ASSEMBLING THE ARTIST
Rosei Skipper

May 1 - June 7, 2026

Artist reception: Thursday, May 7, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
(during the Downtown Art Walk)
Free and open to the public, light refreshments provided.

Artist Statement: Who are the Rochester artists whose work decorates our walls, sidewalks, restaurant menus, social media pages, and sound scapes? Who has created the visual and auditory library that we unconsciously know as “Rochester”? We see their work every day, but would we recognize them standing next to it?

I want our artists to be known in the same way I want all of us to be acknowledged - as unique individuals in a vibrant, complex and caring community. Whether an artist was born and raised in Rochester or is here for just a short time, their work marks us. They reflect our city and they co-create it. Murals may fade, but our memories of colors, places and people linger. We miss art that we barely noticed while it was there. We dream of what may come, and of how our city might look in future years. The artists keep working.

As each artist sat for their portrait, together we imagined how the photograph could be reinterpreted through their art form, or recreated in some way. In some cases this was done by making a separate corresponding image. For others I combined the photograph with elements from their own work, capturing their unique creativity in a new way.

Artist Bio: Rosei Skipper is a photographer, artist, and flower enthusiast who has lived in Rochester since 2010. Originally from Oregon, she fell in love with the midwest while training at Mayo Clinic, and has successfully survived 15 winters and counting. In a previous life she was a child psychiatrist and psychotherapist, and will be forever grateful to her patients and mentors for the wisdom they passed along.

You can find Rosei taking photos at local events, freelancing for MPR’s The Current, decorating the world with stickers, and working tirelessly in her garden. She lives with her supportive partner Andrew and their cat Freddie Mercury.