Marko Fields
Marko Fields, a longtime Northeast artist and the owner of Mojo Coffee Gallery, 2205 California St. NE, died on January 18, 2026. He struggled with cancer for years, undergoing numerous chemotherapy treatments before peacefully dying, according to his children Abigail and Michael Fields.
“We are so grateful to everyone who has loved and supported Marko through his long and full life,” Abigail and Michael wrote. “He has blessed us all with many gifts and we think that the gift of relationships and community is the dearest one of all. We hope folks will cherish these bonds as part of Marko’s legacy.”
Mojo Coffee Gallery, Fields’s best-known accomplishment, opened in 2014 in the California Building, an artist studio building in Northeast Minneapolis. The gallery features works from over 50 artists.
Fields was born in Wichita, Kan. on November 2, 1954 to Gail Fields and Elizabeth Watson Fields. He earned his BFA from the University of Kansas in 1996 and his MFA at Kansas State University in 1999. He was a professor and Resident Artist at Concordia University, where he taught ceramics and illustration.
In 2008, Fields was awarded a fellowship from the McKnight Foundation in recognition of his impact on the arts in the state of Minnesota. He received the Kansas Art Fellowship, a lifetime achievement award. His work has been featured in over 25 books. He worked as Publications Director for the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), serving as Publisher & Art Director.
When he accepted a Vision Award from the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association, in October 2025, Fields likened his speech to “being able to speak at my own funeral” before taking off his cap to show his head, which he had shaved after undergoing several rounds of chemotherapy. “In 1991, I took a ceramics class, and it changed my life,” he said. “I had specific goals that I tried to achieve with my students. First of all, I wanted to convince everyone that art is important — that art is essential. It’s something I feel I’m blessed to have been able to dedicate my life to.”
Fields is survived by his two children, Abigail and Michael (Kia) Fields; his siblings, Becky, James (Teresa) and Tom (Phyllis) Fields; his friend Coco Hohman; and his extended family, close friends and colleagues.
Fields’ family is planning to host a memorial celebrating his life, but at a later date to give people time to travel to Minneapolis.