Art Resources Gallery

Adam Swanson

Who influenced you the most to become an artist?  I had a grandmother who was an artist and I admired her greatly as a child. As I grew older I was fortunate to meet many artists along the way who reminded me that dedicating a life to artwork is not just possible but can be vital to humanity.

How long have you been creating?  I have been into art-making since early childhood. I grew up in a daycare house, with three siblings, and we always had plenty of creative materials (crayons, paper, and glue) lying around and ready for action. Throughout middle school and high school, I took as many art classes as I could and when I ended up in college, it felt natural for me to major in art. After spending most of my 20s traveling and working abroad, I returned to Northern Minnesota in 2009 to dedicate myself more seriously to my painting.

Adam Swanson is a local painter and muralist fascinated by how science fiction posits a future for humanity that is changed by major environmental changes and technological innovations. He paints wild animals and scientific equipment to create poignant and sometimes humorous tensions between humans and the natural world. We were able to catch up with him to learn more about his creative process, his influences, and so much more!

What is your creative process?  I don't wait for the muse to strike. I keep a regular schedule in my studio, Monday through Friday 8am - 5pm. I primarily paint with acrylic on cradled panels. I’ve always had a strong interest in photography and film so the compositions of my large and medium-sized paintings are based on photographs. My studio is filled with my snapshots of landscapes, machinery, and animals. I then select, recompose, and paint the most interesting details so that my paintings may be comprised of more than a dozen study images.

Swanson's studio is a stand-alone structure with concrete floors and white-washed walls near his home in Northern Minnesota.

Why did you decide to become an artist?  From scribbling thoughts and ideas to varnishing a finished piece, I take great pleasure in every step of the creative process. Artwork of all kinds has inspired me in profound ways throughout my life and I have always wanted to be part of that kind of magic.

Is there anything else we should know about you or your work?  In the early 2000’s I worked for years in Antarctica for the National Science Foundation where I developed my knowledge of important climate-related experiments. Currently, I’m a member of the Twin Ports Art Science Collaborative so my work has been influenced by researchers from Lake Superior and the SPRUCE climate change project in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Now, more than ever, the implications of human actions in an ever-changing landscape are on the tip of everyone’s tongue. My recent paintings make scientific data such as this clearer and, most importantly, inspire audiences to learn what can be done to change course. I am also interested in painting some of the darker, complex ecological challenges we face in our fragile relationships to the land, water, and animals that make our area so precious.

Swanson is currently working on a series of jury-selected murals that will be installed at St. Paul City Hall, spring 2020. He says, "This is an important opportunity to share my research on Minnesota’s history in order to re-interpret the John Norton murals (1931-32) and connect with the state's environmental activist communities. Murals offer many logistical hurdles, but I love large paintings and the opportunity to translate my ideas into such a grand scale is something I cherish."