2017 Exhibiting Artists

Chris Abigt
Ottumwa, IA
Booth 41

Harold Adams
Concordia, KS
Booth 94

Jake Asuit
Cleveland, GA
Booth 60

Randy Birocci
Hinton, IA
Booth 20

Darrel Bowman
Bangor, WI
Booth 47

Joel & Karma Brokaw
Kalona, IA
Booth 42

Sarah Butler
St. Joseph, MO
Booth 16

Cynthia Bye
Neenah, WI
Booth 65

Melissa Carroll
Pierpont, SD
Booth 33

Cyndy Clarke
Helena, MT
Booth 106

Sean Coffman
Fargo, ND
Booth 21

Frank Costanzo
Ralston, NE
Booth 51

Daniel Cunningham
Sioux City, IA
Booth 24

Joseph Cyberski
Dexter, MI
Booth 81

Bob Decker
Wapello, IA
Booth 68

Denise Dendinger
Norfolk, NE
Booth 25

Shannon Dvorak
Atkinson, NE
Booth 99

Mike Eilers
Brookings, SD
Booth 89

Pat Falk
Owatonna, MN
Booth 1

Vickie Flores
Marquette, KS
Booth 22

Jimmie Floyd
Gilbert, AR
Booth 35

George Garrett
Omaha, NE
Booth 52

Victoria Gauerke
Topeka, KS
Booth 79

Richard Gruchalla & Carrin Rossetti
Duluth, MN
Booth 19

Gary Grufman
White Bear Lake, MN
Booth 102

RoseAnn Gussy
Roselle, IL
Booth 2

Robert Hale
North Branch, MN
Booth 40

Barbara Hamberg
Albert Lea, MN
Booth 84

Chaeli Hanna-Kohn
Sioux City, IA
Booth 96

2016 Best 3-D
Betsey Harries
Ashland, WI
Booth 3

Robin Hesselgesser
Elkhorn, NE
Booth 55

Darcy Horn
Red Oak, IA
Booth 37

Jacque Hudson
Des Moines, IA
Booth 101

Michael Huyck
Minneapolis, MN
Booth 105

Rose Inman
Sioux City, IA
Booth 15

Kendra Jennings
Junction City, KS
Booth 108

Laura Jewell
Sioux Falls, SD
Booth 66

Andrew Johnson
Kansas City, MO
Booth 83

Bill Keitel
Worthington, MN
Booth 36

Ernest Koch
Fort Dodge, IA
Booth 80

Daron Krueger
Sioux Falls, SD
Booth 17

2016 Award of Excellence
Earlene Larson
Mission Hill, SD
Booth 43

2016 Best in Show
Ken & Pat Larson
Sturgeon Lake, MN
Booth 6

2016 Award of Excellence
Tom Lazar
Brookfield, WI
Booth 50

Benjamin Leatham
Northfield, MN
Booth 54

Kiara Linda
Safety Harbor, FL
Booth 71

Craig Lossing
Lino Lakes, MN
Booth 85

Gregory Macdonald
Council Bluffs, IA
Booth 30

Mona Majorowicz
Rolfe, IA
Booth 4

Gayle Martens
Spicer, MN
Booth 69

Debbie Martin
Lincoln, NE
Booth 26

Roger Mathews
Wichita, KS
Booth 87-88

Roger Matthews
Wichita, KS
Booth 64

Layl McDill
Minneapolis, MN
Booth 110

Laurie Mellenbruch
Kansas City, MO
Booth 18

Allison & Jonathan Metzger
Duluth, MN
Booth 45

Greg Meyerdirk
Harris, IA
Booth 97-98

Judith Miller
Clear Lake, IA
Booth 29

Sean Miller
Washington, IA
Booth 5

Ken Nelsen
Maryville, MO
Booth 39

Jean Newlin
Marysville, KS
Booth 109

Reagan Nissen-Eubank
Red Oak, IA
Booth 27

Jon Offutt
Fargo, ND
Booth 95

Kris Penney
Papillion, NE
Booth 93

Sue Peoples
Owatonna, MN
Booth 107

2016 Award of Excellence
Karen Pritchett
Columbia, MO
Booth 13

Dave Reckhouse
Boscobel, WI
Booth 57

Tom O. Reed
Sandborn, IN
Booth 62

Susanne Rodriguez
Sioux City, IA
Booth 9

Linda Roesch
Roscoe, SD
Booth 34

Wayne & Karen Ruff
Bennington, NE
Booth 46

Ruben Ruiz
Huxley, IA
Booth 38

Ann Rutar
Plattsmouth, NE
Booth 53

Rose Rutherford
Omaha, NE
Booth 46

Stephen Schroeder
Waconia, MN
Booth 10

Stephen Schwiesow
Council Bluffs, IA
Booth 92

Todd Shelby
Columbia, MO
Booth 14

Thomas Siciliano
Eden Prairie, MN
Booth 82

Pamela Siehr
Madison, WI
Booth 100

Cindy Skeie
Windsor Heights, IA
Booth 12

Jamie Smisek
Minnetonka, MN
Booth 76

David Sonnek
Mapleton, MN
Booth 77-78

Greg Souther
Cross Lake, MN
Booth 56

Albert Tanko
North Branch, MN
Booth 31

John Tapager
Austin, MN
Booth 74

Lorna Tipton
Independence, MO
Booth 7

Jacob Van Wyk
Ireton, IA
Booth 63

Chris Vance
Bondurant, IA
Booth 70

Annette VanMeter
Sioux City, IA
Booth 61

Jim Vermeer
Humboldt, IA
Booth 59

Jodi Vittitoe
Sioux Falls, SD
Booth 44

Leroy Von Glan
Norfolk, NE
Booth 72

Bob Walter
Morrison, OK
Booth 49

Marcia Whitt
Bethany, MO
Booth 28

Lloyd Wiese
Rollingstone, MN
Booth 103-104

Kathy Winterburn
ONeill, NE
Booth 75

AB Word
Kirby, WY
Booth 11

Richard Wright
Des Moines, IA
Booth 23

2017 Signature Artist - Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson creates his pieces using a skill called Embroidery Digitizing. Once he sketches and colors an image, he then imports it into an Art and Stitch program. Using this program as a tool, he builds the design stitch by stitch, essentially directing the path of the sewing machine needle. With this technique, he can create texture with density, layers, and stitch direction. He thinks of the process as painting with stitches. On average, he places 20,000 stitches per design. This process can take up to ten hours for a design. Once complete, he then transfers the design to his sewing machine which sews it according to how he placed the stitches. Each image is sewn in limited edition.

The backgrounds are hand painted in acrylic on fabric.

Andrew makes all his own frames. Most of them are made from bits of reclaimed wood. The distressed texture and color of the wood is exactly how he finds it. He sands, stains and then seals the frames with tung oil.

Andrew got involved with embroidery many years ago when he took his first professional job as a production artist at a small company that provided embroidery design on garments. Later, he worked at a larger apparel company as a Technical Embroidery Designer. At one of the company art shows, he combined one of his whimsical sketches with his embroidery process. He won an award and was gobsmacked to say the least! Shortly after, he started selling his work in gift galleries and Art Fairs. He left his corporate job in early 2008 to pursue his art full-time and hasn't looked back since.

He has loads of fun making his pieces. He gets inspiration from many things, places, animals, and people. He gets lots of inspiration from his three kitties. Ideas come to him at strange times. Sometimes a title comes before a sketch. Other times it may take him ages to title something. He sketches all of the time. Andrew always brings his sketchbook with him when he travels.

Andrew thanks his lucky stars every day that he can make a living selling his work. And that people are kind enough to buy it!