Career Development Grant

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,128
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Mary K. Plaster AKA Mary Plaster
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
June 2019
End Date
April 2020
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
St. Louis
St. Louis
Project Overview

Career Development Grant

Project Details

Support needed for solo art show promoting new work at Zeitgeist Arts gallery in January 2020.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Tara Makinen: executive director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Moira Villiard: visual artist, cultural programming coordinator at American Indian Community Housing Organization; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Margaret Holmes: visual artist, poet, and former Children’s Theatre employee; Tammy Mattonen: visual artists, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Kayla Aubid: Native American craft artist, writer, employee at MacRostie Art Center; Ariana Daniel: mixed media artist, arts instructor; Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota Duluth; Ron Piercy: jeweler, gallery owner; Emily Swanson: arts administrator at Oldenburg Arts and Cultural Community; Christina Nohre: writer and arts advocate.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Karen Savage-Blue: visual artist; Karen McManus: musician, administrator at Mesabi Symphony Orchestra; Sarah Waddle: program manager for the North House Folk School, arts educator; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Kathy Neff: musician, director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Christina Nohre: writer and arts advocate.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2017 Regular Session, chapter 91, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage

2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,128
Other Funds Leveraged
$872
Direct expenses
$3,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

My immediate goal is to increase my visibility and sustainability as a female regional and national artist by creating a larger body of new work for sale in 2D graphics, photography, masks and wood carved sculptures in 2019. I will implement a public art show scheduled for January 2020 which will publicly feature my expanded portfolio. Since I have acquired a name in the field of giant street puppetry, I intend to include the best of my past, larger-than-life, moving sculpture work as space allows in the exhibit. I hope to show film clips of these entities in action for the many folks who have not experienced them live. I believe it is important to continue to educate people about this field in the Northland. Many folks in the Northland are unaware Minneapolis is quite a bustling, world center for masks and puppetry. By coordinating and promoting such an expansive show, I will evolve a more effective communication style enlisting public support and potential funders and customers. I will: *schedule personal artist talks and walkthroughs of the show. *post public pictures for comment on social media. *monitor my website for increased traffic and inquiries. *provide a guest book and evaluations for written thoughts offered by attendees. *evaluate my new work of wood carving with my mentor, Cecilia Schiller. *request staff meetings with Zeitgeist Arts, inviting feedback on the exhibit as it evolves.

Measurable Outcome(s)

I increased my visibility and potential sustainability as a female regional and national artist. I created and displayed a body of brand new work for sale in a very public venue. I evolved a much more effective communication style with the public by coordinating and promoting a solo art show. I demonstrated versatile skills in a very original medium. The show sparked many initial inquiries and a lot of interest in sculpture as hanging lanterns. Many appreciated that my work made from up-cycled materials.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
achieved proposed outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Mary
Last Name
Plaster
Organization Name
Mary K. Plaster
State
MN
Phone
(218) 310-6289
Email
artist@maryplaster.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency