Hirst publishes novel for women
Former Brainerd resident Teresa Hirst has published a novel about friendship among women, inspired by a true story that took place while the author lived in Brainerd.
"Flowers of Grace" was released Feb. 20 by Little Forest Big Spring Press at major online retailers. This is her debut novel, but her second published book. "Twelve Stones to Remember Him," a nonfiction inspirational book, was published in January 2015 by Walnut Springs Press.
Hirst and her family lived in Brainerd for 13 years and now reside in St. Michael.
"Flowers of Grace" is a novel of love and loss, friendship and forgiveness. Still mourning a broken engagement, Grace inherits a hibiscus that she fears she will kill. Doubt in her capacity to nurture anything prompts her to bring the plant into the upscale boutique she manages, and the dynamic female staff helps it bloom. Grace and the hibiscus blossom through a wedding and a birth, but its unexpected death pushes her to face false assumptions, opening a path for new love to appear.
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Five Wings to host creative building resilient community event
LITTLE FALLS - Five Wings Arts Council, in collaboration with Region Five Development Commission, will host "Together: Building Resilient Communities Through Creative Placemaking" from 8:30-11:30 a.m. March 5 at Great River Arts in Little Falls. Those interested in learning about how the arts can impact life in small towns is encouraged to attend.
This is the first event of a year-long initiative to promote creative placemaking in Wadena, Todd, Crow Wing, Cass and Morrison counties. Creative placemaking intentionally leverages the power of the arts, culture and creativity to serve a community's interest while driving a broader agenda for change, growth and transformation in a way that also builds quality of place and strengthens the social fabric of a community. All over the country extraordinary collaborations between artists and community partners are transforming small towns into thriving, more vibrant places to live and work. In some cases these collaborations have played a key role in attracting new people to both visit and live there.
Featured speaker, Anne Gadwa Nicodemus, principal at Metris Arts, is one of the nation's key researchers about how creative placemaking builds more resilient, thriving communities.
Audience members will learn about strategic creative placemaking endeavors in rural communities, as well as the basic principles and practices needed for successful projects.
Five Wings Arts Council will also announce the schedule and site roster for upcoming Creative Placemaking training sessions in each of the five counties in Region Five.
Following the presentation, Sheila Smith, executive director of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts will reveal Creative Minnesota, the most comprehensive study of the impact of arts and culture activities in Region Five, as well as across the state. Creative Minnesota is a snapshot of spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audience, as well as other indicators of the sector's health and impact on the economy. Thirty seven nonprofit arts and culture organization in Region Five participated in the study.
There is no cost, but attendees are asked to register at www.fwac.org , or by calling 877-654-2166 or emailing vicki.fwac.@arvig.net by Saturday.
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The Five Wings Arts Council is one of 11 regional arts councils in Minnesota, whose mission is to encourage and promote arts creation, appreciation, and education through grant programs and technical assistance to enhance the quality of life for Minnesota residents in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties.
Beth Wood and David Stoddard to perform in New York Mills
NEW YORK MILLS - David Stoddard and Beth Wood, singer/songwriters, will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 7 at the Cultural Center in New York Mills. For ticket reservations call 218-385-3339 for ticket reservation. Advance tickets are $12 or $15 the night of the concert. Student admission is $5 and anyone bringing a donation for the Mills Food Shelf gets a $1 reduction in the admission price.
Stoddard plays mostly house concerts and concert venues, and also spends time promoting the work of independent singers and songwriters through his radio program, Northern Roots Radio. He's played at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and at the Kerrville Music Festival in Kerrville, Texas. He's shared the stage with people like Juice Newton, Leon Russell, Rik Emmett, Lou and Peter Berryman, Michael Smith and Pat Donohue. He won the Kerrville New Folk award and songwriting awards at the South Florida Folk Festival, the Minnesota Folk Festival and others.
Wood studied voice and piano at Brevard College in North Carolina. A detour from her classical studies led her to Austin, where she picked up a degree in literature and a guitar and began writing her own songs. Wood's musicianship, crafty songwriting and engaging, energetic stage presence have been winning over audiences from coast to coast.
"Sometimes Love," Beth's ninth album, was produced by singer-songwriter and producer Tyler Fortier in Eugene, Ore. This album features collaborations with multi-instrumentalist Tyler Fortier, guitarist Peter Perdichizzi, bassist Milo Fultz, drummer Merlin Showalter and vocalist Erin Flood-Fortie.
Pastels to be focus of Crosslake Art Club mini-workshop
CROSSLAKE - The Crosslake Art Club's member-led mini-workshop for March will feature area artist Laurel LaBorde, who will demonstrate pastel techniques.
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The mini-workshop will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Crosslake Community Center. LaBorde is known for her watercolor work, but she also likes to work in other mediums.
The mini-workshop is free to art club members, and membership in the club is open to anyone. Art club memberships are $30 per year and persons interested in joining may call president Diane Runberg at 218-270-2217.
LaBorde will teach the use of soft pastels rather than oil pastels. Participants do not need to have any supplies of their own, but may bring their own if they have some. Members are asked to bring plastic covering for their table areas and an old shirt or apron to wear. Members may also bring objects to draw, such as fruit or vases; or may bring photographs from which to work. Clean-up requires only soap and water.
The mini-workshop will end at noon and the business meeting will be at 1 p.m.
The Sound of Simon to be performed
LITTLE FALLS - A tribute to Simon and Garfunkel presented by The Sound of Simon out of the Twin Cities will perform at 7 p.m. Friday at the Great River Arts in Little Falls, as part of the Fourth Friday Concert Series. Doors for the show open at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $12 and available online at www.greatart.org .
With a career spanning decades, the music of Simon and Garfunkel remains among the most treasured in American popular song. Performing songs such as "The Boxer," "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "America," The Sound of Simon pays tribute to this world-renowned duo with a night of music and harmony.
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The Sound of Simon is performed by lifelong friends Eric Roberts and Eric Trelstad.
Central Minnesota Watercolorists exhibition closing reception planned
LITTLE FALLS - A closing reception for the Central Minnesota Watercolorists exhibition "Light in Winter" will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Great River Arts in Little Falls.
The exhibit has been on display in the gallery this month.
The 47 works featured in "Light in Winter" present a collection of watercolor painting techniques filling the gallery space with light and color during the winter month. Through a variety of themes the artists exemplify traditional and nontraditional elements of watercolor painting that offer viewers a great representation of the diversity water color encompases.
Duo performs for good cause
MERRIFIELD - The Fisch and Flynn duo will play from 7-10 p.m. every Thursday through March 26 at Harpo's in Merrifield. The duo are trying to raise money for Bill and Margo Fortune. Margo Fortune was diagnosed with brain cancer and given only months to live.
Harpo's is offering an all you can eat fish fry for $15, with $5 of each meal being donated.
