Saturday, November 15, 2008

Big Juicy Brushstrokes


I have a bunch of work in a group show opening this week at View Art Gallery with a huge array of other talent. The show is called Big Juicy Brushstroke Etc. If you can't get to the gallery, just click here to view the work I have in the show.
Thanks!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Twenty One Florals opens Nov 1st, on-line ONLY!


Twenty One Florals, new works by Yuri Arajs
November 1 – December 20, 2008

The exhibition will only be viewable on-line. You will be able to see and buy work beginning Nov 1 through Dec 20th.

You can see the exhibit by going to: TwentyOneFlorals.blogspot.com

The exhibit will feature twenty one (21) new floral paintings on paper, which focuses on my love of mark making.

Check it out!

PILOT Group Show @ 801 Lofts Art Gallery


PILOT does one exhibition a year together. This year it is at the beautiful 801 Lofts Gallery. I'll be showing two pieces that I've never shown, which were made about 17 years ago! as well as a few pieces from my "Reclaimed Memories" series (reclaimed-memories.blogspot.com). Here is all the vital information:

You are invited to: Art at 801 Gallery
Opening Reception on Saturday Oct. 11, 6-9pm

Featuring the Pilot Arts Group:
"They are artists who are able to combine their unique gifts and ambitions
into a collective enterprise which will work towards bringing a national eye
to a Midwestern sensibility in creating art with substance and integrity."

John Alspach
Yuri Arajs
Tara Costello
Jennifer Davis
John Diebel
JAO
Terrance Payne
Amy Rice
Michael Sweere
James Wrayge

The music is Beatrix Jar:
"A unique sonic collage layering circuit bent machines, soulful beats, lost
+ found sounds and eccentric lyrics... culminating in a playful, fuzzy sonic
rendezvous."

The exhibition will be showing until February 2009.

5th Annual Art for Choice Fundraiser!


What do I need to say? A great organization, a great evening of art to buy, including my own! I hope you can make and support the event.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Reclaimed Memories / Ltd Edition Catalog Available


Yuri Arajs: Reclaimed Memories
Limited Edition wooden box set
Signed & numbered edition of 54 sets

Each set includes 21 folded full color pages with two views of each piece, framed and unframed, printed on heavy stock glossy paper, a forward page written by Robyne Robinson, as well as a description/acknowledgements/dedication page, both printed on vellum. The pages are wrapped with a red fabric band with ends hand dipped in liquid rubber. The entire set is housed in a custom pine wooden box measuring 6.75” x 9.75” x 2.25”. Each box is adorned with a reclaimed, hand cut, metal plate that has been screen printed in white.

* Please allow for variations as some materials are found and lots of elements have been created by hand.

Price: $300

To purchase a catalog, please contact Yuri Arajs at yuri@yuriarajs.com

The entire exhibition can also be viewed on-line at: reclaimed-memories.blogspot.com

Friday, July 18, 2008

21st Annual Moss Street Paint-In / July 19


I've been to this event a few times and it is really amazing. Thousands of people, good music, and a beer garden. How can you go wrong?
So this is my first year participating in it. If you are in the neighborhood, you need to stop by, look at some of my new paintings and say hi.

Here is the vital information:
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
1040 Moss Street
Victoria

Saturday, July 19, 2008
Paint-In: 12noon - 4:00 pm
Food & Beverage Garden: 12noon - 9:00 pm
Dancing to Kumbia: 4:00pm - 9:00 pm

Vancouver Island’s largest outdoor visual art event is coming of age by celebrating its 21st Anniversary. To help continue its promotion of local artists, TD Canada Trust has become the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s title sponsor.

The Paint-In is a community outreach initiative featuring over 100 invited professional and emerging artists from Victoria and surrounding areas. Artists display and produce their work on Moss Street between Fort Street and Dallas Road. The Paint-In is a free and fun-filled community-based art awareness and education event that sees 30,000 visitors and receives support from the City of Victoria.

Visitors to the event have the opportunity to meet with an enormous variety of artists and learn about their work and techniques. Ultimately, the event allows local artists access to a receptive audience while encouraging an appreciation of the arts among the visitors. Over 200 volunteers and participating artists dedicate more than 3,800 hours to make this exceptional community event possible.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Reclaimed Memories: Solo exhibition opening June 20th at the Rogue Buddha Gallery


Yuri Arajs: Reclaimed Memories
Rogue Buddha Gallery
June 20 - July 27, 2008

Opening reception:
Friday, June 20, 7-11pm.
Free and open to the public!

The Rogue Buddha Gallery is excited to present the solo work of Yuri Arajs. This exhibit marks his last solo show in Minneapolis before taking leave for Canada, his native country.
This exhibit features a new series of found photograph/found mixed media works.
"I’ve been collecting old photographs for many years. I have found them at estate sales, garage sales and in the trash. It amazes me that people dispose of things like this. We record our and others histories only to have them discarded. Why?
Each one of the pieces in the Reclaimed Memory Series is unique in that it was created without anything else in mind but the photograph. The photo had a story to tell me, I listened to it and what came back was my own version of a memory that is not mine. But I have now reclaimed these memories as my own and this is what they look like.
The use of found materials, beyond the photographs, also plays an important role in these works. Found materials have a history and an aesthetic that I don’t feel I can reproduce or create. The paper, the marks I make, the objects introduced, and finally the found frame, all add additional information to the narrative of each piece."

Accompanying this exhibit will be the release of a limited edition boxed set, which will include all 21 pieces in the show. The “Reclaimed Memories” box set will include 21 folded pages with 2 full color views of each piece, a Forward written by Robyne Robinson, wrapped in a nice red ribbon, all housed in a custom pine box (6.75” x 9.75” x 2.25”), signed and numbered edition of 50.

Here is where the Rogue Buddha is:
Rogue Buddha Gallery
357 13th Ave NE Mpls, MN 55413
www.roguebuddha.com
612.331.3889

Hope to see you at the opening!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Art-a-Whirl was great!


Many thanks to everyone who came by to say hi, looked and shopped the art!
I've been doing art-a-whirl for years and have shown a lot at the Thorp Building. They have great unique spaces and this is one that I was able to have my work in this year. It was an old powder coating oven.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Art-A-Whirl!



This year I'm / Placement Gallery, is doing a huge show at the Thorp building. It's a special exhibition of artists I have shown in the last 10 years here in the Twin Cities. It's in a huge space, 12000 sq ft!, and there are 20 amazing artists in the show.
There will be a large "retail" space of artwork for sale which will include a fire sale of my own work. I'm slashing prices on a bunch of older work. Come buy, check out the show, and buy some of art!

Here is the information on the exhibition:

Placement Gallery presents:
“Pure Pleasure: 10 Years of Curating from Yuri Arajs”
May 16 - 18, 2008
Featuring works by Joe Aschebrook, Bill Borden, Jamie Carrera, Jennifer Davis, John Fleischer, Kyle Fokken, Doug Forbes, Greg Gossel, John Grider, Nicholas Harper, Grant Hart, JAO, Ernest Miller, Mari Newman, Douglas Padilla, Terrance Payne, Amy Rice, Richard Saholt, Sean Smuda and Venus,

Exhibit location: Thorp Building, 1620 Central Avenue NE, space 125, Minneapolis
Gallery hours: Friday 5-10pm, Saturday 12-8pm, Sunday 12-5pm

Reception with the artists Friday, May 16th from 6 to 10pm
Featuring a live speed painting performance by JAO and music by DJ Espada.
A fantastic art event and party that is free and open to the public!

Monday, April 7, 2008

2008 Achieving Dreams Award!


I am so honored to have been the first ever recipient of the Achieving Dreams Award given by Resource Inc. They are an amazing local organization who's mission is, "To empower people to achieve greater personal, social and economic success. We are committed to undoing racism and promoting diversity." Read more and support them at www.resource-mn.org. The award is given out annually for "outstanding contributions to Resource Inc., for helping others discover their potential and achieve their dreams."

I've had the fortune to have shown many artists who use Resource Inc services. They have a great visual arts program called Spectrum which is run by friend and artist, Amy Rice (www.amyrice.com). Spectrum has a great website with lots of art for sale. Check them out at www.artworksatspectrum.org.

Thank you so much for this!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Yuri Arajs and Placement Gallery featured in the new issue of Minnesota Monthly Magazine


The March issue of MN Monthly has a very nice article on me. If you haven't seen it yet, you can go to the link below to read it online. Many thanks to Tim Gihrin, senior writer at Minnesota Monthly, for taking the time to do this story.
- Yuri

http://www.mnmo.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/March-2008/This-Way-In/

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Now taking applications for the 2008 Yuri Arajs Artist Development Grant

The Yuri Arajs Artist Development Grant 2008

The purpose of this grant is to give a visual artist the opportunity to have direct support from a professional curator / artist working in the arts community. This will allow the recipient to have one-on-one time to discuss their work critically, portfolio reviews, and plan how to help promote their work.
Each year, the grant will be given through a different organization. This year I am pleased to be offering this grant to a member of the VSA Arts Minnesota community. Any artist living with a disability who lives in Minnesota is eligible to apply. For more information on VSA Arts and the services they offer, visit www.vsaartsmn.org.
This is the second year of the Yuri Arajs Professional Development Artist Grant.

To apply, submit the following:
1. Six (6) or more images of your artwork. They can be digital images on a CD, photographs, prints, or slides. No original work will be accepted.
2. An artist bio / resume, which should include any artistic experience such as arts training and exhibition history.
3. A brief statement, no longer than one page, telling why you should receive this opportunity and how it will help you in your career as an artist.
4. A postage paid envelope for the return of submitted materials. If this is not supplied, no materials will be returned.
5. Applications should mailed directly to: Placement Gallery, Artist Development Grant, PO Box 18496, Minneapolis, MN, 55418

Recipient will receive:
1. $100 in art supplies, in the form of a gift card.
2. 1000 Full color postcards with the artists work on it, for promotional or sale purposes.
3. Two (2) studio visits with Yuri Arajs, to be scheduled in 2008.

Important Dates:
April 1, 2008 Applications and all materials are due.
April 30, 2008 Recipient will be announced.

Yuri Arajs is the sole juror and will select the recipient of the grant. Decisions will be based solely on the artist’s application submission.

If you have any questions, please contact Yuri Arajs at yuri@yuriarajs.com

Sunday, January 20, 2008

2008 Yuri Arajs Artist Development Grant

Last year I started giving out a small grant to help out a local artist. Every year I'm also giving the grant out through a local organization. This way it brings some awareness to the organization and hopefully it also helps make the grant available to more people. This year that organization is VSA Arts Minnesota. VSA is an amazing organization that offers a ton of services and opportunities for people living with disabilities. Check out their website at www.vsaartsmn.org.
To find out more information and how to apply for the grant, visit placementgallery.blogspot.com