MN VISUAL FINE ARTS AWARDS, JUNE MEETING

Tuesday, June 23rd 6pm

Please RSVP and invite others via: http://www.evite.com/event/03D87HDTP3OEJ4QTMEPEXK64U4WQQI?gid=03D87HDTP3OEJ462CEPEXK64U56QGM

Join us for a discussion about the mission, categories, criteria, funding, and organizational steps to set up a sustainable MN Visual-Fine Arts Awards program. Artists, arts advocates and anyone interested is encouraged to attend. We need ideas and committee members to get this started, no long term commitment - just a passion to recognize the visual arts genre deserves an awards show, too.

Location: Roseville Public Library (Ramsey County Library) first door on the right as you enter the building.
2180 Hamline Avenue N
Roseville, MN

Please invite anyone interested to attend!

(c) 2015 copyright by Ima B. Musing; all rights reserved.

REVIR IPPISSISSIM

Endless surfaces, no hue, only undulating sinuous ribbons of smooth, bubbly, or whirling texture. All water looks black at night. The river knows no time as it seeks the lowest level. The sunrise cruise departed at 4am to venture along the waterway. I’d traveled this route many times before but was struck by the quiet. The only noise was the loud hum and whirr of the engine as it churned the propellers.

Northern Spark 2013 festival focused on the downtown St. Paul area on Saturday – Sunday, June 8th-9th. The reveries began at sunset on Saturday but I was home sleeping. I had exhausted myself puttering in the garden and cleaning so I needed a snooze. The alarm clock rousted me at 2am and I drove down to the event. I managed to locate parking and walked over to Union Depot. There was a large presence of police officers so I felt safe being alone. Unfortunately, a lot of the activities had just finished but there were still some performances in the Depot itself. The Depot was hot in contract to the drizzly chill outside.

I sauntered to the lower train level of the depot to watch and listen to some performances. Long ago I ceased trying to intellectually examine art, especially during the wee hours of the morning. Art is about feeling. It is about emotional expression. Storytelling may or may not be involved. Logic may or may not be present. Its best to just feel the experience and not attempt to analyze what cannot be explained. It was difficult locating Lamperts Landing but I found it before the boat departed.

The Jonathan Paddleford was filled with mostly people in their 20s and 30s. A large number were drunk or high, and as a result several vomited overboard – gross. The first floor was a heated compartment with chairs and tables. The concession stand could not serve alcohol at that hour and quickly ran out of hot chocolate. The second level was unheated with a small dance floor and few chairs. I ended up sitting on the floor watching the water through the railing until we were underway. Works Progress Studio prepared a nice history booklet. Perhaps next time they will invite Native American and other storytellers to talk about the river on the second deck.

It was interesting to watch the currents and debris flow in the swift current. The river level is slightly above average due to the constant rain. My favorite section of the venture was after we went under the High Bridge and were near Lilydale Park. It was dark and silent, void of humans except for a couple groups who had bonfires near the river. I didn’t notice any animals and at least no stupid humans were attempting to navigate a small vessel at night. The lights of Minneapolis shone to the west as St. Paul glowed in the east but it was very still. The loudest noise were the repetitive metallic clank of the pistons and motor.

I really enjoyed standing up near the Pilot House. Passengers are rarely allowed up on this deck but it offered the best view of the river. The deck became less crowded as the drizzle transformed into a light rain. I forgot an umbrella but wore a heavy spring/fall jacket with a hood, and brought along earmuff, gloves, and a scarf. I knew that the river is always about ten degrees colder than the land due to evaporation. I gradually became wet enough that I had to seek the first deck but only after we had turned around to return to the dock.

About half the passengers were asleep or passed out on the first deck. After a trip to the bathroom I went to the bow of the boat to watch our approach to St. Paul. This is always my favorite location on a ship. The sky was beginning to lighten and some of the birds were singing their territorial song. More cars were moving about and a few yacht club residents were walking their dogs. We returned to the Landing at about 5:26am. I was cold, wet, and windswept but exhilarated by the ride. It would have been nice to be met by performers as we departed but the festival had come to an end. The Farmer’s Market wasn’t open so I went home and made breakfast. I quickly fell asleep on the couch with the cats.

www.northernspark.org reserve June 14th, 2014 on your calendar for the next festival.

Riverboat Dreams
© Copyright 2013 Ima B. Musing: all rights reserved.

LA-LA-LA LOLA

No drag queens but lots of artwork fit for royalty. Leapt around Longfellow neighborhood for the 2012 LOLA art crawl. Lovely weather with light traffic. This year’s map is much more accurate, which made the journey a lot easier. Multitude of artists to visit but alas I wasn’t able to stop at every location.

Despaired that several creators did not have a clear safe outside pathway for the patrons to walk or a profoundly cluttered area inside in which to view the artwork. I just hope that no potential benefactor was injured in these areas and that the homeowner has extensive insurance. It would be positive to indicate on the map the locations that are wheelchair accessible.

Kathryn Clayton and Nicole Fierce continue their development as profoundly talented artists. Both have sustained high levels of creativity after being highlighted in last year’s review. Plus, profiled via Ima’s Artist Illumination, just search their names in this blog. Please check out their websites at www.etsy.com/shop/Griffindesign and www.fiercedesignstudio.com Listed below are some amazing artists from this year’s crawl.

BEST IN SHOW
Jessica Zeglin draws sweet little critters, plants, and insects. Who knew that vermin could be so darn cute? www.theghosttest.org/art/jessica/

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
* Lois Jonet designs atmospheric windows, sun-catchers, stepping stones, and fabulous layered glass garden flowers. Truly delightful at 2009laj@gmail.com
* Mimosa Greer is a talented potter of great proportion at www.understorypottery.com
* Nancy Schultz offers a hand tye-dyed extravaganza of clothing. www.freewebs.com/schultzcolor/
* Jack Rumpel forms calm functional stoneware with soft textures. Terrific urns, nice yard, and hospitable host. www.etsy.com/shop/Griffindesign
* Chris Miller creates whimsical glass on glass mosaics, and terrific cityscapes. www.earringsforyourlean-to.blogspot.com
* Benito Medina carves kitchen implements and impish jewelry. Bmedina999@yahoo.com
* Alice Delaney sculpts colorful concrete garden art. www.garden-goddess.com
* Teresa Harsma crafts delicate paper & wire earrings and decorative books. 507-455-3677

LOLA information is posted at www.lolaartcrawl.com I apologize for the much belated issuance of this review, it has been a busy late summer.

Swarmed by art.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

ARCHING FOR ART

Ventured to the Stone Arch Bridge Festival in Minneapolis. Learned about it on tv since there was very little advertising. Arrived an hour early to procure parking and read the newspaper while I waited for the booths to open. Beautiful June summer day, until it rained. I lived in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood for four years during and after college. I apologize for this much belated review; I’ve had a hectic summer!

Event was well attended. Amenable that there is a kid area but it could have been designated as such on the map. Variety of booths and entertainment. Could add more street entertainers to fill in the gaps between stages. Only one accordion player was at the west end of the booths. It was cool to have the car show on Father’s Day. Autos can be art but it would have been nice to have a few low riders with etched chrome and art cars on display.

Information booths are needed at the East and West entrances as well as next to the stairwells that lead from the parking ramp to the street. The booths were tucked away and difficult to notice. I was so busy looking at the display booths that I didn’t watch the roadway and tripped. Parts of the cobblestone road were in shambles. Perhaps they could fill the potholes with sand to reduce liability or at least place traffic cones over the worst spots. Nasty sewer stench lingered over the east end, ugh.

Nice to chat with previous honorees such as Rabi Sanfo and Melvin McGee. Felt sorry for the booths on the walkway to the Water Power Park. I don’t think that many attendees realized that it was open. Took advantage of a real bathroom at Wilde Roast and relaxed with a cool glass of iced tea before returning to the heat. Interestingly, lots of couples are highlighted in this review. Biggest complaint is the small type size on the business cards distributed by artists. Please, nothing below 8 points!

Please check out these terrific artisans. Honorable Mentions are not in any particular order.

Best in Show:
Jude R. Labuszewski playfully illustrates bug and critters. Delightful urban paintings and aquatint prints bring a smile to the viewer. http://www.judy-labuszewski.artistwebsites.com/

Honorable Mentions:
* Cynthia Anderson has beautiful glassworks and stone pieces. www.steelstoneglass.com

* Jeffery Gauss dabbles in eccentrically original magnets and paintings. The tattoo-style painting is mercurial with vibrant details of blue and purple. www.magnetdude.com

* Jerry & Marian Spitzack create silly and fun kitchen art. Who knew that forks and knives could be chimes? Email them at gmspitz1@aol.com

* Mark Lamm personifies the art of wood. Glued and appliquéd wood becomes sculpture-like bowls, vases, and other forms. www.theartofwood.biz

* Susan & Eric Anderson’s pottery is organically stunning. The vessels look like beautiful pitcher plants and will be featured on Antique Roadshow someday. www.susanandersonceramics.com

* Bill Brown handcrafts furnishings into funky country furniture utilizing raw branches and polished surfaces. www.billbrownrusticfurniture@blogspot.com

* Wayne A. Kolstad has an interesting array of custom wood sculptures. The fish look real enough to be jumping into the nearby Mississippi River. www.carvingsbywako.com

* Bill & Linda Sumner make fun paperwork and fiber pieces. www.bearpaw-paperworks.com

* Nick Ringelstetter makes loud bright and bold other worldly graphic illustrations. Good humor and complicated images. http://www.atomic7studio.com/
Again, I express regret for this tardy posting. Summer is flying by too fast, as always.

Earth without “art” is “eh.”
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

CYCLONE OF CREATIVITY, PART II

This bit highlights a few of the myriad talented artists that I viewed. I urge you to attend next year’s AAW or an art-crawl in your area. Many of the buildings and independent studios have events throughout the year. Prepare to be awed. Part I of this review was posted on June 11th. www.nemaa.org

Porcelain glazed plates, vases, and forms are coupled with the friendliest artist on the art crawl, Jeff Longtin at the California Building. He was gracious and informative regarding the process. Mr. Longtin can be reached at 612-824-5939. Artistic Indulgence wins high marks for their hospitality. They had an impressive array of treats to consume while viewing the music inspired artwork of Mike Menasco. Bright jazzy paintings and a fine art custom framing shop beautifully arranged despite just moving into the Thorp Building. www.theartisticindulgence.com

Giving a boost to others is helpful for the whole community. The Thorp Building hosted the Bethel University Senior Thesis Exhibition. Some of the emerging artists were quite impressive and I look forward to their future work. www.bethel.edu/galleries Altered Esthetics in the Qarma Building is a nonprofit gallery featuring revolving exhibits. I was pleasantly surprised by the artwork displayed. www.alteredesthetics.org

Happy to have visited with a couple of last year’s winners, Alison Price and Nicole Fierce. They both are doing well in their new studio spaces and creating exciting pieces. I have written about them in this blog and you should visit their websites for information. Contact Alison Price at www.alisonpricestudios.com or 612-805-1886. Nicole Fierce can be contacted at www.fiercedesignstudio.com or 651-271-2502. Please patronize all the artists listed.

BEST OF SHOW:
Song Thao fabulously blends traditional Hmong story cloth (pan dau) images with abstraction. Large sweeping work. He is clearly talented and his hefty canvases reflect a variety of moods. Contact Mr. Thao at www.songyerthao.com or 651-210-9715.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
* Rabi Sanfo creates sculptures and wall hangings with strength. Multiple layers of design, metal and meaning. www.yarbidesign.com
* Larry Retzlaff mixes good humor with his media. Daring garish cartoon buildings and silly Styrofoam crayon heads are in his repertoire. llretzlaff@gmail.com
* Farida Hughes is dotty, polka-dots with a twist, that is. Her multihued dots dance on the canvas. frhughes@comcast.net
* Frank Wetzel creates stunning portraits and lovely landscapes. Beauty is beheld. fbwetzel@yahoo.com
* Neal Perbix mixes wire, paint, and cut out sculpture for creative wall hangings. www.nealperbix.com
* Marcia McEachron is a sculptor, painter, and wire twister extraordinaire. Her war horse painting looks like its about to charge into the room. www.marciamceachron.com
* Candice Simpson eases the eye with ephemeral nature paintings. Soft, sweet, and breezy. www.candicesimpson.com
* Martin Arend is a modern icon maker. His audacious, complicated images are the stuff of deep dreams or nightmares. mea421@gmail.com
* Geri Retzlaff weaves fiber into artistic scarves and fabrics. Geri.Retzlaff@gmail.com
* Reynaldo Diaz has a sharp eye for design. Bright scenes move through his work. Reynaldo_diaz@comcast.net
* Nanci Yermakoff watercolors are meditative. Sit down, relax, and view the rising or setting sun over the lake. www.mnartists.org/nanci_yermakoff
* David Sollie blends ad-type with irreverent puns. Snappy absurdity brings a smile. www.shackway.com
* Leslie A. Pilgrim doesn’t hesitate with her stunning pieces. Bold vision to brighten up any space and place. www.winterberryinc.com

Buy Art!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

WHIRLING IN SPRING

Art A Whirl sets my heart a twirling. I simply adore strolling amongst the studios and viewing the physical manifestation of the artist’s imagination. Inspiring to see a bit of their soul displayed and have the honor to speak with the creator. It was nice to peruse the guidebook in advance of the crawl. It gave me the opportunity to plan my route. It is physically impossible to visit each and every studio open during the largest art-crawl in the United States. I concentrated on the larger buildings that I did not view last year. www.nemaa.org

Attended the opening reception on Friday night at the Thorpe Building. Unfortunately, many of the venues weren’t available at the start time. Perhaps I should have ventured there later but the parking lot filled very quickly. The post-apocalyptic space engineered by The Friemily Collaborative was awesome. Their magical space was a delight but was quiet when I toured. thefriemilypresents.tumblr.com  Motos vibrated the end of the building with throbbing tunes and way-cool motorcycles. Banner Creations folks were affable and it was interesting to touch their recycled plastic bottle products with zero waste. www.bannercreations.com

Saturday I trekked to the California and Artbloc buildings. It is most disappointing when the studio door is closed. California building was the worst for lack of open as advertised. Sunday I went to Quarma and Northrup King. I spent about ten hours crawling around during the three days. I wanted to do more but the sciatic pain returned after walking on cement. It also irritated my heel spur despite wearing tennis shoes. In 2011, departed early after the tornado destroyed the nearby neighborhoods because I am a Red Cross volunteer. I assisted at the shelter off and on for six weeks. I wrote about it May 23rd, 2011. If you like jewelry, invite the folks from the nonprofit Jewelry For Hope to your party. They support a school in Haiti and can bring an impressive display of funky recycled material bead necklaces, earrings, and bracelets to sell. Contact Jan Jones at jangenejones@gmail.com for details. www.teachaiti.org

Attention AAW Organizers: plan for lost and bewildered patrons. Assume that they know nothing and need to be led by the hand. Consistent AAW signage both outside and inside the venues, building maps, and greeters needed at every location. There should be a sandwich board (St. Paul Art Crawl excels) or large lawn sign for each building and independent studio (LOLA does this well). The building should have large signs inside pointing to open studios (Thorp shines) and posted maps (Northrup King stands out). Architectural Building was on the map but I could not determine if any of the studios were really open.

Each building should have one main entryway with a nearby information booth. Other entryways should be marked with directions to the information booth and tour guides posted at main intersections of the building. I got lost in Thorp before finding the information booth because the signage had not been posted, yet. The Thorp’s Scavenger Hunt was clever but it was only explained at the info booth, which I found near the end of my visit. It would be helpful if the AAW website had a list of all the special events and activities from every venue. I would have liked to see performances, if I had known about them.

I enjoy chatting with friendly artists. I avoid the arrogant or irritable folks. Why do they even bother to open their doors if they really don’t want to interact with the public? It would be better to just not participate rather than dispel potential patrons with a bad attitude. Artbloc was the most difficult to locate, no building map, greeters, or interior signage. I got lost in the connected warren of buildings, and was dismayed that I could not find the open studios. I did happen upon the chocolates sale, yummy! www.btmcelrath.com Oddly, even though several food trucks prep their wares at the Artbloc site, none sold to patrons.

Apologize that this review is belated but I had to attend my uncle’s funeral. Plus, I like to mull a bit before I publish. To be continued with a list of favored creativity…

Enamored of Art.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

ARTIST ILLUMINATION: KATHERINE CLAYTON

Feelings are the essence of Katherine Clayton’s artwork. She follows the creative trail where her emotions lead her. “An artist must be tolerant of chaos,” stated Ms. Clayton. Artists start with disorder and distill it into creativity. They can’t be on autopilot and make predictable or meticulously boring pieces. It is imperative to be open and be surprised by the result of the effort.

Katherine is a multifaceted artist who takes full advantage of pandemonium. She utilizes her University of Minnesota’s Applied Design degree in myriad facets. Her background includes working with a letterpress, crafting hand-painted wallpaper, hand-painting fabrics and pillows for interior design studios, and assisting at a garden center. She works in two-dimensional paintings, ink, floor clothes (designs and paintings on durable floor mats), collage, and sculpture (water basins and found objects meshed together). Her Kelpie horses look like they are rising out of the mist. Golden Paints is her favorite brand. www.goldenpaints.com

Not far from the rush of Minnehaha Falls cascade, Ms. Clayton is strongly inspired by nature and animals. She has a desire to share beauty with others and seeks to make life happier via art. She is also stimulated by emotions, other people’s art, and thoughts of people that she has loved and lost. As she walks her dog by the Mississippi River, she finds items that provide inspiration or for incorporation into sculpture.

Her artwork will be featured as the cover for the new novel “Someotherville” by Sheila McMahon to be published in fall 2012. She designs gardens and sells plants. She markets vintage art, restored sweaters, and clothing on E-bay. Katherine is a honey, actually, a beekeeper that harvests honey. She was born and raised in the Twin Cities area.

Ms. Clayton can be contacted at www.etsy.com/shop/GriffinDesign ; www.mnartists.org/Katherine_Clayton ; or, www.mnartists.org/Griffin_Design_Katherine_Clayton Her studio is open during the LOLA Art Crawl and by appointment. She won an “Ima Best In Show” award for 2011 Art Crawls. Read the review posted on September 21st, 2011 and summary on January 23rd, 2012. Included in this article are photos of her work, sorry for the grey area in the second image.

Nurture your nature.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

BLACK AND HUE

Dynamic pieces by Alison Price and Richard Simonsen are displayed in their newly renovated space, Carbon/Chroma Gallery. A multitude of people gathered on a lovely spring evening to celebrate the Grand Opening. Wood torches blazed outside providing the former loading dock locale with the incense of a cozy campfire.

Industrial built work is Richard’s mode, top right is an example. He incorporates a lot of metal and wood with painting in dark and metallic tones. Some of the wood has been burned for extra texture. Alison’s artwork is evolving beyond her classic brightly hued paintings (see below) to include pumice and tiny glass bead overlays. They had been in a shared room with several other artists before deciding to venture into a two-person space. It will be interesting to see how these old friends influence each other.

The soiree’s nosh offered a wide array of Chow Girl Catering treats and desserts as well as a nicely stocked refreshment stand. Comfortable furniture was available for seating while viewing the terrific artwork. The well-attended opening was filled with happy people and background music. www.chowgirls.net

A few days after their opening, Alison and Richard graciously hosted the Abide By It show featuring current Minnesota College of Art and Design students. MCAD’s Alexandra Worre, Sean Roth, Olivia Rodriguez, Arthur Nelson, Chelsea LaPorta, Chalres Knight, and Schuyler Huber filled the gallery with interesting furniture pieces. It is always exciting to watch an emerging artist develop his or her own unique style. The First Thursday at the Northrup King Building is a relaxed method of viewing artwork without the pell-mell of Art-A-Whirl. The artists are more inclined to chat since they are not being inundated with patrons. www.northrupking.com/firstthursdays www.nemaa.org

Carbon/Chroma Gallery is open by appointment, first Thursday evening of every month, and during the Art-A-Whirl Art Crawl. Located at Dock 7 (Gallery 192) of the Northrup King Building situated at 1500 Jackson Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. Richard Simonsen can be reached at 952-933-6911 or www.simonsenart.com Contact Alison Price at 612-805-1886 or www.alisonpricestudios.com. Alison has been highlighted in blog postings on January 9th & 11th, and February 16th.

Be creative every day.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

DANCEABLE ART

My niece Liza and I attended An Evening of Art and Dance collaboration presented by Ballet Royale Minnesota on Friday, February 10th. This is the third year that the ballet company choreographed pieces based upon two-dimensional artwork. www.balletroyalemn.org

The evening began with an introduction by Ballet Royale Co-Directors Denise Vogt and Rick Vogt. The visual artist spoke about their personal journey of painting and the choreographer discussed their process. The youthful dancers performed which was followed by a brief reflection before the next artwork chat. A screen projected a photo of the artwork to the left of the stage while the original hung in the lobby. Unfortunately, the stage at the Lakeville Area Arts Center is deep with a narrow proscenium extension, which does not provide much room for movement.

Skeletal tree branches extending into the winter air echoed with the sound of small deer hooves (toe shoes). Marcia Cushmore’s painting, “Bones: Reaching” is simultaneously haunting and soothing. Rick Vogt choreographed Vaughn Williams’ “Fantasia on Greensleeves” with mostly classical ballet positions. The troupe performed on a cramped stage and mimicked the tree branches with their flexible motions. The piece began crowded with dancers, the second section had better structure, and finished with a beautiful meditative motion. The troupe floated like leaves and ended as branches. The simple ballet costumes were a lovely reflection of the pastel hues in the painting.

Hard angles, texture and roughness describe Alison Price’s “Hindsight Bohemian Flats” inspired by the wreckage of the 35W Bridge Collapse. The rusting metal was stored in the park downstream from the site for several years after the structure was disassembled. Ms. Price sent photos of the artwork during development and met with the ensemble so that they could choreograph the piece simultaneously. Dance designer Bailey Anderson collaborated with the dozen performers, aged 13- 17, and utilized a variety of tools to create a modern dance. Barefooted youth wore simple black leotards with rolled up jeans and danced to excerpts from the movie Chocolat`. The dance included perky, calm, and bouncy elements in a rather discombobulated fashion. It was wonderful to hear from the dancers after the performance though a bit unnerving to view their gnarled feet. Alison Price was profiled on this blog on January 9th. Contact her at 612-805-1886 or www.alisonpricestudios.com for details.

Strength emanates from Manidoo-giizhikens’ female and male essence on the shores of Gichigami. Hazel Belvo’s magnificent “Spirit Tree Dusk I and Spirit Tree Dusk II” two part painting captures Lake Superior’s Little Cedar Spirit Tree located at Grand Portage, MN. The artwork shows the power of the sweeping trunk as its roots cling to rock with the vermilion clouds crashing like waves in the background. Movement composer Denise Vogt appropriately chose Phillip Glass’ “Prelude and Dance” from Akhnaten I and II for the performance. The dancers chose costumes resembling the cloud-waves in the painting. Mixture of contemporary and classical ballet swept over the stage. Disappointed that the piece ended because it could be extended to a full performance. Visit the inspirational conifer at www.grandportage.com/witchtree.php

Unique format provided some interesting insights, but advisable to repeat questions from the audience into a microphone during Q & A session. It would be wonderful to hear more from the teenaged performers. The Ballet Royale website needs an extensive explanation of the event with a link to the center to procure tickets. The City of Lakeville should add written directions to their website because the Lakeville Area Arts Center map is not adequate. Liza, my honorary niece who is the daughter of my best friend Allie, already wants to attend next year’s show.

Keep On Dancing!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

B IS FOR BLOG

Sometimes I dream of words. During the past two years I have become reacquainted with the joy of writing. I’ve always created perfunctory documents at work but had little interest in leisurely writing at home. One of the few positive aspects of sustained unemployment is the time and energy to write. I’m a non-fiction journal maker, a memoirist with arts, social, and political commentary. I post my thoughts, opinions, and feel honored that you are reading these words.

Despite my dislike of spelling, I wanted to be a journalist when I graduated from high school. After one year at the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism I switched majors. I was disillusioned because of the sexism in the 1980s media. I studied Studio Arts but it is profoundly difficult to make a living as a full-time artist. I ended up graduating with a degree in Speech-Communications and working in the non-profit 501(c)3 field.

My heart is in helping the community but the pay is generally poor and funding unstable. I usually remain at a job for about two years before switching due to boredom. I ask too many questions. A combination of my forthright personality and insecure supervisors has lead to conflict and being fired. I have no desire to start my own business. I have ideas but it would be absolute agony to deal with the technical aspects of sales and accounting.

Language is powerful and precious. I couldn’t figure out how to read until I was in third grade due to mild dyslexia. Writing has always been a challenge. The words form in my mind but spelling is atrocious. Playing Scrabble is akin to torture. Thank goodness for spell-check. Whoever invented it should be rewarded with lots of good karma.

I really enjoy sharing my stories with the world. I am curious what draws you to this blog. Please leave a comment and join the other Followers, connect on Facebook and Twitter, too. If you write a blog, let me know the address and I’ll become your Follower. Thanks! This is my 150th posting.

Keep On Reading!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

SUMMARY OF 2011 ART CRAWLS & FAIRS

After viewing the fabulous work of hundreds of talented artists I have selected a few to highlight. Several “Ima Best” awarded artists will be interviewed in a series of articles entitled, “Artist Illumination.” Alison Price was featured on January 9th and look for more in the future.

The artists listed represent perhaps one percent of the imaginative folks that I surveyed at three crawls and two fairs in the Twin Cities area during 2011. Amalgamated directory alphabetized by artist. All are wonderfully creative so please contact for details regarding their current work for sale and commissions. Let the artist know that you read about them in this blog. Suggestions to improve art crawls posted on December 5th, 2011.

IMA BEST OF SHOW:
* Abbi A. Allan paints dreamy images of goldfish and sculpts frilly ceramic bowls that mimic the flowing tails of the fish www.abbiaallan.com
* Tom Ashworth specializes in humorous black walnut characters from an alternate universe with a surprising mix of attachments tomashworthart@q.com He will have a booth at the 2012 Powderhorn Art Fair.
* Katherine Clayton makes unique cement basins, printed floorcloth rugs, stunning kelpie horse paintings, clothing, and grows plants www.etsy.com/shop/GriffinDesign
* Alison Price’s paintings explode off the wall. They are neon bright with swooping movements www.alisonpricestudios.com
* Diane Simon specializes in big bold paintings and brassy accessories 651-235-4200

IMA BEST ARTISTIC SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR:
* Lisa Jaster is a role model of community involvement, friendly, offers a superb caloric spread at art crawls, and takes memorable photographs www.lmjoriginals.com

IMA BEST HOSPITALITY:
* Nicole Fierce offers yummy food to nosh and creates fantastic glasswork, earrings and photographs fierce.nicole@gmail.com

IMA HONORABLE MENTIONS A – J:
* Hannah Albert’s Japanese woodblock inspired series is fabulous. She blends the outline of a photo with color resulting in amazing flow www.mantrart.typepad.com
* Beth Barron creates splendid fabric art www.bethbarronart.com
* Watch where you are walking or at least see beauty revealed in manhole covers Mark Barsness at Markbarsness@aol.com
* Jeff & Darlene Dawald make fine art jewelry with personality. Gorgeous silver smithing, animals and shapes with fun designs jdawald@charter.net
* Linda Day’s clay makes you smile. Interesting interpretations of cups, teapots, clocks, and other objects with silly illustrations www.lindadayclay.com
* Susan Elnora captures skulls and bones with her jewelry www.susanelnora.blogspot.com
* Stunning aurora borealis and funky jewelry are Marla Gamble’s forte 651-224-6711
* Timothy Granlund is a skilled wood artisan and cabinet-maker www.prairie-woodworking.com
* Karen Gustafson works in many forms but the sonographic prints are eerie www.karengustafsonstudios.com
* Christina Habibi fantastical images open one's vision. www.habibiart.com
* Laura Hallen paints hyper flowers. They hum from the canvas www.laurahallen.com
* Laura Holewa has a community of fun little bright clay monsters to scare away the ones in your closet www.lolamade.etsy.com
* Phil Holtan turns out attractive burl (berle) wood bowls and flower vases. Polished to a soft sheen www.philholtan.net
* Andrew Johnson makes quirky tableaus that look like small paintings until you notice that the various stitches appear like paint strokes www.thestitchmaestro.com

IMA HONORABLE MENTIONS K – Q:
* Ochen Kaylan features bright starburst which appear like Hubble Space Telescope photos www.ochenk.com
* Kevin Kluever has a soothing zen-like approach to landscapes. The light is warm and the scenes are charming. Breathe deep and relax… www.kevinwkluever.com
* Daron W. Krueger takes magnificent photos www.opgart.com/daron
* Caprice Kueffner Glaser builds and paints wood tableaus at www.8blockrule.com
* Tino Lopez-Montoya sculpts Dia de los Muertos day-of-the-dead inspired canines www.baddawgart.com
* Melvin McGee is a graphic artist who paints busy worlds with capricious animals in vivid tones www.melvinmcgee.com
* Calm meditative landscapes are painted by Tom McGregor www.mcgregorpaintings.blogspot.com
* Andrea Martin snips out intricate hand cut paper art. Bugs can be beautiful www.andrearmartin.com
* Marisa Martinez incorporates cool beads and mini glass sculptures into jewelry www.meztizadesigns.com
* Robin Mueller molds quirky animal sculptures www.whimsiesdesign.com
* Jackson Mwaura is a skilled soapstone sculptor. He carves common human forms, funny animals and a profoundly cute painted hippo www.jartsproducts.com
* E. Alejandro Ortega’s custom leatherwork smelled wonderful. He details masks, animals, swords, shields, and sheaths www.madebyalejandro.com
* DeAnne L. Parks artwork is quite ingenious and dream-like www.artdeanne.com
* Julie Peterson & Sara Ruhnow adhere cool mosaics using buttons, marbles and several types of medium www.funkytile.webs.com
* Margaret Pezalla builds funky three-dimensional architectural imaginations and paints meteorite studies www.mpezella.com
* Fairies would approve of jewelry fashioned by Amy Purdes www.spritecreations.com

IMA HONORABLE MENTIONS R – Z:
* Nancy Reyner’s waves feel like they are about to crash upon you www.nancyreyner.com
* Sylvia A. Roman haunting ghostly images of the veiled prairie www.saromanstudios.com
* Demetra Saloutos offers a wide selection. She welds eccentric vine trellis and bird watering bowls with a labyrinth 608-873-1842
* Moody ominous storm cloud paintings don’t match the sunny personality of Jamie Lauler Solberg www.wix.com/jamielauler/solberg
* Adama Sow sculpts bright rainbow colored bowls and neat ceramic colanders www.ceramicsow.com
* Sarah Thornton’s paint-by-number approach to animal portraits is charming www.lintuart.com
* Andree Tracey makes collages. Her fifties fashionista series is quite delightful www.andreecollages.com
* Steampunk fans will enjoy the work of Michael L. Treat. Excellent imagination and miniaturization skills www.etsy.com/people/treatllc
* Mary Rose Van Popperin paints lovely landscape watercolors and quirky folkart pet portraits 612-670-0661
* Brian VanVoorst’s exquisite watercolors look like batik over photographs www.secretthirdoption.com
* Wallace and Anita White are talented siblings. They each have their own style. Wallace has a childlike naiveté as a folk artist, very evocative work. Anita works in myriad mediums to create flower and nature images gingerinez@aol.com
* Flowing fabric falls into woven masterpieces by Sara E. Williams www.loomsong.com

I felt honored to attend and review these events posted:
Art-A-Whirl on June 23rd, 2011
Highland Fest & Art Fair on August 5th, 2011
LOLA Art Crawl on September 21st, 2011
Powderhorn Art Fair on August 25th, 2011
St. Paul Art Crawl on October 24th, 2011
Art Crawl Improvement Suggestions on December 5th, 2011

Support Independent Artists!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

SHOSTY WOULD BE PROUD

Silence. No dared to breathe loudly. Applause erupted after a pause. The Artaria String Quartet is celebrating their 25th Anniversary with a series of free concerts in the Twin Cities highlighting the monumental work of Dmitri Dimitriyevich Shostakovich.

I have heard some of his large sweeping operas but this is the first time for a live performance of the quartets. Not happy fun tunes but arduous works that express abject sorrow and anger. No wonder the Soviet Union and Stalin himself banned them. Music has a unique method of raising instant emotion and that can be dangerous.

It was nice that the players provided a background regarding the political stance of each quartet. The information helped to frame the internal focus of the composer. It is a visceral experience to be in the same room as musicians. The sound reverberates through your body and up from the floor into your feet. It is best to close your eyes and be swept into the music. No radio or recording can capture this knowledge of notes.

4th Quartet
First movement has a lot of contrasting tones that sound like cries. The second movement features the violin singing a story of loss as the other instruments join in. The uncomfortable volley of flat notes are grating. The third movement uses mutes to accentuate the harmonic chords and there is a pause to turn pages. It then begins to run and incorporates celebratory Klezmeresque themes with a wee bit of William Tell. Oddly, the third movement doesn’t connect to the first part of the piece except for shared lamenting flat notes. All the instruments were permitted some solo passages though the violins were favored. Technically a challenging piece due to the contrasts in the heroic key of D.

8th Quartet
Most well known of the fifteen quartets and dedicated to the composer himself. He uses a personal musical signature with the notes of D-E-C-B and his own name. It was terrific that the musicians pointed this out before the performance. Key of C Minor evokes sorrow and the slowness of the first movement is overwhelmed by a quick gallop into excitable screams. The piece moves into a somber dance pace and many members of the audience began to sway with the music. The softness turned into stomach churning harsh choppy strokes, which may emulate bombs or the knock on the door by the Secret Police. Nightmarish. Sweet tones were then twisted by harsh rasping. The final movement was muted sadness and brought tears to the eyes. WOW!

The Artaria is a group of profoundly skilled musicians. They know each other well enough to take risks with this intense music. They have a passion to share this difficult cycle of work. Thank you to The Shubert Club for sponsoring the outreach to the community. www.artariaquartet.com/ShostyCycle.html for more details.

Play on.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

ARTIST ILLUMINATION: ALISON PRICE

International Woman of Artistry describes the upbringing of Alison Price. She was raised in Britain, Guernsey – Channel Islands, and United States. As a little child she would sit under glass-topped tables and gaze at the patterns of light dancing around the room. Young Alison was constantly drawn to color.

Her luminous artwork reflects the patterns she observed during her youth. The translucent multi-layered effervescent tones jump off the canvas. Breathtaking and electrifying. The work reveals simultaneous movement and meditation. Ms. Price stated, “Color is emotion.” Alison’s paintings are born of passion. Some pieces are quick to gestate and be birthed while others have a longer period of labor before delivery. As the sun sets her creative energy rises. Her favorite paint is Golden because “the products are fabulous.” www.goldenpaints.com

Five years ago Ms. Price took a huge risk upon completion of a BA Degree in Studio Arts from Augsburg College. She quit a corporate job. All the creativity that was bottled up for so many years has flowed out in a torrent of success. She sold a collection to the FBI including 35W Bridge Collapse themed paintings and is working on a new sequence regarding the tragic event. Tabatha Coffey of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover reality show fame was impressed by Alison’s work displayed at the Jungle Red Salon Spa & Gallery last summer. The paintings were kept after the salon’s refurbishment and Alison interviewed for Bravo’s new Tabatha Takes Over show. The episode will be premiering on January 10th www.jungleredsalon.com and was reviewed on January 11th entry of this blog.

Her artwork has been exhibited at several establishments in the Twin Cities and around Minnesota, including the offices of Representative Keith Ellison. Alison is in the third year of collaboration with Ballet Royale Minnesota. The dance company choreographed a piece based on Alison’s artwork that will be performed on February 10th. For more information visit www.balletroyalemn.org. NOTE: The performance was reviewed on the February 16th entry of this blog.

According to Alison, everyone is an artist. Every person has something that they are passionate about. It may be food, music, writing, drawing or any endeavor. Following that passion is the artistic creative process. All people have a gift to share. Ms. Price’s gift is her artwork and the world is blessed.

The Alison Price Gallery is open by appointment, first Thursday evening of every month, and during the Art-A-Whirl Art Crawl at Dock 7 of the Northrup King Building located at 1500 Jackson Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. Contact her at 612-805-1886, alison.v.price@gmail.com or view her website at www.alisonpricestudios.com. Please inform her that you read this article.

Ms. Price won the “Ima Best in Show” award for her display at the 2011 Art-a-Whirl Art Crawl. Read the review posted on June 23rd, 2011. I look forward to watching her give birth to more glorious creations.

Yeah, Baby!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

LOVELY LOLA

Gorgeous weather permitted a proliferation of ingenuity displayed on lawns. The League of Longfellow Artists (LoLa) coordinated an art crawl and I attended on Saturday, August 27th. Too bad it coincided with the Minnesota State Fair, many people probably procured food on a stick instead of traversing the art crawl. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would be proud of his namesake neighborhood, which encompasses Minnehaha Falls (Minneapolis, MN) featured in his lovely poem The Song of Hiawatha. www.lolaartcrawl.com

The bright neon yellow LoLa location signs are terrific but the artists should display them perpendicular to the street, it makes it easier to see when driving. It would be great if a detailed pre-printed map were available since the yellow program map was not to scale. I tried to download the Google map from the website but it would not work. I don’t have a GPS system in my auto and am unfamiliar with the neighborhood. I unwittingly passed by several exhibits because I didn’t notice the sign. One artist placed his sign in the alley because his studio is located in the garage. I hesitated entering through the fence from his front yard but I was hopeful to locate his display. The artists at stop #29 on Isabel Avenue positioned extra direction-arrow signs from a thoroughfare and it made it easier to locate their showcase home. I wish that all the artists would follow their example.

It would advisable for the artists to make certain that there is an open pathway to their artwork and prices are clearly visible. I had to fight my way past an overgrown patch of plants and low hanging branches to find one artist in the back yard. She was much more interested in entertaining her family and friends than speaking with patrons. Some artists were very hospitable and offered refreshments and snacks. Nicole Fierce wins high marks for being the most gracious host and she makes really cool artwork, too. Glaciers Café offered a yummy custard sample, but park for free on Minnehaha Avenue. www.glacierscafe.com

Please contact these talented folks and let them know you read about them on this blog. No specific order after the first listing. Alas, I only had time to visit about a third of the locations All artists should offer readable business cards…

Best In Show:
Bedazzled by Katherine Clayton’s originality. She makes cement basins, printed floorcloth rugs, paintings, clothing, and grows plants. Moon over Minnehaha Falls is breathtaking and the kelpies are stunning. She is a beekeeper (yeah) and has a beautiful yard. Ka_clayton@hotmail.com

Honorable Mentions:
* Steampunk fans will enjoy the reworking of GI Joe, Barbie, and Ken dolls by Michael L. Treat. Excellent imagination and miniaturization skills. treatllc@yahoo.com
* Watch where you are walking or at least see beauty revealed in manhole covers. Mark Barsness has a special skill in replicating all types of pavement in paint. Perfect for the Public Works person in your life. Markbarsness@aol.com
* Nicole Fierce creates fantastic glasswork, earrings and photographs. She had an impressive display of paperweights at fierce.nicole@gmail.com
* Moody ominous storm cloud paintings don’t match the sunny personality of Jamie Lauler Solberg. www.wix.com/jamielauler/solberg she should become a trained Skywarn Spotter for the National Weather Service!
* Mary Rose Van Popperin would be my favorite auntie. She paints lovely landscape watercolors. Charmed by her quirky folk pet portraits, which would be a great gift since she meets the animal to paint its soul. 612-670-0661
* Margaret Pezalla buildings funky three-dimensional architectural imaginations and paints meteorite studies. www.mpezella.com Her hubby, Timothy Granlund, is a skilled wood artisan and cabinet maker. www.prairie-woodworking.com
* Wallace and Anita White are talented siblings. They each have their own style. Wallace has a childlike naiveté as a folk artist, very evocative work. Anita works in myriad mediums to create flower and nature images. gingerinez@aol.com

Sorry for the delayed report, I was belayed by the Minnesota State Fair and the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. The Powderhorn Art Fair was reviewed on August 25th. The Minnesota Artists website has a comprehensive listing of art related events at www.mnartists.org but it is difficult to locate art crawls and art fairs.

Love to crawl.
©2011

ART AROUND THE LAKE

Celebrating twenty years, the weather was glorious for the Powderhorn Art Fair. I perused the temporary inhabitants of white tents circling the lake on Saturday, August 6th. I knew enough to arrive about an hour before the fair began to secure a parking spot nearby. I brought along a book to read while I waited. www.powderhornartfair.org for information.

As always, I have a few ideas for possible improvement. Signage is needed from the main thoroughfares to Powderhorn Park located in the Phillips Neighborhood in south Minneapolis. I used to work a few blocks from the park and am familiar with the area. I noticed many people driving around looking confused. It would be nice to have a promotional item highlighting the simultaneous art fairs and the easiest method to travel between them with lots of bike racks. A free trolley service or something similar to the State Fair transportation system would be a real bonus. I’d love to be able to park one place and visit the locations easily. Otherwise, some people may get lost on the regular MTC bus routes. The Information Booth signs need to be larger and more obvious, they were not distinguishable to distribute the printed information guides, which were very nicely written.

Demonstrations in the Community Area of the fair were terrific. Christian & Michelle Davies wool spinning was nice to watch, too www.cmacres.com. Some nonprofit groups were involved in displaying the creations of their clients or cooperative group, which was wonderful. Surprised that Heart of the Beast Puppet Theatre or a May Day Parade group was not present, it would have added a nice performance element. I could not locate the “Tea House” to hear the entertainment. There were no signs or schedule posted. Great to have food vendors scattered throughout the grounds. Could use more wastepaper and recycling baskets. Perhaps partner with the Living Green Expo for a waste-free event and feature artists who practice waste-free processes. Fabulous to have free water available, I always bring my own aluminum water bottle to fill.

Several artists had unique creations, please visit these selected artist’s websites or give them a call. Let them know you saw them on this blog.
Best of Show:
* Tom Ashworth specializes in humorous black walnut characters from an alternate universe. The sculptures have a surprising mix of attachments ranging from medallions to pool balls. Awesomely creative, a WOW! Best of Show! 651-636-1060

Awards of Merit:
* Andrew Johnson makes quirky tableaus that look like small paintings until you notice that the various stitches appear like paint strokes. www.thestitchmaestro.com
* Linda Day’s clay makes you smile. Interesting interpretations of cups, teapots, clocks, and other objects with silly illustrations. www.lindadayclay.com
* Jackson Mwaura is a skilled soapstone sculptor. He makes the common human forms, funny animals and a profoundly cute painted hippo. www.jartsproducts.com
* Jeff & Darlene Dawald make fine art jewelry with personality. Gorgeous silver smithing, animals, and shapes with fun designs. Energy exudes from their metal. jdawald@charter.net
* Kevin Kluever has a soothing zen-like approach to landscapes. The light is warm and the scenes are charming. Breathe deep and relax… www.kevinwkluever.com
* Demetra Saloutos offers a wide selection. She welds funky vine trellis and bird watering bowls with a labyrinth. Free cat hair with purchase (good humor). 608-873-1842
* Daron W. Krueger takes magnificent photos. My favorite is a tree located at the summit of a low hill in farm-land (a few miles from his home in North Dakota). He chronicles the tree through the seasons and I adore it when the pale winter sky blends with the snow-covered land to erase the horizon line. Something I experienced as a kid growing up in the prairie. Winter can be nasty but beautiful, too. www.opgart.com/daron
* Melvin McGee is a graphic artist who paints busy worlds with capricious animals in vivid tones. Very humorous images. www.melvinmcgee.com
* Robin (mystery of a last name) creates whimsical animal sculptures. Very cool. www.whimsiesdesign.com.

NOTE TO ARTISTS: Please have a business card within easy reach of the opening of your booth. Include website and all contact information. Don’t be rude and growl, “I don’t ship” because you will scare away potential customers. The person asking may seek you at another show but will avoid an artist with a negative attitude. Obviously, the artists listed above all had cards and were friendly.

Sadly, I twisted my right ankle upon departing the park. I limped to the car and had to drive home. It is an old injury, which flares up at the most inopportune times. I iced the ankle but it continued to swell. I can’t afford to see a doctor about it right now. Disappointed not to visit the Loring Park Art Fair and the Uptown Art Fair. I was looking forward to the trifecta but alas…

Read reviews of the Highland Fest Art Fair on August 5th and the Art-A-Whirl Artcrawl on June 23rd. We are blessed with so many talented people! Sorry it takes me a while to write the review but its been a busy month and I carefully consider who I want to recommend. I take lots of cards and narrow down the list to a few.

Create every day.
© 2011