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Images of the Month, August 2010
Father Hennepin Park Earth Day “clean up” of toxic stream #146
Collected detonator wire and jug that was washed up on the Mississippi River shore # 120
My artist's talk, 911, Father Hennepin Park, and Immersion, oh my, will tell the story of the why the 911 Emergency Response Team was called to the Bloomington Art Center because of my "dangerous" art. Which "specimen" shown above caused the ruckus? Also during the presentation in the gallery I will reveal how art is involved in getting the oil infested water of Father Hennepin Park tested, twice by the MPCA and six images from my new Immersion Project , which were just installed mid-exhibit, will be discussed. More information on all can be found at my new working process and studio site peterljohnsonatwork.com. Would love to see you at the talk on Thursday.
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Images of the Month, July 2010
Earth Day “clean up” of toxic stream two hundred yards from entering the Mississippi River #146
Oil sludge-filled bottle waiting in floodplain for trip down Mississippi River #110
Both the above images and up to 26 more of my work are featured in the exhibition Impact at the Bloomington Art Center opening July 16th and running through August 27th. The opening is this Friday from 6 to 8 pm. I will also be at the gallery giving an artist talk on Thursday August 12th at 7 pm. I am delighted with this opportunity to present the most complete vision of my series, Devastating Beauty, to date. The "specimen boxes" are being displayed for the first time. I hope to see you there.
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Images of the Month, June 2010
Splatter from paint can that exploded in the middle of a city street and left #140
Polymer debris, left behind by Minneapolis sanctioned X-country ski race, thawing into lake #142
Both these images will be exhibited at IMPACT at the Bloomington Art Center opening Friday July 16th from 6 to 8. The frame for #140 is painted in the paint I found splattered all over University Avenue in NE Minneapolis. The red polymer in #142 that floated on the ice surface in February is now on its way to the Gulf.
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Images of the Month, May 2010
Public Works bucket of oil, tar, and ice on the banks of the Mississippi River # 86
Often I find evidence of what a sloppy species we are. This was sitting up above the banks of the Mississippi River. As I worked inside this bucket I saw swirling images that felt toxic, viral, and gene threatening. Right now this image for me is a reference to all the devastation our fossil fuel addiction is manifesting in the Gulf of Mexico. Leave it in the ground and under the sea. This image will be on display in the exhibition Impact at the Bloomington Art Center from July 16th to August 27th.
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Earth Day Images of the Month, April 2010
Made in China plastic ball in toxic stream connected to the Mississippi River # 133
Inner reflections of the Mississippi River #138
This stream nestling the plastic ball smells as devastating as it looks. Next to an Xcel power station, this metal-laden water flows from underneath stone and cement into Father Hennepin Park on the west bank of the Mississippi. It reaches the river in downtown Minneapolis about two hundred yards from where I took this photograph. As an anecdote I offer #138. Among the reflected tree branches my artist's eye was captivated by symbols and textures floating on the surging waters of early Spring. A deep bow to Gaia on this upcoming Earth Day, March 22nd, and every day. (Click above to see these images on my web site)
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March 2010 Images of the Month
Watershed district stormwater pond #127
Deep Winter spiral ice under bridge #126
These images represent two new directions of my ongoing look at our connection to the planet, other species, and ourselves. #127 is the photograph of the surface of a stormwater pond built by the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District. The wetland area filters and cleans street stormwater before it flows into Gervais Lake. The lake feeds into the Mississippi River watershed, our drinking water. #126 during its original creation and editing has triggered in me thoughts of the “Great Turning”. This evolving internal shift is allowing me to see and deepen my connection to my work, nature, and myself. Enjoy.
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November Image of the Month
Oil sludge floating in draining water of bumper car ride # 125
As I wondered the day after on the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair I was fascinated with this footprint. Its white paint mark had been permanently slopped and planted at the bottom of the plastic pool of the water bumper car ride. Only puddles of the ride water with its floating oil sludge remained. The rest had already been drained into the storm run-off gutters for its travel into the Upper Mississippi River Watershed. Like me if you live in Minneapolis or St. Paul your drinking and bathing water come from the Mississippi River.
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October 2009 Images of the Month
# 123
Limited Edition Inkjet Print
#124
Limited Edition Inkjet Print
To allow plenty of room for your natural wonder I am omitting the titles this month. One hint is that these photographs were taken together in downtown St. Paul. There is another slightly more devious reason I am doing this. I have redesgined my web site and I would love you to visit it. So if you need to know what I saw here in image # 124 you can visit the Watershed Moments Gallery and all will be revealed. Enjoy
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Septmeber 2009 Image of the Month
Exposed adhesive and putty on old parking lot booth # 114
From the beginning of this artistic practice, I have expanded on the slogan, “Take only photographs and leave only footprints”, by carrying away corroding batteries, Styrofoam, and those ubiquitous Mountain Dew bottles (along with my images) from our lakes, rivers, and oceans. At times I am able to remove the “specimen” that I just photographed. As I was framing this I realized that images referencing views underneath the earth’s surface were entering into my way of seeing. What seeps and is buried just waiting to create a little havoc? I pealed away the old glue and took it with me for later display. Enjoy.
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August 2009 Image of the Month (13th of the month email)
Inside of ditched paint bucket, State Fair Grounds # 95
Last year I came across this photograph as I wandered the State Fair grounds after I dropped off my entry into their annual Art Exhibition. I must admit I relish finding abandoned paint buckets and oil barrels. Often there is horrifying beauty nestled inside, just waiting for its close-up and to ooze into our watersheds. Alas, they are all too plentiful in the drosscapes that I visit. This leaf tricking the eye into thinking it is sitting on sand got accepted this year. If you visit the Minnesota State Fair Art Exhbit please try to find it amongst the hundreds of pieces of art work on display. Enjoy.
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July 2009 Image of the Month
Oil on surface of Nine Mile Creek #2
An early image from my work that will be on display at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum through October 4th as part of the exhibition, Seeing Our Nature. Here oil on the surface of the creek added to the beauty of the reflection of the fall leaves above me as I photographed. I will talk about this "devastating beauty" at my Ted Conference style gallery talk at the Arboretum this Sunday July 12th, 2009. I would love to see you there. Enjoy.
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June 2009 Image of the Month
Wind blown nest on Missisippi River bank asphalt # 115
Polymer liner of corroding diesel oil barrel in Minnesota River floodplain #113
Working with the banks and flood plains of the Minnesota Mississippi River Watershed presents clues to me about our challenged relationship with the body of water that created and sustains our communities and economies. The asphalt where the nest landed triggered connections for me to cars and the burying of so much land under tar and concrete. My attention was awakened by the beauty of the fossilized floral motif in the diesel barrel liner and this was later transformed into something more dangerous in the final print. Enjoy.
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May 2009 Image of the Month
Oil and water in feeding trough on Mississippi River barge, # 88
While photographing I smell, see, and envision the hidden synthetic chemicals dancing and off-gassing, floating into the soil and our food, and impregnating the skies, waters, and veins of all flora and fauna. The beauty in this truth is that maybe it will awaken us to a new connection with our environmental and economic choices. “The Earth doesn’t need healing. We do.” Ian McCallum, quoted in Ecological Intelligence by Daniel Goleman.
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April 2009 Image of the Month
Deep winter under lake bridge # 109
Pacific Ocean garbage dump remnants embedded in tide pool # 27
While organizing an exhibit on my studio wall I paired these two prints together. For a few weeks every time I settled in and saw this diptych an intense response stirred my soul. Take a moment. See what you see. Enjoy.
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Premier of Image of the Month Email
Frozen over hole in the Minnesota River # 1
I was walking in the woods with my dog, friends, and a borrowed digital camera. A scabbed over hole in the ice stirred my dormant need to create photographs. Wake up. Here was a soulful blue wound full of raw beauty. Without much thinking, always a good idea, I took a few pictures. Only later did I see the orange maple tree seeds, the string, and the image’s simultaneous galactic and microscopic form. Much later I realized that this gift from nature was where a new way of seeing came alive in me. This still evolving series of work continues to surprise, evoke smiles, and force me to journey deep inside. Enjoy.
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