The Scene: Dom Venzant
The Scene: Dom Venzant
The Scene: Dom Venzant
Potter and educator Dom Venzant in his studio. Photos by Dina Kantor.
Bowls in the kiln.
Venzant was born in Menomonie, Wisconsin, spending time on his grandfather’s dairy farm in Symco, but his family moved to the Twin Cities before he began kindergarten, so he considers himself to have been “strongly formed” by the local people and culture. “Believe it or not, I have found the support for the arts and crafts in Minnesota to be among the most robust in the country,” says Venzant, who has a studio in Minneapolis and teaches classes all over. “I never thought I would become an artist and craftsperson, but I’ve found a great deal of support for makers of various backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities. The Twin Cities are, and have been for some time, an inclusive cultural community,” embracing a large Hmong population, a growing community of Karen (from Myanmar), and “new residents from across South America and Africa.”
While Venzant notes that some support networks have been slow to establish and that “finding suitable and culturally appropriate mental health services has been a challenge in the Twin Cities,” overall, he says, “I am grateful, not just for the exposure to various foods and languages, but also the stories, music, and broadening of culture that has occurred.”
ARTISTS VENZANT ADMIRES:
Potter and educator Lee Persell, “who specializes in wood fired ceramics”; Pratibha Gupta, a multidisciplinary artist and potter who is “the progenitor and guiding light for the kiln Tandava” in Glencoe, Minnesota; the “dynamic duo” of potter Mike Egan and metalsmith and jewelry maker Wendy Egan; composer, performer, musician, and instrument maker Martin Dosh, “who is constantly innovating”; and Laura Andrews, “an exquisite painter and educator who has helped to make my creative life possible.”
This article was made possible with support from the Windgate Charitable Foundation.
