Selected Solo and Two Person Exhibitions
Wild Feminine Series
A Collaboration with Hannah Albert, N. D.
Inspired by the book Wild Feminine, a shared love for the natural world and each other's unique aesthetic, we embarked on creating a series of canvases that evoke an empowered feminine sensibility. Here is how it happened: We each started 3 large 36x48 canvases and swapped, giving the other freedom to work within the exploration of depicting women in their processes of experiencing, healing, and encountering what is feminine. Then they finished the pieces side by side at the former creative space TORCH.
“Jen Chilstrom and Ha Na Albert, both Minneapolis artists and jills-of-all-trades, are premiering their latest project: an art collaboration. Both Chilstrom and Albert contributed to a set of paintings – first, working on them separately; then letting their art come together on six canvases. Showroom is hosting a reception for the big reveal, with refreshments and mingling included. Stop by and sneak a peek, as it will be the first time the art is revealed!” Molly Oberstar, l’etoile Magazine, 4/15/2014
Before Hannah lost her battle to cancer she put together a blog and list of resources that I would like to continue to share. To read more from Hannah’s blog click HERE.
NEMAA Presents Art-A-Whirl®
Art-A-Whirl® is a virtual and in-person open studio tour in Northeast Minneapolis. It’s a great opportunity to tour private artist studios and galleries, connect with the artists, and purchase original artwork. Over the last 26 years, it has become the largest open studio tour in the country. Art-A-Whirl® takes place annually throughout Northeast Minneapolis, the third weekend of May.
“Art-A-Whirl is the biggest artist crawl in the U.S.—and a great opportunity to pick up original paintings, ceramics, and home goods by local makers. The crawl began in 1996 with a handful of a Northeast Minneapolis warehouses that had been converted into artist studios, and it’s since then, it’s also become a shopping destination for Minnesota-made goods.”-Midwest Home
Selected Group Exhibitions
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Foot in the Door 5: The Virtual Exhibition
November 1, 2020 - January 10, 2021
Held once every 10 years, “Foot in the Door” is an open exhibition for all Minnesota artists. Now marking its fourth decade, this exhibition celebrates the talent, diversity, and enthusiasm of Minnesota’s visual artists. This is an important event for the arts community and a great opportunity for artists to display their work at Mia.
New this year, the exhibition is going virtual! In order to prioritize safety, this exhibition will be completely digital to accommodate the huge number of participating artists and visitors.
Textile Center
Materials: Painted Bison skull on mounted on wood, hollowed eggs from Jessi’s chickens mounted on wood and leather, organic cotton muslin hand dyed with calendula, heirloom peppers, lemongrass, and concord grapes from Jessi’s garden, leather fringe, and embroidery thread.
Techniques used: Painting, hand dyeing, wild crafting, embroidery, listening, and love.
Dimensions- 50”Hx”24”W”3”D
Artists in the Kitchen • Virtual Gallery Launched 2020
Original Exhibition Dates: 3/21 – 5/19, 2018, Joan Mondale Gallery
50 works by women artists inspired by 50 women chefs & restaurateurs
In December 2017, 50 all-women artist/chef-restaurateur teams were paired up and introduced to each other, joining together over 100 women in an innovative partnership where the culinary experts were asked to serve as inspiration to the artists. To honor the mission of Textile Center, each of the artists incorporated a textile process, material, or sensibility in their completed work. The result culminated in one of Textile Center’s most popular exhibitions, and celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs’ (WCR) Annual Conference, held in Minneapolis during the show’s run.
About my work:
Chef Jessi Peine of Peeps Hot Box
Jessi takes her favorite memories about food and then calls on her heart, travels, and passion for cultivating, growing, and experimenting to nurture the bold colors and flavors that define her. I’m inspired by her commitment to learning about ethnic foods and traditions from their source. She grows unique produce in her South Minneapolis garden. She shares what is in the moment, in the element, and what is in her heart with each dish. I hope you too can experience her generous and graceful nature on and off the plate
NY Mills Cultural Center
Women Are the World Exhibition
From Hypatia to Zora Neale Hurston to Josephine Baker and Frida Kahlo to Marjane Satrapi, women have been exploring, creating, and using art to expand the collective human consciousness and break free from the shackles of sexism, racism, homophobia, and xenophobia.
With the Women’s March of 2017, brave women came together to speak out against oppression by a privileged patriarchy which embraces rape culture, devalues women’s rights, engages in compassionless exclusion, and silences dissent. In the spirit of Angela Davis, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, the women of the world made their voices known in record numbers of nearly three million marchers.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the artists and activists of the past and hope for a humanity of the future, not only influenced or guided by women, but led by women. Representing today’s contribution to art and culture by women, the Cultural Center presents the works of emerging artists. This show presents work by Nebraska artist, Jennifer Bockerman; Minnesota artist, Jennifer Chilstrom; Mexican artist, Susana del Rosario; Northern Native artist, Annie Humphry; and pieces from Honor the Earth’s Program Director, Winona LaDuke’s personal collection.
This celebration includes a presentation by Johnny Leenay from the Minnesota Museum of American Art (MMAA). Leenay holds a Communications and Journalism B.A. as well as a one in Justice and Peace Studies from the University of St. Thomas. Her interest in museum work stems from her time in the Art History Department and the American Museum of Asmat Art at St. Thomas where Leenay quickly became passionate about the impact art has–it contributes to critical conversations around social issues. After earning her degrees, Leenay worked at the Minnesota Humanities Center focusing on traveling exhibits and community engagement. She is currently the first Diversity in the Arts Curatorial Fellow at the MMAA where she is learning and growing in the field of museum work and the power of storytelling through American art.
Gamut Gallery
Torch, Mixed Media on Canvas, 36x48
For Gamut Gallery’s annual “C4W: Call 4 Work” exhibition, Joel Coleman was guest curator. Coleman has been immersed in the local art scene with his tenure as the proprietor and curator of The Abstracted Art Gallery (2012-2014). Coleman served as a Made Here Arts Advisory Panel member, and was involved in the curation and installation of artwork in vacant downtown Minneapolis storefronts in partnership with the Hennepin Theater Trust.
C4W: 2017 included both artists familiar to Gamut as well as many newcomers, creating a diverse group of eclectic styles: CL Martin, Christopher Palbicki, Benjamin Sagmoe, Natalia Berglund, Shye, Christopher Sorenson, and Russ White are among the familiar names. Exciting newcomers include Scott Roper, whose surreal acrylic paintings are so expertly done they appear computer generated at first glance; Jeremy Jones, creating large-scale sculptures that reference domestic life as a father; and Jennifer Chilstrom, co-owner of local boutique Showroom and fashion brand Kindred Folk.
New York Mills Cultural Center
Hennepin Theater Trust
MADE HERE: FUTURE
The Future: Made Here launch was held at the AC Hotel. The launch event featured DJ Mad Mardigan, street performers, buskers, and sidewalk activations between 5th and 10th streets along Hennepin Avenue. Hennepin Theatre Trust’s former director of public art and placemaking, Joan Vorderbruggen, led group walking tours of the displays. Featuring 42 window displays through August 30, 2017, Future: Made Here interprets the theme of future with works by more than 40 Minnesota artists. Twice per year, Made Here fills windows and other underused spaces throughout the West Downtown Minneapolis Cultural District.
About LUCID: Inspired by the bioluminescent flora and fauna I experienced (in Bahia de los Angeles, Mexico and Ko Samet, Thailand) I wish to share with viewers an interpretation of that magic. The viewer will see that the background of each piece represents water. This oceanic and stormy affect is achieved using modern shibori hand dyeing techniques and natural indigo dye. The hand dyed silk acts as the canvas and background of the paintings. With biodynamic luminescent resins from Germany and hand made pigments, I recreated these flora and fauna. Many of the line details rendered on these silk paintings will absorb light by day and in the evening quite literally glow, representing the various living lanterns that exist in plant and animal form. Bioluminescent technology could begin producing light alternatives for cityscapes in just 5-10 years. I want people to have the opportunity to explore and identify what nature can achieve, the amazing diversity of things it can do like emit light, and imagine it in our own downtown. When we realize how special things are, we begin to protect them and protecting water is vital for all of us.
The future of bioluminescent technology is very bright! Companies like Glowee, a 2016 Parisian start-up, plan to use living bacteria found in squid to illuminate shop fronts, public spaces, and installations, with the hope of lighting up whole streets with their microbial lamps. Similarly in medical research, cell tracking using bioluminescent molecules has made identifying the location of cancer cells, infection agents, and immune system response cells easier. Sharing chance encounters with bioluminescence opened up doors of discovery for me and I wish to share that joy with my community.
Rochester Art Center
Poppy, Mixed Media on Wood
13”x18”x2”
La Mese delle Donne V
September 14th- Oct16th 2017. Opening reception September 14th 6-9p.m.
Curated by Cassandra Buck
The mission of this exhibit is to showcase, promote, connect, and collaborate with Minnesota creatives who identify as women. Together we are all stronger.
We want all women to have a voice.
The exhibition was on display in coordination with The Women & Spirituality Conference at the Mayo Civic Center.
Guerrilla Girls Takeover with Altered Aesthetics at Southern Theater
I AM: EXPLORING IDENTITY THROUGH THE SELF-PORTRAIT
MARCH 4, 2016 - APRIL 5, 2016
The self-portrait is possibly the most personal form of art expression, as it explores and expands upon the statement, “I am”. Just as portraits give us a window into how artists see their subjects and what messages they might be trying to send about a person or group of people, self-portraits can explore the intersection between private, individual identity and the search for intimate connections with others. What transpires is a conversation about how personal disclosure can become an insightful statement.
Altered Aesthetics at Southern Theater
Colorado Sky, Photograph on Canvas, 11x14
Brilliant Light
An exhibition of photographs taken using natural light.
June 3rd - August 14th 2016
From the subtle textures of our common trash to glacial Iceland and the forests of Japan, this exhibition will take you across the globe and into a realm where earthly beauty is altered by human touch. Using the sun as light source, twenty artists examine the world through the lens of a camera.
Accepted Artists:
Sarita Zaleha, Jennifer Chilstrom, Jennifer A. Schultz, Miles Taylor, Dane McFarlane, Sinan Güldal, Jes Reyes, Ryan S. Johnson, Caitlin Stromberg, Zach Sumners, Andrea Canter, Bert Anders, Liz Nieves, Bob Roscoe, Anna Maria Cibulsky, Emily Downes, Terry Barczak, Donny Gettinger, Jennifer Nicklay, Greg Byers, Molly Nemer
Curated by Emily Maple, Jes Reyes, Mary Lodu, Rosie Brown, and Hannah Nemer.
Hennepin Theater Trust
MADE HERE: Represent
The Represent: Made Here 2016 launch was held at the AC Hotel. The launch event featured DJ’s, street performers, buskers, and sidewalk activations between 5th and 10th streets along Hennepin Avenue. Hennepin Theatre Trust’s former director of public art and placemaking, Joan Vorderbruggen, led group walking tours of the displays. Featuring 42 window displays, Represent: Made Here interprets the theme of represent with works by more than 40 Minnesota artists. Twice per year, Made Here fills windows and other underused spaces throughout the West Downtown Minneapolis Cultural District.
About Sukothai: The first time I encountered the ancient buddhist ruins of Sukothai, Thailand (1000AD) I was filled with awe and wonder. I present a photographic series of the Buddhas from Sukhothai (Thai: อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์สุโขทัย) literally meaning "Dawn of Happiness". My desire was to create a display that represents a moment of peace, reflection, mindfulness. For this showcase I represent peace by inviting the viewer to a moment of reflection and mindfulness. "If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work." -Thich Nhat Hanh
MacRostie Art Center
The 24th Annual Juried Art Exhibition features a collection of local and regional artworks juried by JinMan Jo, twice honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award in contemporary sculpture given by the International Sculpture Center. The exhibit will include artists from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota in both two- and three-dimensional categories.
Exhibiting artists include:
Susan Ahlfs, Karlyn Atkinson-Berg, Teri Bailey, Bruce Bartos, Jennifer Chilstrom, Kristin Grevich, alph A. Hanggi, Jr., Ken Hanson, A,udrey Johnson, Eric Johnson, Daryn Lowman, Patrick Luber, James Utgen, Marian Lyndgaard, John McCoy, Joonja Mornes, Becca Mulenburg, Jennifer Nelson, Jon Offutt, Aaron Squadroni, Mark Stemwedel, Cindy Stitt, Leah Yellowbird