Art Hounds

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Puppetry meets scienceMusician Greg Herriges of Minneapolis recommends a date night or family trip to see Z Puppets Rosenschnoz’s performance of “Cellula.” The show combines blacklight puppetry and live a capella music by improv vocalists Mankwe Ndosi and Libby Turner, zooming in on a story that takes place at the cellular level.Performances take place at Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis. Showtimes are Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The show is recommended for ages 5 and up. Microscope activity stations will be available 30 minutes before each show.Greg says: It takes the world that you might see in a microscope and brings it to glow-in-the-dark life. It is educational, mesmerizing, funny. The live music by Mankwe and Libby is somewhat improv-based, I believe, but it also includes intertwined melodies and sound effects to create just beautiful soundscape to this great fusion of art and science.— Greg HerrigesA haunted Winona theater showWriter and playwright Kathleen Kenney Peterson of Winona plans to get into the Halloween spirit by attending “Mallory’s Ghost,” an original ghost story and murder mystery set in a haunted theater. The play involves three heiresses and a ghost with something to say.It’s written and produced by Margaret Shaw Johnson of Winona, who has written several plays and a book inspired by local hauntings. The show runs Friday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 2. Tickets are available through the Great River Shakespeare Festival.Kenney Peterson is also excited about the venue.Kathleen says: The Historic Masonic Theatre here in Winona has been closed for two years for renovations, and this play will be the first opportunity the public has to be in the building for over two years!— Kathleen Kenney PetersonPolka, anyone?Folk musician Sarah Larsson of Minneapolis plans to see the Upper Midwest Folk Fiddlers perform at Tapestry Folkdance Center in Minneapolis, Thursday at 7 p.m. Expect to hear — and dance to, if you choose — polkas, schottisches, waltzes and other traditional tunes.Sarah says: I think maybe a lot of people know about folk music from Appalachia or from the American South. But turns out, of course, here in the Upper Midwest — Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas — there's folk music, too, that comes from the early 20th century and the middle of the 19th century. What this group considers folk music from this region is all the music of different immigrants from Europe during that era, as well as Indigenous communities.— Sarah Larsson

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Mental health and community expression in MorrisMissy Polster, a former healthcare worker connected to the 210 Gallery in Sandstone, is passionate about art that intersects with social justice. She highlights “Waiting for Beds,” a powerful exhibition featuring artists Moira Villiard and Carla Hamilton, alongside submissions from community members. It’s on view at the Morrison Gallery at the University of Minnesota Morris through Nov. 25.Missy says: It's beautiful, it's moving and it does make you think, which is how I hope everybody wants art to be.— Missy PolsterA literary road trip through Minnesota’s complexityChris Vondracek, a journalist for the Star Tribune currently based in Washington, D.C., recommends “Greater Minnesota: Exploring the Land of Sky-Blue Waters” by author Patrick Hicks. Hicks, who teaches at Augustana University, takes readers across the state in a travelogue rich with regional nuance.Hicks will speak and read from his book at St. John’s University in Collegeville Thursday at 7 p.m.Chris says: I came away from it feeling just this absolute sense of how large and how boisterous and how impossibly contradictory sometimes Minnesota can be.— Chris VondracekGrieving through color and text in St. CloudOlivia Norquist is the marketing and programming coordinator at the Grand Center for Arts and Culture in New Ulm. She recommends “Letters to the Void,” a solo exhibition by Eric Twait at the Paramount Center for the Arts in St. Cloud, running through November.Twait will be present at an artist reception on Friday, Oct. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Gallery C.The show is a deeply personal exploration of grief following the loss of Twait’s' wife, Maria. Olivia says: At our gallery, we actually had someone who left in tears after seeing the paintings.— Olivia Norquist

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.A storytelling road trip from Grand Marais to WinonaRose Arrowsmith is a storyteller and children’s book writer from Grand Marais, and for the second year in a row, she’s making the six-hour drive to Winona to attend the Sandbar Storytelling Festival. The festival, held on Friday and Saturday, features seven storytellers from around the country, including local talent, offering a series of storytelling events at the Page Theatre.There are also free events Friday through Sunday at the Historic Mason Theater, the Winona Public Library and two Winona churches. Find the schedule here.Rose describes the transportive nature of storytelling: This is oral storytelling, so oftentimes it's going to be one person up on stage, and they might be telling a story from their own life. They might be telling a folktale or a myth or some combination thereof. Some people are really theatrical storytellers and do voices and a lot of physicality. And some people, it feels like you're in a really intimate conversation until you realize you're lost in a story.Rose is particularly excited to see Elizabeth Ellis, whom the NEA named an American Masterpiece Touring Artist.Rose says: If you're in the storytelling world, you've known her name for forever. She doesn't really travel anymore, but she tells these traditional stories from her experience in Appalachia.— Rose ArrowsmithA play about care, connection and humanityTwin Cities theater-maker Shanan Custer is looking forward to seeing Martyna Majok’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Cost of Living” staged by Full Circle Theater.The show runs Oct. 10–18, including accessibility matinees Saturdays at 1 p.m., at 825 Arts in St. Paul. The play lasts an hour and 45 minutes with a 10-minute intermission. Tickets are pay-as-you-are-able.Shanan says: It's an incredible acting show. You really get to know the characters. And the show has two characters [out of four] who have disabilities. And in this particular production, we have two characters who are using wheelchairs. They both require caregiving, but the show isn't about disability. All of the characters are fully realized, and the show is asking us to think about all the ways that we intersect, whether it be how much money we make in a year, or how we're able to move about in the world, or how others perceive us.— Shanan CusterGlamour, vintage, and Prince-inspired fashion on the runwayLeslie Firkins is a wardrobe stylist living in St. Paul, and she’s looking forward to Glam Jam, a vintage fashion show and corresponding clothing market, both held at The Hennepin in Minneapolis. It’s a Prince-inspired event as well as a fundraiser for Hennepin Arts.The high-glam 80’s style fashion show kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday night.Leslie says: The stylist is Richard Anderson. He's a really well-known icon and stylist here in the Twin Cities, and I just can't wait to see what he pulls together.And then on Saturday, there is a vintage market where you can shop a lot of the vendors that provided a lot of the clothes and pieces that we saw in the show the night before.I think it'll be a really good time to be inspired to maybe pick up some vintage to mix and match with your modern clothes.— Leslie Firkins

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Meander through artists’ studios along the upper Minnesota River ValleyMusician Clark Machtemes of Waconia recommends the Meander Art Crawl, a three-day, self-guided tour of artists’ studios across western Minnesota. This year’s event features 42 artists in towns including Ortonville, Appleton, Madison, Milan, Dawson, Montevideo, Granite Falls and Canby.The Meander runs:Friday: 12 – 6 p.m.Saturday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.Sunday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.Machtemes notes that several towns will also host evening musical performances. (Find a map here.)The quiet beauty of the everydayMinneapolis painter Ken Johnson recommends Justin Terlecki’s solo show, “Hidden Place,” on view at Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis through Oct. 11.Ken says: It's a series of nine paintings in oil. They're scenes reproduced from photographs and from his remembered events of places and friends: sleeping, exploring the outdoors, eating — all relatable. He's creating a living history through these subtle artworks. His oils are in muted blues and greens. It's best seen in person because he uses these small brushes, and you can actually see these little brush strokes.— Ken JohnsonKick-start spooky season with Theatre 55’s production of ‘Sweeney Todd’St. Paul’s Heather Foxx says she first discovered Theatre 55 — a Twin Cities theater company featuring actors aged 55 and older — through Art Hounds. After appearing in some of their past productions, she plans to be in the audience for their fall show, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”Heather says: This fall, they’re kicking off the spooky Halloween season with “Sweeney Todd,” filled with beautiful, eerie, haunting melodies, with actors and actresses of 55 and older.— Heather Foxx

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.The Saint John’s Bible ExperienceCalligrapher Maura Lynch of Minneapolis encourages a visit to The St. John’s Bible, a monumental work of sacred calligraphy and art housed on the peaceful campus of St. John’s University.The Bible, which involved significant contributions from Minnesotans, can be viewed year-round both in person and digitally.Maura says: Calligraphy is seen first and read second. When you experience the words in the Bible that have been rendered in a visually and aesthetically beautiful way, it elevates the entire experience.— Maura LynchEdge of the Big Woods Art WanderHutchinson-based potter Betsy Price recommends the Edge of the Big Woods Art Wander in Carver County. The self-guided studio tour runs through a wooded landscape that gives the region its name, and features over 40 artists, including potters, jewelers, painters, woodworkers and more. Visitors can explore studios, watch live demos, and connect with artists.The event runs Friday through Sunday, with stops including the Mocha Monkey where there will be a pottery demo by “Jon the Potter.” Betsy says: It feels like a true wander through art and nature.— Betsy PriceKinship and Clay at Form + Content GalleryMinneapolis arts advocate Becky Smith shares her admiration for “Kinship,” a show at Form + Content Gallery that pairs Chris Cinque’s life-size charcoal portraits of friends from her lesbian and nonbinary community with expressive ceramic vessels by Sharon Jaffe, a radical Jewish feminist artist.The exhibition runs through Oct. 4 in the North Loop of Minneapolis.Becky says: They're celebratory, and they also serve as a real documentation towards resistance and survival of people who are experiencing an oppressed sexual identity.— Becky Smith

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Honoring Marley Kaul’s legacy in book and galleryVisual artist Paula Swenson remembers painter and former Bemidji State University professor Marley Kaul (1939–2021) as a mentor and a creative force in northern Minnesota. Swenson is excited for a new retrospective coffee table book, “Marley Kaul: Paintings,” covering six decades of his work.Book launch events include:Sept. 18, 5–8 p.m. at Open Book in MinneapolisSept. 23, 5–7 p.m. at the Watermark Arts Center in BemidjiSept. 25, 5–7 p.m. at the North Dakota Museum of Art in Grand ForksA corresponding retrospective exhibition of Kaul’s work is also on view at the Talley Gallery at Bemidji State University through Oct. 30.Paula recalls one memorable moment turned painting: My husband and I were over to his house, talking to him, and just at that time, a bird of prey flew under the deck — under Marley. It was just that fast. And later on in that month, we went to visit, and Marley had done a painting of that experience, of the bird flying underneath him, under the deck and out again. — Paula SwensonA call and response: Peter Williams at MCADIndependent curator and art consultant Esther Callahan recommends “Peter Williams: Homegoing — A Call and Response,” on view at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design through Nov. 1.Esther says: The longer you look, the more you will see the depth of connections that are built into the space. For example, there are sight lines in this exhibition that have artists like Russell Hamilton directly communicating with seangarrison that beautifully builds on the narrative that is foregrounded in this exhibition by Peter Williams in memory and remembrance of his passing in 2021. This exhibit itself is rooted in honoring the complex experiences of Black Americans through historical and contemporary narratives with both a really good sense of humor and candid honesty. It’s really important to note that this exhibit is supported by a chorus of 15 Minnesota-based Black artists responding to Williams profoundly human, critical and beautiful work.— Esther CallahanSongs with names take center stageAllison Amy Wedell of St. Paul is Alto 2 Section Leader of the Twin Cities Women's Choir. She’s looking forward to the comedic cabaret “What’s In a Name?” happening for one night only on Sept. 22 at the Hive Collaborative in St. Paul.Allison says: “What’s in a Name?” is the brainchild of local actress and singer Jen Maren and local pianist and teacher, Andrew Fleser, who noticed the impressive and varied array of songs with names for titles and decided we needed to hear as many of them as they could fit into one show! I’m already familiar with Jen Maren’s work, especially in her role as the murderess Marjorie Congdon in “Glensheen” at the History Theatre, but I understand that for the first time, she weaved some original stand-up comedy in among the music.Fleser's gorgeous accompaniment and quiet zingers provide the perfect foil for Maren's raucous charm.— Allison Amy WedellCorrection (Sept. 20, 2025): An earlier version of this story misstated the singer’s name in the comedic cabaret section and the Art Hound’s name. The story has been updated with the correct names.

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Queer Muslim coming-of-age on stageAnita Chikkatur of Minneapolis is an educator and theater enthusiast. She’s excited for Theater Mu’s production of “Maybe You Could Love Me,” a new play by Samah Meghjee.The story follows the evolving friendship between two queer Muslim women across three stages of life — childhood, adolescence and adulthood — all portrayed by the same pair of actors. Directed by Katie Bradley, the play opens Theater Mu’s 2025–26 season.“Maybe You Could Love Me” runs through Sept. 28 at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, with previews beginning today.Anita says: One of the things that I love about Theatre Mu is that it showcases the very diverse experiences of the Asian American communities in the United StatesWe need to kind of understand how diverse Asian Americans are across sort of cultures, nationalities, religion, sexuality, immigration status and so on.— Anita ChikkaturA celebration of children’s literature in Red WingChildren’s book author Peter Pearson of Minneapolis is looking forward to the Minnesota Children’s Book Festival at the Anderson Center in Red Wing.The event gathers a wide range of Minnesota writers and illustrators to speak, sign books, and lead activities for children and families. Attendees can explore the estate's Art Barn, sculpture garden, and grounds.The events has a strong lineup this year, including Art Coulson, Justice Alan Page, Cristina Oxtra, Chris Monroe, Pete Hautman and Molly Beth Griffin.The Minnesota Children’s Book Festival takes place Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Anderson Center in Red Wing.Peter says: It’s just really wonderful. They have a really good lineup this year.Just a lot of really good folks, picture book all the way up to YA stuff. So there’s really something for everyone.— Peter PearsonMusic on every block at Rochester PorchfestKen Simurdiak of Rochester recalls the first time he and his wife stumbled upon Porchfest, a grassroots neighborhood music event in the Kutzky Park area.Local bands perform on porches across the neighborhood while audiences stroll, bike, or bring lawn chairs to enjoy the performances. With four bands playing each hour, attendees can hear a wide variety of styles, including blues, rock and folk.Porchfest takes place Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Rochester’s Kutzky Park neighborhood.Ken remembers: Every hour, four bands would play, all located at different houses. And so we walked around looking for music that we liked, and there’s a variety, everything from blues to rock to folk.And after that, we were hooked, and we have been attending ever since— Ken Simurdiak

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Ojibwe art and teachings at Tettegouche State ParkEric Klepinger, an artist north of Duluth, recommends checking out the monthly artists’ shows and the artist-in-residence work at Tettegouche State Park. Featured in August is prolific Ojibwe artist Sam Zimmerman of Duluth, whose work will be on view until September. His boldly colored work often features animal forms, and Klepinger says these works were inspired by animals he saw at Tettegouche. Zimmerman is also, separately, the Artist-in-Residence at Tettegouche. For this role, he created seven signs, printed on weather-proof aluminum, about the seven Grandfather Teachings of the Ojibwe, which will be installed next spring at the Nature Play Area. See all the artists at Artists-in-Residence programs at State Parks across the state here.  Watercolor artist and naturalist Chris Dillon is the featured artist next month, and there will be an artist’s reception for her Sept. 5. in the Tettegouche Visitor Center starting at 7 p.m.Arab American women’s stories in silk and animationSandra Brick, a teaching artist at the Textile Center, appreciates Hend Al-Mansour's exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. “Mihrabs: Portraits of Arab American Women” is an immersive exhibit of four installations of brightly colored, silk-screened fabric, which are paired with a short animation. Brick appreciates that visitors enter each pillar to experience the objects, sights, and sounds of the lives of four Minnesota women whose heritages trace to Syria, Morocco, Palestine and Saudi Arabia. “You feel like you’re visiting these women,” Brick says. There is an artist talk on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. The exhibit runs through Oct. 26. Punk rock meets Gorky in interdisciplinary theaterActor Kenzi Allen of St. Paul is looking forward to seeing “The Mother: A Punk Rock Musical” next weekend, Sept. 4-7, at Sokol Hall in St. Paul. Inspired by Maxim Gorky’s novel, the show is a collaboration between Luverne Seifert and Darcey Engen of Sod House Theater and Carl Flink of Black Label Movement, featuring music by Annie Enneking of Annie and the Bang Bang.  Allen, who was involved in an early workshop of the show last year, is excited by the way it brings acting, dance and music together.“I think I personally crave a whole lot more work that has this kind of overlap and interdisciplinary focus. So I hope this show kind of shows how much fun and how much vibrancy each of us artists have to give to each other's disciplines,” Allen says.“The show is about a mother and a son who are living in poverty in Russia, and the son gets involved in what becomes the Bolshevik Revolution. The story follows how the mother is also brought into that whole uprising. “I think now is a good time to be telling this story, because we're looking back at history in this time and seeing what has happened in the past and kind of reflecting on have we moved past this, or is it possible for things like this to happen again? The show is being performed in St. Paul, and St. Paul has such a rich, rich history of union workers coming together and fighting against oppression.” 

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Edible creativity at the State FairMorgan Kempton of Minneapolis, who works in education at Hennepin Arts, is a fan of the Creative Activities building at the Minnesota State Fair, which runs through Labor Day.While many flock to the rides or concerts, Kempton is drawn to the detailed displays of baked goods:Morgan: It’s just interesting to see how many different types of pies people can make, and all the designs on the top of the pies can always be so unique and interesting to see.— Morgan KemptonCarved emotion in HopkinsJanet Kilsdonk of Hopkins recommends “… good dog …” an exhibition of wood carvings by artist Fred Cogelow at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. The show runs through Sept. 6. She was captivated by the lifelike quality of the work:Janet says: It actually makes you step back and feel like you’ve stepped into a drawing when it's actually a wood carving.— Janet KilsdonkTransforming stuffed animals with clayCourtney Mault of Minneapolis is looking forward to the Spiralia World’s Clay Critter Workshop, led by artist Ricky at Odd Mart in Minneapolis on Saturday.Participants are invited to bring their own stuffed animals and create colorful masks for them using a variety of materials:Courtney: You’ll be able to totally change the personality of your stuffed animal.— Courtney Mault

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Shakespeare with a twistLuke Fanning of northeast Minneapolis has his eye on Zach Christensen of Jackdonkey Productions, whose staging of “Henry V” is now at Theatre in the Round.Fanning says Christensen has “an uncanny knack for taking something that might be a little bit old and dusty and shaking it up and making it new and fun.”This production promises music, movement and “weird vibes” while still exploring the play’s central themes of war, power and their effects on people. “Henry V” runs through Aug. 18.Luke says: I know I can trust Jackdonkey to add music, movement, weird vibes in a way that I’m gonna lean in instead of zone out.— Luke FanningTim Harding’s shimmering ‘Double Vision’Minneapolis visual artist Carolyn Halliday has followed Tim Harding’s textile work for decades, but his new series “Double Vision” is something entirely different.Harding prints his own photographs on polyester, reprints them at a different scale on organza, then layers, gathers and stitches the fabrics to create a stereopticon-like effect.The result, Halliday says, “moves and shimmers and distorts the view.” The show is on view at Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis through Aug. 30.Carolyn says: It’s really dramatic.— Carolyn HallidayA symphonic ‘Ring’ in BrainerdJustin Lucero, artistic director of Theatre Latté Da, says the Lakes Area Music Festival in Brainerd is preparing its largest-ever orchestra for an ambitious weekend.The festival will present an orchestral program featuring music from “The Lord of the Rings,” a new work by French composer Camille Pépin, and “The Ring: An Orchestral Adventure,” a 70-minute distillation of Wagner’s epic 15-hour cycle.More than 100 musicians will perform on the Gichi-ziibi stage Aug. 16 and 17.Justin says: It’ll be the largest ever orchestra that has been involved with the Lakes Area Music Festival.— Justin Lucero

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.A clown’s farewell at the FringeThe Minnesota Fringe Festival continues through Sunday, Aug. 10, with nearly 100 shows presented in 90-minute intervals at theaters around the Twin Cities.Phillip Schramm, an improviser and theater maker in Minneapolis, particularly recommends seeing “Clown Funeral” at Theatre in the Round in Minneapolis, Saturday at 1 p.m. The show is billed as appropriate for ages 12–15 and up.“The funeral is about Bongo, a clown that has passed away, and there are four other clowns that are there to kind of honor his memory, and it goes the way you would think,” Schramm says. “It's a clown show. So there are bits of physical comedy, of just them assembling the coffin. There's word play. There's one clown that really only speaks through art. Everything you would want in a clowning show is in ‘Clown Funeral.’”One delightful touch, Schramm says, is red clown noses at the entry that audience members can take and wear. Because the theater is in the round, you can see the audience members wearing red clown noses throughout the show.Painting the urgency of climate changeSuzie Marty, gallery curator of Everett & Charlie in Minneapolis, recommends “2°C,” a joint exhibit by painters Drevis Hager of Minneapolis and Mark Granlund of Red Wing that focuses on climate change. The exhibit runs through Saturday, Aug. 9 at the Hamilton Gallery in Minneapolis.Marty called the paintings moving and beautiful, even as they drive home the seriousness of climate change. She pointed toward Granlund’s paintings with unusual materials, including tar, and his surprising pairings, such as a series of portraits of CEOs of oil companies overlaid on landscape paintings.Hager paints representational landscapes as well as abstracts that invoke wildfires and melting ice caps, as in the darkly humored title “Oh Oh, There Goes Greenland.”Mozart under the summer skyChoral singer Beth Gusenius of Minneapolis caught a preview performance of Mixed Precipitation’s summer outdoor opera, this year an adaptation of Mozart’s “1781 Idomeneo, re di Creta (King of Crete).”This abridged version, first staged by the company in 2012, is called “The Return of King Idomeneo.” It blends Mozart’s arias with other musical styles, including doo-wop. Next week, performances will be in Ely (Wed., Aug. 13), Hovland (Aug. 15), Grand Marais (Aug. 16), and Finland (Aug. 17). The run continues through Sept. 14 at outdoor locations across the state. It is free and open to all ages, with a suggested donation.“It's a really fun performance. I think it's one of those that's going to convert people who wouldn't necessarily otherwise go to the opera. They do such an amazing job bringing the story to life,” Gusenius says.

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.‘Hidden Herald’ returns with new audio stories around St. PaulLast year, Jamie Daniels of St. Paul stumbled upon Wonderlust Productions’ mini audio stories, scattered about St. Paul. Season two of “Hidden Herald” kicks off this weekend, with a new batch of five-to-ten-minute audio stories written by Minnesota playwrights and recorded by professional actors. This weekend’s launch includes a scavenger hunt with prizes. Maps with the audio play locations are available starting Thursday at several St. Paul businesses, listed here. To listen — this weekend and beyond — simply scan a QR code printed on a durable decal on the ground.Jamie describes the wonder of discovering a new story: You scan [the QR code], and you are transported into a brief five-to-ten minute audio play that takes place in the place where you're standing. It's kind of like a scavenger hunt all year round, because you can find these stickers all over the place, around Lake Phalan, on Payne Avenue and in downtown St. Paul.Some of the plays are definitely kid-oriented, and some of them are not. Last year, there was one that took place in Mears Park that was a genuine horror story that gave me the chills. Some of the plays have a content warning at the top, if need be.Pro tip: bring some headphones or a portable speaker so you can hear them better.— Jamie DavisFavorites from St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour in one accessible locationCindy Ihlenfeld is a visual artist from Mahtomedi who serves on the board of the Weisman Art Museum, and she recommends seeing “A Culture of Pots” at White Bear Center for the Arts, on view through July 25 in the Ford Family Gallery.She notes that, for those with limited mobility, this exhibit is an accessible way to attend a pottery tourCindy says: “A Culture of Pots” is an exhibition of the artists that are typically part of the St. Croix Valley pottery tour in spring. And there are 68 artists, and I think 218 of their favorite pieces. The most delightful thing about it is that one of the resident artists at the White Bear Center for the Arts has created a display that looks very much like what the artists have in their yards during the pottery tour. It feels very intimate because of the way the structure is built to display the pots.— Cindy IhlenfeldPeople at PlayLou Ferreri, a visual artist from St. Paul, appreciates an exhibit by painter David Amdur entitled “At Play.” The paintings show groups of people enjoying the outdoors. The exhibition is on view at the Hopkins Center for the Arts through Aug. 2.Lou describes the paintings: They're impressionist, but they're also realistic figures. He incorporates sometimes 10, 15 figures in a setting outdoors, and they could be by the ocean, they could be mountain climbing, they could be by a lake or in a park. They are so celebratory, it makes me feel good looking at them.He’s a fabulous colorist: he manages to combine primary colors in natural settings, so that the clothing that the people wear becomes part of the composition, and it brings your eye all around the surface of the picture plane.— Lou FerreriCorrection (July 10, 2025): An earlier version of this story misidentified Jamie Daniels and had incorrect information about “Hidden Herald.” The story has been updated.

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Healing through the sensesMolly Johnston works for Springboard for the Arts in Fergus Falls and is the co-director of DanceBARN Collective in Battle Lake. She got a sneak peek at Naomi RaMona Schliesman’s upcoming exhibit “Heilung Saaám (Healing Medicine)” at the Kaddatz Galleries in Fergus Falls. The exhibit runs July 8 through Aug. 16, with an opening artist reception Thursday, July 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.Molly says: Naomi’s sculptures have always intrigued me with their textures, colors and materials from nature. This particular show excites me because she is examining healing through the senses. The exhibit combines paintings and prints, sound and music and even smells to create an immersive experience, including creating two interactive murals that when they’re finished, they’re going to be placed around the community for everyone to experience. Naomi’s work comes from her journey of healing and also [from] connecting with her German and Blackfeet [and also Blackfoot] heritage.— Molly Johnston‘Blocked View’Erik Jon Olson of Plymouth creates machine-quilted art from plastic waste. Recently, he visited the Visitor Center at French Regional Park in Plymouth to see the work of Beth Dorsey.Her show of abstracts, entitled “Blocked View,” invites the viewer to take a closer look. The work is on view through Aug. 17, with an artist reception on July 31 at 5:30 p.m.Erik says: I like the way she creates mystery and depth in abstract compositions. Her work appears as though you can't see the whole image, and your mind fills in the missing information, not really knowing how much is missing and how much you are making up. It's kind of like looking at something through a fence or privacy screen.— Erik Jon Olson‘Endometriosis: The Musical’KQ Quinn of Minneapolis is a big fan of comedy, and they remember seeing “Endometriosis: The Musical” when it was a Fringe show. Now the full musical is at Theatre in the Round in Minneapolis, and it runs through July 13.The show follows a woman who is trying to climb the corporate ladder but has debilitating pain each month from endometriosis. KQ acknowledges that this hardly sounds like the subject for a comedic musical, but it works:KQ says: They tell this story in such a way that is so funny and relatable, and you’ll see through these amazing songs that when we start talking about our health and consulting with medical providers that we trust life can change and be really, really awesome.It is super fun and lively and also extremely impactful, because we are talking about health and people's experiences with the medical system, and how often, you know, people aren’t believed. Theatre in the Round is like the most beautiful venue for this show, because you can literally look across and see people relating and reacting to all of the content in the show.The songs are, like, truly phenomenal. They’re super catchy. Expect big songs, big chorus numbers, dancing and an amazing band to keep it all rolling.— KQ Quinn

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.‘Of the Earth’ joins the Detroit Lakes trollsFormer arts administrator Taylor Barnes of Jamestown, North Dakota, has a cabin in Detroit Lakes, and she admires the work of Project 412 in engaging the community to create public artworks. Last year, they welcomed Danish artist Thomas Dambo to create a series of large trolls, which remain on view in and around Detroit Lakes. Now, the trolls have company: artist-in-residence Olga Ziemska has created four large sculptures of natural materials, entitled “Of the Earth.” Three of the site-specific sculptures are temporary, but the fourth — a butterfly, currently in the works —will remain at the Ortenstone Gardens & Sculpture Park in Detroit Lakes.Taylor says: I think they had probably 300 volunteers that worked for over 100 hours with her creating the pieces [three of which portray women built at large scale]. One woman is emerging from the earth. Another head is lying on its side, kind of listening. The third one is the woman's head and torso. I particularly like this one, because she's just got this hair that looks as though it's being blown back by a hurricane that's all made out of twigs and branches and sustainable materials.— Taylor BarnesA one-woman musical, for those who waitLux Mortenson of Brooklyn Park is excited for people to see the one-woman musical “Penelope” at the Elision Playhouse in Crystal. It runs June 20–28.Lux says: I’m so thrilled that “Penelope” at Theatre Elision is coming back this month! I was fortunate enough to see it last year, and it was all I could talk about for weeks. Christine Wade is a marvel, a true multi-hyphenate who guides the audience on a tight and beautiful one-act journey through the eyes of Penelope, Odysseus' devoted, incredibly patient wife, as she waits for her husband to return home. Everything comes together to leave the audience spellbound. This is absolutely one NOT to miss this summer.— Lux MortensonNature in natural materials at the ArboretumArt enthusiast Doris Rubenstein of Richfield recommends visiting the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska to check out the new exhibit in the Reedy Gallery in the visitor center.It’s called “Wax, Wire, Wood, and Clay,” and four artists use natural materials to create scenes from nature. It runs through July 28. It's recommended that visitors to the Arboretum book a ticket online in advance; children 15 and under are free with an adult.Doris says: Lynn Sarnoff-Christensen is the driving force behind the exhibition. Lynn is an encaustic artist; she explained it to me as the process of painting with molten beeswax.For this show, she's taken photos of birds’ nests, incorporating them into the picture, along with other media like oils and pastels. Lynn invited three of her friends to join in the challenge of recreating nature with natural materials. Jodi Reeb sculptures weird seed pods and boulders from wire. Jim Gallop makes sculptures and bowls from knobby tree burls, and Cindy Syme carves tree portraits into clay tiles. So what better place could art lovers look for a show about the beauty of nature than the Arboretum, especially at this glorious time of year in Minnesota?— Doris RubensteinCorrection (June 12, 2025): An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled Lux Mortenson's name. The story has been updated.

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the original submission.Americana in the Historic AuditoriumJean Shore of Balsam Lake, Wis., recommends crossing into Wisconsin for an evening of American roots music. Minnesota singer-songwriters Emmy Woods, Sarah Morris and Laura Hugo will perform at The Historic Auditorium in St. Croix Falls this Saturday, June 7 at 7 p.m.Jean says: Each performer brings a unique voice and style to the stage, blending folk and country and heartfelt storytelling. But what makes this even more exciting is the venue itself. The Historic Auditorium was built in 1916 and was recently renovated in 2023, and it’s quickly becoming a cultural hub for this area.— Jean ShoreA Sondheim musical at the Ritz TheaterTwin Cities theater maker Kurt Engh recommends seeing Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Passion,” staged by Theater Latté Da at the Ritz Theater. Written by the same team that created “Into the Woods,” the show runs through July 13.Kurt says: “Passion” is one of Stephen Sondheim’s lesser-known musicals, but one of his most complex and most honest and emotional.It is a melodramatic story set in 1860s Italy during the unification of Italy. It is an uneven love triangle between a beautiful married woman, a very handsome army captain and a in the terms of the musical, a “troubled, ugly woman.” And it is about how love and desire are reflected through beauty and beauty standards.It is a very fascinating musical in that it is directed as almost a chamber opera at a breakneck speed. There are no applause breaks. It does not let you go. It just keeps moving.— Kurt EnghImprov Festival Moves to Phoenix TheaterMichael Krefting of Minneapolis loves the improv scene in the Twin Cities, and he recommends the Twin Cities Improv Festival, happening Thursday through Sunday, June 8. This is the annual festival’s first year at the Phoenix Theater in Minneapolis, following the closing of HUGE Improv Theater last year.Michael says: They have artists coming in from all over the world, a couple artists coming in from Japan. There are a lot of local names. When they select the artists for the festival, they’re always trying to get the local groups that are doing either the most interesting things or doing something new and creative that's picking up steam. The whole improv community is very welcoming. And I would, I would come ready to not just laugh but also feel. I would say to expect the unexpected!— Michael Krefting(Want more improv? Krefting also recommends Improv A Go-Go at Strike Theater in Minneapolis. Every first, second, and fourth Sunday, four or five improv groups are chosen by lottery to perform, offering an affordable evening of “yes, and” energy.)