Mary Catherine Solberg
Mary Catherine Solberg
Mary Catherine Solberg Biography
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
May 2020 Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hopkins, MN
March 2020 “Everyday Icons” Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire, WI
May 2019 “Swim Girls” Center for Visual Arts, Wausau, WI
Oct 2018 “Mary Catherine Solberg” Le Meridien Chambers, Minneapolis, MN
Aug 2018 “Mississippi Icons”, Great River center for the Arts, Little Falls, MN
June 2018 “Surface Depth”, One Division Art, Buffalo, MN
Jan 2018 “Water Portraits”, MN Marine Art Museum, Winona, MN
Jul 2017 Swim Girl Show Historic Boat Works Building, Wayzata, MN
Jan 2015 "Arcadia”, Pump House Regional Arts La Crosse, WI
Aug 2014 “Visual Curiosities”, Gallery 113, La Crosse, WI (2 person show)
Nov 2013 St. Mary’s University, Winona, MN
Oct 2011 “Everyday Icons”, Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, MN
May 2010 “Windows to the Soul”, Lyon Smith Gallery, Winona, MN
Mar 2010 Crossings at Carnegie, Zumbrota, MN (2-person show)
Jan 2009 “Icon Show” St. Mary’s University Page Theater, Winona, MN
JURIED EXHIBITIONS
July-Oct 2018 "Energetic Sense" Bridgewater Lofts, Minneapolis, MN
Aug 2018 Cream of the Crop Artists' Gallery, Minnesota State Fair
Jan 2018 "If You Only Knew" National Juried Art Exhibition, Featured Artist, Woodstock, IL
Oct 2017 "Dangerous Lullabies III" National Juried Exhibition, Lakeside Arts Park,Crystal Lake, IL
Oct 2017 Annual Members' Juried Art Exhibition, Bloomington, MN Center for the Arts
Aug 2017 Cream of the Crop Artists' Gallery, Minnesota State Fair
Apr 2017 American Swedish Institute “Traveling Show”, Minneapolis, MN
Feb 2017 22nd Annual "Arts in Harmony" International Show, Blaine, MN
Feb 2017 "Wintertide" Public Functionary FIRST PLACE AWARD, Minneapolis, MN
Jan 2017 "Essential Art" Paramount Center for the Arts St. Cloud, MN
Nov 2016 "Waterways Exhibition" Smithsonian Museum on Main Street , Lanesboro, MN
Oct 2016 Annual Members' Juried Art Exhibition, Bloomington, MN Center for the Arts
Sep 2016 Wyoming Area Creative Arts Community, Wyoming, MN
(JUDGES CHOICE AWARD and PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS)
Aug 2016 NEMAA Fall Fine Arts Show, Minneapolis, MN
Mar 2015 Elemental Juried Exhibition, Flow Art Space, St. Paul, MN
Feb 2015 Public Functionary: NEMAA Juried Wintertide Biennial, SECOND PLACE AWARD, Minneapolis, MN
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
• Artist, Entrepreneur, Minneapolis, MN - 2006 to Present; Commissions and Original Art
• Gallerist, Odin Gallery-Odin Arts Cooperative La Crosse, WI - 1995 to 2006
• Founder, UCLID Software Madison, WI - 1998
• Owner, Solbergs and Associates Land Surveying Company, La Crosse, WI – 1983 to 1998
EDUCATION:
Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI - Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graduated Magna Cum Laude June, 1993
Mary Catherine Solberg Description
Mary's work are images of people or animals living or dead, real or imagined, whom she wishes to venerate on a more personal level. No less an Icon for their familiarity, the mixed media paintings incorporate metal leaf, beeswax, acrylic, texture, gems, glitter and oil to create a portrait, which celebrates the sacredness in all of us.
Mary Catherine Solberg Statement
Solberg incorporates aspects of religious iconography, classical realism and her own unique style to create large -scale mixed media paintings she refers to as “Everyday Icons”. These Icon portraits focus on a single character to capture fleeting moments of triumph, transition, struggle and enlightenment. Her subjects tend toward the underrated, the undervalued, the unusual and the disenfranchised. Dogs leap for balls, squirrels clutch their prize candy corn, swimmers dive into a new reality and children grapple with the consequences of authoritarian decisions. Traditional portraiture takes on an ethereal interpretation with the incorporation of assorted media including plaster, collage, oil, acrylics, beeswax, metal leaf, gems and glitter. Her innovative technique produces a highly textured masterful portrait with surprising depth and luminescence.