Teresa Engeltjes, Director at Circa Gallery

Hello! My name is Jackson and welcome to my art blog. I will ask people in the Minnesota art world three questions and my Dad will publish my posts because I don't understand how to do that part yet. My first interview is with Teresa Engeltjes, the Director at Circa Gallery. I have known her for a long time and she is very nice.

Jackson: What is your favorite artwork and why?

Teresa Engeltjes: I am having a terrible time trying to come up with a favorite -- there are so many! I can, however, tell you about a painting that made the earliest impression on me. When I was a child, I saw a print of it in an abandoned farmhouse that my friends and I would frequently "explore." (No, really. I can't make this up!) It is one I've come to think of as a childhood friend who I regularly stumble upon - I never know where she'll turn up next. And I once had the rare opportunity to sit and spend time with her -- again, purely by accident -- in New York City.  It is Andrew Wyeth's "Christina's World." 

I'm guessing most people feel quite melancholy viewing the work, but Wyeth wanted to convey his neighbor Christina Olson's determination and strength (no longer able to walk, she chose to crawl around her home and grounds instead of using a wheelchair). I appreciate the meticulous brush work and the limited palette. I also appreciate that it takes me home. 

Jackson: What is your favorite part of working in an art gallery?

Teresa Engeltjes: My favorite part of working in the gallery is being able to help artists make a living doing what they love. I also really enjoy talking with people about our artists and their work, and it's especially gratifying to work with someone who is so moved by a piece of art, that they choose to take it home and enjoy it every day.

Jackson: What kind of art do you make? If you you don't make art, what kind would you make if you did?

Teresa Engeltjes: I occasionally take photographs, but almost always only with my phone. I would really like to get back to black and white photography.