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About their creation, (who also comes to the name 'Jack') Meredith and Michelle say, "We are two women who know nothing about gambling, but decided to pool our talents and create a sure bet on the game of Texas Hold 'em. We wanted to see a buffalo with wrap around mirrored sunglasses on – those cool sunglasses that are so popular with card players...We hope the young enjoy his sunglasses as much as we do, are fascinated by the huge cards and that someone can figure out if Jack is bluffing or not. Oh, by the way, are those real buffalo chips on his side?"

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Meredith Johanson was born and raised in San Diego, CA, where she earned a MA degree in fiber arts and worked extensively in that field. She has taught many classes, juried art shows, has had her award-winning work included in art shows, magazines, books and has pieces in collections nation wide. Color is usually a focus in her work as well as technical or intricate techniques, layering, writing as decoration, and experimental techniques. This is her second buffalo project. She participated in the Buffalo Roundup, in Buffalo, MN in 2004 and was co-creator of the Buffalo Fish and Cave Art Buffalo.

Currently she is working in the paper arts, creating collages, one-of-a-kind and limited edition art books, paper foldings, collage, paste papers and paper marbling. Ê She has studied book binding at MCBA with Dennis Rudd, Split Rock Arts Program with Shereen LaPlantz and the U of M with Jodie Williams. She presently resides in Buffalo with her husband, Mark and son, Stuart.

Michelle Otten was born and raised in Buffalo, MN, where she currently lives with two dogs and three horses. She started sketching horses and landscapes at a young age. After taking art classes in Jr. High and High School, she expanded her art interest from sketching to include painting, sculpting and photography. In recent years her focus has been photography, leather work and saddle making.

This is her second buffalo project. She participated in the Buffalo Roundup, in Buffalo, MN in 2004, creating Roped In, a buffalo celebrating 50 years of rodeo in Buffalo.

Artist Statement:
We both had fun creating buffalos for the Buffalo Roundup in Buffalo, MN in 2004 and decided to collaborate on a buffalo for Herd About The Prairie in Fargo that would be both fun to create, unique and have great crowd appeal.
We are two women who know nothing about gambling, but decided to pool our talents and create a sure bet on the game of Texas Hold 'em. We wanted to see a buffalo with wrap around mirrored sunglasses on those cool sunglasses that are so popular with card players. We hope the real payoff of all the late night TV watching to get the intricacies of the game down will come when Jack, the Bluffin' Buffalo, hits the streets of Fargo. Early indications of those viewing him in progress showed his winning style. Visitors to the studio cashed in with broad smiles as they enjoyed his built-in fun.

We hope the young enjoy his sunglasses as much as we do, are fascinated by the huge cards and that someone can figure out if Jack is bluffing or not. Oh, by the way, are those real buffalo chips on his side?

Herd About The Prairie: A Virtual Art Stampede is sponsored by the Lake Agassiz Arts Council and showcases the work of local and regional artists with support from businesses and individuals in the central Red River Valley.

2006 © Lake Agassiz Arts Council, All Rights Reserved.