Just completed a limited edition of silkscreen prints from Worker series. Available now for $150 unframed each. See entire Worker series
The living wage is the hourly rate that an individual in a household must earn to support themselves and/or their family, working full-time, or 2080 hours per year. A living wage includes pays for basic needs including food, clothing, child care, medical, housing/utilities, transportation, insurances, internet & mobile, and taxes.
A recent study found that 44% of American workers (ages 18-64) make an hourly median wage of $10.22 ($24,000 annually) working full time jobs year round according to Just Economics, Asheville, NC
Studies show minimum wages in 2024 should be $22.45/hour with a commitment to increasing workers’ pay rate annually by 3% plus which is the annual rate of inflation according to the Brookings Institute and MIT studies.
Vote for leaders that believe our workers should be treated fairly and paid for their work. Support strong unions. Invest in our collective future where workers are enabled to engage in their community and support their families by being paid a living wage.
Cashier Customer Service Worker 3-color letterpress on paper 10″ x 7.5″
Public School Music Teacher 3-color letterpress on paper 10″ x 7.3″
Experimenting with creating prints this summer. Warrior Printress (Duluth, MN) collaborated with me in creating two images from the Worker series. Beautiful work!
Individual Artist Project Grant is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
4th annual May Day labor rally April 27 at Duluth’s Labor Temple: History & Art
Recent years have seen a groundswell of labor activism and advances in the Twin Ports region, Minnesota, and beyond. Tapping the riches of labor history, engaging in creative expression to touch hearts and minds through the everyday realities of working people, and building broad empowered coalitions have all contributed to the recent advances in organized labor.
This year’s rally, with the theme of “Unearthing our History and Forging Our Future,” has endorsements from approximately 20 regional and statewide labor organizations, double last year’s support. Noted labor historian Peter Rachleff, an emeritus professor at Macalester College, will provide the keynote address.
Rachleff will tap his Duluth experiences and research to talk about past critical regional coalition building efforts that offer models, inspiration, and wisdom for forging labor’s future.
Rachleff was deeply involved in the mid-1980s Hormel strike and the mid-2000s Northwest Airlines mechanics strike, writing a book about the first struggle. An engaging storyteller, Rachleff has also researched how marginalized and oppressed groups have participated in and led the way in the labor movement. With his partner, Beth Cleary, Rachleff co-founded the East Side Freedom Library in St. Paul in 2013, which is a treasure trove of Minnesota labor history. You can learn more about this project at https://eastsidefreedomlibrary.org.
A new aspect of the rally this year will be a slide show art exhibit by Carolyn Olson, a narrative artist living in Duluth. Olson’s work will be projected throughout the gathering, focusing on essential workers and full-time workers who do not make a living wage. Many of these workplace realities have fed and are feeding into the recent groundswell of labor activism. In the midst of music, food, and rousing speeches, Olson’s art will graphically illustrate how struggle and dignity intertwine through labor, solidarity, and community building.
A retired K-12 art teacher, Olson’s style of gestural line, bold color, and full compositions reflect on our everyday life stories. Olson’s series of narrative portraits of essential workers during the COVID pandemic was inspired by family members. Olson visually retells the stories of essential workers who were asked to work unvaccinated, with low wages, a lack of affordable housing, and not being able to afford needed health care. Olson’s work can be seen at Lizzard’s Art Gallery in Duluth and online at https://carolynolson.net
“Pearl and Sam loved spending their summer at the community center. Today James, the city’s gardener, was encouraging “turning lawns into gardens”. Limited participants.
“We’ll deliver the soil, plants and seeds but you’ll first need adult permission,” he added.” “Pearl was not discouraged.
“Mom, can we grow a garden?” Pearl asked. “I’ll do all the work,” she promised.
“I don’t know. You know as kids we spent a good part of summer vacation in our family’s garden. It wasn’t always fun.”
“The city gardener thinks I can do this,” said Pearl. “I’d like to grow some lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and onions…plus a few other things.”
“Well,” said Mom, “If you’re really committed you can give it a try.”
It’s happening! Minnesota Historical Society Press is working on page layout. “Pearl’s Garden”, a story of a family and a young girl’s urban garden will be out within the year.
1934 Trucker’s Strike Women’s Alliance Food Kitchen Women’s Alliance Infirmary Women’s Alliance Protest at Minneapolis City Hall Against Violence 19.5″ x 29″ pastel on paper
These three pastels will be included in art exhibition that relates to historic labor activism in diverse and meaningful ways. I’ve chosen to focus on the Women’s Alliance who supported the Local 574 by providing food for strikers and their families, an infirmary for needed rest and recovery from violence and the women protesting in front of Mpls City Hall against the violence.
Coinciding with the 90th anniversary of the important Minneapolis Truckers’ Strike of 1934 the exhibit explores the relationship of history to the present as well as workers’ role in social change. The artwork will connect a wide range of perspectives that relate to the strike. The exhibit will include banners, photographs, installations, drawings, paintings, tapestries and a video presentation.
The Minneapolis Strike was a watershed moment for the labor movement as well as for societal transformation. Workers organized to fight for their right to form a union despite strong opposition from the police, National Guard and the Citizens’ Alliance, an anti-union employers group. They fought for better life in the bloody struggle for workers’ rights—and they won. The settlement made Minneapolis a Union Town.
This exhibition will be held at the Cargill Gallery in the Minneapolis Central Library near where the strike events
The artists included in this exhibition include: Mike Alewitz, Rachel Breen, Keith Christensen, Olivia Levins Holden, Juxtaposition Arts youth, Mike Rivard, Brooks Turner and myself. I’m honored to participate with these strong voices in visual art. May our collective voice speak boldly to today’s need for social change.
Gouache painting series depicting folks who work full time but do not make a living wage. Eventually eight from the series will be reproduced in linoleum block using three colors. Linoblocks are being etched by Tyler Scouton and linoblock prints will be completed by Warrior Printress. All very exciting!!
Individual Artist Project Grant is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Thrilled to announce a collaborative project with Tyler Scouton and Warrior Printress Letterpress & Design!
I am working on new series – gouache paintings and linoleum block cut prints – of workers who although work 40+ hours/week are still not making a living wage.
Thank you to the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council for their generous support.
