APRIL ARTS

Last weekend, quite unintentionally, turned out to be an arts filled weekend as each day brought another experience of art in one form or another.  It all began on Friday with a visit to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to see the Habsburgs exhibit.

Before entering the exhibit there was a photo opportunity . . . 

. . . Complete with a crown to wear.

I’ve always been fascinated with the royal families of Europe, and a free afternoon on a rainy Friday, provided the perfect opportunity to visit the exhibit.  This collection, spanning the 600-year reign of one of Europe’s most influential families, begins with Maximilian I and ends with the dynasty’s dissolution following Word War I.  This must see exhibit, which shows the wealth, power, and great works of art achieved by the Habsburgs through marriages, battles, and their relationship with the Catholic Church, ends on May 10.

Artist, Stephanie Lake was commissioned to create jewelry inspired by the exhibit.

A rainy afternoon at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

When I returned home from the MIA, my friend Marisa texted to invite me to the St. Paul Art Crawl on Saturday.  It had been several years since I attended the Art Crawl, so I eagerly said yes.  The event took place throughout St. Paul, but we spent our time in the Lowertown area, near the historic St. Paul Depot.

Spring Fashion.

This young lady caught my ear because she was playing 

the theme from Star Wars on her violin.

I love these events because of the wide variety of mediums and styles they feature, and the afternoon lived up to my expectations.  A number of the buildings in the area have been converted into artist’s studios and loft/studios, which adds to the charm of the area.  After a rainy day on Friday, the weather on Saturday was sunny and warm, making it the perfect day for the Art Crawl.

Photos of participating artists were mounted on the outside walls of the buildings.

The Historic Depot.

This amazing installation in the depot, consisted of hanging light pendants 

that changed to project a movie of people swimming.

Finally, my Arts weekend came to an end as I, unexpectantly, was able to attend the James Sewell Ballet.  I’ve mentioned before that the JSB are my favorite dance company in the Twin Cities, so I always look forward to their performances, and their current offering, The Silk Road, did not disappoint.

The title selection, a mixture of Eastern and Western sound, was the first piece performed and featured music from internationally acclaimed cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.  The piece was amazing, and the performance was wonderful.

After a brief intermission, the audience was treated to Dusty Realms, which originated with the company’s Ballet Works Project, followed by a short piece entitled Tryst.  The performance ended with Into The Spin, which featured the music of Dessa, a Minneapolis based singer, rapper, and spoken word artist, and was one of my favorites in this collection.  The Silk Road has performances through this weekend so if you if you have a chance, be sure not to miss this production.

The James Sewell Ballet performs in the Goodale Theater at the Cowles Center.

Though unintentional, my weekend filled up with a number of incredible events.  I think what I like most about the Twin Cities, is their long-standing commitment to the Arts in all its many forms - a commitment that can sometimes provide us with wonderful surprise opportunities.

***What kinds of Arts opportunities do you enjoy?