midwest salon ∙
midwest salon ∙
In the past year, Midwest Nice Art has grown a vibrant and thriving community of artists. We have worked with over 1,000 artists; each exhibition receives around 500 artworks for submission. With our juried exhibitions, many works were not given the opportunity to be exhibited. Each juror is given the difficult task (by us) to select between thirty and fifty works per show; with this and the show's theme in mind, they have a unique vision for their exhibition. This means only 5 to 10% of the work is accepted. As artists + curators, we know how frustrating this process can be — work being rejected does not mean work does not deserve recognition. So, in the style of the 1863 Salon des Refusés, we (Tim Rickett + Epiphany Knedler) have reviewed all the previously submitted artworks and curated the first annual midwest salon. Each of the works in this show was not initially selected when they were submitted. In an effort to acknowledge the work and energy artists put into their practice, we will continue to create as many opportunities to share work as possible, starting 2024 off with the midwest salon.
We want to thank our past jurors for their expertise and for taking on the difficult task of selecting the artworks for exhibition, and we want to thank you for being part of our astounding first year! So many more opportunities to come!
featuring work by: Sajad Amini, Awscar, Bridget Bailey, Sara Christensen Blair, Evan Brien, Hana Brock, Marco Yat Chun Chan, Lindsay Cronk, Epiphany Couch, Kyle Dunlap, Benjamin Paul Erny, Lexy Forred, Arron Levi Foster, Emily Fritts, Houston Fryer, Nancy Hart, Cort Hartle, Amanda L Hoopingarner, Luci Hudson, Karlie Joy, Brie Kane, Polly M. Law, Steven Lemke, Andrew Lincoln Nelson, Isabel Malia, Andy Mattern, Derek Meier, Laney Milham, Rob Millard-Mendez, Anthony Naimo, Jennifer Oak, Lorenzo Palombini, Diane Pribojan, Mitchell Riner, Celeste Sciani, Sabrina Skinner, Amanda Smith, Jeremy Starn, Kari Varner, Madison Wareham, Shannon West, Morgan Ford Willingham
Marco Yat Chun Chan, "Dollar Landscape - Tallulah Gorge," Archival Inkjet Print, 2023, www.marcoycmedia.wixsite.com/marcoyc
Sajad Amini, "THIS IS A TRUE STORY," sculpture, 2021, www.sajadamini.com
Polly M. Law, "Homebodies III," Bricolage, 2018
Laney Milham, "Ladder to Cake," Acrylic, oil, pencil on canvas, 2022, www.laneymilham.com
Arron Levi Foster, "After The Fire," Screenprint, 2022, www.arron-foster.squarespace.com
Steven Lemke, "Dislocation," laser-cut plywood, polystyrene, house paint, OSB wood and ink, 2022, www.stevenlemke.com
Evan Brien, "Homerun," Enamel, carving on found wood, music box mechanism Artists frame made from found cupboard door slats, 2023, www.evanbrien.ca
Kyle Dunlap, "You Think the Rain Judges Anything? (2)," Ink on Paper, 2020
Karlie Joy, "Putting the Garden to Bed," acrylic on canvas, 2023, www.karliejoy.com
Houston Fryer, "Bull City", graphite on paper, 2022, www.houstonfryer.com
Bridget Bailey, "Bedroom Painting," mixed media, 2020, www.bridgetmbailey.com
Emily Fritts, Wisconsin Winter Archive, Acrylic and Graphite on Canvas-board, 2022, www.emilyfritts.com
Lindsay Cronk, "Pink Orchids," Acrylic, crayon, 2022, www.LindsayCronk.com
Amanda Smith, "Past Lives no. 7," mixed fabrics, digital print on cotton, quilted, 2018, www.amandasmithart.com
Lexy Forred, "Finding Freedom," mixed media collage, 2023, www.lexyforred.com
Bridget Bailey, "Today," mixed media, 2021, www.bridgetmbailey.com
Jeremy Starn, "Farm Out Of Land #1," Collaged satellite image, 2017, www.jeremystarn.com
Anthony Naimo, "We Fight, We Kiss, We Take the Piss," Digital Collage and Found Images, www.namelynaimo.com
Andrew Lincoln Nelson, "AnthozoaBorg," Graphite, 2019, www.nelsonrobotics.org
Kyle Dunlap, "Rain Comic," Screenprint, 2019
Rob Millard-Mendez, "The Perils of Transparency," wood, plexiglass, 2022, www.robmillardmendez.com
Andy Mattern, "Ghost No. 171," Platinum Print, 2022, www.andymattern.com
Sabrina Skinner, "Till My Fingers Bled, Berries Stained, and Red," trompe l'oeil ceramic collage, 2023
Amanda L Hoopingarner, "Stained 4am" , fabrics, hand stitching, quilting, graphite, & monotype printing, 2023, www.alhoopingarner.com
Brie Kane, "Jam Photo 02," photograph and blackberry jam, 2020, www.briennakane.com
Isabel Malia, “Remember Ireland”, Digital Photography, 2023, www.smoltog.com
Benjamin Paul Erny, "in WiP Space," installation with afghan blankets, 200-gallon construction trash bag, 2x4s, rubber gloves, ceiling box lights, extension cords, powered speaker, microphone, bathroom exhaust fan, blue chalk, space heater, window air conditioner, plastic sheeting, construction zipper, 2021, www.benjaminerny.org
Mitchell Riner, "Plainsman Restaurant," Photography (35mm), 2021, www.mitchellriner.smugmug.com
Sara Christensen Blair, "Prairie Paradox," mixed media (Monopoly money, houses, and hotels, paint, sterling silver, on wood), 2 panels that are 18"x 12" (this work is a diptych), 2022, www.saracblair-art.com
Celeste Sciani, "The peace (of being yourself)," digital photography, 2020, www.celestemasc.wordpress.com
Jennifer Oak, "love, death, and morning drew," mixed media painting on canvas, 2022, www.joakart.com
Evan Brien, "Something Soft," Enamel, chalk, and engraving on found wood, up-cycled glass sample, 2020, www.evanbrien.ca
Cort Hartle, "Homesick", acrylic on wood, 2022, www.corthartle.com
Derek Meier, "Latex Teeth," acrylic & graphite on canvas, 2023, www.derek-meier.com
Emily Fritts, "Bedrooms," Mixed Media on Cork-board, 2021, www.emilyfritts.com
Epiphany Couch, "Offerings: John is my grandfather's name / John ti sdaʔ ʔə ti dscapaʔ," Vellum photoprints, glass beads, oak gall ink, and archival giclée inkjet prints on birch panel, 2023", www.epiphanycouch.com
Houston Fryer, "La la la", graphite on paper, 2022, www.houstonfryer.com
Luci Hudson, "the past reconnects with the present," photographic collage, 2023, www.lucihudson.com
Shannon West, "Bombshells Out of Pocket," oil on canvas, 2022
Nancy Hart, "Interior," mixed media (artist book), 2019
Nancy Hart, "Interior," mixed media (artist book), 2019
Morgan Ford Willingham, "what if we could fly… we could cast shadows on clouds (1)," Cyanotype with hand embroidery on found textile, 2019, www.morganfordwillingham.com
Sabrina Skinner, "Sweet Little Lies- Tin and Trinkets," trompe l'oeil ceramic collage, 2023
Kari Varner, "Monett & Sedalia," Archival Pigment Print of scanned image grown in the microalgae Chlorella Vulgaris, 2021, www.karivarner.com
Laney Milham, "Good Job," Acrylic, oil, pencil on canvas, 2023, www.laneymilham.com
Awscar, "Why Am I Here," Marker on paper, 2023, www.awscarsworld.com
Madison Wareham, "Second Nature," Intaglio and Mixed Media Print on Paper, 2023
Jennifer Oak, "splashing dashing," mixed media on canvas, 2022, www.joakart.com
Lexy Forred, "Finding the First Breath," digital illustration & collage, 2023, www.lexyforred.com
Rob Millard-Mendez, "The SS Terre Haute," wood, paint, steel, glass, 2022, www.robmillardmendez.com
Lindsay Cronk, "3rd Psychotic Episode," Acrylic, Marker, Crayon, Pencil, 2021, www.LindsayCronk.com
Hana Brock, "Laundromat," oil on canvas, 2022, www.hanabrockstudios.com
Lorenzo Palombini, "Landing," digital photography, 2015, www.lorenzopalombini.it
Diane Pribojan, "House on Hill," Acrylic on canvas, 2018, www.Dianepribojan.blogspot.com