Dysart, a 2007 Franconia Sculpture Park Jerome Fellow and college faculty member since 2006, is also a full-time sculptor and fabricator at Blue Rhino Studio. His work examines the relationship between the human and natural spheres through natural and manmade materials. As a teacher, Dysart believes that one must be passionate to pass on knowledge and inspire students. He says working artists have to be passionate about their craft.
“Art drives the artists’ whole lives,” says Dysart. “An artist is always learning, striving and growing. I can’t think of a better teacher.”
Beginning October 2008, Dysart and other fellowship recipients will participate in a series of three roundtable discussions with the arts community, reflecting on their own research as well as broader issues of sustainable art making and the environment.
Another important aspect of the fellowship will be documentation. A videographer will follow Dysart and the others as they explore and practice sustainable methods. The completed documentary will appear on state, regional and possibly national cable outlets. Photo documentation of the fellowships will be exhibited on St. Paul Lowertown streets and as part of the 2009 St. Paul Spring Arts Crawl.
“I have come to realize the imperative of materials research,” Dysart says. “While the wood I use comes from storm-damaged trees, the wood glue and paint do not fit the same environmentally sustainable ideal.”
To address this issue, Dysart plans to use the fellowship to research and work with the by-products of farming and bio-diesel to make soap and cast stone forms, or Soapstones, to be placed on the streets of St. Paul. This new work will continue to utilize his signature, subtle visual puns while pushing the environmental integrity at the core of his work.
“Too often, public art budgets do not provide adequate resources for true exploration and innovation,” says Public Art Saint Paul Board member Amanda Nonemacher, co-chair of the organization’s Beyond Green program. “The Sustainable Art Making Fellowship addresses the need for artists in a variety of media to explore sustainable ways of creating and presenting art.”
The Sustainable Art Making Fellowships are made possible through Public Art Saint Paul’s 20th Anniversary Fund and Saint Paul Cultural STAR.
Anoka-Ramsey hosts numerous award-winning faculty members and now offers an associate of fine art degree in studio art that provides students with extensive studio experience and a solid grounding in art history and visual theory. The program incorporates the Minnesota transfer curriculum, facilitating easy transfer to four-year institutions.
See more information about Anoka-Ramsey Community College faculty, art classes or the fine art program, visit www.AnokaRamsey.edu.
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