Entertainment Briefs - May 12

Bay Lake gallery hosts 'Lasting Impressions'

AITKIN- "Lasting Impressions," celebrating the art of intaglio printmaking, will be the next exhibit at Ripple River Gallery on Bay Lake in rural Aitkin.

The exhibit, which will include the work of five printmakers with regional connections, opens May 18 and continues through June 19. The public is invited to an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. May 20. In addition, printmaker Jerry Riach will give a gallery talk and answer questions about the printmaking process at 2 p.m. June 4.

Intaglio is the family of printmaking in which the image is incised into a surface. Unlike woodblock or linoleum block printing where ink is applied to the raised surface, in intaglio printing the incised or sunken areas hold the ink.

To create an intaglio print, the artist cuts, scratches or etches a design into the printing surface or plate, which can be copper, zinc, aluminum, magnesium, plastic or even coated paper. Ink is applied to the surface by wiping the plate to push the ink into the recessed lines. The plate is then rubbed with a cloth to remove most of the excess ink, leaving the ink only in the incisions. Damp paper is placed on top of the plate, so when it passes through the press it will be forced into the plate's ink-filled grooves. The paper and plate are then covered by a thick blanket to ensure even pressure when going through the rolling press. When the blanket is lifted, the printed image is revealed.

"Lasting Impressions" features the work of five printmakers:

• Metalsmith Neil Hunt, whose roots are in the Bay Lake area, prints from intricate hand-carved steel engravings that share some of the traditional motifs of his gold and silver work.

• St. Paul painter/printmaker Stuart Loughridge travels with watercolors to produce numerous plein air studies of the landscape. He returns to his studio to undertake the process of intaglio etching.

• Minneapolis native Anna Marie Pavlik often incorporates maps and scientific data in her hand-colored etchings centered around the natural world. Much of her work has been inspired by residencies in national parks.

• Jerry Riach, who lives on the shore of Lake Superior, looks to the surrounding landscape for inspiration. His work includes a variety of intaglio techniques including drypoint.

• Jauneth Skinner, former Bemidji resident and art instructor, found inspiration for her printmaking in Italy. Her study of trees includes chine collé, a process that fuses layers of paper during the printing process.

The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.

For more information email ripplerivergallery@gmail.com or call 218-678-2575.

Five Wings announces new grant program

Five Wings Arts Council announces a new grant program designed to encourage and support the integration of the arts to address a local community issue, problem, or need through an arts-based solution.

The Arts Based Community Development grant program is a pilot initiative open to any nonprofit 501c3 organization, organizations or group without nonprofit designation but using a 501c3 fiscal agent, school, or local government entity serving Minnesota counties of Cass, Crow

Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties.

FWAC will award up to $7,500 for an approved grant application. The applicant organization

must provide at least a 50 percent cash match towards the total cash costs of the project.

The projects may be new initiatives or the expansion of an existing arts and community

development project. Successful applications will demonstrate that the project addresses a

community issue that has been identified as a priority for resolution. The project must

incorporate a collaboration between at least one arts organization and/or artist and one non-

arts organization, each with clearly defined roles related to the project, with at least one or

more artists or arts organizations playing a leadership role in the core conception, planning,

implementation and evaluation of the project. The project engages community by providing

avenues for community involvement and interaction at some level in its planning

implementation and evaluation.

Deadlines for grant application submission is June 3 and, if funds are still available, again on

Aug. 15. Applicants will be notified within 60 days of the application deadline date of the board's decision regarding their application.

The new grant funds are provided through a general fund appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature and Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

The Five Wings Arts Council is one of 11 regional arts councils in Minnesota. Its mission is to

encourage and promote arts creation, appreciation, and education through grant programs and

technical assistance in order to enhance the quality of life for Minnesota residents in Cass, Crow

Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties.

Go to www.fwac.org , email at vicki.fwac@arvig.net or call 877-654- 2166 for further details about grant program guidelines and the application process.

Workshops at Crossing Arts Alliance

Nebraska-based visiting artist Lynn Bowes will offer two art workshops at The Crossing Arts Alliance May 17-18.

"Basics of Torch-Fired Enamel" workshop will be 5-8 p.m. May 17. In the class, students will learn to use a torch, pre-cut copper pieces, and powdered enamels to create one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. Students will develop skills while working on a practice piece of copper and then create a completed wearable jewelry piece to take home.

Class fee is $45 for TCAA members, $50 for non-members, and includes materials and instruction needed to create one jewelry piece. Additional earring and pendant kits will be available for purchase at the class. Students will receive safety information, and a packet of information describing the techniques used in class so they can continue their exploration.

"Intro to Watercolors" will be 5-9 p.m. May 18 is a beginner-friendly workshop for those interested in the fluid nature of watercolor painting. Bowes will teach the basics and encourage exploration of various techniques in a low-pressure environment.

Class fee is $45 for TCAA members, $50 for non-members, and includes all materials. Each student will get to keep their watercolor kit including set of 18 tubes of student grade watercolor, a watercolor palette, three or four watercolor brushes, watercolor paper and a clipboard or masonite panel for the painting surface.

Students will receive a printed booklet discussing the techniques used during class time and a list of other supplies useful in continuing to play in watercolor.

For more information or to enroll contact The Crossing Arts Alliance at www.crossingarts.org or call 218-833-0416.

Second Saturday events planned

The Crossing Arts Alliance will host its Second Saturday event May 14 and will include a youth art class, highlight the work of a member artist and offer a display of upcycled glass garden art with demonstration.

Youth will learn how to use watercolor paints to make a floral painting with Crossing Kids instructor Michelle Pfeiffer. The class runs 10 a.m. until noon in the cafeteria, lower level of the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd. A $3 per child or $5 per family material donation is requested but no child will be turned away due to need. No pre-registration is required.

Donna Nardini will be the featured member artist in May at The Crossing Arts Gift Shop. There will be a meet the artist from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, where visitors will learn how she manipulates pine needles into basketry.

Crossing Arts Board member and artist Mary Boran will be in the gallery with her upcycled garden art, discussing how to turn discarded glassware into treasures new.

Go to www.crossingarts.org for more information or call The Crossing Arts Alliance at 218-833-0416.

Sip and Savor event planned

CROSBY-Sip and Savor, a local tasting event that is a fundraiser for The Cuyuna Lakes Chamber, is scheduled 5-7 p.m. May 24 at Crosby's Memorial Park.

Participants can taste craft beer and wine by Barstock Liquors as well as appetizers and other specialties from local restaurants and caterers. On the menu are pulled pork sandwiches, spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips, veggie wrap pinwheels, pizza, gourmet peanut butter bars, savory sliders with balsamic caramelized onion jam, key lime pie with chocolate almond crust with southern comfort whipped cream, specialty coffees, soup and signature chicken wings.

Throughout the night, Scott Lykins of the Lakes Area Music Festival will conduct a solo cello performance. There also will be a silent auction to raise additional funds that will be used by the chamber to attract additional visitors to the area.

At the event's conclusion, each attendee will be able to vote for their favorite food.

Cost is $15 for chamber members and $25 for non-members. RSVPs are required by Sunday. Call the Chamber office at 218-546-8131 to purchase tickets in advance.

Little Falls gallery offers two exhibits

LITTLE FALLS-Great River Arts presents two rural art exhibitions: Lisa Bergh's "Studies of Restraint" in the front gallery and Dennis Vanderpoel's "Whut Zat Spoze T'Be" in the main gallery. Both exhibitions will be on display through July 1 in Little Falls. An opening reception, meet and greet, will be from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Bergh of New London is an advocate for rural arts and serves as the executive director for the Hutchinson Center for the Arts. "Studies of Restraint," is described as an experiment in her interest with abstraction, figuration and gesture. The exhibition is composed of five site specific flashe paint tapestries, constrained by the corner of the front gallery, accompanied by five smaller scale images.

Vanderpoel began drawing at an early age, sketching his surroundings including tractors, plows, barns and car magazine ads."Whut Zat Spoze T'be" is a reflection of his studio which is packed with vintage oil cans, car parts and old hubcaps that he uses as models for his one-of-a-kind folk art.

Great River Arts is funded in part by the Five Wings Arts Council and Legacy Amendment. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

1/2: These pine needle baskets were created by artist Donna Nardini who will be the featured artist this month at The Crossing Arts Alliance. (Submitted)

2/2: Students of Mary Aalgaard and Marissa Rahn recently presented their spring recital held at Northern Lakes Senior Living. (Submitted)