Art Be At Sculpture Trail seeking entries, sponsors

The Armory Arts & Events Center is opening its doors to more community events.

The Armory’s open mic nights have brought many Park Rapids residents, new and old, together to celebrate the creative talents of our community.

The open mics are open to the public and free of charge. Held the third Thursday of January through May, plans are to pick them up again after the summer. Beer and wine are available from local businesses Revel Brewing and Wine Not?

The open mic nights give local performers a chance to practice new material or play old favorites and connect with the audience in the Armory’s main event space. The board has been thrilled to see how excited community members have been to perform.

January’s open mic was the third and had a full set of performers playing instruments from guitar to harp and ukulele, and an attendance of over 120 people.

The Armory is also expanding event offerings for the community. On March 23, the Armory Arts & Events Center will be hosting a concert of Corey Medina and Brothers for a night of great music and great times.

Corey Medina and Brothers are a blues-rock band that has performed many times around the area, and in 2022 released their sophomore studio album SOAK. For those of you who love to come together over live music, this will be the event for you.

Tickets can be purchased in advance through the Armory website at parkrapidsarmory.org for $15, or can be purchased at the door for $20. We’re very excited to begin offering more events like this in the future, so keep an eye out for more information and thank all of our generous sponsors. Recently, the Armory also had its very first art workshop, thanks to generous grants from the Region 2 Arts Council and the Park Rapids Area Community Fund. The workshop was a series of three sessions on a variety of printmaking techniques taught by Studio 176’s Dawn Rossbach. There will be one more workshop on March 11.

The workshops provide local artists, both established and aspiring, a way to grow their artistic talents and learn new techniques to add to their creative toolkit. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

The Armory still has a lot of room to grow, and is always looking for community input on the sorts of events you would like to see happening. Expanding programming also increases the need for community support. If you’d like to volunteer and help contribute to the Armory’s future, please email jkjenaas@parkrapidsarmory.org.

The City Arts and Culture Advisory Commission is currently accepting sculpture entries and seeking sponsors for the Park Rapids Sculpture Trail.

The commission also reminds the sculptures now on display are available for purchase when they are removed this spring.

The Park Rapids Sculpture Trail project was initiated in 2018 in Red Bridge Park, providing a beautiful setting on the Fish Hook River. In 2019, the Sculpture Trail expanded to two locations in downtown Park Rapids, with more downtown sites added every year. The sculptures change annually to expose visitors at both locations to new works.

Sculpture entries are now open with a deadline of March 29. Artists will be notified of selection committee results by April 7 and will have until May 19 to install their works. Artists receive a $500 honorarium when their sculptures have been installed and paperwork is completed.

The entry form is available at www.heartlandarts.org/pages/ sculpture-trail/sculpture-trail.php, by calling city hall at 218-732-3163 or by emailing luann47@ gmail.com.

An opening and artist-guided walk of the new installations are planned Saturday, May 20.

The Park Rapids Sculpture Trail will be refreshed this spring with entries and sponsors invited for locations in Red Bridge Park and Downtown Park Rapids. On a chilly opening day in 2022, visitors learned about the Salvage Depot’s “Candy Crane” sculpture, located in Red Bridge Park. “Candy Crane” won the first People’s Choice Award when votes were counted last fall.

Sponsors for each new sculpture also are being sought and will be recognized with signage, in a brochure and on the website.

The number of sculptures selected will be determined by the number of sponsors who commit. Payment of $550 will be due March 15. Sponsors also may contact city hall for more information.

The public is reminded that the 14 sculptures they’ve seen and enjoyed since last spring are for sale. Information with artist contact information, sculpture materials and cost of each piece can be found under sculpture artist summaries at www.

Hubbard County DAC expands arts learning activities

Grants from the Region 2 Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts board have allowed Hubbard County DAC artists to work with local artists to learn new skills and create art.

These grants will also help keep HCDAC artists busy this summer as they open a new art studio that will allow them to increase their printmaking programming and add ceramics to their art curriculum.

Local artists and photographer Laura Grisamore shared her talents and worked with participants to demonstrate using lines, shapes, textures and patterns to create dynamic black and white photographs.

Artist Jill Odegaard will return to Park Rapids in April to continue demonstrating the paper arts. This workshop will explore image making by using a “poured pulp” technique. Images can be designed based on a common theme or individual interests.

During this process, pulp is poured into a frame and collaged elements are incorporated into the wet pulp. After the pulp dries on the screen, it is removed from the frame and more collage work, drawing and/or painting may be incorporated.

Plans are being made to open the workshop to some members of the community.

Hannah Spry will continue to challenge artists to grow their skills in printmaking using new techniques and materials. These classes have proven to provide technical skills and the opportunity to express themselves through art.

All of these classes give individuals a look at how these artistic skills can be turned into potential jobs at local businesses or as a way to make money selling their artistic creations.

The Salvage Depot team has continued to teach new skills, such as woodworking and leather stamping.

HCDAC is excited to announce the Tin Ceiling Gallery opening in May 2023. The Gallery and store will be an extension of HCDAC’s fine arts studio program. The store will provide an opportunity for artists to interact with the community and will feature art and items for sale created by local artists.

The HCDAC’s goal will be to showcase emerging artists of all backgrounds, experience and abilities. Tin Ceiling Gallery will host exhibitions, events and offer classes for development by part- nering with teaching artists and guest curators. All of these 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 and Cultural Heritage Fund. heartlandarts.org/pages/ sculpture-trail/sculpture-trail.php.

One Hubbard County DAC artist made paper and used it as the background for a collage.

The Sculpture Trail project meets three goals and objectives of the city’s Arts and Culture Plan:

► Promoting the creation and inclusion of art in public spaces, making it accessible to all.

► Making the city a regional destination for unique arts and cultural experiences. It can be expected that art in an unexpected location will convey to park visitors and trail users that Park Rapids has much to offer as an arts community.

► Adding an element of creative placemaking as an approach to improving quality of life and economic opportunity.

HigH notes

Poetry, short stories wanted

Submit poetry and short stories to The Talking Stick, an annual Minnesota anthology. Deadline is Wednesday, March 15. We have a new Creative Twist this yeara fourth genre with special words to use in submissions. See guidelines on our website: www.jackpinewriters.com.

Submit a button design

The Park Rapids Downtown Business Association (PRDBA) is sponsoring a 2nd Street Stage button design contest with a $250 cash prize to the winner. Draw your design within a 4-inch circle. Designs must include “2023,” “2nd St Stage” and “Park Rapids, MN.” They may be full color or black and white with color accents. Designs may be submitted on paper to the Park Rapids Downtown Business Association, P.O. Box 142, Park Rapids, MN 56470 or digitally as a pdf or jpg e-mailed to luann47@gmail. com. Submissions must be received by noon Wednesday, March 15.