Greetings from Fargo

Greetings from Fargo was made in conjunction with the Jubileum! exhibition at the Plains Art Museum.


The images are (from L to R):
F - Hotel Donaldson. While I was in college the Hotel Donaldson was known as a  hotel for hobos. Now referred to as the HoDo,  the building has been renovated into an upscale restarant, bar, and art hotel where my cousin got married last fall. Their iconic sign has remained the same for all uses.
A - The Plains Art Museum is now a renowned art museum, but was originally an International Harvester warehouse.
A - I have always loved Fargo's own Statue of Liberty. A 1/19th scale replica of the Statue of Liberty was purchased by the Lions Club in 1952.
R - Train Depot. Dale & I are kinda obsessed with Amtrak. More people should travel by train. 
G - Fargo Civic Center - So many memories! Joan Jett, Pink Floyd Laser Light Show, and many High School basketball tournaments. Note the Bison statue, which I made sure to get in there on behalf of the NDSU Bison, a huge source of pride in North Dakota.
O - The Fargo Theatre, an art deco movie theatre in downtown Fargo that was built in 1926. A true landmark that still burgeons with great entertainment. 

Most of the illustrations were made from photos I took in college and some photos Dale took on our many visits to Fargo.
--Amy Jo

Here are some shots from our studio during the making of the Greetings from Fargo screenprinted art prints:

 

manual printing table

Dale made this table in Adam Turman's garage!

 

films on the light exposure table

  

exposing the screen

 

washing out the stencil with a powerwasher

 

detail of the stencil

 

the darkroom

Dale made this screen rack from an old loft he found in the alley!

 

moving on up 

the first screen I ever owned alongside our current screen size

 

mixing the first color

 

blue ink on the screen

 

the first color on the drying rack

 

mixing the 2nd color - making it a bit transparent to create a 3rd color

 

the second color on the screen

 

the second color on the drying rack

 

black ink on the screen

 

the final printed pieces on the drying rack

Jubileum!

16 FEBRUARY -  3 JUNE                        ART
Jubileum!   
The Screenprinted Art of Miss Amy Jo
A retrospective museum exhibition celebrating
my first ten years of graphic design and screen-
printing. FREE & open to the public.
PLAINS ART MUSEUM . . . . . . . . . . FARGO

Jubileum! is coming to a close this weekend. It
was such a pleasure to have my work hanging
in a Museum in Fargo, which I still call 'home.'
Jubileum! means anniversary or celebration in
Norwegian, a nod to my Scandinavian heritage.
I grew up on a farm 30 miles south of Fargo so
we went to Fargo at least once a week to shop,
eat, and be entertained. I lived in Fargo for one
year after High School before living in Portland
for one brief year. As much as I loved Portland,
I was terribly homesick and Fargo seemed much
better after being away from it for a while.

I lived in Fargo for another 8 years while attending
college at Moorhead State University (now known
as Minnesota State University Moorhead). Yes, it
took me forever to finish college. I moonlighted
promoting indie rock shows with Bjorn. We called
our little outfit "Team Fargo" and those days were
some of the most memorable musical experiences
I've ever had. Fitz of Depression, The Make-Up,
KARP, Bikini Kill, Excuse 17. The list goes on.
For each show we booked, we made a little zine
and of course photocopied flyers. And with that,
a career was born. I changed my status at college
from Undeclared to Art.

At one point in my duration in Fargo, I lived across
the street from the Plains Art Museum. As an under-
grad majoring in Graphic Design, I never dreamed
that one day I would be able to show my art in that
very building. I only wish my Dad was still around
to help me celebrate.

As I wound down my days in Fargo, I was hired on
as a graphic designer at the High Plains Reader, the
Red River Valley's only alternative source of news
and entertainment. My boss was Raul Gomez, who
became a friend I will always hold dear to my heart.
Raul and the High Plains Reader were kind enough
to sponsor an opening reception at the Plains Art
Museum on February 16, 2012. I gave a slideshow
presentation. My family asked all sorts of awesome
questions and I think a good time was had by all!

I sincerely want to thank Cody Jacobson at the Plains,
Raul Gomez at the High Plains Reader, and last but
not least my husband, Dale "TOOTH" Flattum.
--Amy Jo

Some process photos from the making of the Jubileum! 
screenprinted show poster:

$5 Poster Sale

The Who Made Who Five Dollar Poster Sale kicks off June 7 in conjunction with NEMAA First Thursday Gallery Stroll on June 7th and continues through Saturday June 9th. Loads and loads of $5 scratch & dent posters as well as some $5 posters we're just sick of looking at! While you're there check out the $1 dollar bin and grab a free homemade treat!

Thursday June 7 5-9PM
Friday June 8 2-7PM
Saturday June 9 12-5PM

Who Made Who
158 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis MN 55413