Object Stories: Minneapolis

Collaborating brothers, Einar and Jamex de la Torre, were born in Guadalajara, Mexico, 1963, & 1960. In a sudden family move, the brothers moved to The United States in 1972, going from a traditional catholic school to a small California beach Town. They both attended California State University at Long Beach, Jamex got a BFA in Sculpture in 1983, while Einar decided against the utility of an art degree. Currently the brothers live and work on both sides of the border, The Guadalupe Valley in Baja California, Mexico, and San Diego. The complexities of the immigrant experience and contradicting bicultural identities, as well as their current life and practice on both sides of border inform their narrative and aesthetics.

Seth Peter is a sculptor and furniture designer based in Minneapolis, known for blending fine craftsmanship with tactile, interactive design. Working primarily with North American hardwoods, he plays with contrasts in grain, tone, and geometry to create visually compelling and physically engaging pieces. Many of his works include hidden foam layers beneath precisely carved wooden surfaces—inviting touch and offering unexpected softness.

Linnea Seidling is the Assistant Curator of Glass at the Cafesjian Art Trust Museum in Shoreview, Minnesota. She has worked in the Museum field for 10 years and has held curatorial positions at institutions including the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Corning Museum of Glass. It was in Corning where she gained her expertise in glass. She holds a BA in Art History from Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and an MA in the History of Decorative Art, Design, and Material Culture from the Bard Graduate Center in New York City.

Jackson Schwartz is a visionary artist and entrepreneur who seamlessly blends the worlds of art, craftsmanship, and business. As the founder of Hennepin Made, Jackson has pioneered a model that redefines how artistic expression can intersect with sustainable business practices, creating a space where art becomes both a cultural force and an economic driver.

Sayge Carroll is a seasoned artist, educator, and advocate whose interdisciplinary practice bridges visual art, sound design, and civic engagement to foster connection, healing, and collective memory. Rooted in ancestral wisdom and the natural world, Carroll’s work is both deeply personal and profoundly communal, weaving together themes of lineage, sustainability, and transformation.

Dr. Molly Wright Steenson is President and CEO of the American Swedish Institute. She’s an author and international keynote speaker who’s written about AI and design for 20 years. She was previously a professor of AI and ethics and vice provost at Carnegie Mellon University, and one of the earliest Web and UX designers. Though she’s lived many places, she’s happiest to be back in her hometown of St. Paul.

Andrea Specht discovered her passion for the visual arts in childhood and earned a BA in Studio Art from Macalester College. Since then, she has focused her career in the nonprofit sector, advancing causes that range from youth development and gender equity to the arts and higher education. Andrea took the helm at ACC in 2022 after serving as the vice president of advancement and foundation executive director at Normandale Community College.