Minnesota State Arts Grant
I won a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist's Initiative Grant! Finally!
I won it based on the portfolio of my work plus a desire to make more work to better handle the outdoors. In doing so, part of the money goes for a ventilation system so that I don't get sick when working with stainless steel and towards experimentation with my new materials.
Now, I've got to get to work...
I won it based on the portfolio of my work plus a desire to make more work to better handle the outdoors. In doing so, part of the money goes for a ventilation system so that I don't get sick when working with stainless steel and towards experimentation with my new materials.
Now, I've got to get to work...
More Awards
I had three pieces in the "Sculpture by the River" show at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI and won three awards!
I won 'Second Place" for my "Airway to Heaven" piece (a piece that's won a number of awards already) and "Honorable Mention" for my "Song of the Flying Dutchman" piece. The 'Dutchman' piece mentioned above also won me a "People's Choice" award.
Not a bad haul - helps to defray the costs of making the pieces anyway. Anyone wanna buy a flying church?
I won 'Second Place" for my "Airway to Heaven" piece (a piece that's won a number of awards already) and "Honorable Mention" for my "Song of the Flying Dutchman" piece. The 'Dutchman' piece mentioned above also won me a "People's Choice" award.
Not a bad haul - helps to defray the costs of making the pieces anyway. Anyone wanna buy a flying church?
Minnesota Originals
Yes, I am now a "Minnesota Original" if that really means anything. I figure if you do anything long enough, you'll get known by it, so thar ya go.
Anyway, I am honored to be part of Twin Cities Public Televisions' "Minnesota Original" program, now in it's third season. I was very happy to be picked for my 6-10 minute segment since the show only runs a half hour and dedicates the other two thirds to poets, writers, music, dance and theater. So all in all, I lucked out. I am also fortunate to be in the company of many great artists in this northern state and am happy we have an outlet to showcase the talent of local artists.
This has been in the works for some time. They originally contacted me for the 1st season, but had to bow out in favor of other work last summer. Then, they contacted me in November of 2011 and finally got something shot in my studio on Valentine's Day of this year. So, it can be a long process.
Anyway, look for it in another month or so - late April, early May on TPT Channel 2. Checkout other episodes streaming online via their website -http://www.mnoriginal.org/.
Anyway, I am honored to be part of Twin Cities Public Televisions' "Minnesota Original" program, now in it's third season. I was very happy to be picked for my 6-10 minute segment since the show only runs a half hour and dedicates the other two thirds to poets, writers, music, dance and theater. So all in all, I lucked out. I am also fortunate to be in the company of many great artists in this northern state and am happy we have an outlet to showcase the talent of local artists.
This has been in the works for some time. They originally contacted me for the 1st season, but had to bow out in favor of other work last summer. Then, they contacted me in November of 2011 and finally got something shot in my studio on Valentine's Day of this year. So, it can be a long process.
Anyway, look for it in another month or so - late April, early May on TPT Channel 2. Checkout other episodes streaming online via their website -http://www.mnoriginal.org/.
Gearing up for another opening
Yes, another opening in St. Cloud, only this time it's a solo show in a downtown 'pop up' gallery sponsored by Visual Arts Minnesota. My friend Heidi Steadman and her batch of intrepid volunteers have been doing a great job revitalizing the scene and bringing in new life to the area.
Anyway, it should be a fun time since I'll get to see a lot of old friends and from the web traffic to my site, it looks like there will be a number of people out for the event - must be the food provided by the sponsors - Bravo Burrittos!
It's the last show they are doing in this space and I'm happy to show off my new 'celloship' piece "The Song of the Flying Dutchman" as seen on the homepage of this site.
Hopefully, I'll see you there!
Kyle
Here's the info and the link.
description
description
Visual Arts Minnesota and 912 Art Gallery presents the work of Kyle Fokken. The exhibit will be from December 5 – 30, 2011 in downtown St. Cloud. A reception will be held on December 9, from 7-9pm at the 912 Art Gallery, located at 912 West St. Germain Street. The reception is free and open to the public, sponsored by DealChicken. Food will be provided by Bravo Burrito, cash bar by DB Searles.
Antique toys directly inspire Fokken’s sculptures, speak to the transfer of beliefs, values and prejudices between generations. Fokken says, "I use distressed materials to convey an 'antique' aesthetic, to emphasize that these beliefs have been long established but are decayed and in need of renewal or examination."
Fokken grew up in a small farming town on the Great Plains in West Central Minnesota. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a BFA in ceramic sculpture and a minor in business. His inspiration is fueled by imagination, “All those experiences living in a farming community, being close to machinery in a town where there wasn't a lot to do, is what led me to be an artist. I think that your creativity soars when you have to make do with what you have and find ways to entertain yourself through your own imagination.”
Fokken’s sculptures can be found in many public art exhibitions and commissions, galleries and museums and private collections. For more information, go to www.kylefokken.com .
This exhibit is the last of a 4 month exhibition series for the 912 Art Gallery, in the beautiful Regency Event Center. Gallery hours are Mondays 11-3pm, Thursdays 11-3pm, 5-8pm, Fridays and Saturdays 5-8pm. Restricted hours around holidays. Please check website for details www.visualartsminnesota.org http://www.visualartsminnesota.org> under 912 Art Gallery link.
Anyway, it should be a fun time since I'll get to see a lot of old friends and from the web traffic to my site, it looks like there will be a number of people out for the event - must be the food provided by the sponsors - Bravo Burrittos!
It's the last show they are doing in this space and I'm happy to show off my new 'celloship' piece "The Song of the Flying Dutchman" as seen on the homepage of this site.
Hopefully, I'll see you there!
Kyle
Here's the info and the link.
description
description
Visual Arts Minnesota and 912 Art Gallery presents the work of Kyle Fokken. The exhibit will be from December 5 – 30, 2011 in downtown St. Cloud. A reception will be held on December 9, from 7-9pm at the 912 Art Gallery, located at 912 West St. Germain Street. The reception is free and open to the public, sponsored by DealChicken. Food will be provided by Bravo Burrito, cash bar by DB Searles.
Antique toys directly inspire Fokken’s sculptures, speak to the transfer of beliefs, values and prejudices between generations. Fokken says, "I use distressed materials to convey an 'antique' aesthetic, to emphasize that these beliefs have been long established but are decayed and in need of renewal or examination."
Fokken grew up in a small farming town on the Great Plains in West Central Minnesota. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a BFA in ceramic sculpture and a minor in business. His inspiration is fueled by imagination, “All those experiences living in a farming community, being close to machinery in a town where there wasn't a lot to do, is what led me to be an artist. I think that your creativity soars when you have to make do with what you have and find ways to entertain yourself through your own imagination.”
Fokken’s sculptures can be found in many public art exhibitions and commissions, galleries and museums and private collections. For more information, go to www.kylefokken.com .
This exhibit is the last of a 4 month exhibition series for the 912 Art Gallery, in the beautiful Regency Event Center. Gallery hours are Mondays 11-3pm, Thursdays 11-3pm, 5-8pm, Fridays and Saturdays 5-8pm. Restricted hours around holidays. Please check website for details www.visualartsminnesota.org http://www.visualartsminnesota.org> under 912 Art Gallery link.
Another great review in Louisville!
Kyle Fokken at the Garner Narrative
14Nov11
Review by Mary Margaret Sparks
On November 4, while walking across the street for the downtown gallery hop, I noticed an interesting sculpture through the front window of the Garner Narrative Gallery. It was a beast-like creature made of mechanical parts resembling a robot. It was “Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars” and linked me back to my junior high and high school days. Being a lover of both sculpture and nostalgia, I was drawn into the gallery to view the rest of the work by Minnesota artist Kyle Fokken. His work takes a modern approach to antiques and machinery with works including everything from antique toy trucks to churches.
Works in the exhibition include “Airway to Heaven” a giant airplane and “Wrecker (Church Series IV)” a church building attached to a wrecker crane. Both sculptures include functional and kinetic aspects such as lighting and are composed of many small parts including bike chains. The artist fuses materials together to create unique images reflecting on war, childhood, religion, fantasy, memories,etc.
On close observation, it’s obvious the dedication that Fokken takes when choosing how to construct each sculpture. Each work is handcrafted not only in its build but also in its appearance. The patina work is beautiful and the artist’s use of color adds a vibrancy to the wood and metal. His fascination with history and society create for a unique 3-dimensional show.
My work is based on a love of antique toys as viewed from a modern perspective. We are naturally drawn to relics of days gone past. In my artwork, I fuse this nostalgia with “visionary” art – art often made by people using scrap material and rough construction. Like these artists, I’m not a “junk sculptor” because my focus is not on the found object itself, but on how I can use objects to fulfill my vision. I employ this technique as a metaphor implying the bond between generations “making do” with available materials and the cultural legacy of values and ideals. (Kyle Fokken Artist Statement)
The exhibition is free to the public and will be up during the December First Friday Gallery Hop on December 2 from 6-9PM. The exhibition runs through January. Garner Narrative Gallery is located at 642 E. Market Street.
The Kyle Fokken exhibition is the third for the Garner Narrative a new endeavor for artist Joyce Garner and her daughter Angie Reed Garner. Initially the Garner Furnish Studio, the gallery closed in early 2011, renovated and re-opened as Garner Narrative Contemporary Fine Art. They began representing artists in September 2011.
Garner Narrative is accepting proposals for exhibitions; with the focus on contemporary narrative art in any media. They have two gallery spaces — one quite large and then another scaled for more intimate work — as well as four window spaces viewable from Clay Street perfect for wall-mounted installations.
Learn more about Garner Narrative Contemporary Fine Art
14Nov11
Review by Mary Margaret Sparks
On November 4, while walking across the street for the downtown gallery hop, I noticed an interesting sculpture through the front window of the Garner Narrative Gallery. It was a beast-like creature made of mechanical parts resembling a robot. It was “Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars” and linked me back to my junior high and high school days. Being a lover of both sculpture and nostalgia, I was drawn into the gallery to view the rest of the work by Minnesota artist Kyle Fokken. His work takes a modern approach to antiques and machinery with works including everything from antique toy trucks to churches.
Works in the exhibition include “Airway to Heaven” a giant airplane and “Wrecker (Church Series IV)” a church building attached to a wrecker crane. Both sculptures include functional and kinetic aspects such as lighting and are composed of many small parts including bike chains. The artist fuses materials together to create unique images reflecting on war, childhood, religion, fantasy, memories,etc.
On close observation, it’s obvious the dedication that Fokken takes when choosing how to construct each sculpture. Each work is handcrafted not only in its build but also in its appearance. The patina work is beautiful and the artist’s use of color adds a vibrancy to the wood and metal. His fascination with history and society create for a unique 3-dimensional show.
My work is based on a love of antique toys as viewed from a modern perspective. We are naturally drawn to relics of days gone past. In my artwork, I fuse this nostalgia with “visionary” art – art often made by people using scrap material and rough construction. Like these artists, I’m not a “junk sculptor” because my focus is not on the found object itself, but on how I can use objects to fulfill my vision. I employ this technique as a metaphor implying the bond between generations “making do” with available materials and the cultural legacy of values and ideals. (Kyle Fokken Artist Statement)
The exhibition is free to the public and will be up during the December First Friday Gallery Hop on December 2 from 6-9PM. The exhibition runs through January. Garner Narrative Gallery is located at 642 E. Market Street.
The Kyle Fokken exhibition is the third for the Garner Narrative a new endeavor for artist Joyce Garner and her daughter Angie Reed Garner. Initially the Garner Furnish Studio, the gallery closed in early 2011, renovated and re-opened as Garner Narrative Contemporary Fine Art. They began representing artists in September 2011.
Garner Narrative is accepting proposals for exhibitions; with the focus on contemporary narrative art in any media. They have two gallery spaces — one quite large and then another scaled for more intimate work — as well as four window spaces viewable from Clay Street perfect for wall-mounted installations.
Learn more about Garner Narrative Contemporary Fine Art
Nice review of my show at Garner Narrative Contemporary Fine Arts
Monday, November 7, 2011
Exhibit Review by Keith Waits: Kyle Fokken
Kyle Fokken at garner narrative contemporary fine art
Airway to Heaven, mixed media sculpture
Review by Keith Waits
Entire contents copyright 2011 by Keith Waits. All rights reserved.
When a young child grasps a toy in their hands, it is an object that sparks imagination and creativity. In that same way, Kyle Fokken’s sculptures become a catalyst for intellectual stimulation in the adult mind. Perhaps they trigger a return to childhood playtime: each is fundamentally a toy, a truck, an airplane, a construction crane. Yet these mixed media creations are also idiosyncratic mash-ups of form and function: the operator’s cabin on the construction crane is a ramshackle church – the crane arm protruding from beneath the façade and anchored by a chain that runs through a window, nearly an act of penetrative violence. The positioning of a house of worship as a vehicle of destruction is a provocative juxtaposition in an age when we witness religion as a foundation for terrorism.
But that impact is perhaps balanced by the contrasting image of another church structure serving as the fuselage of an airplane, lifting the spiritual into more traditional territory, albeit with the same idiosyncratic relationships of form and function.
In other pieces, the stylistic combinations are more complex and subtle, such as the steam-punk anamorphism of “Uptet (Babylonian Gunship),” a quadripedal creature that seems a cross between a camel and the family pet, but equipped with giant propellers ready to take the steel and wood construction aloft. Mr. Fokken’s work is filled with cultural references, and in this instance it is difficult not see something of the Imperial Walkers from Empire Strikes Back: they have the same tension between awkward, lumbering mass and graceful, intricate design.
The detail and craftsmanship are distinctive, and the found objects that Mr. Fokken incorporates never seem random or haphazard, but exactly the right choices for each piece. There is, however, one sculpture, “Difficult to Fathom,” that stands apart from the rest in this show. The merging of a church onto a submarine body is entirely consistent, but the dynamic placement of the contraption trawling across the scalp of a singularly annoyed sailor introduces a more straightforwardly comic image of a human face that could also be viewed as self-portrait. Whether or not the head bears any resemblance to the artist, the whimsical depiction of art emerging from the creative mind is unmistakable.
This three-dimensional exhibit represents something of a departure for this space, having devoted itself for years to largely two-dimensional work from its proprietor, Joyce Garner, and a few select others. But this past summer the gallery was renovated so that the space underwent small but crucial adjustments. Mr. Fokken’s work highlights the new environment and suggests a more ambitious mission for garner narrative that should prove welcome in what is already the busiest and most vital visual arts neighborhood in Louisville.
Difficult to Fathom, leather over wood, steel, found object
Wrecker (Church Series IV), acrylic paint over wood
Uptet (Babylonian Gunship) tempered scrap steel (soup, tomato cans) over wood, acrylic
garner narrative contemporary fine art
642 E. Market @ Clay
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 641-8086
garnernarrative@gmail.com
hours: Wed-Sat 1-6, First Friday Gallery Hop 1-9
http://www.garnernarrative.com
Exhibit Review by Keith Waits: Kyle Fokken
Kyle Fokken at garner narrative contemporary fine art
Airway to Heaven, mixed media sculpture
Review by Keith Waits
Entire contents copyright 2011 by Keith Waits. All rights reserved.
When a young child grasps a toy in their hands, it is an object that sparks imagination and creativity. In that same way, Kyle Fokken’s sculptures become a catalyst for intellectual stimulation in the adult mind. Perhaps they trigger a return to childhood playtime: each is fundamentally a toy, a truck, an airplane, a construction crane. Yet these mixed media creations are also idiosyncratic mash-ups of form and function: the operator’s cabin on the construction crane is a ramshackle church – the crane arm protruding from beneath the façade and anchored by a chain that runs through a window, nearly an act of penetrative violence. The positioning of a house of worship as a vehicle of destruction is a provocative juxtaposition in an age when we witness religion as a foundation for terrorism.
But that impact is perhaps balanced by the contrasting image of another church structure serving as the fuselage of an airplane, lifting the spiritual into more traditional territory, albeit with the same idiosyncratic relationships of form and function.
In other pieces, the stylistic combinations are more complex and subtle, such as the steam-punk anamorphism of “Uptet (Babylonian Gunship),” a quadripedal creature that seems a cross between a camel and the family pet, but equipped with giant propellers ready to take the steel and wood construction aloft. Mr. Fokken’s work is filled with cultural references, and in this instance it is difficult not see something of the Imperial Walkers from Empire Strikes Back: they have the same tension between awkward, lumbering mass and graceful, intricate design.
The detail and craftsmanship are distinctive, and the found objects that Mr. Fokken incorporates never seem random or haphazard, but exactly the right choices for each piece. There is, however, one sculpture, “Difficult to Fathom,” that stands apart from the rest in this show. The merging of a church onto a submarine body is entirely consistent, but the dynamic placement of the contraption trawling across the scalp of a singularly annoyed sailor introduces a more straightforwardly comic image of a human face that could also be viewed as self-portrait. Whether or not the head bears any resemblance to the artist, the whimsical depiction of art emerging from the creative mind is unmistakable.
This three-dimensional exhibit represents something of a departure for this space, having devoted itself for years to largely two-dimensional work from its proprietor, Joyce Garner, and a few select others. But this past summer the gallery was renovated so that the space underwent small but crucial adjustments. Mr. Fokken’s work highlights the new environment and suggests a more ambitious mission for garner narrative that should prove welcome in what is already the busiest and most vital visual arts neighborhood in Louisville.
Difficult to Fathom, leather over wood, steel, found object
Wrecker (Church Series IV), acrylic paint over wood
Uptet (Babylonian Gunship) tempered scrap steel (soup, tomato cans) over wood, acrylic
garner narrative contemporary fine art
642 E. Market @ Clay
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 641-8086
garnernarrative@gmail.com
hours: Wed-Sat 1-6, First Friday Gallery Hop 1-9
http://www.garnernarrative.com
Children's Choice? Is this a trend???
Yesterday, I got an award for the Hopkins Artstreet outdoor sculpture competition. I got the "Children's Choice Award" for my piece "Shoo-Shoe Train". I have to admit that I was bummed that I didn't get first place, but am still very happy to have gotten the award. It seems odd that I've been getting these types of awards lately since I usually never get any 'people's choice' type of awards because in years past my work has been too out there for normal folks. Anyway, in addition to Third Place in Sculpture at the State Fair, I got a "Kid's Choice Award" there as well. Again, I'm happy, but am starting to wonder if I either am headed in a new direction that will get me more cashe and big commissions, or maybe I should just chuck it and head another, more serious direction like I originally set out to do. Maybe there's something with having children lowers your testosterone and I'm getting mellow.
Minnesota State Fair 100th Anniversary
Well I got in again and am pleased to announce that I won an award - 3rd Place!
I can't say that I didn't want 1st this time, but there's no control over what the juror will pick. I'm just happy to get in and get a few extra bucks and some prestige for doing so. Hopefully, there will be a lot of people who see it and like it over the new 10 days or so.
BTW, this is my 4th award - I got 4th the first time I entered in 2001, then 3rd the next year, skipped a couple of years (didn't pre reg, forgot, and had one rejection), one piece with no award (plenty of press tho') then last year got 5th place and now this year 3rd. All in all not bad - I suspect I may have gotten more awards than anyone else, but it has been around for a hundred years, so the odds are I haven't. Anyway, I'd like to get first one time -where is the love.....Ha!
I can't say that I didn't want 1st this time, but there's no control over what the juror will pick. I'm just happy to get in and get a few extra bucks and some prestige for doing so. Hopefully, there will be a lot of people who see it and like it over the new 10 days or so.
BTW, this is my 4th award - I got 4th the first time I entered in 2001, then 3rd the next year, skipped a couple of years (didn't pre reg, forgot, and had one rejection), one piece with no award (plenty of press tho') then last year got 5th place and now this year 3rd. All in all not bad - I suspect I may have gotten more awards than anyone else, but it has been around for a hundred years, so the odds are I haven't. Anyway, I'd like to get first one time -where is the love.....Ha!
Recent and upcoming shows
I've been busy...and most of my updates have been on the AKA site. Sorry bout that.
Anyway, I'm just finishing up on the Art of the Self Portrait that comes down on Saturday, April 30th. Great response, but no sale. I did get an award for a piece I did at the Spiritual Art Show - Honorable Mention, but at least I got my entry fee back! Ha! I've been goaded into doing this show for a number of years, so I finally relented. I think of being an artist a 'monastic quest' of a sort and most of my imagery hasn't been very 'spiritual'. Anyway, I like the piece I did which is titled "Toolbox". Just like it sounds, it's a metal toolbox with a metal steeple attached. I'll post pix later - just haven't gotten around to doing it yet. Is it a place one reaches for spiritual "tools" or is a place where "tools" (ie-losers) reside? I like the dual meaning that leaves it up to the viewer to decide.
Well, the next show is part of an open studio tour at the Traffic Zone Studios in downtown Minneapolis. It's a rather posh place for people who buy their studios a lot like a condo vs renting. I'm showing with a wonderful photographer and friend by the name of Steve Ozone. Check his work out via the link in the 'LINKS' page.
I'll also be showing at Spot Art Gallery in Northeast Mpls for Art-A-Whirl - one big ass art crawl/party happening the third weekend of May.
And finally, I'm getting ready for putting a new piece in the Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk. I've got progress pix in the "PROJECT PROPOSALS" section.
I'm stressed, but it's a good stress in the sense that I'm in demand and working towards some new goals.
Wish me luck
Anyway, I'm just finishing up on the Art of the Self Portrait that comes down on Saturday, April 30th. Great response, but no sale. I did get an award for a piece I did at the Spiritual Art Show - Honorable Mention, but at least I got my entry fee back! Ha! I've been goaded into doing this show for a number of years, so I finally relented. I think of being an artist a 'monastic quest' of a sort and most of my imagery hasn't been very 'spiritual'. Anyway, I like the piece I did which is titled "Toolbox". Just like it sounds, it's a metal toolbox with a metal steeple attached. I'll post pix later - just haven't gotten around to doing it yet. Is it a place one reaches for spiritual "tools" or is a place where "tools" (ie-losers) reside? I like the dual meaning that leaves it up to the viewer to decide.
Well, the next show is part of an open studio tour at the Traffic Zone Studios in downtown Minneapolis. It's a rather posh place for people who buy their studios a lot like a condo vs renting. I'm showing with a wonderful photographer and friend by the name of Steve Ozone. Check his work out via the link in the 'LINKS' page.
I'll also be showing at Spot Art Gallery in Northeast Mpls for Art-A-Whirl - one big ass art crawl/party happening the third weekend of May.
And finally, I'm getting ready for putting a new piece in the Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk. I've got progress pix in the "PROJECT PROPOSALS" section.
I'm stressed, but it's a good stress in the sense that I'm in demand and working towards some new goals.
Wish me luck
New Blog space - Applied Kinetic Arts (AKA)
Well, I took another step into being more connected.
I was asked by a great artist in the mixed media/kinetic realm to join he and others working in this media and blog a little here and there.
As you can tell, I'm not the best at this, but I figured it's just another channel to get my work out in front of people, network and a nice side benefit - the discipline to document and write about my work at each stage of construction.
Check it out and tell me what you think.
http://www.appliedkineticarts.com/who/kyle-fokken/
I was asked by a great artist in the mixed media/kinetic realm to join he and others working in this media and blog a little here and there.
As you can tell, I'm not the best at this, but I figured it's just another channel to get my work out in front of people, network and a nice side benefit - the discipline to document and write about my work at each stage of construction.
Check it out and tell me what you think.
http://www.appliedkineticarts.com/who/kyle-fokken/
St. Cloud Times Article
Last Sunday, I got a little press in the St. Cloud Times regarding my show at St. Cloud State University. I was hoping for more along with some pix that I had submitted, but no dice. Anyway, press is press so I'll just chalk it up to experience.
Here's the entire article - well, my portion of it at the tail end of a theater review entitled "Fine arts column: Musical pays homage to Alexander's bad day"
Kyle Fokken exhibit at SCSU
Almost two decades after graduation, Minnesota artist Kyle Fokken is back at his alma mater. Fokken’s whimsical creations will be displayed at St. Cloud State University’s Atwood Gallery until Jan. 13. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Fokken’s work is based on a love of antique toys.
“You let the art dictate the form to you. I don’t always start out with a definitive form in mind. I have a general idea for the feeling of the piece,” Fokken said.
Fokken’s passion for merging found objects began in childhood when he created his own toy models.
“When I was a kid, I was pretty poor. I used to make a lot of model airplanes and cars,” Fokken said. “I couldn’t afford all the kits, so I’d go the library and (find a picture) of what I wanted to make and then find the parts that would go in there.”
Atwood Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on the weekend.
For details, visit www.kylefokken.com.
Funny thing is, that I talked to my parents the other day and they stated that a former schoolmate (a few years younger than me, I think) saw it in the paper and told my hometown newspaper about it. They in turn contacted my parents for permission to publish it and there ya go - I've got street cred in Clara City! BTW, don't look for it online since, I just checked their website and it hasn't been updated since February 25th, 2009!
Anyway, here's the links for both sites in case you need more info:
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20110102/LIFE/101020032/1004/Fine-arts-column--Musical-pays-homage-to-Alexander-s-bad-day
and
http://claracityherald.com/
Here's the entire article - well, my portion of it at the tail end of a theater review entitled "Fine arts column: Musical pays homage to Alexander's bad day"
Kyle Fokken exhibit at SCSU
Almost two decades after graduation, Minnesota artist Kyle Fokken is back at his alma mater. Fokken’s whimsical creations will be displayed at St. Cloud State University’s Atwood Gallery until Jan. 13. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Fokken’s work is based on a love of antique toys.
“You let the art dictate the form to you. I don’t always start out with a definitive form in mind. I have a general idea for the feeling of the piece,” Fokken said.
Fokken’s passion for merging found objects began in childhood when he created his own toy models.
“When I was a kid, I was pretty poor. I used to make a lot of model airplanes and cars,” Fokken said. “I couldn’t afford all the kits, so I’d go the library and (find a picture) of what I wanted to make and then find the parts that would go in there.”
Atwood Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on the weekend.
For details, visit www.kylefokken.com.
Funny thing is, that I talked to my parents the other day and they stated that a former schoolmate (a few years younger than me, I think) saw it in the paper and told my hometown newspaper about it. They in turn contacted my parents for permission to publish it and there ya go - I've got street cred in Clara City! BTW, don't look for it online since, I just checked their website and it hasn't been updated since February 25th, 2009!
Anyway, here's the links for both sites in case you need more info:
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20110102/LIFE/101020032/1004/Fine-arts-column--Musical-pays-homage-to-Alexander-s-bad-day
and
http://claracityherald.com/
Close but no cigar!
I was a finalist for the North East Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA)'s upcoming Art-A-Whirl Catalog. I was one of six selected and the only sculptor. The graphics person chose one of my small panel truck "toys" which I thought was interesting since they're not terribly indicative of my larger body of work. Never the less, I think the way she used the piece as a backdrop for the text was very good and I really appreciated her using it.
You can see my image, the other finalists and of course the winner via the link below. All of those chosen were great and work well as a graphic to bring people to NE Minneapolis during Art-A-Whirl - the third weekend in May for the past 15 or so years.
http://artsorbit.tumblr.com/post/2672500356/five-faces-of-northeast-minneapolis-art
You can see my image, the other finalists and of course the winner via the link below. All of those chosen were great and work well as a graphic to bring people to NE Minneapolis during Art-A-Whirl - the third weekend in May for the past 15 or so years.
http://artsorbit.tumblr.com/post/2672500356/five-faces-of-northeast-minneapolis-art
"Kyle Fokken's Elegant Smash UPS" on MPR
A short interview and photos are featured on Marianne Combs blog "State of the Arts on the Minnesota Public Radio's website.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/state-of-the-arts/archive/2010/12/kyle-fokkens-smash-ups.shtml
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/state-of-the-arts/archive/2010/12/kyle-fokkens-smash-ups.shtml
Fall Fine Arts Show
Well, it looks like my piece "Airway to Heaven" has gotten the nod for 'Best of Show' or 'First Place' for this year's NEMAA Fall Fine Arts Show.
This is my third time winning it and frankly I was a bit surprised by it since it seems that the last few years only painters have been winning this award. Musta been the mostly male jurors..Ha!
This is my third time winning it and frankly I was a bit surprised by it since it seems that the last few years only painters have been winning this award. Musta been the mostly male jurors..Ha!
Sculpture Walk Sioux Falls 2011
Yes, it happened again!
I got another piece of sculpture that's headed to Sioux Falls. It's a proposal piece in that it hasn't been built yet. This leads to a lot of new challenges as to what I can do with outdoor work and is always a bit of a struggle. At least with each new piece, I earn another arrow in my quiver (or earn the rank of "Fries" pinned on my Hardee's uniform). Hopefully this will prove that I can make interesting outdoor work that is more than just a rusting hulk or dirty bronze.
Wish me luck!
I got another piece of sculpture that's headed to Sioux Falls. It's a proposal piece in that it hasn't been built yet. This leads to a lot of new challenges as to what I can do with outdoor work and is always a bit of a struggle. At least with each new piece, I earn another arrow in my quiver (or earn the rank of "Fries" pinned on my Hardee's uniform). Hopefully this will prove that I can make interesting outdoor work that is more than just a rusting hulk or dirty bronze.
Wish me luck!
"Best of Show Award" Other Material - Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk
Well, I did it again. I think this is kinda a hat trick of sorts since it's my third "Best of Show" award there. The first one and this last one are both "Best of Show- Other Material" (non-bronze) and my second award was "Best of Show Overall" (all categories). So, technically not a hat trick or even a threepeat. Ha!
Anyway, it's good to get and I got a few more bucks for materials and tools and to pay for the last one plus another bump on the resume.
I'm still looking to score a nice purchase award, but that's how things go sometimes.
I still need a place to put it when it comes down in Maybe if it doesn't sell or get moved to another location.
Anyone want to buy a "yellow submarine"???
Anyway, it's good to get and I got a few more bucks for materials and tools and to pay for the last one plus another bump on the resume.
I'm still looking to score a nice purchase award, but that's how things go sometimes.
I still need a place to put it when it comes down in Maybe if it doesn't sell or get moved to another location.
Anyone want to buy a "yellow submarine"???
Castlegar News Article
Well, here it is. I thought I'd post an image of the whole article in case you'd like to see it.
Interview with Castlegar News! and other things.
Dear Diary... it's been a while....
Well, I really have to get used to using this blog/news screen every now and again. Just hard enough to find time to work on grants/public art applications, etc much less sculpture.
Anyway, it's been a good week. I just sold 3 pieces to an artist who runs a gallery in Cokato, MN. He operates under the moniker "The Art Pig". Go check out his wonderful child like drawings and paintings via his site (see the links page or google "Art Pig" and you'll find him), the Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul,MN and Minnetonka Center for the Arts. I also sold a nice piece to a ceramic artist via Gallery 13 in Downtown Minneapolis. Needless to say, I bought some good scotch a couple of tools and the rest I'm saving for a shed to put all the non artwork related things such as bikes, lawn more etc in so that I have room to work. Oh, and my piece "Uptet (Babylon Gunship)" got accepted to the MN State Fair.
I'm going to be conducting an interview tomorrow with Castlegar News in Castlegar BC, Canada. Hopefully it'll go well since the interviewer seems pretty cool and I'm sure it'll be a nice way to promote the Castlegar Sculpture Walk that I am a part of.
That's all for now!
Well, I really have to get used to using this blog/news screen every now and again. Just hard enough to find time to work on grants/public art applications, etc much less sculpture.
Anyway, it's been a good week. I just sold 3 pieces to an artist who runs a gallery in Cokato, MN. He operates under the moniker "The Art Pig". Go check out his wonderful child like drawings and paintings via his site (see the links page or google "Art Pig" and you'll find him), the Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul,MN and Minnetonka Center for the Arts. I also sold a nice piece to a ceramic artist via Gallery 13 in Downtown Minneapolis. Needless to say, I bought some good scotch a couple of tools and the rest I'm saving for a shed to put all the non artwork related things such as bikes, lawn more etc in so that I have room to work. Oh, and my piece "Uptet (Babylon Gunship)" got accepted to the MN State Fair.
I'm going to be conducting an interview tomorrow with Castlegar News in Castlegar BC, Canada. Hopefully it'll go well since the interviewer seems pretty cool and I'm sure it'll be a nice way to promote the Castlegar Sculpture Walk that I am a part of.
That's all for now!
My first international show!
Yes, I'm going international! Not that it's that hard these days, but there ya go.
I will be featured in an outdoor competition in Castlegar, BC in Canada (not that far from Whistler and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics) this spring. It's their first foray into the "Sculpture Walk" franchise based in Sioux Falls, SD and I am happy to be a part of it. I also will be included in the "Sculpture Walk Sioux Falls" this spring as well. I've won awards in Sioux Falls including "First Place" and "Best of Show Overall" and sold work from the show which in turn helps fund this website.
I'll post pix of both pieces as they progress.
I will be featured in an outdoor competition in Castlegar, BC in Canada (not that far from Whistler and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics) this spring. It's their first foray into the "Sculpture Walk" franchise based in Sioux Falls, SD and I am happy to be a part of it. I also will be included in the "Sculpture Walk Sioux Falls" this spring as well. I've won awards in Sioux Falls including "First Place" and "Best of Show Overall" and sold work from the show which in turn helps fund this website.
I'll post pix of both pieces as they progress.
Positive and negative blog reviews of the show "Something from Nothing..."
Here's a couple of blog reviews of the show at the Canton Musem of Art in Canton, OH. I'm happy to see people write about the show and both mentioning my work. I'm also happy that there are two different opinions of the show both positive and negative even thought, there's nothing specifically negative about my work.
ARTWACH
"R.Mutt Redux"
..."
This show occupies a varied landscape of conceptual approaches from playful to profound, and a considerably broad terrain between the two. Daniel Horne’s “King and Queen” presents the life-size royal couple of welded scrap steel as whimsical, kinetic skeletons who invite viewers to gently push various parts of their anatomies and enjoy their moving parts.% Kyle Fokken’s mixed media “Uptet (Babylon Gunship)” and its more “modern” counterpart, “Ship of Fools,” are both solidly constructed, fascinating war machines in miniature. “Uptet” looks like a creature from a science fiction story, and would be a downright hilarious apparition were it not for its clearly deadly function.%
Nonetheless, both works are riveting in every sense of the word.
http://artwach.blogspot.com/
Snarky Art by Judi Krew
"I look for purpose and inspiration in pieces as well. A tin can is a logical steamship funnel and constructions like “Ship of Fools” can hold the attention of a child for quite a while, picking out various objects whose purposes were well thought out."
http://snarkyart.blogspot.com/
ARTWACH
"R.Mutt Redux"
..."
This show occupies a varied landscape of conceptual approaches from playful to profound, and a considerably broad terrain between the two. Daniel Horne’s “King and Queen” presents the life-size royal couple of welded scrap steel as whimsical, kinetic skeletons who invite viewers to gently push various parts of their anatomies and enjoy their moving parts.% Kyle Fokken’s mixed media “Uptet (Babylon Gunship)” and its more “modern” counterpart, “Ship of Fools,” are both solidly constructed, fascinating war machines in miniature. “Uptet” looks like a creature from a science fiction story, and would be a downright hilarious apparition were it not for its clearly deadly function.%
Nonetheless, both works are riveting in every sense of the word.
http://artwach.blogspot.com/
Snarky Art by Judi Krew
"I look for purpose and inspiration in pieces as well. A tin can is a logical steamship funnel and constructions like “Ship of Fools” can hold the attention of a child for quite a while, picking out various objects whose purposes were well thought out."
http://snarkyart.blogspot.com/
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING -Contemporary Recycled Sculpture from America's Rust Belt
My first museum show!
Two of my pieces "Ship of Fools" and "Uptet (Babylon Gunship") are both being shown at the Canton Museum of Art this winter. The dates of the show are November 27th, 2009 - March 7th, 2010. If you are in the area, check it out!
My pieces will also be featured in " About Magazine" and you can also see an image of one of my pieces on the museum's website. Here's the link to the page which can also be found on the "LINKS" tab on my website.
http://www.cantonart.org/73
Two of my pieces "Ship of Fools" and "Uptet (Babylon Gunship") are both being shown at the Canton Museum of Art this winter. The dates of the show are November 27th, 2009 - March 7th, 2010. If you are in the area, check it out!
My pieces will also be featured in " About Magazine" and you can also see an image of one of my pieces on the museum's website. Here's the link to the page which can also be found on the "LINKS" tab on my website.
http://www.cantonart.org/73
My first Blue Ribbon!
Yes, I actually won my first blue ribbon for my sculpture "Ship of Fools" at the Minnesota Sculpture Society's "Fall for Sculpture" Show at the Bloomington Art Center.
I've won awards in the past for First Place and Best of Show, but have never actually gotten a physical ribbon for it.
So there ya have it.
Check out the piece in the portfolio section and see what it looked like when I started.
Also, I received a "People's Choice" award at this show as well. Two firsts happening at the same time. Hopefully this is a trend.
I've won awards in the past for First Place and Best of Show, but have never actually gotten a physical ribbon for it.
So there ya have it.
Check out the piece in the portfolio section and see what it looked like when I started.
Also, I received a "People's Choice" award at this show as well. Two firsts happening at the same time. Hopefully this is a trend.
Launching of new website
Finally, a new website is here!
Check for new larger work as well as some new smaller work.
Check for new larger work as well as some new smaller work.
