UMC Music and Theatre students perform "Zombie Prom"

UMC TO PRESENT THE MUSICAL-COMEDY "ZOMBIE PROM" NOVEMBER 16-19

The musical-comedy “Zombie Prom” will be performed by music and theater students at the University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) on November 16-20, 2011. Performed in the historic Kiehle Auditorium, the play is nightly at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, November. 16-19 with a special matinee performance on Sunday, November 20 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults; $3 for students and children; and UMC students are free with their U-Card. Anyone donating an non-perishable food item for the North Country Food Shelf in Crookston will receive a $1 discount on admission.
The musical is set in the atomic 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal. Pretty senior Toffee, played by Melissa Graf, has fallen for the class bad boy, played by Joe Harren. Family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee's heart. A tuneful selection of original songs in the style of 50s keeps the action rocking across the stage. It is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
Cast members of “Zombie Prom” are (cast names included in parentheses): Nathan Anderson (Jake), Appleton, a freshman majoring in agricultural education; Austin Czichotzki (Eddie), Barnesville, a senior majoring in communication; Mark Frenzel (Josh), Blackduck, a freshman majoring in agricultural systems management; Jessica Girgen (Candy), Madien Rock, Wis., a freshman majoring in health sciences; Melissa Graf (Toffee), Hokah, a sophomore majoring in animal science; Brooke Hamilton (Miss Delilah Strict), Adams, a junior majoring in animal science; Joe Harren (Jonny), Eagle Bend, a senior majoring in agronomy; Alissa Hermandez (Coco), Savage, a freshman majoring in equine science; Tyler Lowthian (Joey, Richfield, a freshman majoring in organizational psychology; Liz Massie (Ramona), Eagan, a freshman majoring in communication; Joanie Melichar (Sheila), Bloomington, a freshman majoring in animal science; Miah Smith (Ginger), Hutchinson, a freshman majoring n health sciences; and Amanda Wagner (Announcer), Fisher, a senior majoring in communication.  

from KROX AM website Nov.14, 2011

Let the little drummers drum!Cro

from the KROX website: 
HIGHLAND SCHOOL HOSTING AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE THIS WEEK The Highland Elementary Music Department is hosting an artist-in-residence this week, September 19-23.  Mick LaBriola is a percussionist who is in Crookston to spend time with fourth grade students in his "Rhythm Roots Workshop".  Students will be playing instruments from other parts of the world, learning rhythms, songs, and countries of origin.
“Highland School and the Crookston Public Schools are very thankful and proud to have received funding from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through a grant from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council,” said Nancy Pearson, Highland School Music teacher. “This week's residency was made possible, in part, by this important funding.”
The Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund came into being as part of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that Minnesota Voters overwhelmingly passed in 2008.  Because of the work the state legislature has done to direct this funding to the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council System, it has ensured that this money is bringing access to the arts in every corner of the state.
“We would like to thank Minnesota State Legislature, the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council, and you, the voters of Minnesota for this funding,” added Pearson.
There will be a 'culminating performance' on Friday, September 23 at 2:00 p.m. in the large group room at Highland Elementary.  Mick LaBriola and fourth grade students will present songs they've learned throughout the week.  All interested parents and public are invited to attend.

Dance Down in Crookston MN

Koch dances her way to many awards

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Natalie Koch holds the awards she received from a recent dance competition in Fargo.

  Natalie Koch, a sophomore at Crookston High School, is reaping the rewards of taking the art of dance seriously since she was three years old. She took home armfuls of awards from two recent dance competitions, adding to her already extensive collection earned over the years.

  
The teen, who lives at Maple Lake with her parents, Dennis and Rose, and sister Ana, started out dancing with Deb Fontaine’s School of Dance in Mentor for two years and also with Mary Noel’s School of Dance in Crookston for seven years. Since 2006, she has been affiliated with the North Dakota Ballet Company in Grand Forks. She's had additional training at Broadway Dance Center (2008 and 2010) and Steps on Broadway (2010), both in New York City.
  
Koch participated in a dance competition sponsored by Triple S Dance Competitions of Burnsville that was held in Fargo on March 6.  More than 200 individuals participated in solos, duos/trios, small groups and large groups.  Twelve studios from Minnesota and North Dakota were represented.
  
Koch performed two solos, with great results. "Feeling Good" earned her first place for the senior jazz solo category and her other solo, "Honest," also also earned first place, in the senior lyrical solo category. In overall awards for seniors,  she won two out of the top five.  "Feeling Good" earned first place over all senior solos in this competition, and "Honest" earned third place over all senior solos. She was invited to perform both solos at Triple S's national competition this summer and was among a select group invited to participate in a "Chance to Dance" showcase during nationals.  To top it all off, she was honored with a partial scholarship to Ellen Werksman's dance workshop in Chicago this summer, which she plans to attend.
  
At the Spotlight Dance Competition held in Bismarck April 29-May 1, Koch also had great success. Her two solos each earned "ruby" awards, with an invitation to nationals. This was a new experience for her, as NDBC has not participated in the Spotlight competition previously.  She was the only one from NDBC's senior group to earn the ruby award.
  
She participated in a "dance down," which, as her mothers explains, is like an audition “where you learn and perform a piece on short notice and then fewer and fewer get called back on each successive round until there are only four left standing.” While Koch did not make the final four, she  made a good impression and learned a lot. She was the only one from NDBC to participate in the dance down.
  
Koch's solo competition credits include: Dance Olympus Dancer of the Year Nationals in 2005 (New York City, where “Chicago, Illinois” earned 5th place in category), IDC Nationals 2009 (Boston, MA, where “Gold” earned Sterling Silver Champion) and 2010 (Orlando, FL, where “Think” and “Keep It Loose” each earned Gold Champion, “Slow Me Down” earned Sterling Silver Champion).  Natalie was selected IDC’s National Dance Week Center Stage award recipient from the Bismarck regional competition, out of more than 200 dancers.
  
Additional solo credits include Triple S Nationals 2010 (where “Slow Me Down” earned 3rd, “Keep It Loose” earned 4th and “Think” earned 7th place in categories) and 2011 (national qualifier, nationals to occur June, 2011, solos took 1st “Feeling Good” and 3rd “Honest” over all seniors at regional).  Natalie also earned an invitation to the “Chance to Dance” Showcase and won partial scholarship for Ellen Werksman’s “Dancewerks” both 2010 and 2011 with Triple S (she plans to attend Dancewerks this summer).
  
When not at the studio, Natalie enjoys tennis (two year letter winner, section team participant) and choir, and also is on the honor roll at school.

Copyright 2011 Crookston Times. Some rights reserved

Lively, beautiful, and economically sustainable places with arts at their core grant program

--The National Endowment for the Arts is offering grants to nonprofit design and cultural organizations in partnership with a local government entity for Our Town, a new grant opportunity designed to contribute toward the livability of communities and help transform them into lively, beautiful, and economically sustainable places with the arts at their core. Deadlines: Statement of Interest Deadline: 3/1/2011.  Invitation to Apply Issued: 3/25/2011.  Formal Application Deadline: 4/25/2011 
For more information see: http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/OurTown/index.html.

Crookston Artists

Artist in the Schools: Trey Everett helps students make pen and ink come alive

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Natalie J. Ostgaard

rey Everett has (from left) Chris Ibarra, Gabe Montieth and Mandy Von Reuden add their own text to the large text-within-outline mural that’s been accumulating all week at Highland School.

  

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Artist in the Schools

By Natalie J. Ostgaard, City Editor

Crookston Daily Times

Posted Feb 11, 2011 @ 01:34 PM

Copyright 2011 Crookston Times. Some rights reservedCrookston, Minn. —

Thanks to a grant from Minnesota Northwest Arts Council, Crookston Artist Trey Everett is working with students at Highland and the high school this week to help them produce original pieces of pen and ink artwork, the goal being “to help students gain confidence and take pride in their abilities and unique creativity.” All that's needed to express yourself is a pen and paper, he says.

Everett has been concentrating primarily on students in fourth grade on up, helping them create age-appropriate unique pictures made up of text within an outline. Beth McDougall, retired Highland fifth-grade teacher who specializes in art, has assisted by working with second and third grade students on creating realistic self-portaits.

A culmination of the students’ work will take place this evening (Feb. 11) in the form of an art show in the CHS  commons, in conjunction with the Artist Series concert, from 6 to 9 p.m. The show is free of charge and open to the public.

Annie Fitzgerald singer songwriter from Crookston

from the KROXAM.COM website: 

CROOKSTON HIGH SCHOOL GRAD COMES BACK HOME AND PERFORMS SONGS FROM HER NEW CD

Crookston High School graduate Annie Fitzgerald now a musical performer with a new CD. Fitzgerald is visiting her parents Chuck and Val Fitzgerald for Christmas and performed at several places in town. Fitzgerald graduated in 1997 from Crookston High School and then attended the University of Minnesota and graduated from their 2000 with a degree in musical performance. "I worked in theatre at the Ordway and Chanhassen theater and then experimented and started writing my own music and after finishing CATS at Chanhassen and working there for three years as a company member. I moved on and packed up and went to New York, found a roommate on the internet in Hoboken, New Jersey," said Fitzgerald. "I started performing regularly out there in the singer songwriter scene and was in the showcase in 2006 with Stephanie Germanotta who is now Lady Gaga, so it was a lot of up and coming people in the showcase and I got booked into a lot of clubs. I met my husband who is from upstate New York and will eventually move back to Minnesota.” Her first album was released in September called In Good Time and toured about 5300 miles for a couple of months and met a lot of great people and learned a lot in the process.
“Next I will work with some guys who are fantastic musicians and we hope to get together and work together,” said Fitzgerald. “I will continue to write music as I go along.”

The Arts take practice everyday after school!

I was reminded at my granddaughter's ballet and tap class how it takes practice every day to become the great dancer she wants to be.  Yet it has to be fun too!  The following is an example of a great lady teaching after school art classes in Fargo Moorhead.  Be sure to visit her blog:  http://www.fmartshop.com/

November Kid Quest

I had an awesome time at the Plains Art Museum on Saturday. The creative juices were flowing, kids were cutting, parents were gluing and everybody was having a blast! I couldn't believe how creative these kids were.

I made over 300 of these guys to be turned into finger puppets. It was a bit like a finger puppet factory at my house!

We had 150 people signed up to participate! That is a lot of art supplies!

This guy was a hoot! I had to help him try to come up with a good mouth for this creature.

Here kitty kitty.

Vampire bat.

A quartet!

Artistic Dad.

I can't wait for next month!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

I am following my heART!

As many of you know I am an art teacher with Moorhead Public Schools. Due to the poor economy, our district has faced many hardships, and a cut to my job was one of them. I still work 3 hours a day teaching middle school students about art, but have been struggling to find a way to make up for all that lost income!

I have thought long and hard about what my passion is in life, what I am good at, and how I can incorporate what I love into a second job. So, here is where I ended up! Starting in January,I am going to offer after-school art classes for kids in the Fargo- Moorhead area.

I am renting a classroom from Fargo Parks at the Robert D. Johnson center. Classes will be offered on a monthly basis by theme. Students will sign up for a month which includes one class per week, 4 weeks per month.

Hurrah for the Arts Today

Hurrah for the Arts!

from KROX radio website November 3rd, 2010

RIVERVIEW HEALTH AUXILIARY SPONSORING AN ART SALE NOVEMBER 3 AND 4

The RiverView Health Auxiliary is sponsoring a wholesale art sale Wednesday, November 3^rd and Thursday, November 4^th from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and Friday, November 5^th from 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in RiverView’s Heritage Hallway.  The public is encouraged to attend, please use the front hospital entrance.   Proceeds from the art sale fundraiser will go towards current RiverView Auxiliary projects, which include: a computer lab for Rehab Services, adaptive equipment for inpatients, a reading machine for care center residents, and carpeting for Glenmore Recovery Center.  In addition to those projects, the Auxiliary continues to provide a gift for each new baby born at RiverView, clothing for patients that are unable to wear their own clothing home, and activity bags for pediatric patients admitted to the hospital. For more information on the art fair and other upcoming RiverView Auxiliary events, contact Kathy Benda at 218-281-9473.

UMC TO HOST AN EMPTY BOWLS DINNER NOVEMBER 16

In the United States, it is the season of giving thanks for the abundance so many enjoy, but for others, it is only a gnawing reminder of the suffering caused by hunger. A project at the University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) will provide a way to help those who suffer and to remember the many empty bowls there are in this country and around the world.

An Empty Bowls Dinner, a combination service learning and community service project, is slated for Tuesday, November 16, 2010, from 5-7 p.m. The dinner, to be held in Bede Ballroom, brings to fruition a project that began more than a year ago under the direction of Lisa Loegering, assistant director of service learning. Tickets for the event are $15 and available at the Krazy Kiln in Crookston, at the 2^nd floor administrative desk in the Sargeant Student Center, or at the door.

Students in a pottery class at UMC taught by Assistant Professor Sonia Spaeth, high school students in Gary Stegman's pottery class at the Crookston High School (CHS), along with community members joined together last spring for a "Bowl-a-thon" and "Glaze-a-thon" at the CHS. In addition to Spaeth and Stegman, Jenn Steinbrink, artist and owner of the Krazy Kiln, collaborated to head up these events. In about five hours, about 65 community members created about 200 bowls (pictured to the right). Some of them were thrown, some were hand-built, but each one is unique. Those who come to the dinner will take home their bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls there are in the world.

Students in the Hospitality Association Club at UMC will be creating the soup, bread, and dessert served at the dinner. “This event really brought together a lot of collaborators and is truly a joint effort,” says Loegering. “The whole idea for the project was brought to my attention about five years ago, but there wasn’t enough funding to make it happen until one of our students was awarded grant funding to help support the project.”

Sophomore Katya Zepeda of Crookston, was one of two college students selected to receive a $1,000 Carter Academic Service Entrepreneur (CASE) grant supporting innovative service-learning projects. Zepeda’s funding helped make the Empty Bowls project a reality. An additional aspect of this project was a partnership between UMC and about 10 students from CHS. On days when classes were released early, students were bused to UMC for some educational opportunities, and included preparing for this event.  “It took the willingness and work of Katya combined with the expertise and passion of Gary Stegman, Jenn Steinbrink and Sonia Spaeth to make this dinner happen,” Loegering says. “It simply would not have been possible without them and I am very grateful.”

Painted Sugar Beets Anyone?

What Is the Point of Public Art?

Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 3:51 pm | Updated: 2:15 pm, Tue Oct 5, 2010.

Posted on September 20, 2010

• 
  by Kelly Bennett

After the mayor's memo Thursday recommending the city temporarily halt its public art program to save money, a few interesting discussions popped up about public art in general. In case you missed them, here's a roundup of the discussion so far.
(It's unclear at this point which, or how many, city public art projects would be affected, but the city's website lists eight projects that were planned.)

This program -- requiring the city to invest in public art when they revamp or build new city buildings -- is not the city's only arts expenditure. But it's interesting to me that many people see cuts like this as symbolic, some indication of the mayor's general proclivity toward or away from arts.
Reader William Smith said: "This is a short-sighted policy. The small one-time expenditures should not be sacrificed. Art is the soul of society, not a frill."
Fred Logan said: "I don't believe it will happen, but it is nice to read the Mayor saying this. Art is not the reason we have government."
On the Behind the Scene Facebook page, local sculptor Amos Robinson praised the Unified Port of San Diego's public art program, saying being part of the Urban Trees installation along Harbor Drive "opened so many doors" for his art career.
On Twitter, a conversation erupted Friday when I asked, "What is the point of public art?"
At least a few arts-engaged people in town are disgusted with the way San Diego chooses public art. They disparage many pieces we have and lament the ones that got away, including several works from major contemporary artists whose projects got canned due to public outcry. (I wrote about the perspective of Mary Beebe, overseer of UCSD's Stuart Collection of public art, in this post.) And you can read this 2003 piece from former U-T art critic Robert Pincus for his opinion on this topic in general and the projects San Diego turned down.
So what is the point of public art? A few people shared general philosophies:
Jason Everitt, an analyst at Center on Policy Initiatives and a candidate for City Council in Escondido, said: "Art, though subjective, is believed to contribute to quality of life. Government maintains quality of life. A luxury? Sure."
Lucas O'Connor added: "If done right, public art creates a sense of commonality for a community. Pride and ownership of the neighborhood, cohesion of purpose and a starting point to join together to address larger issues. Creates shared public space/experience."
Dave Rolland, CityBeat editor: "It's something u come upon unexpectedly. It catches you off guard & changes the trajectory of your thinking, however briefly. And, therefore, I'm for it."
Stephanie Thompson, who does public relations for several local arts organizations, said even the fact there is a debate about public art is "unutterably depressing."
The conversation meandered at points to priorities. In tough times for budgets, should a city keep funding art? The mayor said no.
What do you think?
Reader Helen Burns sent me an e-mail. "Without art there is no reason to live, hence there is no need for safety," she said. "Cutting art in favor of safety defeats the purpose of being safe. We need safety to enjoy life. If there is nothing to enjoy, why live? It is absurd!"
Back on Twitter, Everitt chimed in on that question: "Don't get me wrong, if I'm choosing between drinking water and a giant interconnected web of hubcaps, I go water. But there is value in creating an aesthetically pleasing community. Attracting residents and shoppers has net benefits.
I have more questions. What does it mean to you for public art to be "done right?" Democratic? Chosen by appointed experts? Accessible? Specifically giant sculptures or installations -- why should government invest in them? (If you search here on Twitter you can see more of the conversation.)
Some people think the process should be democratic. For the people who support public art, is it worth it if the process means compromising?
The opposite viewpoint is that the city should appoint a panel of experts to choose.
And Scott Lewis, our CEO, suggested each neighborhood that wants public art should organize and choose it itself.
More highlights: lists of popular public art pieces in San Diego ranged from murals and fountains to sculptures in road medians.
Erica Holloway, who was until recently a spokeswoman for county Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, said "I appreciate public art and see its value. But the economy is at the top of people's minds right now."
I have a feeling this conversation is just the start. I'd love to hear your thoughts -- about something you've seen in this roundup, or on arts in San Diego in general. Add your voice to the comments, or you can always e-mail me (my address is below).
Please contact Kelly Bennett directly at kelly.bennett@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.325.0531 and follow her on Twitter: @kellyrbennett.

Ely MN a Community Pride City

Ely Greenstone Public Art
Arts and Culture
Population: 3,724
www.elygreenstone.org
The goal of the project is to revitalize existing abandoned mine facilities and to equip them to serve the community. As part of the restoration and reclamation of the Pioneer Mine Complex, two abandoned buildings have been renovated and are currently being used for art exhibition, program classrooms and heritage tours. The final building, the Captains Dry, will be transformed from an abandoned mine building into an arts facility offering office, studio and storage space, a conference room and an arts library.
The vision for the project is for artists to take classes, teach classes and display their original works in a gallery type setting. Public participation in the classes and programs is expected to increase. The Ely Arts and Heritage Center seeks to create jobs, attract tourists, provide an increase in public revenues (in the form of sales and lodging taxes) and entice families to move to the area. This project will indirectly broaden the tax base of the area by helping to develop Ely’s oldest section of town. Estimates are between 10,000 and 20,000 additional tourists visiting the area annually.

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Window Display for "Hidden Artists of Crookston"

We are not only working on the grant proposal to pay for the second stage of the Artspace Visit:  the Market Survey, but are preparing a window display to show the world just how many working artists and performers we are already blessed with.  Artists from Crookston and surrounding area are invited to send a 5" x 7" photo of a piece, name, address, phone number and email to khegge@gmail.com.  Musicians and Actors, please send a photo of yourself performing.  It never ceases to amaze me what people are working on, most of whom I've never even heard of or met before.  Check out this article from the Crookston Times: http://bit.ly/clbfX5.

"Artspace" is Coming!

 

The Kaddatz Artist Lofts in Fergus Falls, developed by "Artspace!"

YES, the nationally known, non-profit developer, "Artspace" is coming to Crookston on April 14 and 15th!  Mark your calendars now for this great two day visit funded by the Laura J. Musser Fund.  The grant was written by community leaders, Dan Johanneck, Wayne Melbye, Joyce Johnson, James Kent, Sandy Kegler,  Sonia Spaeth, and Kay Hegge. The two-person Artspace team will be visiting with local leaders, artists, and the community about the housing and artistic needs of artists and how they can bring new life to historic downtown.  They will be looking at and studying the potential of three to five sites! one of which is the Palace/Wayne Hotel!   Here is their mission from their website:  www.artspace.org.

The Artspace Mission

Artspace’s mission is to create, foster, and preserve affordable space for artists and arts organizations. We pursue this mission through development projects, asset management activities, consulting services, and community-building activities that serve artists and arts organizations of all disciplines, cultures, and economic circumstances. By creating this space, Artspace supports the continued professional growth of artists and enhances the cultural and economic vitality of the surrounding community.

Artspace does incredible projects all over the nation and they are located right here in Minnesota!  Check it out today:  www.artspace.org!