Arts

Top 5 reasons to attend the Plains Art Museum’s Spring Gala

April 22nd, 2015

Graphic by Alexis Dietz

Brazilian Carnaval meets the Plains Art Museum this May 2 for its biggest fundraiser event of the year. Here are HPR’s top 5 reasons to attend what we consider to be the best party of the year:

1) The Brazilian-themed music is going to be lively, upbeat and danceable.

The 11-piece Carluster Crumplebee Brazilian Orchestra will feature some of the finest local musicians, including guitarist/band leader Tom Johnson and professional auxiliary percussionist Kenyon Williams.

Attendees will be…

Art show at the Nest!

April 15th, 2015

Art by Alison Buecksler

Art show at the Nest! Art show at the Nest!

Yes. A public, all-ages art show is happening at a private, warehouse-type indoor skate park this Saturday. It’s called the Hawk’s Nest Freak Out.

Meld by Don Renner

There are two unifying connections between all the artists: 1) They are all local, 2) They all make “bizarre,” “weird” and “creepy” art. That’s according to the curator, Colby Nelson, also known as the artist Ghost Pyramid.

These artists are Dustin Finnicum (Omega Knifemare),…

Space Craft: Unglued Craft Fest invades downtown

February 11th, 2015

Local makers and artists are gathering once again to show off their new crafts to the local community at the annual two-day Unglued Craft Fest.

This year marks the fifth year the fest has brought crafters together to sell their items in hopes the community will like their products, while making a pretty penny in the process.

Unglued includes 70 makers, artists and crafters who will fill up all three levels of the Plains Art Museum. Kicking off the event is the third annual gala, which…

A Woman’s Perspective Presents: A Twisted Angle On Square

February 4th, 2015

'The Secret Vow' by Karla Gallagher | mixed media painting

By Tania Blanich

Square is a versatile word: noun, verb, adjective and adverb — a word that lends itself to slang and colloquialisms, even as it evokes a prim, four-sided, right-angled figure. No wonder the theme of “square” proved inspirational for the more than 85 artists participating in the 2015 A Woman’s Perspective on Square Visual Art Exhibition at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead.

Viewers will be inspired as well, drawn in by the varied mediums, colors, textures, skills…

A Woman’s Perspective presents: it’s “Dirty Work” but somebody has to do it

February 4th, 2015

By Beth Bradley

"The kids swinging in the barn, the go-kart races, the potluck feasts, the activity in the kitchen of the old farmhouse, all resonated of deep rooted traditional practices of gathering around food," Deb Wallwork said, when asked why she made the film, “Dirty Work: The Story of Elsie's Farm.”

"So when I visited for the first time, it felt like, yes, this is a different model of how we could be doing things,” added the former Fargo Film Festival participant. “In the…

Artists respond to the oil boom

January 21st, 2015

Michael Conlan, Bounty, 2013, Backlit photograph, wheat, wood, and gold leaf, 144 x 96 x 96 in. Courtesy of the artist.

By Austin Marts

Oil, roughnecks and … art? Oh my! The oil industry and art community collide as the Plains Art Museum teams up with 22 nationally, regionally and locally known artists, including three artistic collaborations, to interpret the oil rush that has put western North Dakota on the map as second in the nation in oil production. This show, opening Jan. 29, invites you to take into consideration the impact that the recent oil boom has had on the lives and land of western North…

Paintings, Pots and Prints: “3 P’s in a Pod” at Bluestem

December 5th, 2014

Last year local artist Emily Williams-Wheeler approached the folks of Bluestem with the idea of hosting a series of art events. Once she had their attention she immediately reached out to printmaker Eric Johnson and “3 P’s in a Pod” was born.

The event will feature the work of Eric Johnson, Sam Norman, Chelsea Odden and McCal Joy Johnson. They will be using three different media and offering demonstrations, while exhibiting their latest works at the Marcil Commons in the Bluestem…

Please Stand By: Works in Progress by Star Wallowing Bull

November 19th, 2014

Star Wallowing Bull received his first art award when he was in the third grade. The prize was a free month supply of chocolate milkshakes. He has received numerous awards since, including the Bush Foundation Fellowship in 2010 and, most recently, the Native Arts Cultural Foundation Fellowship in 2014.

According to his artist biography, courtesy of Minneapolis’ Bockley Gallery, which Star is represented by, “His work is currently featured in the exhibition ‘Before and After the…

Painting parties with a twist

November 19th, 2014

The paint-and-sip experience has finally hit Fargo-Moorhead. Creatively Uncorked hosts social painting parties at local and private venues.

Owner Shanna Cramer came up with the idea of Creatively Uncorked after seeing a picture on the Internet of a similar event. She knew instantly this was her dream job.

“I have a background in art, I have been painting since I was 12 and I went to school for it,” Cramer said. “I got sidetracked along the way by life and kids, so then I just got…

Shedding light: The art of Austin Marts

November 12th, 2014

For a photographer, light can be a best friend or worst enemy. Minnesota State University Moorhead student Austin Marts has been exploring this concept and has been studying how to control and effectively use light or, as Marts says, “use light intentionally.” His first exhibition at the Moorhead Atomic Coffee consists of 10 photographs using both digital prints and darkroom processes.

With this body of work, not only is he exploring light, he is also exploring a few different…