Entertainment Briefs - June 29

Churchyard performing in the Bandstand

The band Churchyard will perform at 7 p.m. tonight, June 29 in the Gregory Park bandstand. Churchyard originated in the fall of 2003 with the purpose to expand the music ministry at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Crosby. Their primary music focus is to sing a mixture of traditional, contemporary and original Christian songs with a bluegrass flavor.

Concerts in the park are free and open to the public. People may bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy live music.

Concerts are a collaboration between Brainerd Parks and Recreation Department and The Center. Sponsorship of the concerts is being provided in honor of Helen K. Mills. Additional supporting sponsors are the Brainerd Community Foundation, Brainerd Lions, Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union and the BN Credit Union. Rain out site is The Center in Brainerd.

Fiber Arts Show at Crossing Arts

"Conversations with Cloth 2," a display of fiber arts, opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. July 7 at the Crossing Arts Gallery in the Franklin Arts Center. A fiber arts demonstration will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 8 in conjunction with the show. The arts show will be on display Tuesdays through Fridays through July 28.

This exhibit will reflect the results of projects which the Fiber Friends have worked on over the past year in their twice-monthly workshops. These workshops included many methods of hand-dyeing, fabric manipulation, Shibori techniques, natural Indigo dyes and screen painting.

Exhibiting artists include the following members of Fiber Friends: Carolyn Abbott, Kathy Bardolph, Karen DeVries, Karla Overland, Ellen Smith, Jan Sheets and Joanne Wotczak.

This exhibit is sponsored by Cherrywood Fabrics.

Contact The Crossing Arts Alliance at info@crossingarts.org or 218-833-0416 for more information.

URock Music Camp returns to St. Francis

LITTLE FALLS-St. Francis Music Center in Little Falls will host the 12th annual URock Camp July 21-30 at the music center.

Students in grades five through 12 are invited to participate in this free camp. Guitarists, drummers, bassists, vocals, keyboards and other musicians who want to be in a band are invited to attend. Students don't need a lot of experience on their instrument, just some of the basics. Vocalists do not need prior training.

The instructors will get to know the students, their musical tastes and abilities. The group will be divided into bands and each band will pick a name and three songs they'd like to play. The rest of the camp is spent learning the music and basics of being in a band, rehearsing with the band, creating band posters and getting ready to perform. All music styles are welcome, from rock to country to Christian and everything in between.

The camp kicks off 5-7 p.m. July 21 and will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 22, 23, 29 and 30. The final concert will be held outdoors Aug. 2, as part of the Green Fair Folk Festival. Participating bands will also have the opportunity to play at the Morrison County Fair.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Funding for the URock Against Violence Program is due to a grant from Catholic Health Initiatives. These two donors allow the camp to be free for all students.

Space is limited and participants need to register in advance. For more information, email info// www.facebook.com/stfrancismusic or call 320-632-0637.

Deadline for juried show announced

AITKIN-Entry forms for the annual Jaques Art Center's Juried Show are available. Entry deadline is Aug. 15. Any media is accepted. The 2017 theme of the Juried Show is "Light Show." How can you show light? Cash Prizes will be awarded at the reception Sept. 9 by judges Bob Carls and Amy Sharpe, artists and owners of the Ripple River Gallery south of Aitkin.

Pequot Lakes offers several classes

PEQUOT LAKES-Pequot Lakes Community Education is offering several classes this summer in the Eagle View Elementary Art Room and include:

Fun and Spontaneous Watercolor is for ages 14 through adult. This is a class for all skill levels. Students will learn how to break through to new levels of creative expression in their art. This class is intended to help with creative motivation and self-confidence. Students will explore the use of some mixed media to enhance their completed art. Unique techniques will be taught that will add impact and depth to your watercolor paintings.

This class will be 10 a.m. to 3 p..m. July 24. The instructor is Dar Brooks and the cost is $35.

Another class is titled Art Adventures Youth Camp for ages 9-15. Students will be inspired to create art at the next level, and develop artistic potential. Students will select a painting and will understand the different visual elements, such as line, shape, values, color and texture and explore design concepts through a wide array of art materials and exciting techniques, including drawing.

Instruction will include the use of watercolors, acrylics, black ink, water soluble crayons, collage and nature printing. Brooks facilitates a non-threatening class with exciting demos making each hour a new adventure.

This class meets from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. July 25- 27. Cost is $151 and there will be a public art show on July 27 where students can showcase their work.

A "Family Art Class" is an intergenerational art class designed for parents or grandparents and their children. Students will learn easy techniques for printing real leaves, stamping with leaf stamps, texturing backgrounds for prints, creating a small painting, and layering a greeting card that is a piece of art. This class will be 5:30-8:30 p.m. July 27. Cost is $39 for one parent and one child, $49 for one parent with 2 children, $69 for two parents with one child and $79 for two parents with two children.

Pre-registration is required for all classes by contact Pequot Lakes Community Education at 218-568-9200 or register online at www.isd186.org and click on community education.

Writing contest deadline coming

All Minnesota writers are invited to enter the 2017 Brainerd Writers Alliance writing contest. Writers may submit work in all categories for one $15 entry fee: one entry in fiction, one in creative nonfiction not to exceed 2,500 words and up to three poems. Poetry cannot be more than 40 lines per poem. All entries must be postmarked by Aug. 30.

Work submitted must be original, unpublished and not previously awarded.

Mail entries to: BWA Writers Contest, 30755 Old Highway 371, Pequot Lakes, MN 56472. Winners receive cash prizes and are invited to read their entries at BWA's Fall Writers Festival Oct. 28 at the Northland Arboretum.

Visit www.brainerdwriters.com to view full contest rules and updates regarding the festival. Contact contest chair at 218-828-7750 or brainerdwriters@gmail.com with questions.

Second Saturday event coming

As part of its ongoing Second Saturday activities, The Crossing Arts Alliance will host a youth art event, a featured artist meet and greet and a fiber art exhibit and demonstrations on July 8 at the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd.

Crossing Arts Kids art programming will be 10 a.m. to noon July 8 in lower level of the arts center. Youth will use special paper and the power of the sun to create cyanotypes or solar prints, which are a type of photographic blueprint. The class is geared towards ages 5 to 13, but any age is welcome to attend. Younger artists will require an adult helper.

A $3 per child/$5 per family materials donation is requested but no child will be turned away due to need. This class is sponsored by Pelican Lakes Conservation Club.

Artist Evelyn Matthies and author Frank Weber will be the featured artists at The Crossing Arts Gift Shop for the month of July. The artists will be on hand to discuss their work from 10 a.m. to noon July 8. Matthies' paintings will be on display and Weber will sign copies of his new book, "Murder Book."

For more information go to www.crossingarts.org or call 218-833-0416.

Shane Martin Band and Ipso Facto to perform

DEERWOOD-The Shane Martin Band will perform July 8 and Ipso Facto will perform July 14, as part of the Ruttger's Summer Concert Series. Both concerts start at 6:30 p.m.

Shane Martin is a country rock performer known for his crowd-pleasing, high-energy concerts. His concert is the first street dance of the concert series. Ipso Facto is a Minneapolis-based reggae/funk/jazz band that has played for audiences around the world, including numerous times at Ruttger's. This concert will take place on the shores of Bay Lake.

All concerts are open to the public. Admission is $5 per person for non-resort guests. Pay at the gate only.

Concert goers are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.

Art In Your Park set

NEW YORK MILLS-The Cultural Center in New York Mills offers a free summer program for children called Art In Your Park that brings creative activities to children to neighborhood parks.

Art In Your Park travels among all the parks in New York Mills, the Perham Public Library, the Cultural Center and Sunnybrook Park in Wadena.

All sessions are free to attend and all children of school age are welcome. Younger kids are welcome to attend with a parent or guardian.

The schedule for the res season:

• 1-4 p.m. July 7 at Cultural Center during Fish House Fest.

• 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. July 10 at The Barn in the New York Mills Sculpture Park.

• 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. July 14 at Sunnybrook Park in Wadena.

• 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. July 17 at Smith Park in New York Mills.

• 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. July 24 at Southside Park In New York Mills.

• 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. July 31 at Lund Park in New York Mills.

• 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Aug.4 at Sunnybrook Park in Wadena.

There is one planned project per day, so people can choose to attend either the morning or afternoon session. The program is for 20 participants per session with projects available first come, first served.

For more information, go online www.kulcher.org or call the center at 218-385-3339.

1/3: “Art Quilt” by Ellen Smith of Little Falls will be among others on display in “Conversations with Cloth 2," exhibit which opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. July 7 at the Crossing Arts Gallery in the Franklin Arts Center. Submitted

2/3: The Crossing Arts Alliance will host a youth art event, a featured artist meet and greet and a fiber art exhibit and demonstrations on July 8 at the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd. Submitted illustration

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