Must See Art: Jean Stephen Galleries

Where to go:
917 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis (Map)

What to do and see:
1. Dr. Seuss Collection
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose." - Dr. Seuss

So steer yourself over to the see the largest collection of highly sought after Dr. Seuss art. There's nothing else like it!

2. Frederick Hart Collection
More than 100 pieces of his majestic and breathtaking art are available.

3. Michael Parkes Collection
Be enchanted by this art collection's "magic realism."

Must see piece right now:
Wisdom of the Orient Cat by Dr. Seuss

While you're in the area:
Make a day out of it! Take a walk down Nicollet Mall and stop in at James & Mary Laurie Booksellers, the rare book shop right next door, and wander amongst the thousands of fine books they carry. Looking for a bite to eat? Try Barrio, a festive tequila bar, also located next door to Jean Stephen Galleries.

Want more info?
Visit Jean Stephen Galleries' website. >>

Draw the Band Night

Artists are invited to bring their sketch pads to 42nd Avenue Station on Thursday, March 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. for the first Draw the Band Night.

Singer-songwriter Carl Franzen, recognized in the past for his music recorded by John Denver and Michael Johnson will perform with his group r nt.

His music isn't funk, folk or jazz but careful pieces of each, supported by gold-record producer and keyboardist, Rahjta Ren and Minnesota Music Hall of Fame guitarist, Lonnie Knight.

42nd Av co-owner, Geno Gelhaye, says artists will be given the opportunity to hang their work from the night on the café's walls. The cafe is located at 4171 Lyndale Ave North in Minneapolis.

Opening Reception Friday Night

Convergence at Traffic Zone Gallery

Opening Reception: Friday, January 28, 5 to 9 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: January 17 to February 25

Convergence is an exhibition of paintings by artist Luke Hillestad and curated by James Conaway. Hillestad is a Minneapolis-based painter whose rich figurative paintings strive to depict the raw and enduring qualities of humanity. His work shows a profound regard for the masters of the past as he creates narratives around themes of war, death, kinship and healing.

Traffic Zone Art Center
250 3rd Ave N, Minneapolis 55401

Attention Individual Artists

Find out if MRAC's Next Step Fund can help you take the next step in your artistic career

Come learn about MRAC's first grant program dedicated to individual artists.

The Next Step Fund, through generous support from The McKnight Foundation, will provide project grants up to $5,000 to professional artists in any discipline for the purpose of career development and artistic achievement.

Applicants can be at any stage of their career, but must demonstrate achievement in their artistic field and have a history of public presentation or community contribution. Successful projects will communicate a clearly defined set of activities that respond to a compelling challenge or opportunity for the individual applicant. The deadline for the Next Step Fund is March 7, 2011.

Next Step Fund application workshops are designed to help individual artists apply for a Next Step Fund grant. Participants will learn about the grant guidelines and online application. This is your opportunity to get questions answered about the Next Step Fund program. Click here to register for one of these sessions:

Wednesday, February 02, 2011, 3 to 5 p.m.

Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55408

Thursday, February 03, 2011, 3 to 5 p.m.

Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Saturday, February 05, 2011, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Bloomington Arts Center, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington, MN 55431

Monday, February 07, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m.

History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul, MN 55101

For more information about the Next Step Fund or to apply, please visit our website.

Click here to register!

Attention: $5,000 Artist Grant

MRAC's Next Step Fund is a new grant program dedicated to individual artists of any discipline and at any stage of their career. The Next Step Fund grants up to $5,000 for individual artists to further their career devlepment and achievements.

DEADLINE: March 7, 2011

Find out if you're eligible and apply online. >>

Need help with the application? MRAC is offering Next Step Fund application workshops.
Register online.>>

Next Step Fund is funded by The McKnight Foundation.

Must See Art: Textile Center

Textile Center is home to a community of fiber artists, from weavers to beaders to dyers, at all age and ability levels.

Where to go:

3000 University Ave SE, Minneapolis (Map)

What to do and see:

1. Take a class

Open to the public and fun for everyone! Get creative and learn how to transfer dyes from paper to fabric in the class Some Like it Hot: Transfer Dyes & Heat Press on February 2.

Register. >>

2. Check out the library

A remarkable collection of textile resources all in one spot. We bet you'll find what you're looking for!

Check it out. >>

3. Visit the dye lab

A visitor and member favorite—there's nothing else like it in the Twin Cities.

Must-see piece right now:

"A Common Thread" exhibit in the Joan Mondale Gallery, featuring the art and creativity of Textile Center members.

While you're in the area:

Make your trip to Textile Center an outing! After learning about fabric art, head over to Treadle Yard Goods and stock up on fabric of your own. Then visit the nearby Northern Clay Center to learn about ceramic arts. Finish the day off sweet with a stop in at Cupcake for a coffee and treat.

Want more info?

Visit the Textile Center's website.

Gallery OKTO

Gallery OKTO is moving.

Yesterday was their last open day at their old location. They will still be hosting open-studio events (stay tuned to their website for details). And they'll be in their new location this fall.

Gallery OKTO has an online shop full of great art at a variety of price points. Be sure to check it out!

Art Exhibition Reception Tonight

A Reasonable Facsimile at the Augsburg Christensen Center Art Gallery

Exhibition Reception: Friday, January 21, 5:30 to 7:30 pm

Free and open to the public

A Reasonable Facsimile began with curator Michelle Westmark who started by sending a 4x6 postcard version of an image to an artist in a different part of the country. In essence, she was beginning a game of "photographic telephone"—asking the next artist to respond to her image by taking another picture and then passing a postcard of that image onto another artist, and so on.

The result is a photo chain, creating a visual conversation around the country.

Participating photographers:

Michelle Westmark (MN)

Conor King (CO)

Lindsay Borden (WA)

Sarah Christianson (CA)
Yasmin Etemadi (CA)

Sarah Baron (NC)

Sarah Stacke (NY)

Salma Khalil (DE)

Rachel Loischild (MA)

Jason Flack (MA)

Carl Sweets (IL)

Brett Kallusky (MN)

Guy Chase Art Exhibit

What happens to paintings when creative choices are severely limited? Find out at Monochrome Plus, a Guy Chase Retrospective from January 31 to March 13, 2011.

Bethel University is excited to showcase the work of Guy Chase, spanning throughout both the Olson and Johnson galleries. Among the art exhibited, Chase will feature white paintings portraying projection screens, altered legal pad paintings and altered paint-by-number paintings.

Join fellow art lovers at the opening reception featuring an artist talk with Guy Chase, and then two more lectures later in the exhibition.

About Guy Chase

Chase attended school at Bethel University as well as the School of Art Institute of Chicago. After a teaching position in the art department at an Illinois college, he was hired at Bethel to design a computer and graphic design curriculum. Chase has participated in a variety of shows, varying from group shows to solo exhibitions to having his work exhibited at universities. In 2001, Chase was granted an artist residency at the Tryon Art Center in Charlotte, NC. He has also received the National Endowment for the Humanities grant to study in Moscow. Chase is a long-time member of CIVA (Christians in the Visual Arts) and cites his Christian upbringing to be an influence in his work, as well as Zen Buddhism.

Art critic Robert Duffy said of one of Chase's shows, "Everywhere there is evidence of the collision of a muscular intellect with a powerful spirituality: the work of a painter who, under the sway of idiosyncratic theology, is a priest as well."

Monochrome Plus

Guy Chase Retrospective

Olson and Johnson Galleries

January 31 - March 13, 2011

Guy Chase Artist Talk: Friday, February 4, 6 pm

The Underground, Brushaber Commons 2nd Floor

Opening reception in the Johnson and Olson galleries with the Guy Chase following talk

James Romaine Lecture: Friday, February 25, 6 pm

Eastlund Room, CLC 2nd Floor

Wayne Roosa Lecture: Thursday, March 10, 6 pm

Eastlund Room, CLC 2nd Floor

For directions and gallery times call 651-638-6527 or visit the galleries' website.

Attention Photographers!

The 2011-2012 application cycle for McKnight Artist Fellowships for Photographers is now open.

If your medium is photography you could be awarded $25,000 for furthuring your study and experience. Find out more and apply now.

Deadline for applications is Friday, March 25, 2011 at 5 p.m.

Making Art a Family Affair

We recently stumbled across this fun blog entry by edamomie. We love that she's visiting (and blogging about) art spots—with kids in tow. Her tips for engaging kids in art along with her charming (and sometimes comical) children’s reactions prove that art can be appreciated by all ages.

Bravo, edamomie and family.