Sculptors Gary and MaryAnn Carlson fashion together unlikely objects that build a story—sometimes mysterious, sometimes humorous, always provoking the viewer to see the beauty in ordinary objects. Their work starts with collecting items both human-made and natural: faded artifacts, defunct technology, vintage toys and tools, and sticks and stones. The objects are deconstructed, rearranged, and reassembled using techniques from welding to sewing to gluing to fastening with hardware.

Gary incorporates positive and negative spaces in his work and leaves room for each viewer to interpret the sculpture through their own lens. He prefers to focus on the aesthetics of a sculpture, “to unify disparate parts and make them play well together.” MaryAnn’s work leans into narratives, exploring themes of family, history, beliefs, nature, and icons of culture. Her pieces evoke nostalgia, prompting memories both lived and imagined. She often includes aged and weathered materials, stating that “the beauty of an object is in its wear and patina as well as its design.”

Gary and MaryAnn Carlson live together in a St. Croix River Valley log house, surrounded by nature and intermittent technology. Gary earned his BS and MA from the University of Minnesota and instructed photography for over 50 years. MaryAnn earned her BS at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and was a visual art teacher in Minnesota. Since their retirements, Gary and MaryAnn have been full-time sculptors; their award-winning individual and collaborative works have been exhibited throughout the Midwest.