We were lucky to catch up with Vernon Vanderwood recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Vernon, thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

The catalyst for my most successful works is often unexpected problems. My art practice is really materially involved and often resides in biomaterials and performance based installations. For example, my sculptures are made up of growing natural mediums such as SCOBY and mycelium. Because of this i’m constantly confronted with the unexpected variables of another living thing! This journey of learning how to collaborate with these mediums has shifted my perspective to not take the unexpected always as an “issue to resolve” but a spontaneous moment for innovation or action. A recent example is my journey with mycelium casting, which is the process of growing fungus in the shape of a mold. In this case I had grown fungus in the shape of my torso, yet the first try grew a lot more than fungus…it started to rot! This unexpected and some might say disturbing sight of my own form falling apart really evoked the themes of self critique and growth that I was writing and working through for this project. I ended up installing the unexpected first iteration alongside the more successful finished cast. I feel as though I seek out materials and a practice where the unexpected flourishes, I tend to learn a lot more that way.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Im an interdisciplinary artist, I like to say bio-artist. For me that means I both work with living or natural materials. Im often in conversation with or about bodies and systems. Right now thats looking like sculpture, performance, and installations. My practice really flows between many mediums but follows the thread of trying to communicate a sense of entwinement with the world around us and to pull philosophies out of nature and history. I think these themes come up in my work because of how and where I was raised. I grew up in and continue to practice art in Minnesota or Mní Sóta Makoce, the traditional and contemporary lands of the Dakota and Ojibwe people. Enjoying nature and connecting with community here has fostered a continuous curiosity about the landscape’s history and how we come to understand and exist within it. I was outside all the time as a kid, gathering things, observing, all of which is what I still do in my practice. Id say too that both my parents are really creative which certainly inspired and supported my desire to pursue the arts. My mom, an immigrant and musician working in Minneapolis introduced me at a young age to the potential of an artistic life in the city and as space for community and change. The music scene and social activism has been crucial in opening a dialogue of questioning the status quo and systemic issues. I hope with my work to not only feel seen but to bring people together which is one of the reasons I really emphasize curiosity and collaboration in my practice. If I have a mission Ill bring different mediums and people together to help me achieve it, often leading to connections and products I would never expect. Because of this Im really proud of the wide breath of work I have thus far in my early career. I graduated with my BFA this spring from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and so far have been exhibiting and developing my work in galleries and a current studio residency at Second Shift in Saint Paul.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Show up for one another. In whatever way you can. May that be with your time, your thoughts, or resources, but just showing up goes so far. All of what I feel like Ive achieved thus far and the moments I cherish the most are by showing up and having others show up for me. Hard work and developing your skills of course is a huge part of getting anywhere as an artist but going to art shows in your community, sharing your thoughts about someones work is what gets you out of the studio and in an ecosystem of creativity. Reciprocity is necessary and I really believe things come back to you. Even if you don’t have a lot of time or money starting small by connecting and supporting artists online and buying emerging artists art you start a ripple. A moment that means so much not only to others but will continue to brighten your life as our ideas and lives become more entwined!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Mutual aid/community, what I mean by that is the resource of the people, businesses, and spaces in your city. Although I knew of course that community is supposed to support one another I think I didn’t really feel confident or connected enough to start doing that early on. American success is often depicted as very independent and commercial. And of course money and resources is really helpful to making things happen and living as an artist, but that’s not done alone. Where my journey with recycled materials and performance art has shown me is that you don’t need much to make a bigger impact. And that more often than not people are willing and wanting to help. Ive reached out now to multiple small businesses for materials and they’ve been happy to give them to me. Friends and peers have shared opportunities and resources with me to, and I just feel so blessed by how receptive people are when asking for help. So I encourage people to not be afraid to ask for help or resources and to share the wealth!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vernonvanderwood1.univer.se/
• Instagram: @vernofthewoods

Image Credits
Studio photo credits: Bailey Meadow, Gallery Photo: The Orange Advisory