Our Depot Gallery + Shop showcases a curated selection of artworks by over 120 regional artists.

Regular Hours:

Wed-Sat 9 am-5 pm
Thurs 9 am-7 pm
Sun 10 am-4 pm
(Mon-Tues by appointment)

418 Levee Street, Red Wing
651-388-7569 | shop@redwingarts.org

Make Red Wing Arts your first stop for handmade, one-of-a-kind artworks by area artists. Regular rotation means you'll discover something new each time you visit!

OCTOBER FEATURED ARTIST OF THE MONTH: MATT SWENSON

Each month we feature an area artist in our Depot Shop — our November featured artist is Matt Swenson.

Join us for an Interactive Artist Popup featuring Matt on Friday, November 27, from 2-8 pm! During this special event, find out firsthand just how Matt’s creative cogs turn. Matt is bringing a stash of robot body parts (AKA "old junk") from his art studio's parts morgue that you can sift through and take a crack at cobbling together your own repurposed robot sculpture. Better yet, bring an old piece of junk, a bit of family history, or a special find, and see how Matt would repurpose it into a robot sculpture.

About the Artist:

Matt Swenson, founder of Djonk Americana (say "yonk"), is a self-proclaimed "odd dude." He loves old things — from true junk you'd find dumpster diving and on the side of the road to vintage advertising tins, toys, and household items to unique finds at estate sales, garage sales, and sometimes antique shops. "I use junk as my sculpting medium because I've always loved the style of old things," says Matt. "A lot of what I find, by most collectors' standards, truly is junk. It doesn't work, it's missing a part, or it has a lot of dings. But I love the character that comes with the patina, holes, and rust." It's what he does with the junk that transforms ordinary castoffs into engaging creatures, also known as "Upcycled Americana Sculptures." The results feel fully Jetsons — both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time. Matt brings an extraordinary ability to take something gathering dust in an attic or rusting in the garage and transform it into what appears to be a living, breathing robot.

The rise of the robots began for Matt one day when inspiration hit him at a local art show. He headed home and immediately began combing through his old stuff (which went back three generations) and built his first creation ("Nash"). Before his eyes, new life was brought to old junk and his creative purpose was born. It wasn't long before people started to bring their own finds to Matt's Djonk art studio, hoping to have him robotize their item (Delta Air Lines came calling, too). What do you do with grandpa's old electric razor? Or grandma's Instamatic? Or an old drive-in speaker? Or a thread spool? Turn it into a character that stirs the imagination and becomes a keepsake in its own right. According to Matt, much of his unique vision is simply a matter of how he's wired. He also owes a huge debt to his father, who was a saver and eclectic artist in his own right. "Plus, I'm a lifelong tinkerer. And with Ax-Man Surplus nearby — as well as weekly estate sales, garage sales, and people trying to discard their 'useless' stuff — the opportunities to uncover gems are endless."

Matt's work is prominently displayed as part of a commissioned exhibit in the Delta Sky Club in Concourse T at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. His work has been featured in local newspapers and city magazines, as well as homes all over the world, yes, world. Matt has also been part of special exhibits at local hospitals, shopping malls, restaurants, lifestyle centers, and galleries, as well as earned entrance into local juried art shows. One of Matt's sculptures even earned an "Honorable Mention" at the Hopkins Center for the Arts juried show.

Though born and raised in Minneapolis, he has also called Wisconsin and Colorado home. When Matt's not dreaming of new junk assembly ideas, he loves to read, as well as hit the single-track trails on his mountain bike. You can find Matt on Instagram @djonkamericana.