Q&A with exhibition organizer Jake Keeler

Q: How did you get involved in helping to create FMR's first juried art exhibition?

Jake: I'm an artist, an outdoorsperson and an angler. I've had a long relationship with the Mississippi River: I grew up on the river. I spend a lot of time on the river. I have my entire life. So the river matters a lot to me, which is why I decided to get involved with Friends of the Mississippi River as a board member.

This art show was in the works before I came onto the board, but it was a fortuitous match, since it just so happens that I have an art studio in the F-O-K building along with FMR's office and F-O-K Gallery where we'll hold the show. 

Q: Did anything surprise you about the entries?

Jake: I was pleasantly surprised by the number of entries and the diversity and quality of work we received, as this was the first time FMR as an organization had put something like this together.

It was challenging to choose, but our jury accepted 18 pieces for the show. Unfortunately, because of space limitations, some quality work didn't get into the show, but not because of a lack of merit.

Q: Could you describe the mix of featured art?

Jake: The diversity of artwork shows up stylistically, in media, but also in concept. In the show, there's a good range of two-dimensional art: photography, printmaking, various styles of painting, mixed media.

The subject matter ranges anywhere from realistic to abstract impressionistic. So when I look at it strictly from a formal standpoint, there's good diversity.

Most of the work is more representational, focusing more on the river itself or what you see around the river. But there are some pieces, like Ruthann Godollei's piece (see slideshow below), that are more conceptual.

Q: What inspirations do the artists name?

Jake: There are certain geographic locations featured in some of the pieces, like the confluence of the Minnesota River with the Mississippi River. One references the grain mills. You can recognize some of the river connections right away. Others might be in the title or in the description of the work.

A lot of the pieces had to do with very personal connections to specific places on the river. That was a definite theme, a throughline I noticed. 

Another theme was how the river brings people together, which I thought was really cool. At the end of the day, that's the essence of the show. We're coming together to celebrate the river.

Q: Why are you excited about the opening on Dec. 4? What can attendees expect?

Jake: This event gets back to the core of why we do this work. We'll be in a gallery almost right on the river, the artwork is about connection to the river, and we'll be celebrating Friends of the Mississippi River.

As someone who makes art that relates back to the Mississippi River, it's really cool to see how other people interpret the same subject matter. We all have such different relationships with the river. We're inviting all the artists to attend the opening, so artists will be here to speak about their work, to speak about the river, to speak about their relationships and connections, and engage in dialogue with our supporters who also love the river and have connections to it.

All art pieces will be available for purchase, and a certain percentage of art sale proceeds will go to FMR. If you attend the opening, you'll have the first chance to purchase artwork for a good cause.