THANK YOU ALL! Thank you all for your support despite having many things on your plate, the stormy weather, the eve of a major holiday and a few days after a major event...You along with 200 others have made the opening reception a success!  George Roberts owner of the gallery said at the end that it had to be one of the top five openings in Homewood Studios 8 year history because it had a full spectrum of people--ranging from family members to neighbors, to strangers, educators & students and others.  Many were locals, some were from the neighboring state of WI (Madison and Milwaukee) and  a few came from as far as San Diego, CA!  Once again,  THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR THIS HISTORY IN THE MAKING EVENT!

ASIAN AMERICAN PRESS Gallery exhibition of professional Hmong artists Chang Vang with his painting depicting the horrors of crossing the Meikong River and the loss of family members while escaping from Laos to Thailand. By Tom LaVenture MINNEAPOLIS (July 3, 2007) – The Hmong American Institute for Learning (HAIL), known for its support for emerging Hmong writers and poets, has embarked on a similar path to provide exposure and opportunities for Hmong visual artists. The effort started on July 1 with a month long exhibition of 12 professional artists at Homewood Studios, 2400 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis. A kickoff reception was held last week to meet the artists and celebrate the groundbreaking event. A follow up event at the gallery with readings and performances will be held this evening, Friday, July 13 at 6:00 p.m. “This is really great,” said art patron, Nou Vang. “I really enjoy the different perspectives and the different mediums of the artists. It is really nice.” Dyane Garvey, chair, HAIL (www.hmonghail.org), said the exhibition is one-step toward creating the same nurturing environment for visual artists as the organization has done for emerging Hmong writers and poets, through the literary journal Paj Ntaub Voice, along with workshops, residencies and other projects. Garvey noted that these artists and others will be exhibited at the CHAT Summer Arts Festival in August, but that this exhibition at a mainstream venue is a different experience. Thus, the exhibition theme, “Throwing Pebbles in the Pond,” is how organizers feel the ripple effect of these pioneering artists will inspire others to find it in themselves to express their experience through their talent. “What we’re doing is providing a different venue for the artists to showcase their work,” said Garvey. For the past thirty plus years, George Roberts, gallery owner, lived just two blocks from the North Minneapolis building that he renovated into a multipurpose community arts studio. The former newsman and North High literature and creative writing teacher created an artists’ workspace with five rental studios and community gallery. He wanted a gallery in the neighborhood that mirrored the “diversity, vitality, self-image, and connectedness of the community.” “This is the first all-Hmong event,” said Roberts. For participating artist and co-curator Seexeng Lee, the exhibition is testament to his work coming full circle. As a Patrick Henry High School art teacher, he has nurtured and encouraged many students to follow their creative passion. Some have now completed degrees in art at college and are exhibiting work in this exhibition. Lee is ecstatic to see so many professionally trained artists expressing their individual voices and making statements with their creative skills. Most have degrees in visual arts, graphic design or other creative disciplines. Discouraged from pursuing art as a child, Seexeng pursued teaching and made art his specialty. His work takes cultural to a near spiritual level. He blends his exploration of his roots with a contemporary and universal approach that has brought him many mainstream commissions. His "Unity in Diversity" relief painting will be unveiled at the 2007 Dragon Festival this weekend. The first painting that patrons will see upon entering the gallery is a huge, three panel work of a futuristic downtown Minneapolis. It was the senior project of Tou Vue, who recently earned a degree in Fine Arts in Comic Art at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. A San Diego native who became known as "the kid who can draw” in school, Vue worked as a caricature artist at theme parks before coming to Minnesota to live in a large Hmong community. He likes to paint but his real goal is to publish his own comic book. A recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Studio Art, Sue Lee enjoys blending her love of fashion design and painting into colorful textile and oil on silk. Her paintings have intricate patterns and the intimacy of a great watercolor. “I love color,” she said. Nikki Yang, a conceptual photo artist, strives to present her own experience growing up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where she earned a degree in graphic design and now works as a digital artist for Lifetouch. Her passions are photography, Hmong culture and history. She works as a freelance designer and photographer and recently worked with five other artists to construct an 8 by 20 foot puzzle mural, "Immigration Emotions," for the Alley Art Gallery in Wadena, Minnesota. Nikki’s fascinating gallery exhibition includes a three-photo piece of her father as a boy being processed as a refugee in Thailand; next to his U.S. citizenship photo as a teenager, and in middle age getting his passport photo to return to his homeland as a Hmong American. Another set of photos depicts the suffering of those waiting for change in the camps. The photos are moving and tell a story. John Kong has always had a creative side and won art contests as a child. He put his passions aside until an intuitive high school guidance counselor admitted him into an art class. Now with a Bachelor's degree in Time-based Media Studies, he works in animation, interactive design, video, editing, photography, and other motion art. After working as a concept artist at Lucas Arts in California, where his projects include the "Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter" video game. He currently freelances and works as a digital artist for Lifetouch National School Studios. Working on computers custom built by his father, his photo and digital programs demand lots of processing power and memory. “There is nothing on there but what I need to use,” he said. Kong’s exhibited work involves “photo-realist” images, or drawings that were created or enhanced on the computer. His wildlife work was a submission for the Obverse side of the Minnesota Statehood Quarter. His Forest Mansion piece was a submission for another digital contest. A third work won first place in a Photoshop contest in Las Vegas last year. Kong also makes time for his music. He formed several worship bands for five years. Mai C. Vang loves painting but pursued a Biology degree at the University of Minnesota. Now as a mother, wife and career women, Mai will complete about five painting projects per year. She prefers oil and acrylic but will sometimes venture into watercolors, ink, and pencil. Mai is inspired by her changing moods. She enjoys the impressionist styles and the subtleties of her work are as pleasing as the subject, which is often a person facing away, allowing the viewer to journey with them into various settings. Khoo Xiong recently earned her degree in Studio Art and Design at Concordia University, and has already had gallery showings around the Twin Cities. She prefers acrylic and oil but when she feels adventurous Khoo will experiment with graphic design. Her multi-media work is part map and a digital version of the story cloth as part painting, drawing and photo to tell the story of her family’s Hmong migration. It is dream and reality to show the peace and serenity, the refugee experience and the hopes and despairs of looking for a future. Khia Lee is a recent graduate of Concordia University with a degree in art. Born on the trip to America. Khia was raised in the Phillips and Powderhorn neighborhoods before settling in New Brighton. Inspired by literature and loved ones, Khia’s enjoys bring the Hmong folktales to life through paintings. Pana Lor has a degree in two dimensional studio arts and woodblock printmaking at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point. A very contemplative artist, Pana approaches her projects with extensive research on her ideas to visualize each step of the creative process. She has wide range of interests, from Chinese philosophy and landscapes, Japanese woodblocks, American poets, and Hmong folktales. Tengo Lor has a passion to preserve Hmong culture and history through graphic design art, writing and activism. He is currently the director of worldwide online Hmong arts collective, www.HmongArtists.net. Locally, he is active with the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT), Innovative Community Elevation (ICE), "Hmong Today" newspaper, and the Hmong Arts and Summit Exhibition (HASE). Chang Vang fueled his interest in art by drawing his favorite characters from cartoons and comic books. He was an airbrush artist for Air2BDifferent and was involved with the "Immigration Emotions" mural in Wadena, Minnesota. His etchings were selected for the Rondo Community Outreach Library sidewalk, and other projects include coloring books and urban art inspired by the Hmong hip hop community. Chang wanted to exhibit his work on the Hmong experience escaping through the difficult jungle for this special show. He says this is his way of telling the story of his parents and grandparents. Kou Vang is an artist, writer, advocate, wife, and mother of five. She has received grants from the Ella Lyman Cabot Trust Fund, Wisconsin Arts Board, and the Institute of Race and Ethnicity for her photographic documentaries on Hmong women and shamanism. In addition, Kou is a governor-appointed board member of the Wisconsin Humanities Council, Milwaukee Art Museum Artist Market committee member, owner of Inspiring Elements Photography and Design, and co-founder of EYE. D magazine, an online magazine for Asian Americans. She sees herself as a translator between the Hmong and non-Hmong world by using art to bridge between the two worlds.