Artist spotlight: Jeredt Runions
Photos by Emily Didlo
Story by Kirsten Scheid
Meet the artist
There's a new group of paintings hanging in the Jim Dan Hill Library, across from the circulation desk and upstairs. The artist is Jeredt Runions, a University of Wisconsin - Superior sophomore and art education student.
Runions says what got him going in art was his mother, who is a wildlife artist; but what really got him motivated was the graffiti on railroad cars he would see in the South Superior rail yards. That led him to looking at what was going on art-wise on the coasts. After a first try at college, he became friends with Gary Reed, of Reed Graphics in Superior, who encouraged him to continue with his art, and to experiment with new techniques.
“My mission right now, the last four or five years, is trying to make a scene here,” said Jeredt, who is hoping to recreate the sort of energy found in Portland or Seattle art communities. He's connected to the local music scene, designing posters and CD covers, and also doing live painting during performances, usually auctioning off the piece at the end of the show.
Runions says he is influenced by Ojibwe culture and history, using local animals to reflect Native stories and prophecies. His signature includes dots of the colors white, yellow, red and black, using them to refer to both the Native cultures and the colors of peoples' skins.
“Art brings everybody together,” he says.
Runions says what got him going in art was his mother, who is a wildlife artist; but what really got him motivated was the graffiti on railroad cars he would see in the South Superior rail yards. That led him to looking at what was going on art-wise on the coasts. After a first try at college, he became friends with Gary Reed, of Reed Graphics in Superior, who encouraged him to continue with his art, and to experiment with new techniques.
“My mission right now, the last four or five years, is trying to make a scene here,” said Jeredt, who is hoping to recreate the sort of energy found in Portland or Seattle art communities. He's connected to the local music scene, designing posters and CD covers, and also doing live painting during performances, usually auctioning off the piece at the end of the show.
Runions says he is influenced by Ojibwe culture and history, using local animals to reflect Native stories and prophecies. His signature includes dots of the colors white, yellow, red and black, using them to refer to both the Native cultures and the colors of peoples' skins.
“Art brings everybody together,” he says.
PHOTO OF THE DAY:::...
Art in the park. Photo by Alyssa Palmer
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