Personal:
Born in March of 1949 in Lake City, Minnesota. In 1967 he started at the
University of Minnesota
and concurrently began working with theater and art. In 1970 he embarked on a
career as an
arts professional and as such has been artist, designer, technical director,
properties master, entrepreneur, and SCULPTOR.
In 1973 he started setting up his own studio . . . . .
.
He has been a self employed artist ever since.
His Work:
Gene's body of work is quite varied, ranging from abstract woven and fabricated
metal assemblages, through carved stone and cast metals to whimsical kinetic
pieces, lately he has been playing wordsmith.
Exhibitions:
2006 Fine Arts Show, Minnesota State Fair, juried
2006 Sherburne County Gov. Center, Elk River MN, "Arts in Harmony", juried
2002 Minnesota Biennial, Minnesota Museum of American Art
2000 Leonardo da Vinci Day, Science Museum of Minnesota
2000 The Arts Source, Indianapolis, IN, Invitational show
2000 Sherburne County Gov. Center, Elk River MN, "Arts in Harmony", juried
show.
2000 Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MAEP "A Foot in the Door Show"
1999 Jax Gallery, Minneapolis MN, Invitational show
1998 The Arts Source, Indianapolis, IN, Invitational show
1997 Sculpture, On and Off the Wall, Ford Center Gallery, Minneapolis MN.
1997 Sherburne County Gov. Center, Elk River MN, "Arts in Harmony", juried
show.
1996 Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson, WI. Group show, "Artists Who
Collaborate With Architects and Designers."
1996 The Arts Source, Indianapolis, IN, Invitational show
1996 Minnesota Museum of American Art, "Mail Art" show
1995-96 Minnesota Museum of American Art, Landmark Center, St. Paul, MN "Havin'
a Ball", Mixed media installation, kinetic. 6m x 9m x 4.6m h, (20'x26'x15'h) .
1995 Sherburne County Gov. Center, Elk River MN, "Arts in Harmony", juried
show.
1993-94 Minnesota Crafts Council Honors Show, Grand Gallery, St. Paul MN.
1993 Benefit Show for the National Symphony in the old Canadian Embassy,
Washington DC.
1992 Flanders Contemporary Art, Twentieth Anniversary Show, Minneapolis, MN
1990 Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MAEP "A Foot in the Door Show"
1986 75th Annual Fine Arts Show, Minnesota State Fair, juried show
1985 74th Annual Fine Arts Show, Minnesota State Fair, juried show
1983-86 The Children's Museum, Minneapolis, MN "The Tempest", 1.5m x 3m x
2.1m h (60"x120"x84"h), steel, kinetic
Commissions:
2004 Memorial plaque for Rider/Carlton Family River Falls, Wi.
2003 Steel Repoussé fireplace surround, Baker Architects, John Baker.
2000 Snoopy on Parade, "Sir Lunch-a-Lot", City of St.Paul/O'Gara's restaurant.
1999 Illusion Theater, Minneapolis, MN, repoussé copper and steel floor
for lobby
1998 BSA Architects, Indianapolis, IN, woven metal study.
1997 Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson WI, "The Gift", 5.5m x 2.75m (18' x 9')
Copper,
bronze
1994 River Falls Area Hospital, River Falls, WI, "Haskins Commemorative
Fountain"
2.4m x 1.5m x 2.5m h (8'x5'x8'h), Slate and bronze
1994 Tosei Corp., Tokyo, Japan, "The Eels" , 1m x 3.3m x 1m h (40"x130"x40"),
Copper, brass, and stainless steel
1992 A woven metal piece for a home in Cannon Falls, MN "Aurora 3" , 1.8m x
1.2m h
(72"x46"), bronze
1990 The Fountains Country Club, Lake Worth, FL "Waves of Grass", 6.7m x 1m
(22'x38"), woven copper, paper
1989 Pacific Gas and Electric, San Francisco, CA "Ascending Spirals", 1.5'm x
1.8m x 2.5m h
(60"x72"x98"h), bronze on Granite base
1989 University of Wisconsin at River Falls, Knowles Physical Education
Building
"Dot, Dash, Derby", 34.2m x 6.7m h (112'x22'h),, anodized aluminum
1987 Minneapolis Public Library, Minneapolis MN - production of Bronze Award
1986 Jostens, inc., Minneapolis, MN "Aurora 1", 61cm x 92cm h (24"x36"),
woven metal
1985 City of Minneapolis, MN - production of Bronze Award
1984 "Untitled" woven bronze piece for a home in Atlanta, GA, 92cm x 55cm
(36"x22"),
woven bronze
Publications:
Latest Press Clippings include:
1/2 the front page of the Elk River Star News, Aug. 26th, 2006 edition. Article on the production of "Porkunkhamun I (145-185 BBQ)
Mention of "Porkunkhamun" in the review of the State Fair art show by Minneapolis StarTribune.
Gene's work has been mentioned in: Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota Daily,
Red Wing Daily
Republican Eagle, Lake City Graphic, Architectural Record, St. Paul Pioneer
Press, Architecture
Minnesota, Elk River Star, The River Falls Journal, Minnesota Explorer, Radio
and TV news.
He is listed in "Who's who in American Art."
Collections:
BSA Architects, Indianapolis, IN; Pacific Gas and Electric, San Francisco,
CA; Tosei Corp.,
Tokyo, Japan; James Wines, SITE Projects, New York, NY; Jostens Inc.,
Minneapolis, MN;
Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson WI; University of Wisconsin at River
Falls, River Falls, WI;
Bill Kraus, Kraus-Sikes Inc., Madison, WI; Judd Peterson, Peterson
Associates Arch.,
Minneapolis, MN; Ralph Bruce III, Sr. VP (ret.), Archer Daniels Midland, La
Jolla, CA; Lisa
Dayton, Orono, MN; Hennepin Center for the Arts, Minneapolis, MN; City
of Minneapolis,
Minneapolis MN; Minneapolis Library Board, Minneapolis, MN; Riverwood
Conference
Center, Monticello, MN; and others.
Awards and Honors:
2002 Finalist for a Cue Award, Minneapolis for work as part of the team renovating the Illusion Theater in downtown Minneapolis.
2002 Photo of work featured on program cover, Minnesota Biennial, Minnesota Museum of American Art
2000 One of Three National Finalists for an Atrium Sculpture for Eli Lilly, co.
Indianapolis IN
1999 One of Five National Finalists for the Science Museum of Minnesota Atrium
Sculpture
1993 Minnesota Crafts Council -Juried- Fiber/Metal Show - Artists' Choice
Award - Metals
1993 Minnesota Crafts Council -Juried- Fiber/Metal Show - Peer's Choice Award
- First Place
- Metals
1988 Cover Background Artist - Juried competition, 1989 edition of Guild
Sourcebook, Kraus - Sikes pub.
1985 Second Honor, Juried show, 74th Annual Fine Arts Show, Minnesota State
Fair
Teaching:
2000 Casting techniques, Guild of Metalsmiths' workshop series
1996 Presentations to Junior and Senior High classes on the process involved in
developing a piece of public art. From concept, through juries, presentations,
community feedback, contracts, fabrication, installation
Late 70's Worked with High School kids in the production of three plays.
+"The Miracle Worker," at Summit Academy, St. Paul
+"Dark of the Moon," at Edison High School, Minneapolis.
+"Becket inspired 'one act's, " at Northrop Collegiate Girls School,
Minneapolis
Other Work:
2006 - Repair of the peak finial on the North tower of Landmark Center, St. Paul, MN.
2005 - Replacement of one of the copper finials for Landmark Center, St. Paul, MN.
2005 - Copper Garden fountain for Ralph and Grace Strangis with John Yust , architect and Jodi Holman, landscape designer.
2005 - Etched bronze globe for he Denali Visitors center, AK.
2004 - Made a custom stainless sink for the restoration of a Ford Tri-motor airliner.
2004 - Work on restoration of 32 foot copper repoussé Hermann statue, New Ulm MN.
2001 - Restoration of a Lynda Benglis sculpture
1999-01 Newsletter editor "Guild of Metalsmiths", member of their Board of
Directors.
1996-01 Webmaster for the "Guild of Metalsmiths" an educational association of
metalworking artists and artisans. -
http://www.metalsmith.org
1996 - Jungle Theater, Minneapolis, MN, Set pieces for "Fool For Love"
1995 - Jungle Theater, Minneapolis, MN, Set pieces for "The Glass Menagerie"
1994-95 - Artistic Consultant and Design Engineer, supervised the design,
construction and installation of a 30 x 60 ft Vertical Sundial at the
University of
Wisconsin River Falls
1994 - Jungle Theater, Minneapolis, MN, Set pieces for "Only You" by
Timothy
Mason
1993 - Engineering consultant and metal fabricator for Raffala Green's
"Philips
Gateway" Bench project, City of Minneapolis
1993 - Jungle Theater, Minneapolis, MN, Several props for "The Lower
Depths" by
Maxim Gorky, and the design and creation of several metal set pieces for a
production of
Harold Pinter's "Old Times"
1991 - The Alliance (architects) Minneapolis, MN, produced special anodized
aluminum light fixtures for the Brooklyn Center City Hall/
1991 - John Portman Assoc, Architects, Atlanta, GA. Produced a large bronze
plate planter for Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta
1990 - Technical Consultant, supervised the construction and installation of
major
works for
artists Stuart Nielsen/ Scripps Clinic and Andrew Liechester/ Philadelphia
Port Authority
in San Diego, CA and Philadelphia, PA.
1989 - Technical Consultant, supervised the construction and installation of a
bronze dome
for the Superior Fountain, artist Ben Effinger/ City of Duluth
1988 - Technical Consultant, supervised the construction and installation of a
work
for artist
Stuart Nielsen/Phillips Plastics
1986 - Technical Consultant, supervised the installation of a work for artist
Linda
Fleming/General Mills
1985 - Technical Consultant, supervised the construction and installation of
works
for Stuart
Nielsen and Philip Larson
1984 - Technical Consultant, supervised the construction and installation of
works
for Stuart
Nielsen and SITE Projects, NY, NY
Earlier affiliations:
Designer, technical director, actor - Punchinello Players, St. Paul Campus U of
M
Technician, designer - Minnesota Dance Theater
Technician, acting Technical Director - Children's Theatre Co.
Designer - Theater in the Round
Properties manager - Minnesota Opera
Tech director - "Re Vera," an original Video Drama by Terry Lappin which was
shot but never
made it out of edit
Laboratory technician and programmer, University of Minnesota Hospitals,
research labs.
Civic:
Board Member Guild of Metalsmiths 1998 - 2001
Other :
Animated Christmas Displays for: Dayton's, Minneapolis and malls in Omaha, NB;
Arlington, TX; Tampa, FL; Roseville, MN; and others
Commercial Video Sets and Props: The Milwaukee Art Museum, Target, Henri's
Salad
Dressing, Northern States Power, Hormel, Food and Drug Administration, various
toy
companies,
