Minneapolis Observer Quarterly - Arts Matter

Lennart Nilsson Visits the Swedish Institute

Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:41:46 -0500

Just because the weekend’s past doesn’t mean there aren’t still interesting things to do around town. Herewith, a revised Happenings with only the events occuring today through Thursday. How about meeting internationally reknowned photographer Lennart Nilsson at the Swedish Institute on Wednesday, or attending a reading, movie, or performance this week yet?

Happenings for May 12-18

Thu, 11 May 2006 21:46:09 -0500

As long as the weather is making that spring yardwork you haven't yet gotten to look less and less urgent, why not head off to a nice warm indoor art gallery this weekend? In an effort to make Happenings a little easier to navigate, I've put the essential facts at the top of each listing, with descriptions to follow. I do hope you find something here to pique your interest. As for me, I know this much: I'll be at the Midtown Public Market again this Saturday, with our arty new quarterly to sell and swell stuff to give away. Don't you want a bumper sticker declaring yourself a member of the local intelligentsia? And don't worry about the chill, the market's offerings include delicious hot fair-trade coffee from Fireroast Mountain and tasty scones from Real Bread company. But the scones sell out early, so you might want to come before noon. Read on for arty events around town, have fun, and put on a sweater.--sp

Singers and the Song: The Jazz Vocal Coalition keeps the jazz singer tradition alive

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:00:08 -0500

By Lydia Howell
Jazz. The music defined elegance for decades. The lyrics still resonate with romance. Our age of often overdubbed pop stars singing more of lasciviousness than love makes the local jazz vocalist scene a delightful alternative.

Stitch at Rosalux Offers Artistry Combined with Craftsmanship

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 23:31:01 -0500

By Sharon Parker
Rosalux Gallery is always good at pairing compatible artists in its two-person shows, and in the case of Stitch, featuring the works of Ingrid Restemayer and Marilyn Stevens, which opened on April 7, it may be even more true than usual.

All The World’s a Stage: Skewed Visions adapts three plays to the rooms of a historic building

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 20:08:25 -0500

On a chilly Monday night in early April, the empty historic Grain Belt Office Building in Northeast Minneapolis is dark except for dim lights emanating from the second floor windows. The doors are locked, the bell doesn’t seem to work. Then a robust young man who introduces himself simply as Tyson appears in a pickup truck, and with the confidence of someone who knows he is expected, bangs on the door. Soon, we are inside.

Happenings for March 31 to April 6

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:24:06 -0600

I hope you’re not suffering from one of the nasty bugs going around the city of late, but instead are experiencing that more pleasant malady known as spring fever. That’s the sort of fever you feed with a walk in a wild garden, followed by treats next to the fire in the visitor’s shelter at Eloise Butler, and strolling from art gallery to open studio on the first Thursday of the month. So what if it’s raining, bring an umbrella, it’ll be picturesque.

Happenings This Week: March 16-23

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 22:56:10 -0600

The taking of tea seems to be fashionable once again, as two art venues offer teas this weekend -- the Textile Center in Southeast on Saturday and Gallery 13 in Northeast on Sunday (featuring photographs by Greta Pratt, including the sample at right). OK, two may not make for a trend, but I think it’s something more than a coincidence. Read on for more art openings, theater ranging from the quirky to the thought-provoking to the playful, a family day at the Mill City Museum, a little murder at the U of M bookstore, guitars and more guitars (another trend?), Gilbert & Sullivan, and rain garden workshops for those who like to think beyond the icy detritus the plow just deposited on your boulevard. Most of it’s free or at modest cost. You’re sure to find something here to treat yourself -- after all that shoveling this week, aren’t you ready for an outing?

Minneapolis Artist Michael Sweere on a New Artists Collective and on Making Art By Recycling (or Recycling by Making Art)

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:03:14 -0600

Michael Sweere is a member of a new Minneapolis artists collective, called simply Pilot (www.pilotarts.com/), which formed just last November. They'll have an exhibition space, Pilot Store, starting today and for a few months at 3045 Hennepin Avenue in Uptown. Michael is known for his mosaics made from discarded packaging materials, a medium that has won him the descriptive “environmentally friendly artist.” We managed to catch him between out-of-town trips and asked him to tell us more about Pilot and about his own art-making.

Happenings This Week: March 10 to 16

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 01:50:27 -0600

A new artists collective called Pilot has started up in town and they’ve not only got a clever Web site (I love the airplane that crashes and becomes a scribble), but they’ll be opening a gallery Uptown next Thursday, March 16, with a grand opening reception planned for April 8. The 12 artists include a few Rosalux members as well as others who have exhibited around these parts before, so although they call themselves “emerging” artists, their work is really quite polished and it all appears to complement one another well. Among the collective members is Jennifer Davis, whose work “Red Blooms” will be featured on the cover of the premier issue of MOQ (Minneapolis Observer Quarterly), watch this page for more on that little venture soon. The art space will be open Thursdays, 12-7, Friday-Sunday, 12-5, and by appointment. Pilot Arts, 3045 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis. www.pilotarts.com

Happenings This Week: March 3 to March 8

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 22:09:26 -0600

A little late, but still in time for the weekend, here are some events of interest you may want to check out in the coming days. If you attend these or any other local events and want to tell other Observer readers about it, please click on “comment” below and share your observations with us. As with last week, I end this listing with a reminder of one of our local indoor garden spots you may want to visit if you’re craving a little time in some green surroundings. Bring your own coffee or tea and meet a friend for a little garden vacation in the heart of the city.

Happenings for February 23 to March 2

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:37:08 -0600

If you attend these or any other art events in town, please share your experience and observations by clicking on “comment” at the bottom and telling us about it. We’ll share useful information and worthwhile anecdotes in the next Happenings.

Happenings This Week: February 16-23

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 10:46:23 -0600

We’re happy to offer another eclectic mix of events for the coming week. We’re torn between hoping we’ve managed to dig up some below-the-radar happenings that you’re not learning about elsewhere and wanting these worthy events to get the publicity they deserve. Do enjoy your week, whatever you end up doing.

A Romp Through Ancient--And Not So Ancient--Music: An Interview with the Rose Ensemble’s Jordan Sramek

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:01:30 -0600

Over the past 10 years, the St. Paul-based Rose Ensemble has earned a well-deserved reputation for thoroughly researched, excellent performances of choral music from the European Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque traditions. Their concerts are not only delightful to listen to, but their frequent pre-concert discussions and free workshops for the general public offer an enriching experience for the intellectually curious.

Happenings: Observer Event Guide Feb. 9-15

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 11:01:51 -0600

We will be changing our calendar soon to make it more user-friendly (and more operator-friendly), but in the meantime, we thought we'd just tell you about interesting events around town in this weekly post. We've selected an eclectic mix of happenings that struck us as the sorts of things likely to appeal to Observer readers. Look for a new Happenings post each Thursday.

Populist Puppetry: Michael Sommers’s Driveway Tour brings theater into the neighborhoods

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 23:10:22 -0600

By Jaime Kleiman
This article first appeared in The Minneapolis Observer print edition in July 2004. We’re running it again now as they are developing their new space at 506 East 24th St., and performing a work in progress written by Kira Obolensky, called Snow Man, February 7-12. For more current activities, see the link at the end of the article.