Welcome back!
I love living in Minneapolis and St Paul. It’s amazing. I moved up here originally because of the multitude of cultural opportunities. I quickly fell in love with the large swathes of trees and parks in the urban areas; it was so incredibly green. It was beautiful here and entertaining, but only after I made lifelong friends did I suspect I’d stay.
I was exposed to the music and theatre stages fairly early as most of my friends were either drama majors or musicians. (What can I say? I was very lucky.) I adored the Guthrie Theatre and Theatre in the Round, of course, but also reveled in In The Heart of the Beast Puppet Theatre, The Southern Theatre and the statewide volunteer-run organization: the MN Assoc of Community Theatres. From MACT I learned about the annual Fringe Festival, which is 11 days of some of the most adventurous independent theatre available in the US; look for it again in August.
As for music, my partner was quick to find lesser-known bands at local hotspots like the FineLine, the 401 Bar, First Avenue and the smaller venues, including The Coffee Grounds, The Ginkgo Coffeehouse and the long-running, diversified programming of The Cedar Cultural Center. I first learned about groups before they hit the national airwaves by listening to the ever-inventive KFAI Radio. The programs I like best are “Pam Without Boundaries” on Tuesday mornings and “Womenfolk,” on Sundays. Give yourself a treat and tune in! (Little known fact: my favorite band title, to date, is Front Porch Swinging Liquor Pigs. Does it get any better than that?)
Recently though, I realized there were even more reasons to live up here. I was introduced a few years ago, belatedly, to the visual arts’ scene.
It was so exciting. There were art galleries in downtown Minneapolis that I could wander through, one after another, eat snacks and drink wine! I was surprised. What did it mean? Who were these artists? Why were they letting me in their small studios, along with long lines of other wanderers?
Over time I learned that the artists often lived elsewhere and rented these spaces to create their art. I still remember the huge equine sculpture made out of found objects that towered above me. And so many glorious paintings worth thousands of dollars. It was thrilling to have gallery owners approach me as a potential buyer.
From there I was introduced to the St Paul Art Crawl. It has a spring and fall event in a variety of locales. Over the years I found myself exploring several of the Lowertown St Paul buildings, the Rossmor Building (on 10th and Robert Streets) and the Dow Building (on University Ave).
For example, this year at the Rossmor I saw trendy necklaces and hair clips (semi-precious stones and peacock feathers) at Olive Jewels. There were photographs that captured the dark beauty of trees as well as the integrity of those who work outside at Steffen Ryan Photography. On another floor, large richly colorful pastels created by artist Roxanne Richards drew in buyers. And breathtaking, elemental images of water, ice and rock photographed here in Minnesota were being sold by Tierza Loskota Photography.
Like the plays and the bands, the visual arts here are vibrant. I’ve been exceptionally fortunate in my choice of home. Beauty pervades.
Coming soon: the art and artists of NE Minneapolis’ Art-A-Whirl. Thanks for checking back! –Chris
Everyday Friends Art Blog 