Upcoming Events!

I’m in the Faculty Show at Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Aug. 20th — Sept. 24th; Reception is on Thursday, Sept. 17th, 6 - 8 p.m.

Because my Photo-Inspired Mixed Media class (click link, scroll down a bit) at MTCA is on creating mixed media art based on your own amateur snapshots, I’m showing three pieces of animal themed art in mixed media. 

I’ve got three works in the Animal Attraction show at Gallery 427, Sept. 18th - Oct. 10th; Reception is Friday, Sept. 18th, 7 - 10 p.m.

I’m the September artist at Espresso Royale at the corner of Fairview and Randolph in Saint Paul. Highly recommend coming in for their astoundingly good vanilla lattes, made with genuine vanilla syrup they brew on site. 

October: of course I am in Saint Paul Art Crawl! October 9, 10, and 11; hours and full map are on their site. I show at J.A. Geiger Studio where it’s easy and free to park because we are in an East St. Paul neighborhood rather than in crowded Lowertown. Art Crawl is the ONLY time I create pet portrait sketches “on the spot” from your photos; cost is between $20 and $60 depending how many animals are in the shot and how long you’d like me to spend on the mixed media sketch. 

November: I’m at Peggy’s Holiday Boutique at the Oval in Roseville from November 7 - 15th, displaying original art, reproductions, and a lot of greeting cards, and I’m also one of the artists who does live art demonstrations during the weekends (schedule TBA). 

Then it’s Art of the Holidays at Minnetonka Center for the Arts (click the link and scroll down for info), Nov. 12th — December 23rd; Grand Opening is Nov. 11th, 6 - 9 p.m. This show/sale is a great tradition in Minnetonka and one of the best places to find truly unique gift items. 

December: HORSE CRAZY MARKET, here I come!  Friday, Dec. 4th, 2 - 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 5th, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.. This two-day event is in its third year and growing fast. It’s at the Ramada Bloomington (formerly the Thunderbird) and admission is free. There are a LOT of high-quality professional artists there, and this year’s roster includes a strong secondary focus on dogs and dog-related art and gift items. 

A Tiny Queen on the Balcony

Queen Amelia of the Garden, 7 x 10" mixed media on tan cotton paper.

So this is a BIG reason why I live where I do.

Because this apartment has sliding doors that open onto a balcony, and I had to have some kind of outdoor space where things can grow. 

The Happy Sparrows series started here, at my balcony feeder. The forget-me-nots and chamomile and nasturtiums, all in pots along the railing where they get as much sun as they can. While I don't have any chickens up here, I do grow the things I use for their settings. 

This spring, I went to look at an artist's loft in one of the big live/work buildings in Lowertown. Beautiful brick, aged wood, the community in the heart of everything -- and not so much as a window box to call my own. I pictured myself there and my heart sank, and I came back home grateful for the sunlight and space of my balcony, full of lively little sparrows even in the middle of winter. 

Always, I'm taking that step sideways from reality, but it turns out I need to have one foot on the ground, even if that ground is three floors up.