DULUTH — Poetry came first for
but that led her to printmaking.
Getten was part of a writers group in 2005, promoting her recently published chapbook of poetry. The group hosted a printmaking class by Kelly Dupre of Grand Marais. Getten went to the class and found a new love for printmaking.
“I used to do the commercial rubber stamps. I hosted all those parties and had around $5,000 of inventory,” Getten said. “But when I finally took that class, it dawned on me that, wow, I can make my own designs!”
Teri Cadeau / Duluth Media Group
Getten said she’s seen this look of confidence and creativity dawn on other faces as she’s become the teacher of printmaking classes over the years.
Recently, she had another realization that she could combine her twin passions in her new book, “Of Cows and Crows.” She initially planned only to create a cover design.
“I had sketched out this image for the cover on a notebook. I had it in my head how I wanted it to look, but it was a challenge pulling it off,” Getten said. “I hadn’t worked with that many layers of color, so I was stretching myself in a big way as an artist to accomplish that.”
The cover features the eponymous cows and crows on a pastoral farm scene. Once she submitted the cover, the editor asked if she had more art for the section pages.
“I hadn’t planned to include prints in the actual book,” Getten said. “The book didn’t even have sections, but when I was talking with the editor and mentioned I make prints, he said, ‘Great, you could add those to the sections.’ I said, ‘I haven’t used sections.’ ‘Well, you do now.’ And we just went from there.”
Getten’s book features poems written about growing up on a farm in central Minnesota. It covers experiences from her years growing up on her family’s farm during her teen years. She’s been working on it for decades. She worked with various editors to shape it into what she wanted it to look and sound like. She sent it to several publishers before finding Nodin Press in Minneapolis.
“It was one that I just had to get out there,” Getten said. “I couldn’t move forward without finishing it, even though I had other manuscripts in the works already. I knew once I was done, I could go back and start working on those again.”
Teri Cadeau / Duluth Media Group
Getten said she’s enjoyed staying involved in both the local art and writing scenes. She’s spent time teaching printmaking and poetry at the
Voyageur Art Center, Two Harbors Public Library and even a few lessons online.
“Community-wise, I keep keeping my toes in both things,” Getten said. “I am always inspired to write poetry and I often feel the urge to get into my studio when I have a print in my head.”
Getten makes her prints by hand, starting from a sketch, shifting to a woodcarving and finally a print using at times layers of ink and a lot of rubbing with a wooden spoon.
Once finished, the piece goes into a frame made with wood from her land and crafted by her husband, Brien.
“There’s a lot of body energy involved,” Getten said. “When I do an 8-by-10 piece, my arms are really sore the next day.”
Contributed / Shelley Getten
She and Brien recently renovated a barn near their home in rural Two Harbors into a studio where she can create and display her work. She’d planned on getting a press so she could save herself some of the physical rubbing work, but wanted to have a place to house the press first.
“Eventually, I will have that press,” Getten said. “For now, it’s a good place to work and teach.”
Getten passed on her passion for artwork and creation to her children, both of whom have taken on their own creative endeavors.
“We have these long conversations about not having time to work on projects or feeling like you’re not working on anything new. We can commiserate and also celebrate,” Getten said. “It’s both a blessing and a curse to pass that on to your kids. You worry about how they’ll make money, but also hope they find a balance somehow and keep making art.”
- What: Author Shelley Getten “Of Cows and Crows” book signing
- When: 7 p.m. Oct. 15
- Where: Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave., Duluth
Teri Cadeau is a features reporter for the Duluth News Tribune. Originally from the Iron Range, Cadeau has worked for several community newspapers in the Duluth area, including the Duluth Budgeteer News, Western Weekly, Weekly Observer, Lake County News-Chronicle, and occasionally, the Cloquet Pine Journal. When not working, she’s an avid reader, crafter, dancer, trivia fanatic and cribbage player.
