River Valley Eye Professionals’ new project is supporting local artists who want to showcase and sell their art to the community. Jose Gonzalez Ramirez ’24, who works at the eye clinic, is calling for artists to join his project in order to improve the Northfield community, the clinic, and to support local artists.
The idea was suggested by the owner of River Valley Eye Professionals in a culture committee with the clinic staff. “The [clinic] walls look empty,” Gonzalez Ramriez said. Engaging local artists would benefit the clinic by making it a more welcoming environment.
Gonzalez Ramirez currently has two artists that are officially part of the project: Fiko Insel ’24 and Laura Rubiano Mongui ’24. Insel is a studio art major and specializes in charcoal drawings. Rubiano is a biology major that likes to do art on the side, specializing in watercolor and drawing insects.
Gonzalez Ramriez is looking for more people to take advantage of this opportunity.“[I hope to] provide a space for local artists to share their work and even turn it into a side hustle,” Gonzalez Ramirez said. Each artist will get to set their own prices and will get one hundred percent of the profit made from their art sales. Gonzalez Ramirez nor the clinic will keep any money. This project’s main purpose is to support struggling artists who are having a hard time finding work, need extra money, or want to find connections in the art world. This opportunity is open to anyone, whether an art major or just like to do art on the side. Any artists interested in joining the project can email Gonzalez Ramirez at gonzal22@stolaf.edu.
