IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – An artist hailing from Iron Mountain recently captivated audiences at the Florence Biennale in Italy. WZMQ first featured the Wondermakers’ art collaboration, and the XIV Florence Biennale back in April when Mindy Meyers, MFA, from Dickinson County, and Jenna Freimuth of Minneapolis were preparing for their first international art exhibition. The showcase featured two of their collaborative works: Glittering textile panels studded with intricate stitching, and adorned with pops of sequins. The two pieces are still in transit home to the U.P. through customs: titled Wondermaker 154 and Wondermaker 155.
“So Jenna Freimuth and I traveled to Italy thanks to a very generous crowdfunder campaign, that we ran, and sponsorship by the Surface Design Association were able to attend the Florence Biennale in Florence Italy,” stated Meyers, adding, “We were there for one week, and it was an incredible experience to see our artwork, hung amongst so many beautiful, incredible artworks from around the world.”
The duo’s 5-year endeavor resulted in awe-inspiring textile panels showcased alongside global masterpieces.
“It was a very humbling experience. We received a special accommodation from the president [of the Biennale] award for our Wondermakers Collective project.”
Having experienced the grandeur of their work on an international stage, Meyers and Freimuth are now gearing up for a solo exhibition at the Windgate Museum of Art, set to open this fall at Hendrix College in Arkansas. This showcase will not only feature their individual personal creations, but also highlight the collaborative wonders crafted by the WonderMakers Collective.
“So we’re planning and preparing for a large solo exhibition at the Windgate Museum of Art, at Hendrix College in Arkansas. That will open this coming fall. That exhibition will feature both of our personal works, and then our wonder makers collective works. You can see how our individual styles come together to create the collaborative artworks that we make with the wonder makers collective,” informed Meyers, adding “So we’ve been really busy stitching a whole new body of work for that, and we’re really excited about it… So they’re large textile panels… it was fantastic to see them displayed, and we’re just inspired to create new work with our process and explore some new ideas.”
Reflecting on their Italian escapade, Meyers remarked, “It was fantastic to see them displayed, and we’re just inspired to create new work with our process and explore some new ideas.” Their dedication garnered recognition in the Florence Biennale exhibition catalog, a hefty testament to their artistry showcased alongside talents from around the globe.
The duo also received a special accommodation from the Biennale president, acknowledging the Wondermakers Collective’s contribution. Despite the challenges of shipping artwork abroad, Meyers remains optimistic, stating, “It was a very interesting experience. I wouldn’t say once in a lifetime, because I feel like we have a lot of traction in our art career right now, and I think the sky is the limit for the Wondermakers Collective, and that’s really exciting. There’s a lot of opportunity that we are taking advantage of right now, but it was a very educational experience shipping artwork to a foreign country, and learning all the steps that they don’t teach you in art school about customs, and building a crate and shipping things, and getting it installed and then having it returned – so that’s been a very educational experience and not some were excited to do immediately, but I don’t want to say that we would never show in Europe again because I think that it’s exciting.”
Beyond the art, the duo operates an Etsy shop offering logo-emblazoned mugs and other items to fund their projects. Meyers expressed gratitude, saying, “We’re really thankful to everybody who supported us, just by following us on social media handles, donating to our crowdfunder, cheering us on. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our friends and family, who believed in our project.”
As they continue to stitch together a new body of work, the Wonder Makers Collective embarks on a promising trajectory, carrying the spirit of Iron Mountain to the global art scene.
For more information about the Wondermakers, visit:
https://thewondermakerscollective.com/
For the Wondermakers Etsy shop, which supports their local art endeavors, visit:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheWondermakers
For more information about the Surface Design Association, visit:
