ARTSpulse

Published by

of the Red River Valley

A guide to the area’s arts and culture

January/February 2012

Of

loveand Hunger

By Julie Walnum he genius of love and the genius of hunger, those twin brothers, are the two moving forces behind all living things. All living things set themselves in motion to feed and to reproduce. Love and hunger share the same purpose.” –Turgenv, Little poems in prose, XXIII La nourriture. La comida. L’alimento. Die Nahrung. Het voedsel. Megib.

In English: food. The need of which is one of the few things all humans share.

But we don’t share the way we eat it.

Lately, it has struck me as odd — weird even — that Americans go to restaurants to eat. I mean, why sit in a room full of strangers waiting for food that may or may not be good, and pay more for it than you most likely would at home?

Why do we do it — again and again?

“It’s all about fitting in,” said Hotel Donaldson’s Executive Chef Tim Fischer. “Food is love.”

Then he reminds me that humans have a long history of eating together: “Big Roman feasts were all about indulgence and pleasure.”

Pleasure.

More love and hunger on page 17

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Three varied plates are artistically prepared by Chef Tim Fischer for Hotel Donaldson.

Art on the Plains XI A snapshot of visual arts from across the Midwest

By Plains Art Museum staff he Midwest is a big place, both geographically and culturally. With so much going on and so much diversity of opinion and approach, common threads may be hard to come by. But, they’re there. Once we take the opportunity to step back and consider the many styles and approaches at work, we can see trends and patterns emerge.

It is this phenomenon that informs Plains Art Museum’s Art on the Plains XI, a juried exhibition featuring work from visual artists across the Midwest, specifically the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Kansas. This body of work,

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More Art on the plains xi on page 18

Inside ➻ Viewpoint 3 ➻ Commentary 3 ➻ Tin Roof Theatre 3 ➻ News Briefs 4 ➻ Angels of the Muse 6 ➻ Northern Plains Botanic Garden Society 6 ➻ Great Performances 7

MSUM Performing Arts Series - page 8

Raina Belleau, Dignity in Dexterity, 2011, foam, artificial fur, cast resin, acrylic paint, found object, 6.5 x 4 x 3ft.

➻ James Sewell Ballet 8 ➻ Healing Art 9 ➻ FM’s Ethnic Groceries 10 ➻ WFHS Theatre 12 ➻ Theatre B 15 ➻ Community Education 15 ➻ Habitat for Humanity 16 ➻ TAP Primary Partners 16 ➻ TAP Advocate Partners 17 ➻ TAP Celebrates the Holidays 19

FM’s Ethnic Groceries - page 10

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january/february 2012

, l u htf

g i r f e b y a m e d i s t u o r e h t a ce a l P k a O Oh the we e n O e but insid

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For staying active, try the sports Wii or work-out in the Fitness Center anytime you like! Play a game of pool or hang-out with friends around a fireplace.

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Visit One Oak Place to learn what we offer you in our rental apartments of 1, 2 or 3 Bedrooms.

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1709 25th Avenue S • Fargo, ND 58103

january/february 2012 A guide to Fargo-Moorhead area arts and culture

Publisher The Arts Partnership Executive Director and Managing Editor Dayna Del Val Co-managing Editor Kris Kerzman Publications Committee Eric Daeuber Lisa Farnham Pam Gibb Kris Kerzman Erin Koffler Sue Spingler Julie Walnum Design and Layout Shawn Olson Co-Founders John Gould Steve Revland Contact us

1104 2nd Ave. S., Suite 315 Fargo, N.D. 58103 701-237-6133 artspulse@theartspartnership.net This publication was made possible by the cities of Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo through their allocations for arts & culture and members of The Arts Partnership.

ArtsPulse is published six times a year

by The Arts Partnership. All rights reserved by ArtsPulse. Reproductions of any kind without written permission are prohibited. The publisher and editor assume no responsibility for unsolicited material, manuscripts or photographs. All materials are compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but published without responsibility for errors or omissions.

ArtsPulse accepts advertisements from organizations believed to be of good reputation, but cannot guarantee the authenticity or quality of objects, events, or services advertised. Opinions and/or ideas expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Letters to the editor should include the author’s name, address and phone number. All letters are subject to editing. Letters can be submitted to artspulse@theartspartnership.net

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VIEW point Cultivating optimism We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

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t would be easy to look at this upcoming year with a wary eye. After all, we are still in the midst of an economic “situation,” and we of the Scandinavian heritage are hard-wired to expect the worst, or to at least talk about it — weather, crops, the economy, politics… in many ways, we are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We have been lucky in our community, comparatively speaking, in that we are still operating pretty well across the board. Our downtown is not full of empty storefronts, there are not entire neighborhoods with foreclosure signs, our unemployment is quite low, and we haven’t lost arts organizations and individuals like so many larger markets. That doesn’t mean, however, that there isn’t stress in our personal and professional artistic lives.

Dayna Del Val Executive Director, The Arts Partnership

It also doesn’t mean that there isn’t much to celebrate about 2011 as we move into 2012. You will see throughout this issue of ARTSpulse changes, growth and a general celebration of the arts in our amazing community.

The first big change is our new logo. The board and I hoped to convey a more inclusive, sophisticated and outward-in thinking logo, and I am so pleased with the result. Let me extend a huge thank you to Shafer Public Relations, specifically Ellen Shafer and designer Jim Bolluyt, for this elegant new look.

Please also take some time to read through our list of Primary Partners — we have grown 20 Partners since July 2010, and that number continues to increase. Also note the Advocate Partners list — these are people and businesses just like you — in fact, we invite you to join them at any level that is comfortable for you. Our Advocate Partners are the reason we are able to pursue our mission: cultivating the arts in our community. And what a fabulous field it is to cultivate! Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year!

Yes, there are stresses and uncertainties, but there are also blessings and expectations of improvements in the year to come.

Happy New Year!

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman

COMMENTARY: It takes all kinds

By Susie Eckberg-Risher ’m a writer. Always have been. But I’ve always wanted to be an artist. I love the movement, the color, the flow of inspiration onto canvas or stone, or whatever. I surround myself with artists and art — we are so blessed with an abundance of inspired artists in this community. It’s on my bucket list to own a piece of art from every single one of them.

When Dayna Del Val and I first talked about my applying to be a Partner of The Arts Partnership my first thought was, “But I’m not an artist. I’m just a writer.”

Dayna offered me a different vision for myself: the thought that there is not just one type of artist. Art is expressed through writing, as well, and I think I do know this — I just tend to forget sometimes. So this time I choose to remember that I am an artist, and I choose to join with other artists in The Arts Partnership because I want to be

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a part of that community of creative spirits who manifest their inner dreams into their outer work.

I want to support an organization that supports not only the artist community, but

in whatever form it takes. By joining with others, we make our voices louder so others can hear and draw closer, too.

I see The Arts Partnership as an ongoing party of possibilities, and I’m excited

I want to support an organization that supports not only the artist community, but also breathes exciting new energy into our whole region through new ideas and offerings. also breathes exciting new energy into our whole region through new ideas and offerings. I’m excited to meet with others, to talk about our passions, to show our work

to be a part of it through my writing. Even as “just” a writer. Especially as a writer, because I’m pretty sure my stick figures wouldn’t quite measure up.

Foundation and Institutional Support • Cities of Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo • North Dakota Council on the Arts • Carol L. Stoudt Donor Advised Fund (II) of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation For calendar listings visit culturepulse.org and for The Arts Partnership information visit theartsparnership.net.

Tin Roof Theatre stages the heart-warming comedy Harvey

By Karla Pederson ust as some children grow up with imaginary friends as playmates, so too Elwood P. Dowd, as a grown-up man, introduces his imaginary best friend, Harvey, to everyone he meets in the Pulitzer prize-winning comedy Harvey by Mary Chase. Tin Roof Theatre will present this classic from Feb. 23-26.

As the play unfolds, the audience first learns that Mr. Dowd’s invisible friend is a pooka and then that Harvey is in fact a big white rabbit, over six feet high. When Elwood’s sister, Veta Louise Simmons, tries to committ him to a sanitarium to avoid further family embarrassment over

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her brother’s eccentric behavior, a comedy of rather extreme errors ensues. However, both Elwood’s philosophy of life (to be “oh so pleasant”) and his unseen friend have a strange influence on the staff and Veta.

The play ran for about four years on Broadway, earning American playwright Mary Chase the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1945. She later collaborated with two others to write the screenplay for the very successful 1950 film starring James Stewart (Elwood) and Josephine Hull (Veta). Having also played the sister role in the Broadway production, Hull was given an Academy Award for Best Supporting

Actress. Stewart’s performance earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination.

Tin Roof’s Harvey opens at 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 and runs nightly through Feb. 25 at The Stage at Island Park, home of FMCT. There will be 2 p.m. matinees Feb. 25 and 26. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (60+) and students, with a $5 student rush 10 minutes prior to show time.

Tin Roof Theatre will assist the North Dakota Association of the Blind with a silent auction at the 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 show.

That performance will be audio described for patrons who are visually impaired.

Reserve tickets at 701-235-6778, thestageatislandpark.org, or tinrooftheatre.org.

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news briefs Collections showcase creative abilities of those with seizures

Escape the January blues at FM Opera’s annual gala

By Jeanne Aske he Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota and the Spirit Room will partner to host the Foundation’s first exhibition west of the Twin Cities. The BRAINSTORMS Art Collection, which showcases the remarkable creative abilities of those with seizures, opens April 1 with a reception on Sunday, April 15.

Each year people with epilepsy are encouraged to submit their artwork. A representative sampling of that artwork will be on display, with special attention given to artists from western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota.

The EPILOGUES writing contest allows people affected by seizures to be heard. Anyone affected by epilepsy is encouraged to enter — including relatives, friends, loved ones and caregivers.

The book Epilogues is published each year and is a selective compilation of these entries. The CADENZAS performance art program was added in 2010.

Examples of all three programs will be showcased April 15 and during April at the Spirit Room, Fargo. For more information about EFMN contact Amy Beecher at abeecher@ efmn.org or 701-429-1165.

By Bernie Erickson t’s the end of January. You’ve been cooped up in the house waiting for a great opportunity to get out and connect with friends. Wait no longer!

On Jan. 28, Fargo-Moorhead Opera and Hilton Garden Inn host the opera’s gala with a gourmet dinner, dancing and silent auction. This year’s gala features a take-off on the radio show “Wait, wait, don’t tell me!” with a silent auction prize of baritone Peter Halverson greeting incoming callers on your voicemail.

Opera board members and volunteers have assembled a silent auction that is secondto-none with specially selected items that allow attendees to find that special something.

From personal care to family entertainment, from breathtaking original art to jet-away getaways, there’s something for everyone in this year’s collection of treasures.

General admission tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for children, and $25 for a family pack of four. Group rates are available. Please phone 701-239-4558 or visit fmopera.org to reserve your tickets today.

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Local writer pens sci-fi thriller

By Scott Reynolds kip Wood, the producer of Merrill Piepkorn’s Hear It Now radio show on Prairie Public, has published a novel. Truitt’s Fix, written under Wood’s real name, Rex, is a sci-fi thriller garnering five-star reviews.

Eleven years in the writing, the book took the long road to publication. Though liked by literary agents, it was considered too long for a first-time author and too difficult to categorize — a tweener, between science fiction and adventure/thriller. Consequently, it spent ten years on the shelf.

Then came free online publishing. Posted initially at Smashwords as an e-book, it garnered excellent reviews — including a big surprise when a blogger in Texas chose Truitt’s Fix to blog about over seven days of reading. Among her comments, “I loved this book. Absolutely wonderful” (readitin7days.com).

The reception of the e-book prompted the move to paperback, employing the free printon-demand service at CreateSpace, the publishing engine of Amazon.

The opening chapters can be read online, or downloaded in any e-book format, via links on the book website, bit.ly/rexwood. Ordering information is there, along with a guide for book clubs that outlines themes and writing issues that can make for good conversation.

An author presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Fargo Library.

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Photos by Beau Brandner

Last year’s Fargo-Moorhead Opera gala attendees, attired in elegant black tie and formal wear, enjoyed entertainment and an evening of socializing and listening.

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Angels of the Muse

hosting singer-songwriter showcase

By Jack Schauer n the past seven years, Angels of the Muse, which connects local musicians with underserved audiences to free concerts, has presented more than 300 concerts, including community performances, jamborees and singer-songwriter showcases, reaching over 10,000 community members. This includes performances in nontraditional arts settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, daycare centers and other locations.

Ongoing performance sites include Dakota Boys Ranch, Friendship Inc., Nokomis Childcare I and II, Churches United for the Homeless, local nursing homes, and nursing home facilities near Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Jane Greminger, assistant director of Nokomis Childcare Centers, said, “It is a beautiful sight to see the children singing along, clapping with, dancing with and smiling from ear to ear when provided with performing arts.”

Angels of the Muse believes the performing arts are important to everyone’s well being. This philosophy is based on research done with music therapy, which provides both an emotional as well as physical sense of healing, depending upon the music provided and the specific musical experience. In our community, there are audiences who are not

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able to access artistic performances, due to financial or physical conditions. Thus, it is the goal of Angels of the Muse to provide free concerts to under-served groups in our community including the elderly in nursing homes, all ages who are homeless or in poverty, the developmentally and mentally disabled, young people and children in hospitals, youth in juvenile detention centers and the very young in daycare centers for underprivileged children. Angels of the Muse believes that all people, regardless of their living circumstances, can benefit from the healing that the performing arts provide.

Providing the arts at all levels of the community brings new vision and helps participants see themselves and their level of belonging in new ways. In turn, participants and artists alike experience a healthier community and improved quality of life.

The next concert is a singer-songwriter showcase, 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at the Spirit Room, 111 Broadway, Fargo. Featured performers include Judy Rae, Sonja Holmgren, John Peterson, Paul Myrold, Jack Schauer, John Foss, Joyce Westfall and others. Snacks and refreshments will be served and all ages are welcome. There is no cover charge, although donations will be taken to support the efforts of Angels of the Muse. For more information about becoming part of this organization contact 701-298-8503.

NPBGS does not hibernate during winter

By John Zvirovski inter has taken a strong hold on the region, but Northern Plains Botanic Garden Society continues to grow with new opportunities. Take advantage of these events in the next few months by participating in one or more of NPBGS’s unique workshops.

On Jan. 14, take part in the Small Garden Tool Sharpening Workshop to get your gardening equipment prepped for the new growing season.

On Jan. 21, learn about the art of dyeing wool yarn with natural dyes. You will be amazed to learn what plant materials can produce wonderful and rich fiber colors.

Feb. 4 features a workshop to teach the hands-on process of “forcing” spring bulbs indoors. Enjoy a little spring within your own home with the wonderful blooms of tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinth. Their beauty and scent will be sure to get you in the mood for spring and the onset of the gardening season.

At the end of February, take in all of the booths and displays at the Red River Valley Home and Garden Show at the Fargodome, Feb. 24-26. It runs for three days and allows

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attendees to take advantage of the latest trends and numerous ideas that abound for home and yard improvements. The NPBGS will have a booth onsite, so stop by and visit with one of the volunteers.

There are many opportunities to become involved with the Botanic Garden Society. If you do not have the time to volunteer, consider becoming a member to show your support for this community organization and be a part of its dynamic evolution.

The NPBGS will hold its annual meeting, which includes a guest speaker, on March 6 in the atrium of the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Fargo. This meeting is open to the public.

Even though many elements in nature hibernate during the winter season, the Northern Plains Botanic Garden Society continues to flourish with a wealth of opportunities. The Botanic Garden Society welcomes you to participate in its many events during the onset of the new year. You never know how new information will enrich your lives.

For more information visit npbotanicgarden.com.

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Classes offered January through April A university of the community for lifelong learning Intellectually stimulating, academic-based, non-credit classes for learners of all ages F/M Communiversity is a program of Concordia College in cooperation with Minnesota State University Moorhead and North Dakota State University.

(218) 299-3438 • communiversity@cord.edu www.fmcommuniversity.org

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Compelling content, renowned artists

Prairie Public debuts new season of Great Performances

Submitted by Marie Offutt reat Performances is known for raising the curtain on excellence. Now entering its 39th season on public television, the program has outdone itself and is bursting on to the stage in January 2012 with an astounding diversity of talent.

Consider, for instance, the broadcast slated for Friday, Jan. 6, in which Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel teams with Herbie Hancock to launch the LA Phil’s 2011-12 season with a sparkling George Gershwin gala at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Or the following Friday, Jan. 13, when popular actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith turns her theatrical exploration to matters of the human body. As in her acclaimed earlier plays Fires in the Mirror and Twilight: Los Angeles, Deavere Smith interviews an eclectic range of people and then performs as the interviewees in their Courtesy of Brigitte Lacombe/Metropolitan Opera own words. This new gallery of indelible portraits ranges from boldface names such as cyclist Lance Armstrong, supermodel Lauren Hutton and Texas Governor Ann Richards, to lesser-known but equally memorable characters, including a rodeo bull rider, a New Orleans hospital doctor and the director of a South African orphanage — all sharing their searing experiences in confronting the price and politics of health, facing the end of life and encountering the ultimate resilience of the human spirit. Of the production, recorded at the Mead Center for American Theater at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage, NBC’s Today raved, “Run — do not walk — to see this play.”

Great Performances goes uptown to The Met on Friday, Jan. 20, to present The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, starring soprano Anna Netrebko in her highly anticipated first North American performances of the tour-de-force title role. The opera, a compelling dramatization of the tragic final days of Anne Boleyn — whose husband Henry VIII spurns her and has her sentenced to death — is directed by David McVicar and conducted by Marco Armiliato.

The cast includes Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as Anna’s romantic rival, Giovanna (Jane Seymour); Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov as the cruel Enrico (Henry VIII); American tenor Stephen Costello as Anna’s first love, Lord Percy; and American mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford as the queen’s devoted page Smeton.

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Courtesy of Mary Ellen Mark

Above: Meet a range of individuals who are confronting the price and politics of health, all portrayed

by Anna Deavere Smith, in Let Me Down Easy from Great Performances. Above Right: Watch as Russian diva Anna Netrebko opens the Met season with her portrayal of the ill-fated queen driven insane by her unfaithful king. Right: Enjoy this allGershwin concert from Great Performances in which Gustavo Dudamel conducts the LA Philharmonic with a special guest appearance by virtuoso jazz pianist Herbie Hancock.

Courtesy of Gustavo Dudamel

fargo moorhead area

West Fargo High School presents

FEBRUARY 10,11,16,17&18 @ 7:30PM FEBRUARY 12 @ 2:30PM

YO U T H SYMPHONIES 2011-12 concert season WINTER CONCERT - December 4 POPS CONCERT - February 12 SPRING CONCERT - April 1 conductors: Jane Linde Capistran & Brian Cole www.fmays.org

Summer Arts Intensive 2012

A West Fargo Schools Production Learn about our Gardens Visit our booth at The Red River Valley

Aug. 2, 3, 4 & 5 • 2012 Open to performers & technicians ages 15-20 Auditions: April 16 & 17 • Callbacks: April 19 For more information on how to get involved, contact Summer Arts Intensive director, Adam Pankow: apankow@west-fargo.k12.nd.us or 701-499-1834

Home and Garden Show February 24-26 The Fargodome

Visit the Botanic Gardens Get ideas for your dream garden Northern Plains Botanic Garden Society, 28th Avenue and North University, Fargo, ND info@npbotanicgarden.com www.npbotanicgarden.com

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balance and stability to bourrée and sautée From

James Sewell Ballet’s four-day visit reaches all ages and abilities

By Rebecca Sundet-Schoenwald aturally, ballet dancers like to move. More surprising, perhaps, is that nearly half of them are smokers. Large tattoos drift across the backs and shoulders of a few. Some are tall, some are tiny. Most are in their twenties, but a few are dancing into their late forties.

The 40-something James Sewell and his company of eight younger dancers deftly defy all kinds of stereotypes, while awing audiences with technical brilliance and jaw-dropping beauty.

They’re also really good at getting others to move with grace and confidence, whether they’re eight years old or 80.

In the days leading to a March 3 performance with the Arsenal Trio (violinist Ben Sung, pianist Jihye Chang and cellist Hrant Parsamian), the dance company will work with young dancers in Fargo-Moorhead’s private dance studios and with Minnesota State University Moorhead students minoring in dance. About eight workshops and masterclasses for local dancers and dance students are planned on campus and off. But some non-dancers will also benefit. Sewell will visit two assisted living facilities in Fargo to work with senior residents on balance and flexibility.

“Motor skills are the movement skills that we learn throughout our lives and are essentially creative in nature,” Sewell said.

“While our bodies are instinctually and autonomously tuned to respond to situations at hand, we are also equipped to ‘design’ our movements in highly sophisticated and intentful ways.” Sewell said the program for seniors is designed to be accessible, fun, and beneficial to physical and mental well-being.

A much younger group of non-dancers will also benefit from the residency project. Elementary and middle school students in Moorhead public schools and Fargo private schools (Fargo and West Fargo public schools are on break during this time) will come to MSUM during a school day for a program called SmArts. This

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Photo by Erik Saulitis

program is a regular feature of Sewell residencies, and has proven successful in dispelling misconceptions about ballet. The SmArts audience sees the company perform a short work, learns about other aspects of production, such as lighting and staging, and gets answers to questions of all kinds.

The James Sewell Ballet was last in the community three years ago. That visit included a SmArts program for elementary students and a mainstage performance that dispelled misconceptions held by people of all ages. Audience members watched dancers employ strange props like wrestling mats and juggling rings. They gasped, oohed, aahed and laughed, confirming the riskiness, ingenuity and humor of Sewell’s choreography. It’s what he’s best known for, as well as the required technical skill and grace that all professional companies must possess. Anna Kisselgoff of the New York Times wrote: “A polished gem of a chamber dance troupe from Minnesota…Mr. Sewell is…one of American ballet’s most inventive choreographers…Different and unpredictable, this is the company to see.”

The March 3 event also brings back two of the community’s favorite musicians and former residents — violinist Ben Sung and his wife Jihye Chang. They’re joined by colleague and cellist Hrant Parsamian. Sewell and the trio collaborated to bring his choreography of the Mendelssohn Piano Trio to Minneapolis last fall.

Other new works by Sewell are also on the program.

The ballet company’s performance is Saturday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Hansen Theatre in the Roland Dille Center for the Arts on the MSUM campus. Tickets are available online at mnstate.edu/ perform, or by calling the MSUM Box Office Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. at 218-477-2271. Tickets will also be available at the door. For more information about the James Sewell Ballet Company, go to mnstate.edu/perform or jsballet.org.

Above Left: The James Sewell Ballet Below Left: The Arsenal Trio: Hrant Parsamian, Jihye Chang and Ben Sung.

Photo by David Bundy

Representing local artists~ June Brantner WIlliam Damon Marcy Dronen Sandi Hanson Dennis Krull Kathy Luther Jon & Lucy Normann Amber Noel Parsons Jodi Peterson Karman Rheault Riah Renee Roe Peggy Solberg Mel Stone Kyle Thomas Hilda Twitchell

114 Broadway Downtown Fargo, ND 58102 701-237-6867 Our Hours Tuesday - Saturday: 11am - 5pm

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Healing art featured at the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County

Submitted by Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County staff wo exhibits, EXPLORING NOW: 365 Days to 50 and The sheARTS Project: Art Hats for Breast Cancer Awareness, showcase how art heals the soul in times of life’s challenges. Both projects were created by local artist and designer Claudia M. Pratt, who has faced breast cancer head on during the last five years. The exhibits are hosted by the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at the Hjemkomst Center Feb. 4 through March 26.

In addition, a celebration of Pratt’s work and a fundraiser to establish her endowment, the Art Heals Fund, will be featured during Pratt’s 50th Birthday Bash on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Hjemkomst Center. The event is open to the public, and tickets are available through FargoStuff.com and at the door.

Special to ARTSpulse Special to ARTSpulse Pratt’s artwork reflects her life experiences. After surviving Hodgkin’s Lymphoma The Landscape is not the same as the Map, Pamela Joy Part of a journal entry, “It’s always great for the doctor to say, in 1981, breast cancer in 2006 and 2009, and now living with a Stage IV cancer diag- Jacobson, Fargo, N.D., Paper & Wire, 2008, sheARTS ‘Get out of here!’ So this green light says it all for my ‘green light day!’”

Collection nosis, Pratt has chosen to take a positive approach to her “healing journey.”

Early on in Pratt’s cancer journey, she decided to take an artistic approach to losing her hair. During sleepless mornings she’d think about how to embellish her bare head Area Foundation which will support art therapy projects or projects that use art therapeutiand The sheARTS Project: Art Hats for Breast Cancer Awareness was born. cally in the Cass and Clay counties (areafoundation.org/giveonline.html).

The idea was to collaborate with artists of all ages who would create art hats, photograph EXPLORING NOW was started with the support of Green Market Kitchen in downtown Pratt in the hats and turn the project into an exhibit. Initially the idea was to work with female Fargo. Pratt was allowed to use the space as a working studio from January through April artists, but the project has inspired many. Hence the name: she-arts, (s)he-arts, and (s)hearts.

2011. She created two phases of the 365 Days project at the restaurant. Phase one included Since the sheARTS Project was started in 2006, Pratt has received more than 50 hand12 panels representing 12 months starting on her 49th birthday on Feb. 28. She questioned made hats for the project. “It seemed like every time I was down I received a special hat,” how we document time and asked patrons to share their thoughts about living in the moshe said. Artists from all over have responded to the request for art hats and shared their ment. “The interest was overwhelming,” Pratt said. “People shared so many great ideas, own journey stories. While the exhibit has been shown in a few venues since the project was inaugurated, this will be the first time all the art hats with photographs by Meg Luther and I’ve been able to experience many of them this year!”

The second phase of the project features 4"x4" photographs that Pratt has been taking Lindholm, a local documentary photographer and freelance radio producer for Prairie since March 1, 2011. Individual panels of the photographs have been shown at Green Public Broadcasting, will be shown.

In the wake of her most recent cancer diagnosis and to celebrate her 50th year, Pratt decid- Market Kitchen but the whole exhibit of completed panels of 365 photos will be showcased at the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County. Additional large prints of ed to challenge herself to a project of documenting a year of living in the moment — from her 49th to her 50th birthday — her 50th year of living. EXPLORING NOW: 365 Days to 50 significant photographs also will be featured.

For more information on the sheARTS and EXPLORING NOW exhibits contact the features three components: an art exhibit; a daily blog and photo inspiration postings online at cmp365daysto50.wordpress.com through Feb. 28, 2012. Pratt also challenged herself with Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at 218-299-5511 or visit hcscconline.org or facebook.com/hcscc. raising $25,000 or more for the Art Heals Fund, an endowment fund at the Fargo-Moorhead

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A visual taste of

ethnic groceries F-M’s

By Kris Kerzman and photos by Britta Trygstad am Christikawa and Jimmy Uhlir set out on a snowy Saturday to enjoy one of their favorite pastimes: an ethnic grocery store “crawl,” visiting a few of the small markets in town in search of hard-to-find ingredients: dried plantain chips, fresh-made tortillas and double-smoked bacon.

But Christikawa, an MSUM graduate with a degree in history, and Uhlir, an MSUM graduate with a degree in East Asian studies, aren’t just foodies.

“A lot of the time, we’re just hungry and nostalgic,” Christikawa said with a laugh, referencing the year and a half he and Uhlir lived together while studying abroad in Tianjen, China, and the tastes they were exposed to while there.

Uhlir, a Fargo native, said that visiting ethnic grocery stores helps support his local economy, a notion that could easily be forgotten while walking among brands and flavors that would be unfamiliar to many.

“These are local businesses,” Uhlir said. “These are people living right here, owning a business and pursuing their dream.” He adds that ethnic grocery stores often revitalize run-down or unused buildings, breathing life into forgotten areas of town.

As they moved from store to store, Christikawa and Uhlir asked plenty of questions of store owners and patrons. How is a certain ingredient prepared? Does the store still carry a certain item? How is an ingredient eaten back home? Their curiosity is often rewarded in a new tasty find, but more importantly, their openness promotes the integration of cultures, a practice that they encourage others to try.

“Don’t be shy,” Uhlir said. “Just go in and talk to these people. Even if you never go back, it’s worth it to go into each of these places to see what is there.”

“None of this is unusual to us,” Christikawa said, “but it doesn’t take much for anyone to overcome the discomfort of the names of foods that might be out of the ordinary.”

Both men fully intend on taking in more grocery store crawls in the future and enthusiastically discuss a day of shopping followed by a large meal among friends. When they do — and when anyone else does for that matter — a rich and tantalizing trail awaits them.

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Above: After three hours of ethnic grocery store shopping, Uhlir and Christikawa celebrate their finds.

Left: The back room of La Unica where employees make tortillas, one of their specialties.

Each weekend, La Unica offers a variety of housemade Mexican specialties, including fresh tortillas, tamales, and pan dulce.

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From Left to Right: Hungarian smoked bacon, an item that brings Uhlir and Christikawa back to the Balkan Food Market often. Aside from food, La Unica also offers goods like household items and t-shirts. Uhlir and Christikawa talk with Paul Bakkum, owner and operator of La Unica in Moorhead, about the store’s menu options. In the 17 years that the store has been open, Bakkum said, the store has also taken on a role as a meeting place for its customers.

Left and Above: Various items available at Lotus Blossom.

Right: Kina Wong, the owner of Lotus Blossom. She said that the store has struggled throughout its two years of operation despite the fact that she typically commits 50 to 60 hours a week to her store.

A sampling of the goods available at the Balkan Market and Lotus Blossom.

Left: Jars of coconut gel line a counter at Lotus Blossom.

Coconut gel is a product of the Philippines used for candies and desserts.

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The show must go on: student reflections on WFHS theatre

By Stephanie Shea hese five words ring true to theatre folks of all kinds in the midst of many productions. They have, perhaps, never rung more true than in light of the recent heart-breaking loss of a beloved cast member and friend, Eleni Wilson, just two short weeks before West Fargo High School’s latest performances. Adam Pankow, director of the theatre arts department at WFHS, knows only too well why the show really needed to go on. He sees firsthand just how valuable the experience of performance is for many of his students. Eleni herself wrote the words

“Never Give Up” on the top of one of Pankow’s assignments before her untimely passing. Pankow drew strength from these words and shared that spirit of strength and perseverance with the community as the cast and crew performed Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella in November.

Here are a few reflections from some students on how valuable the theatre arts experience has been to them and why directors like Pankow know how, even in the most difficult of times, the show really must go on.

More than a Stage…Sarah Arnold, Alumna, Class of 2011 A theatre is more than a stage. A student is more than a performer, and a production does more than showcase talent. Predominantly, the art of creating theatre is a journey. Like many, when I entered the department I wasn’t sure of who I was, what I wanted to do with my life, and the plans I had for the rest of my high school career. Luckily, the place I entered was the perfect place to grow. As the time I spent in the department increased, I not only developed talent but character.

I frequently call the people who taught me how to be a successful human being my mentors. Adam Pankow taught me things about the world of theatre and myself which changed me for the rest of my life. I learned the values of hard work and determination. I discovered the importance of dependability. I became a leader under his watchful eye. He taught me how words and actions can transform a group of high school students into a team. Mr. Pankow is a friend and teacher bent on encouraging his students to be proud of their work. His passion is unmatched.

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From left to right: Cats, 2010; Cinderella, 2011; Hairspray, 2011; Pippin, 2011; Our Town, 2010; Lucky Stiff, 2009.

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Who I Truly Am … McKenzie Schwark, Class of 2012 One of the great things about any theatre is that it forces you to face things that you fear — like auditioning in front of other people or learning a skill you thought you couldn’t. The great thing about West Fargo though is that the other students and I face those fears in an understanding and accepting environment. That helps us to truly utilize

those skills and learn them in a way that abolishes our fear of trying new things.

When I entered the program in the 9th grade I was much more shy and reserved. As I became a part of the strong community of theatre artists, I began to discover who I truly am. That discovery gave me the confidence to pursue things I wanted. Whether it was a role or a particular college acceptance letter; I now have the confidence and the skills to go after those things.

My WFHS theatre family…Amy Leopold, Class of 2014 My West Fargo High School theatre family is one that is constantly changing, yet always stays the same. It is made up of a group of individuals who all have unique talents and personalities that they bring to the stage.

Through participating in the productions put on by the talented individuals of this school, I’ve bonded with so many new people that I may not have even met had I not

gotten involved. Those people have become my dearest friends who I can laugh and cry with. We may not always get along, but every family has its hardships that they must endure. However, like all families, we get through it with help from each other.

My theatre family never ceases to amaze me. They provide guidance and teach valuable life lessons. It’s a network of wonderful people whom I can depend on for whatever I may need, and because of that, I will forever be a part of the drama geek family.

Not just a show…Abbey Immer, Alumna, Class of 2011 I hesitate to call WFHS productions just a “show” because that particular word doesn’t bring enough justice to the bond the cast, crew, orchestra, and faculty create through their hard work.

For four life-changing years, I dedicated my time and efforts to the productions and

would tell anyone that it was well worth it. I learned more skills, creativity, and general self-confidence as a result of the WFHS theatre productions. Now, because of WFHS Theatre and the guidance of mentors like director Adam Pankow, choreographer Carrie Hubbard and music directors Karen Morrison and Sue Jordahl, I am choosing to dedicate my life’s career to the same art.

A thing of dedication…Lucas Stillwell, Class of 2012 Theatre is a thing of dedication. Up to a hundred individuals spend countless hours after school and weekends preparing for each show. So much time is spent with the other people working on the show, that as cliché as it may sound, we all really do become a family. We work hard together, we have fun together, and when tragic things happen, we

pick each other up again. The wizard behind it all is our director, Adam Pankow. Sometimes, things come down to the last minute, and it would seem that it’s our goal to get Mr. Pankow to pull out all his hair, but he always pulls us through. He once promised that he would never let us go on stage and be anything less than amazing. He’s been good to his word so far.

Photos by Michael Benedict

Watch in wonder.

James Sewell Ballet with the Arsenal Trio “…different and unpredictable, this is the company to see.”

–The New York Times One of James Sewell’s major opuses is choreography set to Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio. This time, the dance company performs the great work with violinist Ben Sung, pianist Jihye Chang, and cellist Hrant Parsamian. Besides the Mendelssohn, the evening will include new choreography by Sewell, also set to music performed by the Arsenal Trio. Don’t miss this masterful collaboration!

March 3, 7:30 p.m., Hansen Theatre Tickets available now! Purchase online at

www.mnstate.edu/perform or call the MSUM Box Office at (218) 477-2271 M-F from noon to 4 p.m.

Hansen Theatre is located in MSUM’s Roland Dille Center for the Arts.

Powerful performances right here.

Minnesota State University Moorhead is an equal opportunity educator and employer and is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

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Theatre B goes cold in February with

Frozen

By Janet Haak t’s in the news again. The unthinkable. Right beside us, in the office, in the neighborhood, in the locker room. A normal guy we worked with and trusted turns out to be a monster. And we are paralyzed by the betrayal, disgusted with the allegations, and shocked by the people who suspected and did nothing.

Why do people do such terrible things? How do we protect the most vulnerable? Is justice even possible?

Theatre B has chosen a play that examines how unspeakable acts stop people in their tracks and change the terrain so completely that no reaction can be considered “what is expected.” Just as our winter climate is bitter and unforgiving, “frozen” becomes an internal condition from which there is no protection, no refuge. The terrible events that launch the play leave the internal landscapes of the characters locked in ice, immobile and in pain.

How does someone move on from unspeakable loss? How do we remember, forget, forgive the incomprehensible? How can we react when remorse is not on the table? Frozen doesn’t end with the horrific crime; it starts there, allowing the playwright, Bryony Lavery, to delve more into the characters than plot. Director Jennifer Thomas notes that the play focuses on the “three broken people who intersect. It’s a collision of emotions for the actors and the audience.”

A mother, a criminal and an academic all work to process the changes in their lives after being brought together by the unfathomable: a little girl who does not come home. Thomas wrote her dissertation on Lavery and loves the skill with which the playwright “can insert humor into the most heart-wrenching moments. There are times when audiences

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might find it hard to laugh during discussion of certain topics, but this script works to break that down.”

Serial killings and pedophilia are not the stuff of which humor is generally made, but Lavery’s Frozen mines these subjects as the basis for her wrenching, poignant, and yes, humorous look at three deeply drawn and engaging characters. Each frozen into their own unique anguish, the characters encounter their pasts and each other as they travel from the darkest of places into some kind of present resolution.

Using a combination of monologues and interactive scenes, the characters reveal themselves and others in recounting situations, learning new information, and coming to terms with themselves. These scenes can be harrowing, angering and dryly humorous, often at the same time. Thomas believes this is “a great show for Theatre B’s space — it’s tiny, and there’s no escaping the language or the connection for the actors and the audience to experience together.”

Though the secondary plot of the crimes against children is jarring, the primary plot of the emotional journeys of the characters will engage and challenge audiences. And, as always, the hope is that people will leave the theatre discussing how we address our most difficult and troubling questions.

Performances will run from Feb. 2-25. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. starting the second weekend of the run. Tickets are available by calling 701-729-8880, or by going online to theatreb.org and clicking on “Box Office.” Tickets go on sale two weeks before the show opens for the general public, and three weeks before the show opens for members.

Register for Moorhead Community Education spring classes Submitted by Moorhead Area Public Schools he new Moorhead Community Education spring catalog will be available Jan. 3.

The catalog will include arts and music courses as well as cooking, crafts, computer, recreation, dance, early childhood classes and more. The starting dates of classes vary.

A new opportunity this spring is the Food Crawl on March 24. Participants will have an opportunity to tour the area and sample locally grown food.

Art and music courses this spring will include Collage Art taught by artist Donna Chalimonczyk, Outdoor Mosaic Sculpture taught by artist Magda Szeitz, painting and

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drawing classes taught by artist and art educator Carrie Savageau, and Pottery: Wheel Throwing and Hand Building by artist Rene Fuglestad. Other courses taught by local artists, art teachers and arts enthusiasts include Calligraphy, Beginning Harmonica, Beginning Guitar, Fiddling for Fun and more. If you’d like to offer an arts opportunity for the community in a future catalog, contact Lauri Winterfeldt at 284-3400.

Moorhead residents and past participants receive a catalog in the mail. To request a free catalog or to register for a class, call Community Education at 218-284-3400 or go online at https://communityed.moorhead.k12.mn.us.

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If you go

Artists create recycled art to support

Habitat for Humanity

By Laura Stoneburner ake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity (LAHFH) is giving the community something to look forward to this February.

“That time of year can be rather dreary,” said Shelby Cochran, a ReStore employee through the VISTA program. “This event is anything but! Enjoy a classy evening out with art, food, wine, and the contentment of contributing to an excellent cause.”

“Home is Where the Art Is” is a recycled art show and auction to be held Feb. 4. Local artists are given a $50 voucher to Lake Agassiz Habitat ReStore in Moorhead to create a piece of art from materials purchased at the home improvement thrift store. Items are then displayed at the Spirit Room for three weeks and auctioned off at the Feb. 4 event.

“The ReStore is already well-known for being a great place for

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bargain-hunters and do-it-yourselfers,” Cochran said. “This is an opportunity to share the hidden treasures that can be recycled into a work of beauty.”

According to Cochran, $6,000 was raised at last year’s event – money that went back into supporting LAHFH’s efforts to build affordable housing in partnership with those in need in Cass and Clay counties.

Last year Grady Carlson of Pinetar Studio earned the highest bid for his artwork. He will be entering a few smaller pieces this year.

“My favorite part is going to the ReStore to pick out materials.

It’s exciting to view the items while dreaming about their possibilities,” Carlson said. “I’m glad I can assist the ReStore and Habitat by creating artwork. I have a passion for creating, and this is a very unique exhibit that I enjoy taking part in.”

When

Saturday, Feb. 4 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

(Auction ends at 8:30 p.m.)

Where

The Spirit Room, 111 Broadway, Fargo

Tickets

$15 at Habitat ReStore, 210 11th St. N., Moorhead, Fargostuff.com and the Spirit Room starting Jan. 2 or $20 at the door.

Must be 21 or older to attend.

For more info contact shelby@lakeagassizhabitat.org or visit lakeagassizhabitat.org/ news/specialevents.html.

TAP’s Primary Partners 2011 Acappella Xpress, Inc. Ann Arbor Miller* Andrea Baumgardner* Angels of the Muse Art Connection Bachmeier Pottery Barbara Benda Nagle* Concordia College Creative Arts Studio—Fargo Public Schools Density Over Duration Productions* Downtown Community Partnership ecce art + yoga Eric A. Johnson* Fargo Park District Fargo Theatre Fine Arts Club F-M Area Music Club F-M Area Youth Symphonies F-M Ballet F-M Chamber Chorale

The Stage at Island Park F-M Drum & Bugle Corps.

F-M Master Chorale, Inc. F-M Opera F-M Symphony Orchestra F-M Visual Artists FM Convention & Visitors Bureau FM Golden Notes New Horizons Band Friends of the Fargo Public Library Gallery 4, Ltd.* Givinity Press* Gooseberry Park Players Great Plains Harmony Harwood Prairie Playhouse Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County Hotel Donaldson House of Mulciber Inspire Dance & Wellness Jamie Parsley* Jill Kandel*

12th ANNUAL

FA R G O F i l m

F e s t i v a l

MARCH 6 – 10, 2012 • Fabulous movies from around the world • Special Guests • Parties... and much, much more!

FARGO THEATRE

•

FargoFilmFestival.com

Kathryn Luther* KCCM, Minnesota Public Radio Lake Agassiz Concert Band Lake Agassiz Girls Choir Learning Bank Lepire Academy of Theatre Exploration* Marbakka Studios Michael J. Strand* Moorhead Area Public Schools Moorhead Parks & Recreation MSUM College of Arts & Humanities Music Theatre F-M New Rivers Press* Nordic Arts Alliance* Nordic Culture Clubs North Dakota State University Northern Plains Botanic Garden Society Penny & Pals/Kid Core Plains Art Museum Prairie Public Broadcasting

Quilters’ Guild of ND Red River Boy Choir Red River Dance & Performing Company Red River Watercolor Society Rourke Art Gallery & Museum Sherbanoo Aziz* Spirit Room Studio e* Susie Ekberg Risher* Tangerine Life* The Jass Festival* The Listening Room* Theatre B Tin Roof Theatre Company Trollwood Performing Arts School West Fargo Public Schools Willi Nilli *Denotes new Partner since July 1, 2010

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love and hunger: Continued

from page 1

Photos by Denise Knudson

Two more plates of food are constructed to create a food experience.

Chocolate Truffles with Smoked Sea Salt

We’re hardwired for certain foods. Fats and sugars are pleasurable to us because they are able to be converted to energy quickly, though modern day fine dining is a far cry from scavenging and gorging on them to flee from predators. Even so, are we also wired for cloth napkins and mood lighting?

What drives us to seek out places that fulfill our need for pleasure beyond sustenance? Why does it mean so much to eat something local, handmade, or something we’ve never tried before?

Maybe because of the way good crusty bread sops up tangy fresh olive oil straight from the Mediterranean. The ecstatic flavor of rich pumpkin tart mixed with a drizzle of caramel sauce cooked with fresh ginger dances on your tongue. The taste of duck fat potatoes swims around in your mouth, which will linger on your tongue only until it’s replaced by heavenly mint ice cream, and the sting of a slightly sour blackberry combined with slightly dense angel food cake that, somehow, feels divine.

In myths, the gods do not eat the food of ordinary mortals. But for humans, food is undeniably real. We consume it because we love ourselves. We offer it to those we love. Every culture threads itself around this love-act of eating, whether alone or with others. It is when food is bound to time that more distance is placed between us and the pleasure involved in eating.

So much of everyday eating is rehearsed; we sit down and eat, too often quickly, not always thinking about what we’re putting into our bodies. But eating is about far more than simply taking in enough calories to sustain life. According to Fischer, “You eat with your eyes first. You eat with every single sense, of which taste is last. At the end of the day, it feeds you.”

A good dining experience can transform the rehearsed nature of our eating habits and bring us back to our senses, literally. We remember what it means to be human.

We have a “natural instinct to connect through food,” Fischer said.

“In the beginning and the end it ends up that way we find a connection through the earth and then back to the people,” he said.

But it’s also how we connect with others. “Food is for people to share together,” said Tom Olson, the Radisson’s executive chef. “It’s the food, but it’s also the mind frame of the person eating.

Eating affects our emotions.”

Plus, “Food is sexy,” Olson said, “from preparation to the plate.”

It’s this emotional connection that takes us back to the room full of strangers. We want to go to a restaurant to get what, for the most part, we cannot get at home. Like in a movie, we want life to be transformed for an hour or two, to have everything we could desire set in front of us and then carried away as soon as we’re finished. Romantically, perhaps we find when sitting in a place with people we don’t know, we’re more together because it feels as if we’re someplace different, alone.

As Fischer puts it of his HoDo guests: “They’re not coming here for dinner. They’re going to come here to have an experience.”

While many of my questions have simply dissolved back into that mysterious broth surrounding food and what it means, perhaps most of the pleasure comes from being conscious about what it means to eat. Or, as Fischer puts it, “There’s no substitute for a great tomato. There’s no substitute for a great life.”

In the end, good food comes down to connections we can regularly make through eating meal after meal, like a root quietly taking up water. Hands brushing fresh dirt off a potato, pulling up a fish, chopping fresh dill, braising a chicken breast, whipping fresh cream, serving, to finally holding a fork, perhaps pausing to touch the hands across from them.

Ingredients

Preparation Instructions

8 ounces, weight (up to 9 oz.) Good Semisweet Chocolate

Heat dark chocolates and condensed milk in a double boiler over medium low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir — mixture will have a slight marshmallow texture. Stir in vanilla.

Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate for two hours.

8 ounces, weight (up to 9 oz.) Good Bitter Sweet Chocolate 1 can (14 Oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract 8 ounces, weight Meltable Milk Chocolate Smoked Sea Salt

Once chilled, roll in balls, then roll in melted milk chocolate coating. Sprinkle with sea salt or other fine, coarse sprinkles.

TAP’s Advocate Partners 2011 Andrew & Miriam Mara Bernie’s Wines & Spirits Beth Fortier Bonnie Bowman Burton & Patricia Belknap Catalyst Medical Center Carol L. Stoudt

Caroll & Jo Engelhardt City of Fargo City of Moorhead City of West Fargo Dayna Del Val & Andrew Marry Eric & Anna Runestad Erin Koffler

Gene Okerlund Green Market Catering Helen & Charles Grommesh Insight to Action, LLC Dr. & Mrs. James McCulley Microsoft Nem Schlecht

Ottertail Power Corp.

Roger Minch Sam & Coralie Wai Susan Spingler Virginia Dambach West Acres Development, LLP West Acres Merchant Association

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art on the plains xi: Continued

from page 1

Jamie Burmeister, The Music Within My Head, 2011 interactive video installation: televisions, ladder, rocker, videos, electronics, 6¹x 4¹ x 7¹ ft.

Is there a general consensus you see to the work chosen by the Hesse McGraw? Any preference toward any particular style?

Johnston: The work is very current and reflects the breadth of contemporary art being practiced by artists in the United States today. Works of art include the traditional painting, prints, ceramics, drawings, and quite a bit of photography, but the exhibition also includes video and installation work that really challenges the viewers opinion of ‘what is art today?’ The sculpture and installation work is amazing and even the more traditional mediums — such as painting, drawing and photography — have a very contemporary feel. I think people will be surprised at the issues and humor in the work while also being challenged visually to unpack what the artists are trying to say.

assembled for the 11th time by the museum, will celebrate the many artistic voices that call the Upper Midwest home and – hopefully – take a step forward in the increasingly difficult task of defining Midwestern art.

For a brief overview of the exhibition, opening Jan. 28, we turned to Plains Art Museum curator Megan Johnston.

Can you give a broad characterization of the show? Do you see any relations between work from a given state or geographical area?

Johnston: The show includes works from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Nebraska. The juror, Hesse McGraw [of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Neb.), selected an amazing show. There is a clear curatorial intention and aesthetic. The work he selected definitely has a modern thrust with what I would call a local twist or perspective. Artists today are working in ways that embrace both the notion of local as well as ideas and issues that are regional and global in viewpoint. I think Hesse has selected work that reflects both a perception of what we think is ‘art of the plains’ as well as the idiosyncrasies of everyday life.

What does this body of work tell us about art being made in the Midwest?

Johnston: I think the AOP XI tells us that good work is made anywhere today. The center of the art work is not New York, London or Berlin. It’s not Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles or Houston. It’s right here and right now.

Good contemporary practice looks at issues that are relevant today, because artists are among us — they are people, too.

Artists are continually responding to the current social, political and economic concerns that we all are facing and using that to visually express their responses. I think that’s something that really draws this exhibition together.

Any standout works that you care to discuss?

Johnston: I really like all of the work — seriously! I think there are some notable local artists who really stand out and have engaging work. It’s a really strong show, with great contemporary practice being reflected.

THE BOOM: 1945 - 1960 in Clay County

Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 27, 4 - 6 p.m.

Hjemkomst Center Free and open to the public.

The Atomic Age! The Fabulous Fifties!

These years are sometimes called “the Quiet Years,” but they transformed America into the country we live in today.

Feb. 4 through

March 26

2012

The sheARTS Project:

Art Hats for Breast Cancer Awareness

Floral in Red & Purple Ruth R. Morton Moorhead MN Cotton Blend, 2007 Future Cancer Patient Gift Photo by Meg Luther Lindholm

EXPLORING NOW: 365 Days to 50 Photos Chronicling the Art of Living in the Moment 125/365 by Claudia M. Pratt From www.cmp365daysto50.wordpress.com Sparklers and fireworks! We’ve started this tradition of a bonfire and fireworks around and near the 4th and that has been fun. It’s always fun to watch the fire and fireworks dance in the dark.

202 1st Ave. N, Moorhead | 218.299.5511 | www.hcscconline.org

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The Arts Partnership

celebrates the holidays

By Dayna Del Val n Dec. 7, The Arts Partnership held its annual Holiday Partner Party at ecce art + yoga. With a gourmet breakfast by Green Market, individual coffee drinks by Atomic Coffee, and music by Sarah Morrau and Rebecca DeVries, it was a beautiful morning to be part of The Arts Partnership.

The Arts Partnership launched the new logo to more than 80 guests who took home reusable The Arts Partnership shopping bags generously sponsored by West Acres and its Regional Showcase program.

This party is open to all Primary (individual artists, arts organizations and arts-related businesses) and Advocate (individuals and businesses) Partners, so please join TAP today at any level and wait for your invitation to arrive in the mail sometime next November. Planning has already begun for that event, and you won’t want to miss it!

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Pretty decorations, good food, and lots of conversation made for a great Holiday Partner Party.

Jim Bolluyt and Ellen Shafer (pictured below), of Shafer PR, designed the new logo, which we launched at the party.

Photos by Tamara Weets

The Arts Partnership directly supports the organizations and programming that you have been reading about in this issue of ARTSpulse through re-granting. You can help support all the arts in the metro area by becoming an Arts Advocate Partner at any level. Join us today!

Name_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Email_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 $10

 $25

 $50

 Other $______________

Please mail to: The Arts Partnership, 1104 2nd Ave. S., Suite 315, Fargo, ND 58103, 701.237.6133 TheArtsPartnership.net • CulturePulse.org • admin@theartspartnership.net cultivating the arts in our community

After the performance, meet your friends for dessert and a

glass of wine.

Serving fine European-style desserts, cheesecakes, layer cakes, tarts, cookies, bars, cocoa truffles and gelato.

Eat in or take away soups, salads and sandwiches, quiche, muffins and scones, espresso, tea and sodas.

Located in historic downtown Fargo since 2003.

13 S 8th St • Fargo ND Tue-Wed 8 am-6 pm Thu-Sat 8 am-10 pm Closed Sun & Mon • 701-232-6430 menus online nicholesfinepastry.com

The Arts Partnership’s Board of Directors Carol Schlossman, Chair

Ellen Shafer

Brad Bachmeier, Vice-Chair

Erin Koffler

Beth Fortier, Treasurer

James Ferragut

Mark Weiler, Secretary

Michael J. Strand

Eric Runestad, Past-Chair

Nicole Crutchfield

Andrew Mara

Shelly Hurt-Geist

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WILLI NILLI Susanne Williams

Winner of the 2010 and 2011 NICHE Awards for Fiber: Surface Design Juried into all 2012 American Craft Council Shows Available at Ecce Art Gallery, 216 Broadway, Fargo

Baltimore Atlanta

St. Paul San Francisco