Entertainment Briefs - Feb. 9

'Guante' to appear for Brainerd author event

The Friends of the Brainerd Public Library presents its next acclaimed author to the Brainerd Public Library for its first Monday of every month author event.

Author Kyle "Guante" Tran Myhre will appear at noon March 6 to discuss his debut book, a mixtape-style exploration of the intersections of art and social justice, "A Love Song, A Death Rattle, A Battle Cry." The book brings together spoken word poems, song lyrics and essays from the past decade of Guante's work. From the exploration of toxic masculinity in "Ten Responses to the Phrase 'Man Up'" to the throwback humanist hip hop of "Matches" to a one-act play on the racial and cultural politics of Eminem, "A Love Song, A Death Rattle, A Battle Cry" is a practitioner's eye-view of the intersections of hip hop, poetry and social justice.

Guante is an MC, two-time National Poetry Slam champion, activist and educator based in Minneapolis. His work explores the relationships between identity, power and resistance, and has been featured on Upworthy, Welcome to Night Vale, Everyday Feminism, BBC Radio 6 Music, MSNBC, the Huffington Post and beyond. Garnering over 10 million views online, Guante has also performed live at the United Nations, the Soundset Hip Hop Festival, and countless colleges, universities and conferences.

Attendees are welcome to bring a packed lunch or just enjoy the light refreshments provided. These presentations are sponsored by the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library through their volunteer and fundraising efforts, and are free of charge to the public.

For more information on any of the events, visit the library's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/brainerdpubliclibrary or contact the library at 218-829- 5574.

CLC music concert coming Tuesday

The Central Lakes College Music Department brass and jazz bands will perform a concert, under the direction of Steve Anderson, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Chalberg Theater at CLC's Brainerd campus.

Featured will be music from Bach to Chicago Jazz to a theme from a movie, played by the CLC Brass Ensemble. The Jazz Band will warm up the mid-winter atmosphere with swing, Latin and funk played in festive big band style.

General admission is $5 and free for CLC students and children 12 and under. There is no reserved seating.

Membership of these groups is open to community and student musicians with people from several surrounding communities.

The jazz band is in its 26th year at CLC and the brass group is in its 22nd year.

Heartland Poets to meet

Heartland Poets, an area chapter of the League of Minnesota Poets, meets from 6-9 p.m. Friday in the large room of the Brainerd Public Library. Monthly meetings open with a poetry reading by those present. During the business portion of the meeting, members and colleagues will discuss upcoming literary events and opportunities for poets. Poets will review their poems-in-progress with copies of present work for discussion and comments. Newcomers are always welcome. This meeting is free and open to the public.

Those interested in submitting to poetry contests should go to www.nfsps.org for more details.

Children's book reading coming in Nisswa

NISSWA-The Nisswa Women's Club will host a children's book reading at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Turtle Town Bookstore in Nisswa, as part of the Nisswa Winter Jubilee.

Club member Karen Baloun will read "Paul Bunyan" adapted by Stephen Krensky with illustrations by Craig Orback. President, Jo Quam will draw for one lucky child to receive a copy of the book.

The Nisswa Women's Club is a nonprofit club with 97 years of community service to the Brainerd lakes area with charitable donations and scholarships to local high school seniors and non-traditional women students at Central Lakes College.

For more club information visit nisswawomensclub.org or on its Facebook page.

Great River Strings art contest set

Great River Strings announces its 2017 art contest titled "The Artist's Conception of Time."

For this contest, the artist is charged with developing the theme of time in any of its different dimensions-the past, the present and the future-using a medium of their choice. Each entrant should create an artistic statement that shows how people internalize, distinguish themselves and communicate the concept of time.

All entries will be displayed at the Great River Strings Spring concert, "Time Versus Eternity" to be April 22-23. Entries will have a public display for one month following the concert as well. Deadline for submission of your entry is March 31, 2017.

Entries can be dropped off at the Jaques Art Center in Aitkin. Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place, along with a few honorable mentions.

For more information contact executive directors Mary Aulie at 218-839-1085 or Lynn Foote at 218-678-3034.

Together We Dance results

Brainerd Just For Kix studio competed Jan. 29 at a Together We Dance Competition in Sauk Rapids.

Forty communities were involved in the event involving 2,200 dancers. There were 196 performances. Results include:

• Mini Kix 3: Fridley, first place; Bagley, second; Brainerd, third; Springfield, fourth; Cambridge/Isanti, fifth; St. Cloud, sixth; and Willmar, seventh.

• Mini Kix 4: Brainerd, first place; Little Falls, second; Foley, third; Two Harbors, fourth; Redwood Falls, fifth; and St. Cloud.

• Mini Hip Hop: Brainerd, first place; West Fargo, second; Belle Plaine, third; Rocori, fourth; Cambridge/Isanti, fifth; and Little Falls, sixth.

• Mini Lyrical: Brainerd, first place; Olivia, second; and St. Cloud, third.

• Middle Kix 2: St. Cloud, first place; Champlin, second; Belle Prairie, third; Brainerd, fourth; Princeton, fifth; and Pillager, sixth.

• Middle Kix 3: Rocori, first place; Brainerd, second; Springfield, third; St. Cloud, fourth; Walker, fifth; Duluth, sixth; and Princeton, seventh.

Donna Salli to be featured artist

The Crossing Arts Alliance announces its featured member artist and Crossing Arts Kids programming for February's Second Saturday scheduled this Saturday.

Donna Salli will be the featured member artist at The Crossing Arts Alliance through February. As part of TCAA's Second Saturday events, from 10 a.m. to noon, Salli will be on-hand in the Crossing Arts Gift Shop with copies of her new book, "A Notion of Pelicans." The public is invited to meet Salli, learn about her work and hear selected passages from her book. Copies of her book will be available for purchase. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public.

Crossing Arts Kids is holding an "Art from the Heart" Arty Party, featuring multiple craft stations. Youth of all ages can learn to make pop-up Valentine's cards, heart-shaped sun catchers, cupid's arrows and a fun treat. Brandi Sullivan will be leading the activities. Crossing Arts Kids classes are held every month, on the Second Saturday of the month. A material donation of $3 per child/$5 per family is requested. No child is turned away due to need. No pre-registration is needed. Handicap-accessible parking is available,

For more information contact The Crossing Arts Alliance at www.crossingarts.org or by calling 218-833-0416.

The Crossing Arts Alliance activities are funded, in part, through grants from the Five Wings Arts Council and the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Oil and acrylic painting class scheduled

NEW YORK MILLS-Instructor and regional artist Aleda Windels will lead an oil and acrylic painting class from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Cultural Center in New York Mills. Students will complete a still life orchid painting to take home in addition to honing skills.

The "Art Rehabilitated" class will help participants utilize the relaxation which comes from creative exercises to de-stress, rejuvenate and enjoy their weekend.

Windels, who concentrates on art therapy and canvas work, is an artist who has been creating her entire life. She first studied art with center volunteer and local artist, Pam Robinson, and later continued her arts education at MidState in Wadena and Detroit Lakes.

Windels' work focuses on portraiture, murals, landscape and illustration.

The class fee is $33 or $30 for Cultural Center members. Registration is required, and a minimum number of students must be met in order to hold the class; call the center to register at 218-385-3339.

'The Heart of Art' on display

NEW YORK MILLS --The Cultural Center in New York Mills re-opened for the 2017 season on Feb. 1 with a gallery show entitled, "The Heart of Art."

The exhibition features the paintings of Elle Hettinger, a regional artist who lives in Orono. After suffering a series of illnesses years ago, Hettinger took classes at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in drawing, watercolor, acrylic, encaustic and printmaking, among others.

Curatorial Coordinator Derek Henderson in a news release stated, "Elle's work not only has a Valentine's sort of feel, which appeals to a wide audience, but captures the essence of what it means to pour one's heart and soul into one's creative endeavors."

In 2016 Hettinger was a member of the Women's Art Institute at St. Catherine's University. She has previously shown at Scarborough Fair in St. Paul, the Minneapolis Women's Club and US Bank Headquarters in downtown Minneapolis.

"Art initially provided me with therapeutic, meditative, healing qualities and now I have certainly come to look at the world through so many lenses and with a totally different set of eyes," Hettinger stated.

The gallery reception will be 5-7 p.m. today, Feb. 9 and Open Mic Night follows from 7-9 p.m. Both events are free and open to all. The exhibit will continue through March 4.

For more information visit the center's website at www.kulcher.org or call 218-385-3339.

'Great River Arts goes GREEN!'

LITTLE FALLS-Great River Arts is getting ready for the third annual community installation "GRA goes GREEN!" The visual art exhibition and community engagement project will take over the front and main gallery spaces at GRA during the month of April, with the focal point being individually designed art tiles created by community members and students. GRA will host a public reception the day before Earth Day on April 21, with a stellar runway show of local students fashion trashion wearable art.

Before the exhibit is installed, Great River Arts is calling on the community for support with the project to help create the individual projects needed for the large scale mosaic-like installation.

GRA has reached out to schools, churches and service groups. A public informational meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday for interested families and community members who would like to join the process. Go to www.greatart.org/gra-goes-green to register to participate in the free project.

"'GRA goes GREEN!' has become a tradition," Sam Bruno, GRA program and venue coordinator, stated in a news release. "Last year we collaborated with almost 800 community members and students."

This year GRA is hoping to increase the involvement and reach 1,000 artists involved. Project participants are given individual 10-inch by 10-inch tiles that can be decorated at home in a preordained color palette with everyday recyclables. Each individual piece will become part of a large scale grid installation centering around the theme of oceans and water. You can expect there will be plenty of fish, seaweed, mermaids and other elements of marine life popping up in the installation. Project packets will be available March 1st for pick up and the actual installation will begin on March 27th.

Candace Simar visits Wadena

WADENA-Candace Simar, Pequot Lakes author of Minnesota fiction, will be the guest of Book Ends, the monthly meet-the- author event Saturday at The Uptown in Wadena.

Simar has published three award-winning novels in the Abercrombie Trail Series and her latest novel "Shelterbelts" which chronicles the lives of Swedish immigrants in Minnesota. A lifelong resident of Minnesota, Simar nurtures a love of regional history and the way things might have been.

The event begins at 11 a.m. with a conversation with the author, followed by a question and answer, book signings and sales. Lunch is available at noon, and the audience is invited to stay and continue the conversation. There is no charge for the event.

Book Ends is hosted by An Open Book where all Simar's books are available, plus many more on Minnesota fiction and history. For more information, go to anopenbookmn.com or call 218-632-2665.

1/2: Several youth participated in the recent Magic Window Kaleidoscope class at the Jaques Art Center in Aitkin and include Ellie Hoppe (left), Parker Tiedeman, MacKenzie Krawchuk, Julian Krawchuk, Elizabeth Morris, Syndee Morris, Sophie Morris and Aaron Morris. Submitted

2/2: This is the gallery view of “GRA goes GREEN!” from the 2016 installation. The visual art exhibition and community engagement project will take over the front and main gallery spaces at GRA during the month of April this year. Submitted

1/3: Candace Simar is this month's featured author for Book Ends, a monthly literature event in Wadena. Special to the Pioneer Journal

2/3: Several youth participated in the recent Magic Window Kaleidoscope class at the Jaques Art Center in Aitkin and include Ellie Hoppe (left), Parker Tiedeman, MacKenzie Krawchuk, Julian Krawchuk, Elizabeth Morris, Syndee Morris, Sophie Morris and Aaron Morris. Submitted

3/3: This is the gallery view of “GRA goes GREEN!” from the 2016 installation. The visual art exhibition and community engagement project will take over the front and main gallery spaces at GRA during the month of April this year. Submitted