Upstairs on Hennepin: Tom Sewell and the Bottega Gallery

Upstairs on Hennepin

ommercial art galleries seem to have the lives of Tom Sewell mayflies. Many can’t keep Ctheir doors open for more than a few and the months. When the Bottega Gallery and Workshop opened for business bottega gallery at 816 Hennepin Avenue in Min- neapolis late in 1962, few thought it would last very long. Tom Sewell, known and respected regional artists, Tom moran the proprietor, had only just turned and a number of the younger artists 23. A magazine article, noting three went on to gain similar and even Sewell also courted artists with Minneapolis galleries that had gone larger reputations and followings. their own studio space, asking to out of business within the past few The gallery space had originally show their work either at the Bot- weeks, flatly predicted the Bottega’s been rented by Terry Riggs, one of tega or the nearby Inn Towne Motel, failure.1 Sewell’s friends. Sewell, who had where the management had agreed Housed in a second-story walkup worked with Riggs as a display man to let him display art in the restau- just above Joe Piazza’s popular Café at Dayton’s Department Store, of- rant and along the dim halls. His di Napoli restaurant, the Bottega fered to help out, and then Riggs early shows featured many of the lasted almost three-and-a-half years, suddenly left Minneapolis. The rent region’s young and promising art- much longer than anyone had ex- was paid up and Sewell decided to ists, including Jan Rivard Attridge, pected. It grew to be the focal point carry on, soliciting artists to use the Hollis McDonald, Sherry Blanchard, for a generation of young Minnesota space as a studio and display their and Larry and Nancy Rosing. Unlike artists, giving them a vital place work there. He hoped that custom- most fine arts galleries, Sewell’s was to gather and socialize, show their ers would relish the opportunity to also quite willing to exhibit work by work to the public, meet and talk visit the gallery, see artists at work, commercial artists from the Twin with some of the reigning stars of and purchase the art they made. An Cities’ advertising agencies. In its the art world, and be a part of the early press release announced that first months, the Bottega presented sea change in culture and art that the Bottega, as Sewell had named shows of paintings and watercolors was sweeping through the country in it, would serve as a “gathering place by Pat Nolan of the Campbell those early years of the 1960s. Many for local artists” and a “service to Mithun agency, Ron Anderson of of the artists who hung their work on architects and decorators looking for Knox Reeves, and Robert Gordenier the walls of the Bottega were well- made-to-order artworks.” 2 of McManus, John & Adams.3

268 Minnesota History Still, the Bottega very well might gional artists had been on view since Artists and visitors relaxing at have vanished quickly had it not 1951.4 A few were able to get their Minneapolis’s Bottega Gallery been for a show it hosted five months work displayed at organizations like after opening its doors to the public. the American Swedish Institute or bitions could be imperfect and that In the early 1960s, Minnesota art- the St. Paul Center for the Arts. Some good art, even great art, might go un- ists eagerly looked forward to three were given shows at the MIA’s Little recognized. But rejection of one’s cre- competitive exhibitions where their Gallery. And many held open houses ative efforts is never easy to swallow, creative efforts would be viewed if in their studios or set up booths to and the artists who had to return to selected by jurors, often well-known show their work at malls and small the institute and retrieve their work curators and artists from out of state. festivals. But inclusion in one of the were quite disappointed. To their One of these was the annual Minne- three prestigious competitive exhibi- surprise, they discovered that a new sota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. tions was a coveted validation for the venue was eager to display the art. The others were biennials, one held artists and their efforts. When Sewell, an artist and art at the Walker Art Center in even- In April 1963, the jurors rejected student himself, heard a few of the numbered years, the other at the almost 1,100 of the 1,212 pieces en- rejected artists grumbling about Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) tered in the MIA’s Third Minnesota the judging, he recalled the story of in odd-numbered years. There were, Biennial.5 Most artists understood the 1863 Salon des Refusés in Paris of course, other ways for the region’s that the judging for these large exhi- where artworks, many now consid- artists to get exposure. Some might be offered shows by one of the hand- ful of existing commercial galleries Tom Moran is a professor in the Center for Multidisciplinary Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. His articles and essays have appeared in in the area, possibly the Premier, the numerous publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and Red Carpet, or, most notably, the Seattle Times. Kilbride-Bradley where first-rate re-

Fall 2013 269 a one-dollar entry fee Sewell had charged artists for displaying their work. A few of the pieces were sold. In late May the show came to a close. As the art came off the walls, it was replaced by the work of Dick Sut- phen, a commercial artist from Knox Reeves who, ironically, had won a prize in the MIA’s biennial.7 Sewell’s Salon des Refusés was a brash and inspired move that caught the attention of artists and collectors as well as the press. The new gallery, an upstart in the region’s art scene, was suddenly on the map. It would remain there for another three years, a lively and important component of the rich artistic and cultural scene that was flourishing in the Twin Cities. During its life span, programs at the Minneapolis School of Art and the University of Minnesota were grooming a fresh generation of talented young artists. The Walker Art Center presented an impressive menu of shows introduc- ing the newest influences in contemporary art from around the world. Traveling exhibitions, such as Four Centuries of American Art and Art Hugely successful opening of the Bottega’s Salon des Refusés, 1963 USA filled the MIA galleries with crowds.8 The arrival of the Guthrie ered masterpieces, rejected for the was crowded, wall to wall, with art- Theater in 1963 infused the Twin annual Paris Salon were given a sec- ists and their friends, and through- Cities’ cultural life with new energy, ond chance. For Sewell, the jurors’ out its three-week run the show’s and a rising prosperity freed many decisions represented a golden op- popularity continued, as Sewell to consider collecting and investing portunity, and he immediately began hosted tours for a variety of groups in the arts. But young artists needed circulating the news: Any piece of from local schools and organizations. a space like the Bottega to nurture work rejected for this biennial would He acknowledged that some of the their talent and dreams. There, be welcomed into an exhibition at work on display might be “complete the new generation could come to- his new gallery. The Bottega would junk.” But he told Minneapolis Star gether, show their work, learn from host Minneapolis’s own Salon des columnist Don Morrison that the each other, and begin to make their Refusés.6 salon proved that “a lot of Minnesota places as artists in a challenging and The show was a huge success. artists are doing interesting and dif- fast-changing world. Paintings and photographs filled the ferent work whether it is fashionable gallery’s walls, sculpture was scat- or not.” Gallery visitors cast ballots tered around the floor, and overflow for the works they liked best, and Tom Sewell was the perfect host work was displayed in the entryway three of the artists—all painters— for such an undertaking. Flamboy- and staircase. The opening reception received cash awards funded by ant, energetic, personable, he dashed

270 Minnesota History about the Twin Cities on a motor scooter, sometimes clad in a raccoon coat or a wild Mongolian robe, deliv- ering flyers and press releases to the newspapers, visiting artists’ studios, and chatting up the gallery’s shows and artists with potential custom- ers. Sewell dragged a discarded sign advertising a plumbing company to the gallery, cut up and rearranged the letters to spell Bottega Gallery, and, although it lacked some of the letters, hung it out a second-story window. To advertise a show of paintings and drawings by Donald Pulver, Sewell hired a local character to parade up and down Hennepin Avenue wearing a sandwich-board Energetic Tom Sewell with art historian Barbara Kaerwer; sign. He wooed Robert Indiana, who the sign on his lapel reads, “See Me About Sales.” would become famed for his LOVE paintings, Robert Stankiewicz, a tridge, the doll constructions of Har- this highly respected earlier genera- world-renowned metal sculptor, and vey Hurley, and the stone mosaics of tion of artists brought additional rec- Robert Rauschenberg, a contem- naïf artist Gladys Severson. The year ognition to the fledgling gallery.10 porary icon—all in Minneapolis for closed out with two important shows. In December the Bottega cele shows at the Walker—to spend eve- In November the gallery brought brated its first anniversary with jazz, nings at the gallery socializing with together work by four of the region’s holiday music, and a one-person pre- young artists. For a brief time the most prominent artists: Malcolm sentation of work by its proprietor. gallery was home to a literary ven- Myers, Peter Busa, Walter Quirt, As an artist and designer, Sewell was mostly self-taught. Four years earlier he had traveled to Wichita, Kansas, Salon des Refusés was a brash hoping to hitch a ride to Brazil on and inspired move that caught one of the planes coming off the as- sembly line at the Cessna Aircraft the attention of artists and plant. As he waited, he stayed at an collectors as well as the press. art gallery, living in a closet in exchange for sweeping the premises. Many of that gallery’s artists, most of ture, the Bottega Review of Art and and Cameron Booth. All four taught them graduate students at Wichita Poetry. Sewell made sure that there at the University of Minnesota, had University, went on to achieve na- was always something new happen- national reputations, and were re- tional and international reputations. ing at the gallery: poetry readings, vered elders in the art community. One of them lent Sewell a camera, classical recitals, jazz, a showing of The Minneaplis Star heralded the and he began a series of photographs work by members of Artists Equity, show, which included more than 100 at a local junkyard. It was an inspi- children’s art from Moppets Theater, pieces, as “one of the largest exhibi- rational time for him, essentially his even a weekend exhibition of art that tions of local art ever assembled.” introduction to the world of fine art, spoofed comic books.9 John K. Sherman, the Tribune’s and he would pay tribute by adopt- The Bottega’s first full year in- critic, praised Quirt’s “rousing” ing that gallery’s name, Bottega, for cluded shows of up-and-coming pieces and Busa’s “broad and brushy his own venture. When Sewell finally young artists like sculptor Tom At- planes.” The appearance of work by managed to get to Brazil, he took

Fall 2013 271 a sculpture class at the Escola de Bella Artes. Back in Minnesota, he took several art courses through the Minneapolis School of Art’s evening program.11 The show featured Sewell’s large, vividly colored paintings based on outlines made by swirling casein glue on art board. The work garnered solid reviews but, perhaps more important, the gallery itself got great press. Tribune critic Sherman wrote that the Bottega was “beginning to seethe, not only as a Bohemian ral- lying point for many of the city’s artists but as an informal and uncon- ventional hospice for the art-loving laity, with or without buying money.” In the Star, Don Morrison noted the “good taste and integrity” of the gallery’s exhibits and “its value as an outlet and showcase for unestab- lished local artists.” He added that he frequently mentioned the Bottega in his column “out of awed admiration for the staying power of the penniless but cheerful young people who oper- ate it.” 12 Staying open on a frayed shoestring budget, the Bottega had not only survived its first year but had clearly carved out its own niche in the region’s art scene. Sewell lived and worked at the Bottega in a walled-off space that included a huge bed, a bath area partitioned off by stained-glass windows from a razed church, and a window overlooking the Café di Napoli’s parking lot. In addition to the art on the walls, the gallery was filled with a procession of odd items that had caught Sewell’s eye: antique wedding chests from Croatia,

above: Sewell, surrounded by some of his possessions, in his room at the Bottega. left: Sewell at work, drawing with white glue before rubbing it with a gold or silver waxy paste.

272 Minnesota History old wheelchairs, and a huge black- Prominent artists in town for a smith’s anvil and bellows. Set up with couches, oversized chairs, and show or teaching nearby climbed an upholstered booth rescued from the stairs to visit and talk. an out-of-business diner (Sewell dubbed it the Cameron Booth), the gallery had become a comfortable and shock.” The Monday-night Several of the Bottega shows were venue, a place to look at art and relax opening turned out to be a huge exceptionally memorable. A 1965 in conversation. Prominent artists in social event and drew more than exhibition of David J. G. Oxtoby’s town for a show or teaching at one of 500 visitors, a crowd that trailed pen-and-ink drawings was slated the nearby institutions climbed the down the gallery steps.14 Grigorian for only a single day because of the stairs to visit and talk. Basil Langton, and his work would gain interna- work’s markedly erotic nature. Sewell a noted British actor who had begun tional recognition. was sure that staying open any lon- photographing artists, took pictures Over the following two years, ger would invite the possibility of of Sewell at the gallery. Comedian a parade of skilled and innovative obscenity charges. Only 26, Oxtoby Henny Youngman wandered in and artists would display their work at had already had solo shows in Lon- became a frequent visitor, trying out the upstairs gallery. Young paint- don, New York, and Stockholm when his new jokes and bringing bags of ers such as Neil Stouffer, Harmony he arrived in Minneapolis to teach at chocolate turtles for the artists. Phil Hammond, Sherry Blanchard Scholl, the School of Art. The school’s direc- Everly of the Everly Brothers singing David Friedman, and Mary Ellen tor, Arnold Herstand, had tried to get group bought a painting from Lee Ponsford headlined shows, as did the Oxtoby to show at other galleries in Emberley, one of the Bottega’s origi- talented young photographer Daniel Minneapolis. All of them were eager nal artists, but returned it the next Seymour. Art faculty from the re- to exhibit earlier paintings done in day, apologizing because his new wife gion’s colleges and universities were England that had already gained had not liked it.13 also featured. Robert Cronin from acclaim—images reflecting rock-and- St. John’s University in Collegeville roll and jazz musicians. But none of was given a showing in February the galleries offered to show the work In January 1964 the Bottega 1964. Landscapes by John Maake- he had made in Minnesota, erotic hosted an exhibition of Marcos Grig- stad, who taught at St. Olaf College drawings that were a bit too “aggres- orian’s powerful mural, The Gates of in Northfield, appeared the follow- sive” for their venues. “Some people Auschwitz. The 120-foot-long floor- ing month. Sewell was reunited consider my things pornographic,” to-ceiling mural took up three walls with two of his mentors from the Oxtoby told a reporter. “I don’t see in the gallery’s main room. Grigo- original Bottega when James Davis, it at all. To me, they are quite ro- rian, a 39-year-old Armenian born on the faculty at Wichita University, mantic.” With his long dark hair, in Russia, had studied art in Rome and Bruce McGrew, teaching at the thick sideburns, and even thicker and been an important teacher, art- Morris campus of the University of Yorkshire accent, Oxtoby had quickly ist, and organizer in Iran. He had Minnesota, visited for a show of their become a favorite with his students. moved to Minneapolis in 1962 and paintings at the Minneapolis ver- He recruited six coeds to wear maids’ was teaching at the Minnetonka sion. Cameron Booth, then 72 and in uniforms and serve tea from a huge Art Center. The Gates of Auschwitz his fifteenth year of teaching at the polished urn to gallery visitors dur- had been publicly shown only once University of Minnesota, returned ing the Sunday-afternoon reception. earlier, in Tehran as part of an exhi- to the gallery for a one-person show The show was a hit, nearly all of the bition of work by the Contemporary of his paintings of horses. Booth was drawings were sold, and an excel- Iranian Artists Group. A Tribune acclaimed for his abstractions; these lent review appeared in the Star. writer noted that the dozen canvases new works were more expressive. The good press and the knowledge comprising the huge piece, Grigo One critic hailed them as “muted na- that many of the drawings were now rian’s response to the horrors of ture poems.” Booth offered that they owned by prominent art collectors World War II, presented a “pano might be better described as “barn- gave Sewell the confidence to extend rama of Bosch-like starkness, nudity yard landscapes.” 15 the show for a full week.16

Fall 2013 273 the crowd. Henny Youngman told McDonald that he planned to wear one of the shirts during an upcoming appearance on the Johnny Car- son Show. The artist hoped it might boost his career, but Youngman and the shirt never made it on the air.18 On a Friday night in April 1965, the gallery hosted a reception opening the show Six Artists and the Nude. The artists included William Ammerman, chair of the art department at Wisconsin State University— River Falls, Larry Rosing, who was teaching at the River Falls campus, and Nancy Rosing, who had studied art in Mexico after graduating from the Minneapolis School of Art. The other artists—Scholl, Attridge, and Oxtoby—had previously had one- person shows at the Bottega. One of the artists’ models baked a batch of large cookies in the shape of nude figures and used colored icing to highlight certain physical details. English artist David Oxtoby, not wanting a “boring” personal photo in his The treats made for interesting exhibition catalog, created a tableau with some of his students. watching as they were devoured by the reception crowd.19 Jan Rivard Attridge was one of were joined at the show’s reception Late in the summer of 1965, Minneapolis’s bright young stars. by a large contingent that had jour- Sewell asked Rita Johnstone, his as- She had grown up in Marshall, Min- neyed in from Marshall despite a sistant at the Bottega, to write a let- nesota, graduated from Stephens snowstorm.17 ter to Marcel Duchamp, inviting him College in Missouri, studied art in Hollis McDonald was another of to enter a piece of art in an upcoming Boston, Minneapolis, and Paris, and the Twin Cities’ strong talents. After show of found art and readymades at been a model and photographer in graduating from the Minneapolis the gallery. To Sewell’s surprise, the New York. She returned to Marshall School of Art, he had earned an MFA icon of modern art replied. He would for a series of paintings that captured at Cranbrook Academy in Michigan. be in Minneapolis in October for a the life of the town. Her show at the The recently married artist’s bright, major show, Not Seen and/or Less Bottega included brightly colored, non-objective paintings filled the Seen of/by Marcel Duchamp/Rose highly stylized portraits of the local Bottega for an exhibition titled Post Selavy. He promised to visit the Bot- bank president, town historian, and Nuptial Paintings. Inspired by a tega and enter himself in the show.20 other civic leaders as well as paint- recent beer ad that had popularized Duchamp and his wife, Teeny, ar- ings of farmers, sports competitions, shirts bearing images of the faces of rived at the gallery on a warm Octo- and parades. In his Star column, famous composers, Larry and Nancy ber afternoon, surprising Johnstone, Morrison wrote that a visit to the Rosing silk-screened McDonald’s who did not immediately recognize show could “brighten your down- somewhat imposing visage onto a the famed artist. Sewell, the Du town lunch hour with warmth and stack of sweatshirts and sold them at champs, and Johnstone spent several beauty.” Fellow artists, art lovers, the gallery. Soon the artist’s face was hours examining the work in the and Attridge’s Minneapolis friends appearing in multiples throughout gallery, chatting about art, and enjoy-

274 Minnesota History and the Object at the MIA provided glimpses of the newest trends and currents in the world outside Minne- sota. Although it was never a hotbed for the avant-garde, the Bottega was open to every type of art. Its activities ranged from showing postage-stamp collages by Harry Wang, religious art by Marjorie Pinkham, and anti- religious art by Enrique Sanchez and Father Edward Thomas to staging a Mexican Art Fair and hosting an evening of experimental films.22 The social and political turmoil of the era also made its way into the gallery. Paul Hanson, a St. Olaf student who shared a show with his art teacher, John Maakestad, included a piece evoking the sadness that had filled the country a few months earlier at the news of President Ken- nedy’s assassination. More than 60 pieces donated by artists including Hollis McDonald, Jerome Liebling, John Rood, and Walter Quirt were auctioned off at the gallery to raise funds for the legal defense of a group of students at Indiana University who had been arrested following their protests of the U.S. embargo of Cuba. Infuriated by the brutal attacks Artist, model, and photographer Jan Rivard Attridge at the Bottega on civil rights marchers in Alabama, David Oxtoby held back the drawing the view from the gallery’s bay one for himself and one for his friend ings he had planned to include in Six window as pedestrians marched up Max Ernst. In exchange, Duchamp Artists and the Nude and substituted and down Hennepin Avenue. Sewell autographed the extra-wide necktie a brand-new series of extremely ag- had dinner brought up from the that Sewell was wearing. Sewell con- gressive images he created in reac- Café di Napoli and they ate seated siders the short visit to have been the tion to the news of Selma’s Bloody on cushions around a large, weath- highlight of the Bottega’s existence.21 Sunday. These scattered artistic ered antique bellows that served as responses were preludes to the social a table. The foursome listened to a ferment that would boil over in the hand-wound Victrola and watched The Bottega’s artists knew that second half of the decade.23 the city’s lights come on as night the art world was astir. Events like Sherman of the Tribune wrote arrived. The 78-year old Duchamp Allan Kaprow’s Mushroom, the 1962 that Sewell was a “zealous and in- declared that the collages Sewell had happening staged at St. Paul’s Waba- ventive innovator who allows his made using clippings from girlie sha Street caves, and shows like Fifty fancy full rein in all kinds of un- magazines were some of the fresh- California Artists, Post Painterly conventional media.” The critic was est things he had seen in years and Abstraction, and London: The New referring to Sewell’s erotic collages, asked if he could have a pair of them, Scene at the Walker and Six Artists his paintings using lace and yarn,

Fall 2013 275 Emberley remembered. Another time, Sewell arrived at a Walker Art Center opening escorting a young lady, her face and body swathed in bright paint designs a la Goldfinger. (The Tribune reported that he felt this was “the only way he could get his work into the Walker.”) Follow- ing lunch with Don Morrison at the Café di Napoli, Sewell took the columnist’s plate upstairs, coated it and the leftover food with clear resin, and set the result out as an art object. He looked at every reception and event as an opportunity to host the best party possible.24 Other area galleries offered fine art, but the Bottega was different. It seemed a fresher place, more exuberant, its day-to-day life closer to happenings than business. At the Bottega, art was fun. But that existence was becom- ing more and more tenuous. A side business in picture framing and art supplies helped keep the Kilbride- Bradley gallery solvent. Gordon Locksley’s Red Carpet gallery doubled as a hair salon. The Bottega had no sideline. It had to sell art to survive. It did that, but the bills piled up at a much faster rate and many went unpaid. Sewell sought out con- tributions from friends and artists to pay an overdue phone bill and gave Johnstone bags of groceries when he was unable to pay her wages. He asked supporters to pay one dollar to Invitation to the Bottega’s Hollis McDonald exhibition keep their names on his mailing list and charged two dollars to have the the wide ties that he fashioned from Coke machine. A few days later a bumps on a visitor’s head analyzed bolts of wildly colored fabric, and news item reported that pop art was using an ancient psychograph. He the decorative boxes he made when available at the Bottega for a dime. began charging a quarter to enter the asked to create a theme for the In a spontaneous moment, he con- gallery, an unpopular ploy he con- Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary Ball. vinced a young gallery visitor to dis- fessed might help “keep the riff raff But the description could as easily robe so that he could use her dress as away,” but the small box where the have applied to his approach to oper- a canvas. She waited patiently in her money was kept often disappeared.25 ating the Bottega. He painted a sign slip and undergarments as he turned In the fall of 1964, the gallery with the letters POP ART and pasted the dress and the act of adorning it hosted a pair of well-publicized it across the front of the gallery’s into art. The girl was thrilled, Lee fund-raising auctions featuring art

276 Minnesota History Announcement of the second of two benefit art auctions: “The Bottega needs Your Support!”

Fall 2013 277 donated by artists and collectors. more than , visitors climbed Advertisements boasted that there 10 000 would be no minimum bids and the worn steps from Hennepin everything would be sold. Auction- Avenue and viewed art, some of eers included Arnold Walker, the host of Folio on KTCA television, it really good art. Lee Richardson, who had played Claudius in Hamlet and Biff in Death of A Salesman on the Guthrie stage, keeper, could be called a non-profit I-Jean Hwang Ting that gave “great and comedian Youngman. Sewell institution.” If it was an institution, it visual pleasure,” and photographs also relied on a tiny group of patrons was a severely troubled one. The final from David Seymour that achieved and collectors to whom he would go blow came early in February 1966, “purity of statement and abstract in hopes of selling an art piece when when Sewell received an eviction simplicity.” 27 the financial pressures became par- notice. He announced that the gal- On April 25 that final show ticularly threatening. He could usu- lery would shut its doors and put For closed. Sewell went downstairs to ally count on stalwarts like Al Teeter, Sale tags on the stained-glass win- the Café di Napoli and returned the William and Stanley Gregory, John dows, rusty wheelchairs, oversized keys. He was done with the gallery and Trudy Brooks, and Dr. Malcolm beds, and other weird and funky business, he told a reporter. “I’m be- McCannel. On one occasion, Sewell’s furnishings and objects that filled it. ginning to want to do more, faster; younger brother Stephen pulled out John Sherman wrote that the gal- the pace isn’t quite quick enough. It a pocket watch, stared at its face, and lery “was going out with a bang and doesn’t change fast enough,” he said. told McCannel, “It is time to do busi- not a whimper” and praised some “I just feel that I am ready to go on ness.” The gallery needed money.26 of the artists in the Bottega’s final to something else.” He had uphol- Before one of the benefit auc- group show. It included an “amaz- stered a Volkswagen bus using old tions, Don Morrison wrote that the ing array” of art objects from Alice mink coats and, for his next adven- Bottega, “in the eyes of any book- Thomas, calligraphic work from ture, would drive it to Los Angeles to visit his old friend from Minne- apolis’s West High, actor Michael Blodgett.28

After the Bottega closed, some of its artists were able to show their work at the Kilbride-Bradley gallery or Suzanne Kohn’s up-and-coming gallery in St. Paul. Hollis McDon- ald, Nancy Rosing, Danny Seymour, and Harmony Hammond all went to New York, at least for a while.29 Neil Stouffer headed for California and ended up in Canada.30 Sherry Blanchard Scholl moved to Ari- zona.31 Jan Attridge found her way to the art colony at Grand Marais.32 David Friedman set up his studio in Honolulu.33 Don Pulver eventually settled in Florida, Bob Cronin taught at Brown University and Bennington College, and Marcos Grigorian re-

278 Minnesota History turned to Iran and then Armenia.34 of it really good art. The gallery had however, was imbuing young artists As for Tom Sewell, after many years made its name by staging the Salon with a sense of the excitement and as an artist and entrepreneur in Ven- des Refusés in 1963. It held a second fulfillment available in the world of ice, California, he moved to Hawaii salon in 1964, featuring rejects from art—and the confidence that they where he continues to photograph, that year’s biennial at the Walker.35 could find a role for themselves produce films and multimedia proj- But that would be the last. The art- within it. The important galleries ects, and create art. ists who were a part of the Bottega take on that mission for each new During the Bottega’s brief ex- no longer needed that kind of ex- generation of artists. That is what istence, more than 10,000 visitors posure. Sewell’s gallery had offered happened in the opening years of the climbed the worn steps from Hen- them a refuge and a place to show 1960s, upstairs on Hennepin, at the nepin Avenue and viewed art, some their work. It biggest contribution, Bottega Gallery. a

Notes 1. Minneapolis Tribune, Dec. 23, 1962, 7F. This, the Bottega’s first newspaper- calendar listing, promised an open house and group show of ten artists. Kurt Kent, “Bottega or Bottega,” Ivory Tower (Minne- sota Daily feature ed.), May 6, 1963, 10–11; the galleries were the Premier, Collectors, and West Bank. 2. Tom Sewell, Haiku, HI, telephone interview, Feb. 19, 2012; Lee Emberley, St. Paul, telephone interview, Feb. 17, 2012; Minneapolis Tribune, Jan. 6, 1963, Upper Midwest sec., 9, listing both Sewell and Riggs as gallery “operators.” 3. Minneapolis Tribune, June 9, 1963, 15H, also reviewing art at the Capp Towers Motel and Sheraton-Ritz Hotel; Minneapo- lis Star, Apr. 18, 1963, 6B, and Apr. 27, 1963, 11A, listing Gordenier and Anderson as “art directors”; Don Pulver, Bradenton, FL, telephone interview, Jan. 3, 2012, noting No- lan’s affiliation with Campbell Mith un, “one of the biggest agencies in the city.” Painter Cameron Booth (far left), his wife, Pearle M. Booth, 4. Colleen Sheehy, “Making a Place for painter Peter Busa, and Tom Sewell at the gallery Art: Fifty Years at the Grand Marais Art Colony,” Minnesota History 55 (Summer 1997): 258. in-art.” Minneapolis Tribune, Nov. 24, 1963, course; Shawinigan Standard (Quebec), 5. Minneapolis Tribune, Apr. 7, 1963, Picture sec., 2–7 (Four Centuries), and Dec. Feb. 1, 1956, 16. 7E, Apr. 28, 1963, 7F. Only 117 works were 1, 1963, Upper Midwest, 5, calling Four 11. Minneapolis Tribune, Dec. 15, 1963, chosen. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts Centuries “one of the most remarkable art 13H; James Johnson, “The Wichita Group,” Bulletin, June 1963, contains the show cat- exhibitions ever to be shown in the Upper www.vlib.us/beats/wichitagroup.html. alog listing all exhibitors and prize winners Midwest”; Minneapolis Tribune, Aug. 15, 12. Minneapolis Tribune, Dec. 22, 1963, and including an essay by Lawrence Alloway, 1965, 5E, reporting that Art USA’s work, 15W. Sherman called Sewell’s work “inven- curator of the Guggenheim Museum in New done between 1959 and 1961, offered “a tive and exuberant” and complimented two York, one of the jurors. The others were glimpse into the studios of artists who had “gorgeous” fish paintings.Minneapolis Star, Fred Conway, Washington University, and arrived” and represented the “still-seething Dec. 13, 1963, 17B. Morrison also wrote that Thomas S. Dibbs, director of the Des Moines crosscurrents and rampant pluralism of the Sewell’s work had “taken a very attractive Art Center. art situation in America.” and unusual turn.” 6. Minneapolis Tribune, May 5, 1963, 7E. 9. Minneapolis Star, Sept. 13, 1963, 17A, 13. Minneapolis Star, Dec. 13, 1963, 17B. 7. Minneapolis Star, May 11, 1963, 7E; Oct. 11, 1963, 10B; Minneapolis Tribune, Morrison reported, “Tom has assembled the Minneapolis Tribune, June 16, 1963, 7E. Aug. 4, 1963, Upper Midwest, 7; Pulver in- wildest collection of furniture in the city Jan Rivard Attridge, Richard Meadows, and terview; Bottega Review of Art and Poetry, and if you feel weary, you can sit down on a Margaret Lacy won the prizes. vol. 1, no. 1 (1963), copy in Minnesota His- huge throne (worthy of a cardinal at the 8. In the Minneapolis Tribune, Sept. 13, torical Society. very least), stretch out on a grotesque Vic- 1964, 3E, New York-based critic John Can- 10. Minneapolis Star, Dec. 6, 1963, 1C; torian leather sofa or, for that matter, a aday hailed the Walker’s programming Minneapolis Tribune, Dec. 22, 1963, 15W. nutty baronial bed that Tom bought at the as “the country’s most vigorous outpost of Severson studied art via correspondence Earle Brown estate sale.” Emberley inter-

Fall 2013 279 view; Tom Sewell, telephone interviews, (Jones and Sherman articles); Minneapolis 27. Minneapolis Star, Oct. 15, 1964, 16B; Jan. 11, May 31, 2009. Star, Oct. 19, 1965, 14B. For recordings of Minneapolis Tribune, Feb. 9, 1966, 11, Apr. 14. Parviz Tanavoli, email to author, Mar. Duchamp’s interview by Milton Friedman, 3, 1966, 4E. 5, 2012; Shiva Balaghi, “Abby Weed Grey Walker Art Center director, and the press 28. Minneapolis Tribune, Apr. 24, 1966, and Parviz Tanavoli,” www.nyu.edu/greyart conference held for Duchamp’s showing, 1E. /collection/iranian%20art/essaytanavoli see www.walkerart.org/channel/genre 29. McDonald interview; Rosing inter- _home.html; Minneapolis Tribune, Jan. 5, /visual-arts/type/dialogue- interview. view. Seymour moved to New York and col- 1964, 1B, Jan. 9, 1964, 11. 21. Johnstone interview; Sewell, tele- laborated with photographer and filmmaker 15. Minneapolis Tribune, Apr. 26, 1964, phone interview, Sept. 9, 2012. Robert Frank on his documentary of the 9E, May 24, 1964, 8E, July 25, 1965, 4E; The 22. Allan Kaprow, Untitled Essay and Rolling Stones, Cocksucker Blues. A book of Record, Feb. 14, 1964, 1, available through Other Works (New York: Something Else Seymour’s photographs, A Love Song, was www.hmml.org/vivarium/csbsju_news Press, 1967), 8–12, www.ubu.com/historical published in 1971. Christian A. Peterson, papers.htm (Cronin show); Minneapolis /gb/kaprow_untitled.pdf, describes the “Robert Frank Looks for Fleabag Hotel in Tribune, Sept. 20, 1964, 9E, June 21, 1964, happening in detail. Fifty California Artists Minneapolis,” www2.artsmia.org/blogs 9E, June 14, 1964, 11E. For an excellent was on view February–March 1963, Six /new-pictures/2011/06/06/robert-frank overview of Booth’s career, see Nina M. Ar- Painters and the Object, September 1963, -looks-for-fleabag-hotel-in-minneapolis/. chabal, “In Memoriam: Cameron Booth Post Painterly Abstraction, July–August, Harmony Hammond, internationally 1892–1980, A Chronicle from His Scrap- 1964, and London: The New Scene, recognized as a feminist artist, currently books,” Minnesota History 47 (Fall 1980): February–March, 1965. lives and maintains a studio in New Mexico; 100–110. Minneapolis Star, Aug. 29, 1964, 3A http://harmonyhammond.com. 16. Minneapolis Tribune, Nov. 16, 1965, (Wang show); Sewell telephone interviews, 30. Neil Stouffer, Belmont, Manitoba, 6E; Minneapolis Star, Feb. 1, 1965, 6B. Feb. 19, 2012, revealing that all contact with Canada, telephone interview, Jan. 27, 2012; Sewell’s concern was proved correct a year Wang, who lived in China, was via mail, and http://neilstouffer.com. later when the owner of another Minneapo- Jan. 29, 2012, noting that Thomas created 31. Sherry Blanchard Stuart (formerly lis gallery, The Lower Edge, went on trial erotic collages using cutouts from catalogs Scholl), Scottsdale, AZ, telephone interview, for exhibiting obscene matter; Minneapolis of religious clothing. Minneapolis Tribune, Jan. 30, 2012; http://sherryblanchard Star, Feb. 10, 1966, 1B. Marco Livingston, May 31, 1964, 11E (Pinkham show), Apr. 26, stuart.com. “David Oxtoby, Celebration of an Era,” in 1964, 9E, July 25, 1965, 4E. 32. Jan Attridge, Grand Marais, tele- David J. G. Oxtoby, Illustrated CV (Lon- 23. John Maakestad, Nerstand, MN, phone interview, Jan. 9, 2012; http:// don: Redfern Gallery, 2007), 1–2, offers an telephone interview, Feb. 24, 2012; Minne- janattridge.com. appreciation of the artist’s career. apolis Star, May 11, 1964, 13A; David Ox- 33. Friedman moved to Los Angeles and 17. Minneapolis Star, Feb. 11, 1965, 6D; toby, London, England, telephone interview, then to Hawaii; http://davidfriedmanart Minneapolis Tribune, Jan. 31, 1965, Picture Mar. 10, 2011. Mary Ann Wynkoop, Dissent .com. sec., 16–17, showing several of the Marshall in the Heartlands: The Sixties at Indiana 34. Pulver interview; http://donpulver paintings. University (Bloomington: Indiana Univer- art.com; Robert Cronin, Falls Village, CT, 18. Minneapolis Star, Apr. 30, 1963, 1B, sity Press, 2002), 12–21, describes the Indi- telephone interview, Jan. 23, 2012; http:// profiling McDonald when his work ap- ana situation. robertcroninart.com. Two of Grigorian’s peared in the biennial at the MIA, where he 24. Minneapolis Tribune, Mar. 21, 1965, paintings, Untitled and Midsummer Night worked as a guard, and June 10, 1965, 10C, 10E, Sept. 19, 1965, 1E, Apr. 24, 1966, 4E; #10, are in the permanent collection of reprinting an excerpt of a longer interview Minneapolis Daily American, Mar. 22, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. in Hollis McDonald Speaks, a Bottega Gal- 1965, 9; Minneapolis Star, Nov. 5, 1965, 1B; An obituary, Aug. 31, 2007, is posted at lery press release, 3 mimeographed sheets, Emberley interview; Sewell, telephone in- www.azad-hye.net/news/viewnews.asp?news Sewell Archive, Haiku, HI; Nancy Rosing, terview, Dec. 18, 2011. Id=725gls11. New York, NY, telephone interview, Feb. 26, 25. Johnstone interview; Minneapolis 35. Minneapolis Tribune, Nov. 10, 1964, 2012; Hollis McDonald, Minneapolis, tele- Star, Dec. 13, 1963, 17B, Oct. 6, 1965, 10C. 33, noted that the Bottega’s 1964 salon con- phone interview, Mar. 22, 2011. 26. Minneapolis Tribune, Sept. 27, 1964, tained about 75 pieces, showing that those 19. Six Artists and the Nude (Minneapo- 2E; Minneapolis Star, Oct. 15, 1964, 16B; who got into the Walker biennial were lis: Bottega Gallery, 1965), Sewell Archive; Sewell, telephone interviews, Oct. 2, 2011, “hard challenged by some who did not.” The Rosing interview. The eight-page catalog Jan. 1, 2012; Stephen Sewell, Minneapolis, show caused quite a furor when two of the contains brief biographies and photographs telephone interview, Apr. 13, 2011. A news jurors, Theodoro Stamos and James Wines, of the artists and representative images of release for the second auction suggested, “If critiqued local artists as outdated and ques- work in the show. you feel the Bottega is an important cultural tioned why any artist would want to live 20. Nona (previously, Rita) Johnstone, asset to the community attend the auction” and work outside of New York City. Minneapolis, telephone interview, Mar. 2, and set admission at two dollars, a dollar 2011; Minneapolis Tribune, Oct. 17, 1965, more than asked for the previous auction 1E, Oct. 20, 1965, 19, Oct. 24, 1965, 3E (see p. 277); Sewell Archive. All images courtesy Sewell Archive, Tomsewell.com.

280 Minnesota History

Copyright of Minnesota History is the property of the Minnesota Historical Society, and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or users or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission: contact us.

Individuals may print or download articles for personal use.

To request permission for educational or commercial use, contact us. Include the author’s name and article title in the body of your message. But first--

If you think you may need permission, here are some guidelines:

Students and researchers • You do not need permission to quote or paraphrase portions of an article, as long as your work falls within the fair use provision of copyright law. Using information from an article to develop an argument is fair use. Quoting brief pieces of text in an unpublished paper or thesis is fair use. Even quoting in a work to be published can be fair use, depending on the amount quoted. Read about fair use here: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html • You should, however, always credit the article as a source for your work.

Teachers • You do not need permission to incorporate parts of an article into a lesson. • You do need permission to assign an article, either by downloading multiple copies or by sending students to the online pdf. There is a small per-copy use fee for assigned reading. Contact us for more information.

About Illustrations • Minnesota History credits the sources for illustrations at the end of each article. Minnesota History itself does not hold copyright on images and therefore cannot grant permission to reproduce them. • For information on using illustrations owned by the Minnesota Historical Society, see MHS Library FAQ.