Art of flint knapping to be featured
Artist Tom Kulju will demonstrate the art of flint knapping from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 11 at The Crossing Arts Alliance in Brainerd.
Kulju of Longville and has been flint knapping for 16 years. Flint knapping is an ancient technique in which edged stone tools are made by striking stone like flint, chert or obsidian with simple tools in a controlled manner, resulting in a sharpened edge. Kulju focuses primarily on knife-making, but also makes arrowheads and spear points using the ancient method, and makes his own unique leather sheaths for his knives as well. Kulju will have a selection of his completed works for sale at the time of the free demonstration.
The Crossing Arts Alliance activities are held in the Franklin Arts Center, 1001 Kingwood St. Brainerd. For more information visit www.crossingarts.org , email info@crossingarts.org or call 218-833-0416.
Second Saturday of month at The Crossing
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The Crossing Arts Alliance's next Second Saturday event will be June 11 at the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd.
The event will host an art class for children and will highlight the work of a member artist. Youth will learn how to paint on stones to make their own whimsical face puzzles with instructor Holly Rose McKnight. The class runs 10 a.m. until noon in the cafeteria.. A $3 per child and $5 per family materials donation is requested but no child will be turned away due to need. No pre-registration is required.
Laurel LaBorde will be the featured member artist in The Crossing Arts Gift Shop for June. There will be a meet and greet for LaBorde from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 11. Visitors will have an opportunity to meet the artist and learn how she captures scenes from nature in oil pastels. LaBorde began her work as a self-taught artist and has honed her skills through workshops and practice through the years.
'Urban Landscapes' exhibition to open at The New Bohemian Gallery
The New Bohemian Gallery's newest exhibition, "Urban Landscapes," which features the artwork of 11 artists will run June 10 through July 2, with an opening reception froµ 5-8 p.m. June 10.
This exhibition focuses on the societies humans live in and the structural surroundings that take shape around them.
"We live in a time where our landscapes are always changing, and many of our natural settings are evolving into urban populated environments," the news release stated. The artists selected for the exhibition, created artwork featuring imagery of cities, towns, metropolitan areas, urban settings and other cultural aspects within these places. Whether it be different photography work of Jessica Bingham or Sean Andrew Pyle, one altering the natural environment with contemporary sculptural forms and photographing them, and the other capturing black and white images of everyday city life; or the mixed media paintings by Alessandra Sulpy filled with rich color, texture and backstories of decay and abandonment of city storefronts, each of the pieces on display show the diversity in the urban landscapes presented by artists from all over the country.
"Urban Landscapes" blends together the aspects of human foundation, nature and various architectural design elements throughout time, into one collective exhibition. Artwork created in the mediums of acrylic and oil paintings, mixed media, intaglio and relief prints, and photography will be on display.
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Participating artists include Jean-Francois Lanthier, Jessica Ott Bingham, Sunday Grogan Trott, Sean Andrew Pyle, Taylor Finger, Alessandra Sulpy, Jennifer Brown, Lori Miles, Steven McKnight, Joshua Palmeri and Steven Vinson.
The exhibition is open to the public from 12:30-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, or by appointment.
For more information contact the gallery at orthenewbohemiangallery@gmail.com or 218-839-5807.
Brainerd Area Art Club exhibit on display
"Open the Door to Art" is the theme of the Brainerd Area Art Club exhibit currently at the Porthole Gallery in Brainerd. Original works, cards and prints will be available for sale.
The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through July 28, Monday through Saturday.
The club is hosting an open house reception from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m July 9.
The Porthole Gallery is located within the Minnesota School of Diving building on Washington Street in Brainerd.
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For more information contact club president Phyllis Frankum at 218-829-3850.
Film discussion scheduled
A "Doctrine of Discovery: Unmasking the Domination Code" film and discussion with director Sheldon Wolfchild on Native American issues will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday in the large meeting room at the Brainerd Public Library.
The film, based on Steven Newcomb's 30 years of research, and his book" Pagans in the Promised Land: Decoding the Doctrine of Christian Discovery." Newcomb is the producer of the film.
Donations will be accepted.
The event is being sponsored by Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace. Go to www.38plus2productions.com for more information.
The 2016 Roots Music Concert Series announced
Foxfire Festivals, a nonprofit division of The Farm on St. Mathias, announces the 2016 Roots Music Concert Series.
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Line-up includes: Them Coulee Boys, Saturday; The Social Animals, June 19; Bernie King and The Guilty Pleasures, July 29; Evergreen Grass Band, Aug. 20; New Sound Underground, Sept. 10.
The concert series was made possible with the assistance of a Five Wings Arts Council grant.
A $10 suggested cover at the gate is encouraged.
This concert series is a family friendly event. Free camping is included. Farm fresh food will be available. Participants can bring lawn chairs.
This concert series is sponsored by The Farm on St. Mathias, Finnegans and the Five Wings Arts Council. All proceeds will benefit Foxfire Festivals' mission to "foster and promote arts and crafts through the use of traditional and roots music, storytelling, dance, artisans and agriculture."
Gates open at 5 p.m. with the performances scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit www.thefarmonstmathias.com and follow The Farm on St. Mathias on Facebook.
End of year boys choir to perform
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STAPLES-The Central Minnesota Boys Choir will perform its final concert for the 2015-2016 season at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Church in Staples. The concert will feature both the Explorer and Voyager choir levels. The public is invited to attend.
Tickets will be available at the door for $8 for adults and $5 for children. All proceeds will be used to support the choir and will be used toward annual programming costs.
Led by director Mary Moen, the Central Minnesota Boys Choir is made up of more than 50 boys in third through seventh grade from throughout the area Brainerd, Browerville, Motley, New York Mills, Pillager, Staples, Verndale and Wadena. Younger students and first time members make up the Explorer choir. The upper elementary and middle school students typically make up the Voyager choir.
The Boys Choir's primary goal is to develop musical interest, leadership skills and talent in its members. Each season both choir levels perform both locally and away. This year, the Voyager choir performed at the Boys Choir Festival held at St. John's University in March. Their annual tour the first weekend of June will be held in Duluth.
More information about the Central Minnesota Boys Choir can be found at www.centralmnboyschoir.com or by calling Moen at 218-894-5400.
Legacy Chorale announces auditions for 2016-17 season
BAXTER-The Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota will host auditions for its 15th season for 2016-2017 from 4:30-8:30 p.m. June 9 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter.
The Chorale's Artistic Director Sarah Aamot is seeking singers of all voice parts, and will be listening for the following musical skills during auditions: intonation, tone quality (choral versus solo), ability to control vibrato and volume, vocal flexibility and expressiveness. A prepared piece is not necessary.
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Upon acceptance into the Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota, singers will be given season schedules, program information and membership guidelines. Each singer will also be required to sign a "Statement of Understanding" contract, pay a membership fee of $35 per season and pay for the cost of their own concert attire and transportation to rehearsals and concerts.
Rehearsals will be held every Tuesday from 6:30-9 p.m. beginning Sept. 20 in the choir room of Brainerd High School.
The chorale's annual fall fundraiser is set for Sept. 24 at Madden's Resort in Nisswa; winter concerts are Dec. 9-11 in Nisswa, Aitkin and Brainerd; and spring concert dates will be April 21-23 of 2017.
The Legacy is a non-profit arts organization created by Aamot in the fall of 2001. The group's mission is "to ensure the legacy of excellence in choral music in the greater Minnesota area, while enriching, inspiring and renewing the communities in which we live." Singers from any community in Minnesota are being encouraged to audition. Current members represent Aitkin, Backus, Baxter, Brainerd, Breezy Point, Crosby, Crosslake, Deerwood, East Gull Lake, Garrison, Hackensack, Ironton, Little Falls, Longville, Merrifield, Nisswa, Pequot Lakes, Pillager and Pine River.
For more information or to schedule an audition, go to www.legacychorale.org , email legacychorale@gmail.com or contact Cathe Picek, chorale manager, at 218-270-8020.
Drumming Club at St. Francis Music Center
LITTLE FALLS-St. Francis Music Center in Little Falls has a new musical offering for all area students who are in middle and high school.
Drumming Club is open to all who are interested in percussion, no experience is necessary. Students will experience playing a variety of percussion instruments while learning rhythms and beats. This club will take percussion to a new level while exploring rhythms from all genres of music and cultures from around the world. A wide variety of percussive instruments will be used including found objects such as buckets and pots and pans.
The Drumming Club will meet from 4-5 p.m. Mondays starting June 6 at St. Francis Music Center. The club is free to all thanks to a grant from Catholic Health Initiatives.
Walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to sign up, go to www.sfmusiccenter.org or call 320-632-0637.
Regional art show planned in NYM
NEW YORK MILLS-The Cultural Center in New York Mills' 20th annual Regional Art Show opened Wednesday and will run through July 2, with a reception from 7-9 p.m. Friday.
The show will feature regional artists working in a variety of mediums. Much of the artwork is available for sale.
"The regional show is one of our most popular exhibits," Show coordinator Susan Kay stated in a news release. "It's also one that draws from the most diverse array of area talent, all in one show. Expect to see the paintings, drawings, photography, pottery, sculpture, glass work, and a few surprises."
The Cultural Center will present live music by Jazz Committee at this year's reception. Led by Race Hoglund on the tenor saxophone, Jazz Committee is a jazz trio from Fargo-Moorhead. Blending new sounds with old techniques, this jazz group provides tunes for events throughout the region. Jazz Committee plays original work written by Hoglund. Jazz Committee members play multiple instruments and sing.
Bluegrass music concert at Deep Portage
HACKENSACK-A night of energy resource education and bluegrass music entertainment is planned June 17 at Deep Portage Learning Center.
Internationally recognized Bluegrass Hall of Fame artist, Dick Kimmel, is the featured performer.
The event includes an optional tour of the renewable energy installations from 6:15- 6:50 p.m., followed by the bluegrass concert, from 7-8:15 p.m.
Concert admission is $10; there is no charge for the energy tour.
Reservations are appreciated by contacting Deep Portage by email at portage@uslink.net , or by phone at 218-682-2325 or 888-280-9908.
Deep Portage is located 10 miles east of Hackensack.
Book release party event
LITTLE FALLS-A literary event of Laura Hansen's book release party of "Midnight River" will be 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Great River Arts in Little Falls. The event features a reception, poetry reading and book signing.
Visitors will be able to view examples of Hansen's original oil paintings and broken china mosaics during the event.
Hansen of Little Falls won the National Federation of State Poetry Societies' Stevens Poetry Manuscript Competition for her poetry collection titled, "Midnight River."
Competition Judge and former Wisconsin Poet Laureate, Bruce Dethlefson stated in a news release of the poems in "Midnight River is an example of what great poetry is and what great poetry does right." Distinguished Minnesota poet Kathryn Kysar stated, "'Midnight River' is a gift, each poem a perfectly wrapped package of observations, memories, and truth."
The poems in "Midnight River" were written over the course of 20 years, years during which Hansen was working six days a week as a bookseller and local business owner. Many of the poems are about family and home.
"Midnight River" is Hansen's first full-length book though she previously self-published three chapbooks, "Diving the Drop-off," "Why I Keep Rabbits" and "Writing from the Milkhouse." She has also been published in regional literary journals and magazines, appeared on Lakeland Public Television and has had poems aired on Northern Community Radio and National Public Radio.
A former board member of Great River Arts and the Five Wings Arts Council, Hansen was presented earlier this year with a Community Arts Leadership Award. Hansen is a 1975 graduate of Little Falls Community High School and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead.
"Midnight River" is available at Great River Arts in Little Falls or directly from the author at riverpoet.hansen@gmail.com or 320-632-8841 or Amazon..
The book cover is from a photo by well-known area artist Russell Sharon.
