. I’ve worked with clients who wanted a general theme (e.g., music, landscape), a complimentary pair of abstract seascapes in shades of blue and pink (e.g., see “Avionte Harbor”), or more vaguely, mixed media works similar to other works in my studio but in another size, another palette. Because I tend to be an intuitive, action style abstract artist, I won’t promise very specific results, but through discussion with the client and together looking at a variety of completed works in the studio, will come up with a plan, a palette, specific approaches, materials, etc. The end result is a collaboration between the client and the artist. Interested in a commissioned work? Contact me for an appointment to discuss your idea, your space, your colors, etc. Usually I can complete the work within a month.
“Avionte Harbor” commissioned work, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40.
And a follow-up to an earlier comment about the risk of Artificial Intelligence taking over the creative arts: I read a comment from a musician/composer regarding the threat of AI taking over recordings. His view—let AI have the recordings, musicians will not be replaced in live performance, and in fact those recordings might increase the popularity of the human variation and emotion of live performance. I’d like to think this logic also applies to visual arts. AI might “create” a painting and particularly a painting in the style of the masters. But, at least at this point, AI can’t express real and unique emotion with paint or clay. So perhaps real art will survive real technology.
Fall Studio Clearance, September-October
My studio is getting too crowded with work, so it’s time for my first major “Studio Clearance Sale,” with most works over $50 on sale at 30% off my studio/website pricing. (There are just a few exclusions of some very new works submitted for exhibition.) The sale only applies to works purchased in the studio—a good excuse to come to Second Saturdays in September and October! But the sale applies in-between Open Studios too—whenever you visit. And if you see something of interest on my website, I will give you that 30% off if you complete the transaction with me personally. (The sale price will not be applied to online purchases. Come to the studio or contact me and we will work it out.)
Second Saturday, September 13 at Casket Arts
The artists at Casket Arts are eager to open our studios for the fall season as we build up to our year-end events (Open Casket, November 14-16; Holiday Market, December 13). I have some new works to share, including several small panels using an acrylic variant of “oil and cold wax”, new abstract landscapes (e.g., “Iowa” at the top), and my new acrylic abstract “Blue Phantazzo” from my August collaboration with flautist Bobb Fantazzo (see below). I am also very excited to host pianist Kavyesh Kaviraj (from about 1-2:30 pm). Kavy is very quickly becoming one of the top, in-demand jazz pianists in the metro. And as noted above, I will be offering 30% off purchases over $50 in the studio in September and October. 681 17th Av NE, Mpls.
Pianist Kavyesh Kaviraj.
“Blue Phantazzo” 40 x 30 acrylic on canvas.
Mark Your Calendar for Open Casket, November 14-16! If you love Art-a-Whirl in Northeast Minneapolis each May, you will also love Open Casket and similar events across other studio centers in our neighborhood. And if you find the crowds too much to enjoy Art-a-Whirl, you will more likely love Open Casket and neighboring events with the smaller crowds and more consistent focus on original art. Each of the major studio buildings has its own character and own title—Art Attack at Northrup King, California Dreamin’ at California Building, Art This Way at Solar Arts… No trolleys but easier parking, and we still have food trucks, coffee, live music, and a campus filled with original art from jewelry and photography to painting, printing, drawing and sculpture. There’s much less going on otherwise in the neighborhood, making art the real focus. We try to coordinate our hours across the area. Casket will be open Friday 5-9 pm, Saturday 11-8 pm, and Sunday Noon – 5 pm. More details later!
On Exhibit
State Fair “Rejected” Exhibition, Burl Gallery, through September 20. “Like the Salon des Refusés of 1863 in Paris, Burl Gallery invites the ‘rejects’ of the Minnesota State Fair fine arts exhibition to display their rejected submission and put the authority of judgment back in the hands of their community.” With only about 12% of all submissions accepted into the annual State Fair exhibition, there are many works still worthy of display. The nonprofit Burl Gallery gives these works another chance at public display. My mixed media work “Surreality” hangs with a selection of other “rejected” works in this Lowertown Gallery across from CHS Field. Hours 10-4 Saturdays and Sundays. 308 E. Prince Street, St Paul; www.burlartgallery.org
11th Annual “Black and White” Exhibition at the Hallberg Center for the Arts, Wyoming, September 18-October 11; opening reception September 18, 5-7:30 pm. This is a nonjuried show where the only requirement is—no color, just black, white, gray and all shades in-between, featuring works across all 2-d and 3-d media. I love participating in this show as it provides a no-risk challenge to create something without my usual palette of bright colors. This year I revived two mixed media works with a few coats of gesso and had fun working with the underlying textures of the previous paintings – including “Midwest Winter from 10,000 Feet”. Open Tuesdays-Saturdays. 5521 E. Viking Blvd, Wyoming MN; www.wyomingcreativearts.org
Annual Juried Exhibition, Hopkins Center for the Arts, September 12-October 18; Opening Reception September 12, 6-8 pm. I am always pleased when I have a work accepted to this exhibit, as I think Hopkins has one of the best array of exhibition spaces and cool exhibits throughout the year. My oversized (24 x 72 or 72 x 24) tritypch “Primary Objectives” was accepted for 2025…. And I was able to get it into my car for delivery! (That was not a given!) Gallery open daily. Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins; www.hopkinsartcenter.org
Minnesota Artists Association Annual Fall Juried Exhibition, White Bear Center for the Arts (Exhibition Hall and Atrium), September 25-October 31; opening reception September 25, 6-8 pm. MAA presents two juried exhibitions each year, rotating among area art centers and galleries. I am pleased to have two works included this fall, “September Shore” (below) and “Mourning After” (above). Open Monday-Saturday; 4971 Long Av, White Bear Lake; www.whitebeararts.org
“September Shore” 24 x 30 acrylic on canvas.
And so begins a busy fall arts season! If you can’t make it to Second Saturday, come to the studio for a private visit, consultation for a commission, or just a social call with a fine arts backdrop! Text or call for an appointment.
Andrea
612-501-8812
andreacanterartworks@gmail.com
Andrea Canter
Artist and Owner
andreacanterartworks.com
Andrea Canter Artworks
The Casket Arts Building
681 17th Ave NE, Studio 218
Minneapolis, MN 55413