JIM MEYER
I began making woodcuts in the early 1990s, while working as a commercial artist. I became interested in pursuing work to sell in galleries and soon made that transition, focusing on studies of the American landscape. Much of my subject matter is drawn from Minnesota’s North Shore, but I’ve also produced many editions of prints of the West’s mountain ranges and both West and East coast ocean shores.
Major inspirations have been Gustave Baumann, who specialized in color woodcuts of the American Southwest; Walter J. Philips, a Canadian woodcut artist, Hiroshi Yoshida and Shiko Munakata - both Japanese woodcut masters, and The Group of Seven - Canadian landscape painters. All of them active in the 20th century.
My aim is to make art that reflects the mysterious and sometimes haunting beauty of creation. Hand-printed woodblock prints are well suited for that purpose—they are high-touch and low-tech; tactile and earthy. Visually, they have a long history of authentic, bold, and strong expression. I'm based in Hopkins, Minnesota, just outside of Minneapolis.
GALLERIES
Edgewood Orchard Galleries; Door County, Wisconsin
Fine Impressions Gallery; Seattle, Washington
Grand Hand Gallery; St Paul, Minnesota
Gallatin River Gallery; Big Sky, Montana
Waterworks Gallery; Friday Harbor, Washington
EXHIBITIONS
Reedy Gallery; Minnesota Landscape Arboretum; December 7, 2021 - January 31, 2022
Grand Hand Gallery; Beauty in Spirit Exhibition; St Paul, Minnesota; September–November 2021
Minnesota Museum of American Art; Many Waters Exhibition; St Paul, Minnesota; July–October 2021
Judd Street Exchange; Marine-on-St Croix, Minnesota; September 2018
Reedy Gallery; Minnesota Landscape Arboretum; Chaska, Minnesota; June 2017
Gallery 310; Stillwater, Minnesota; July 2014
Grand Hand Gallery; St. Paul, Minnesota; February-March 2011
Northern Printmakers Alliance; Bloomington Art Center, MN; July 2009
Grand Hand Gallery; St. Paul, Minnesota; April 2008
Roby King Galleries; Bainbridge Island, Washington; October 2007
Gallatin River Gallery; Big Sky, Montana; January 2007
Roby King Galleries; Bainbridge Island, Washington; October 2006
Grand Hand Gallery; St. Paul, Minnesota; April 2006
Flanders Gallery; Minneapolis, Minnesota; November - December 2005
Sivertson Gallery; Duluth, Minnesota; August 2002
Meadow Creek Gallery; Edina, Minnesota; October 2001
Edgewood Orchard Galleries; Door County, Wisconsin; September 2001
Phipps Center for the Arts; Hudson, Wisconsin; January 1999
Flanders Contemporary Art; Minneapolis, Minnesota; September 1997
Silverwood Gallery; Vashon Island, Washington; February 1997
EDUCATION
University of Minnesota; Minneapolis, Minnesota
Wheaton College; Wheaton, Illinois; B.S. Biology
Minneapolis College of Art and Design; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Printmaking
AWARDS
Merit Award, 1997 Hopkins Area Arts Association Show
Merit Award, 1995 LA Society of Illustrators Show
Honorable Mention, 1992 Minnesota State Fair Fine Art Show