Our Newest Art Exhibit Features Work by Emily Hadfield and Stephanie Wittchow

We invite you to come admire our newest art exhibit featuring the work of local artists Emily Hadfield and Stephanie Wittchow. This interesting and playful exhibit is bursting with artwork from a variety of mediums: from oil and beeswax, to wood press prints, to ink, to mixed media on wood panels. Be sure to wander through the gallery when you are in for your next service or feel free to stop by anytime during normal business hours. The show will run through mid-June.

Emily Hadfield:

Emily Hadfield was born and raised just north of Madison, Wisconsin. She is a 2011 graduate from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities majoring in Fine Arts with a minor in French. Her travels in Europe continue to influence her work and her current position as a nanny in the Twin Cities inspires playfulness in her artwork.

Emily is a painter who explores the connection between architectural spaces and its traces of human experience. Her series of cityscapes and interiors are primarily oil on wood with additional mixed media. She is interested in the timelessness of daily life that often lingers within a space long after a structure is vacated from its occupants. Emily’s curiosity stems from her adventures abroad as well as her daily work with children.

To inquire further about her work, please contact Emily at ilymagoo@gmail.com.

Stephanie Wittchow:

A Wisconsin native as well, Stephanie Wittchow grew up the small town of Rosendale. But Stephanie dreamed of life beyond the cornfields: she sought adventure and exposure to all the world has to offer. Although Stephanie didn’t know where her journey would lead, she was certain that one thing would remain constant: her passion for art. After attending the University of Wisconsin-Steven’s Point, Stephanie moved to Minneapolis and landed her dream job as a graphic designer.

Stephanie incessantly seeks inspiration from the world around her to continuously evolve her work. Her favorite part of her work as a designer is transforming the traditionally mundane into conceptually strong and aesthetically pleasing works of art, all through the use of a clever twist. She is inspired and challenged by the idea that great design can set the stage for how people experience the world and react to it.

To view Stephanie’s graphic design portfolio visit: stephaniewittchow.com.

“Fantastical” featuring work by artist Robert Gullickson

We invite you to feast your eyes upon our newest art exhibit “Fantastical” featuring the work of Robert Gullickson. The opening reception will take place at Jungle Red on Wednesday, April 4th from 6-8 pm. Please join us for evening filled with beautiful artwork, great company, complimentary wine, and live music. If you are unable to make the opening reception, be sure to wander through the gallery after your next service. The show will be up the whole month of April.

Robert Gullickson captures his “Fantastical Photographic Images” through bold colorful expression – whether figuratively or abstractly.  To achieve these brilliant images Robert lets his imagination run wild: he states it is “from his mind’s eye” which his photographs are born.

Robert is known for his ability to transform everyday objects and surroundings into unrecognizable works of beauty. “You will never believe what this photo is of,” Robert says of many of his pieces.  His intention is to show the hidden beauty in the surroundings that we often take for granted.

Q & A WITH THE ARTIST:

When did you start your venture into the art world?
“I started in photography at age 16 when I was given my first SLR camera by my uncle John.”

How would you describe your style?
“I suppose you could describe my style as Eccentric Abstract.”

What drew you to this style of art?
“I wasn’t so much drawn to this style. I believe it found me…through experimentation and the evolution of my desires.”

Have you experimented with other forms of art?
“Yes, I have dabbled with and still play with oils on canvas and charcoal drawings.”

What is your favorite piece that you have ever created?
“My favorite piece, if I had to choose just one, would be “Phantom.” The reason I like it best is because it was my first piece to reveal the hidden images within, those not seen when I originally took the photograph. I refer to these images as phantoms. If you look closely, these phantoms can be seen in many of my pieces.”

What makes your art unique?
“I use a simple 18-55mm lens on my Nikon DSLR and don’t use Photoshop or other high-end photo editing software. I utilize natural and man-made lighting to achieve the photo effect I am looking for. Many times I use everyday products for lighting and other photography needs. I am a minimalistic photographer. I believe that if you need fancy software to make a photo, there is a problem that lies in your ability to take a photo.”

Who inspires you?
“I found my inspiration in the photography of my uncle John. His support of my passion for photography helped to shape my work into what it is today.”

To learn more about Robert Gullickson’s work please like his page on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-Gullickson-Fantastical-Photographic-Images/300640919960808  or contact him at RobertGullicksonArt@gmail.com

“INTERACTIONS” featuring work by Kate Engelmann, Jenny Thompson, and Kelly Reid

We invite you to check out our newest art exhibit Interactions, featuring work by artists Kate Engelmann, Jenny Thompson, and Kelly Reid. The show will be up the whole month of March so be sure to check out the gallery after your next service! Keep reading to get a preview of the show…

Kate Engelmann: Desert Candy
Kate is a Minneapolis-based photographer. As a current Photography major at the Art Institutes International of Minnesota, she continues to
explore techniques and processes in creating fine art imagery and client-based work.

Featured Work: The images in the Desert Candy series were taken just after sunrise in the Tonto National Forest, Arizona. Tonto is primarily a Saguaro cactus forest that spans nearly 3 million acres of ruggedly beautiful country. For the past twelve years Kate has traveled at least once a year to this area. She has had the opportunity to observe how the space has transformed over the years because of human traffic. She wanted to create a body of work that could delicately bridge the rugged beauty of the natural landscape and the mark of man. 

Kate titled the series Desert Candy as the colors are soft like cotton candy. Through her work she sought to portray how the interaction between man and desert creates an unusually beautiful landscape. The artist hopes viewers can get a sense of these landscapes as a desirable dream-like environment to get lost in.

Check out more of her work at: kateengelmann.blogspot.com

Jenny Thompson: Rainy Window Series and Zoo Animals

Jenny is a Minneapolis-based artist, originally from Alexandria, MN. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a B.A. in Fine Arts and a minor in Design. The media she works mostly in are acrylic and photography, however her work also expands into other artistic arenas including shibori and batik textile design, crafting, and home décor design.

Featured Work: The Rainy Window series was inspired by the way rain appears on glass. The works represent the scene that is created if you closely examine the water droplets on a window pane —what is beyond the pane ceases to matter; it becomes simply an ambiguous colorful backdrop.  Jenny achieved this rainy view by creating an obscure colored background contrasted by a foreground of detailed water droplets.

Zoo Animals was inspired by the work of artist John Baldessari. Jenny photographed this series at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, MN. She then added acrylic paint to create dimension to the black and white photographs and to add an element of playfulness.

For more of Jenny’s work visit: http://www.b-uncut.net/profile/JennyThompson

Kelly Reid: Untitled Works

Kelly Reid was born in Duluth, Minnesota and has had the opportunity to travel around the country while growing up, leading to a diverse open mind. She is currently residing in Minneapolis and employed at Jungle Red Salon Spa Gallery as a stylist with over four years of experience. Kelly
has grown into art, while she watched both mother and grandmother create artistic expression in front of her. She has always been creating something, whether it’s using her Associates Degree in Photography, Cosmetology or freelance painting. Always working with different media, she loves working with textures: Oil, Acrylic, inks, recycled material, even forms of nature to create different line work in her paintings. Interactions with her paintings are important; get lost by the touch or different layers in her work.

To learn more about Kelly’s work, ask her over a haircut! In addition to being a talented artist, she is one of our amazing stylists! 

Treasure 4 Teens 2012

JUNGLE RED SALON HOSTS 10^TH ANNUAL

“TREASURE FOR TEENS” FUNDRAISER

Jungle Red Salon hosts annual silent auction to raise funds for

Avenues for Homeless Youth

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MINNEAPOLIS-January 2012-Jungle Red Salon Spa Gallery and Avenues for Homeless Youth collaborate in the 10^th Annual “Treasure for Teens” event held at the salon on Saturday, February 18, 2012, 7pm to 11pm.  The benefit will raise money through a silent auction of various items, gift certificates, as well as artwork displayed throughout the gallery that has been donated by local businesses and artists.  In addition the event will feature an evening of entertainment hosted by Carnage, including live art by Robert Wang, performances by local musical talent Black Blondie and music by DJ Alex Jarvis.  Hors d’ ouevres will be catered by SEVEN SUSHI & ULTRALOUNGE. Other sponsors of the event include ColdSpring Brewery, Vitamin Water, Chambord Liqueur, Toast Wine Bar & Cafe and M.Bridget Designs.

Avenues for Homeless Youth provides emergency shelter, short-term housing and supportive services for homeless youth in a safe environment.  Avenues seeks to help youth achieve their personal goals and make a positive transition into young adulthood by empowering them toward self-sufficiency.  During their stay they receive case management and counseling, as they are encouraged to seek career and education opportunities. For more information on Avenues for Homeless Youth, please visit http://www.avenuesforyouth.org/.

“We are excited to contribute to the growth of such an amazing organization that plays a huge role in the Minneapolis community,” says Jungle Red owner, Suzanne Erickson.  “Last year we raised over $8,500, and this year we look forward to an event that is sure to uplift the lives of many in need, and will be a fabulous evening for all who attend.”

Monetary donations as well as items for the silent auction are currently being accepted at Jungle Red Salon, 1362 La Salle Ave., Minneapolis, MN.

About Jungle Red Salon Spa Gallery

The mission of Jungle Red is twofold: to offer artistically inspired personal care services in an environment where relationships between customers, team members and the community are seen as foundational to a trusting, judgment-free atmosphere; and to give back and support local community through various fundraising and art events.

For more information on Jungle Red Salon visit www.jungleredsalon.com, or contact Suzanne Erickson at 612.870.0653

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NEW BRIGHT SMART ART

BRIGHT BEAUTIFUL & BOLD

Jungle Red Salon is pleased to welcome Alison Price’s artwork onto the walls! Alison holds a BA degree in Studio Art from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and is currently pursuing her MFA.

Alison’s art will be featured in the salon through our 10 Year Anniversary Party which you should totally be attending! RSVP via Facebook by clicking here.

You can see Alison’s work on the art gallery of her website or better yet, up close in the salon!

We asked Alison a few questions so you can get to know the mastermind behind the masterpieces:

What’s your favorite color?

Favorite color is like asking a parent who their favorite child is….each and every color has a purpose, a story, a time to shine and a time to retreat.

What’s your artistic inspiration?

All my artistic inspiration is emotionally driven. The powerful emotions I feel about a joyful event, a conflict, a beautiful encounter, or a horrific tale are all translated through paint. It can be a collective emotion, such as the outpouring of concern for the people of Japan during this massive catastrophe, or a very personal one. I sit very quietly, and can feel it all.

Who is your favorite artist?

There are far too many artists I admire, and love to name just one! I think it is best to be true to your own vision, and only accept the criticism of those who have your art’s interests at heart. My soul is the one on the canvas; be gentle with her!

Are there any artists that you look to for guidance or inspiration?

My longtime mentor is Nancye Williams. She taught me to believe in myself, to believe that my work has power, and to understand how the world of art operates. I have been most fortunate to have Nancye guide and nurture my path. She is one of the most inspirational people I have ever known. Hugs Nancye!

5 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ALISON PRICE

1. Alison has difficulty eating the seeds and slimy inside bits of tomatoes. Though she absolutely loves salsa, tomato sauce, etc.
2. Alison is a dual citizen. Her Dad is from England, and her Mom is from Guernsey, a tiny island off the coast of France. She would spend summers at her Grandparents house, speaking French, exploring Norman ruins and hunting crabs along the beach.
3. She’s embraced her nocturnal self, and no longer feels guilty about sleeping during the day!
4. Alison is a Couchsurfing Ambassador and travels up to a month or more per year all around the world, seeking new inspiration, new color combination, and most of all fun!
5. When Alison was a child she was sure that with enough drive and determination she could turn into a mermaid.

Get in touch with your inner art-enthusiast during your next visit to Jungle Red Salon!

Short Story Contest!

Hello Friends!

The first time I set eyes on Mona the cow it dawned on me she was a character come to life from a story! However…we don’t know what the story is, exactly. Jungle Red is asking for your help in giving Mona her story: We are announcing our first-ever short story contest!

As a recap, Mona the cow is a guest at Jungle Red Salon, waiting patiently in the back for someone to call her their own. She is an original piece of art that brings life wherever she is. And that, my fellow writers, is all I am going to tell you about Mona. The rest is up to you.

First, some guidelines. There aren’t many, but here they are:

1. Please keep in mind this is a short story contest. The suggested length is 1-2 pages, but please no more than 4 pages tops.

2. Risking stating the obvious, Mona should be the central character in your story.

3. Please keep the rating to PG-13, in case any children happen upon Mona’s story

4. Please, absolutely no profanity.

Yes, you did hear me correctly: this is a contest, which implies that there is a prize. The prize, dear readers, is a $100 gift certificate to Jungle Red Salon and your story will be published right here on this blog (I should note, then, that by submitting a story you are giving Jungle Red the right to post it on our blog should it be chosen. The winning author will, of course, be given full credit for the story).

The deadline for entries is by 11:59pm two weeks from day, 3/17/2010.  Please email submissions in MS Word (.doc) format to junglered.publicrelations@hotmail.com with “Mona Story” in the subject field. Also, please be sure to provide us with contact information. The winner will be announced Saturday, 3/20/2010 on Facebook and Twitter.

Creativity is strongly encouraged! Just because she is a cow does not mean that she must act like one! Give her some pizzazz…one look at her and you would see it anyway.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at the above email address! We at Jungle Red are very excited to read your submissions! Good luck to you all!

As always,

Beth

Twin Cities Creative Convergence

As you may have already guessed, Jungle Red Salon is a huge supporter of the arts at the local level. There is never a day that there isn’t artwork bringing life into this vibrant salon, which is why Jungle Red Salon is the perfect setting for tonight’s Twin Cities Creative Convergence (TC3) get-together.

TC3 offers the creative community a chance to network, meeting others with similar (and varying) interests and providing a creative outlet that is so vital to artists.  The great thing about TC3 is that it is open to absolutely everyone, so for all you new, emerging artists out there, this is a great opportunity to come and share your talent with others while learning tips and tricks of the trade to continually improve your work. There is no membership to belong to TC3, so there is really no excuse for you to not show up.

TC3′s next get together is tonight, Feb. 18,2010, at 8:00 pm at Jungle Red Salon. For more info on TC3, check out their website!

See you there!

Until Then,

~Beth

Moo-na Lisa

We have a guest writer today, a featured guest at Jungle Red! She has been very excited to share her story with you, so without further ado, meet Mona Lisa.

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Let’s get this out of the way first: I’m a cow…ya know, as in moo-moo? I know, you’re all probably shocked that you’re hearing the story of a cow. You’re thinking, “Cows eat grass and give us milk and food and cause our country drives to stink to high heaven, what’s so special about that?” Absolutely nothing.  I was destined for more than that-my name is Mona Lisa, like the painting? With a famous name, I had to be famous as well, of course.

There’s a problem for us cows, though. We’re obvious, and we don’t run very fast. I was born with both beauty and brains though, so I disguised myself and left in the secrecy of night. Oh, the freedom was glorious! I traveled the countryside and met many interesting animals-who were all going to stay stuck in their little lives on the farm. I was craving more! So I walked and walked and walked, and just as I was sure I couldn’t take one more step, I reached….The City.

City people looked at me like I was a walking hamburger. It was creepy. I tried to find a job on the stage (I’m really quite the actress, you know), but all the silly directors kept insisting I didn’t look the part! When I asked why, they grumbled that I had four legs instead of two, as if that hindered my acting ability. Psh. So I wandered around The City until…destiny.

I was wandering around some fake farm with lots of open space and grass, when the tallest person I’d ever seen approached me. He was incredible….and dressed entirely in clothes marked with a giant checkmark. Shorts, jersey, all sports-like. He carried with him an orange ball with black stripes and pounded it against the ground, catching it as it came back up. He said I’d be perfect to showcase his restaurant.

So my modeling career began, in front of Michael Jordan’s restaurant. It was fantastic! Kids posed with me for pictures, adults checked out my edgy style…I was in heaven! I was finally famous! As with all good things, the time with Michael Jordan came to an end, and I moved on. I traveled the countryside some more, through rolling hills and trickling streams, to the next big city.

As I wandered the streets, past this huge building where people went in empty handed and came out with gigantic bags carrying goodies, past a big stadium, I looked at the stores and the restaurants, looking to where I could get my next gig. One day, I passed this building tucked away slightly. People would walk in looking, well, ok, but come out looking gorgeous! I figured it was time for a new style, so I walked in. Wow, people stared, but they were so nice and friendly. They set me up for a hairstyle, pedicure, and even a massage! I was lookin’ spiffy! I didn’t have anywhere to go though, so I walked around looking at the artwork decorating the walls. As I admired the talent, a lady walked up to me. She told me the art was for sale, and we got to talking. I told her about my time at Michael Jordan’s restaurant, and how I ended up here in this city (Minneapolis, she informed me). When she asked what my plans were, I didn’t know what to tell her-find another acting or modeling gig, I suppose. My luck must just be amazing though, because the lady told me she was the owner of this salon, called Jungle Red. She said that if I modeled off her stylists’ work, I could stay here until someone found me another home!

So here I stand, waiting, hoping for someone to fall in love with me and sweep me off my feet. Come visit me, please….I am so excited to meet you!

Love,

Mona Lisa

PS: Check out my photo below!

Come to The Jungle Red

When you step into Jungle Red Salon you’re transported to a New York City-style loft: Trendy atmosphere, eclectic furnishings, and everything from pop art to modern abstract art decorating the walls. Walking into Jungle Red is a break from the harried rush of your life–come in and absorb the positive energy Jungle Red exudes!

While you’re waiting for your pampering session to begin (whether it’s a fresh new style or luxurious massage), browse the artwork of local artists’ on sale until you find the one that jumps out and cries “pick me…choose me…buy me.” With new artwork coming in on a regular basis, you’re sure to find something that will spice up your living room!

Every good salon has good stylists. Jungle Red has AMAZING stylists. Each stylist is an artist and will work with you to find that style that just makes you…you.  My first time at Jungle Red taught me a lot about how to take care of my hair type and styling tips and techniques to ensure that I not only look good but feel good as well.

With the upbeat, talented stylists and local artwork for sale, Jungle Red has already proven itself to be unique. Jungle Red, though, goes even further. In an effort to be a true member of the community, Jungle Red partners with non-profit organizations for fundraising. Jungle Red hosts events roughly every eight weeks. Their annual event, Treasures for Teens, is coming up this weekend (check back for more information!) In these cruel economic times, Jungle Red certainly steps up!

Really, though, you should stop in and check us out for yourself. Get to know us as more than just the salon you go to-get to know us as your friends.

Until then,

~Beth