Gretchen Seichrist is an artist/activist in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a lifelong painter, songwriter/composer and performance - installation artist. She is the founder of music groups, Patches and Gretchen and, Thelonesomekid. In her music, Gretchen uses raw lyrics with altered forms of blues, folk, rock, pop and punk music. Shehas self-released eight musical albums and has been featured several times on MPR. She is presently working as a solo songwriter on her ninth album while teaching herself piano. Starting over is a theme and a regular practice in her work.
Seichrist’s work crosses borders as a rule and bypasses anything that might slow her down. She uses urgency, movement, portability and improvisation as a medium whether it’s in musical performance or in visual work. Paintings are done with the same action energy and are bold and expressionistic, in her portraits, abstract work and backdrops. From painted cars to props, painted clothing and purses as protest signs and paintings that roll up and can be moved fast and set up instantly. She uses art to act as a first art responder to people and brief historical moments, utilizing whatever medium that is ready to go; zooming in and capturing what is otherwise missed to answer the call for a social justice statement or to make a monument to someone. In 2023 her paintings and art installations focus on calling attention to the Genocide of the Palestinian People, and policies of the US’s Covid-19 pandemic denial and subsequent harm to the public.
Art for Seichrist, is service to honor the people that are overlooked or dismissed. Creativity is the go-to for all circumstances. It’s never separate from daily life. Art is the catalyst for survival and response, and she sees it as her duty to make the first move.