Art Beat
Fall 2020
Quarterly Regional Guide
Guest artists share talents with DAC clients Hubbard County Developmental Achievement Center (DAC) clients are busy working with guest artists to create beautiful art. The activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Clients have been having art lessons with Erin Nelson twice per week at the DAC learning about famous artists. Erin spent 23 years as an elementary teacher in Grand Forks and 10 years instructing and chairing the visual arts program for East Grand Forks Senior High before retiring in 2014. She is also a very talented artist who has been influenced by pop artists and abstract expressionists to create acrylic and mixed media landscapes and whimsical paintings of farmyard animals and “up north furry and feathered friends.” In her Van Gogh lesson, she encouraged the DAC artists to paint their own version of Van Gogh’s sunflowers. Erin has really brought out the talents of the artists and the finished paintings are amazing. The collection will be hanging at CHI St. Joseph’s Dental Clinic. “We are always very excited to share art with the
community,” said Laura Johnson, Hubbard County DAC executive director. In July, Erin had a circus theme that included learning about Alexander Calder and George Rouault. The classes included line drawings, sculpture and collage. In August, Erin worked with DAC artists to paint a mural on the Salvage Depot Building. In August, clients also had the opportunity to work with artist Jill Odegaard and learn papermaking skills. Jill has a master’s in fine arts and is a professor of art at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA. She has worked with other projects here in Park Rapids through the Nemeth Art Center, including papermaking workshops and the Woven Welcome project for the Governor’s Fishing Opener in May 2013. The focus of this summer’s workshop was to immerse participants in a sustainable art process by repurposing the paper shredded at the DAC. Participants transformed the material into pulp and used it to create paper. Jill also demonstrated how to add other materials to the pulp to create 2D multimedia images that can be used as wall art, notecards or bound into books. “It was an amazing couple of days out in beautiful Minnesota making art,” Johnson said.
Erin Nelson worked with DAC clients to create circusthemed artworks.
Art Leap postponed, but find artists online Like dominoes falling, Art Leap became another in a series of arts projects to topple this season. In early August, Heartland Arts made the decision to cancel as case counts were rising. No one wants to cause even one person to be exposed to COVID-19 because of an event Heartland Arts sponsors. It was a hard decision, but better than regret. In lieu of a driving tour, the plan is to post information on the Heartland Arts website about the artists who had committed to participating this year along with their websites, Facebook pages or other contact information. It is expected this can be accomplished by the end of August.
If you were planning to do Art Leap this year, please go to the site, “visit” the artists and support them. With many shows cancelled this year, some artists need our support more than ever. When they learned of the decision, artists were gracious in their comments. Musician Kari Grace stated it well: “I’m sorry about the tough choices but agree they’re for the greater good of the community. I have hope there will be a better and exciting explosion of arts and need for them in the near future.” The Heartland Arts website is heartlandarts.org.
Connect with Classic Chorale on Facebook The Park Rapids Classic Chorale hopes this edition of Art Beat finds you all well. Due to the ongoing concerns regarding everyone’s safety and reducing the spread of COVID-19, the chorale’s winter session has been put on hold. “We are saddened to not be able to produce our annual Christmas Concert, a tradition many families have come to expect,” said Jordan Goodwater, chorale publicist.
“The good news is, that while we are navigating these difficult times, we are working to stay connected as a chorus and with all of you. The board continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and consider how to move forward when the time is right to safely deliver the quality programming you have experienced from us for the last 30 years,” he added. Until singers and audiences can be together again, please consider following the Classic Chorale on
Heartland Concert Association DON’T WAIT TO BE ASKED. JOIN NOW!
Facebook - @PRClassicChorale. Some past videos and historical items from the archives will be posted. Above all, remember that arts organizations and artists need your support now more than ever! Thank you for your continued support. The Classic Chorale looks forward to making music for you in the near future!
HEARTLAND CONCERT SERIES FOR 2020-21 SEASON IS CANCELLED Due to COVID-19, many postponements and the uncertainty of restrictions for gatherings, plus the unknown venue restrictions, the Heartland Concert Association Board of Directors had to make the difficult decision to CANCEL the 2020-21 concert series. We apologize, but the health of our audience and artists is our top priority. We look forward to seeing you in 2021-22!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.heartlandconcertassociation.org This activity is funded in whole or in part by a Region 2 Arts Council Grant through an appropriation by the MN Legislature, and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund passed by MN voters on Nov. 4, 2008
