Fresh Voices from Crookston Minnesota

from http://inprogresshome.blogspot.com/2010/12/estefania-alvarez-honored-at-walker-art.html

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Estefania Alvarez Honored at the Walker Art Center

In Progress artist Estefania Alvarez had her video Pasos Desde El Salvador exhibited at the Walker Art Center as part of the Twin Cities Youth Media Network's Annual Film & Video Festival.

Estefania attended the video and even went up on stage to answer questions from the audience. Estafania joined In Progress this summer as part of the Fresh Voices program in Crookston Minnesota. Her work is beautiful and we expect to see more of her talents as time goes on.

To view Estefania's video just CLICK HERE

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.”

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.”

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 Shops Crookston!

We ended the Artspace Visit with some shopping, some talking, and some fun in Crookston!  First stop, Willow & Ivy, then Widman's Candy shop of course, we went to Montague's Floral, then headed out to "A" Street to visit the Krazy Kiln and the Bridge Street Candle Shop.  Wish we had time for more!

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ARTSPACE Visit brings light to Crookston

It started with a tour of one of our most outstanding historic downtown buildings, the Fournet Building which caused oohs and ahhs as Crookston Leaders were allowed to imagine what living must have been like around the large centrum filled with natural light from three large skylights which you could reach through your own screen door or window.  Shared spaces like this is what artists love in their live/work spaces.

Pictured are City Administrator, Aaron Parrish, Chamber Director, Lori Wagner, and custodian, Roger Corbin as they tour this "amazing" downtown historic building, thanks to Lutie Johnson, owner and artist herself.  From there we quickly toured the Union Building and headed to the Crookston Public Library sunroom to meet local and area artists.  Quickly the needs of the artist were made clear:  practicing spaces, smaller performing spaces (200 seats), a place to gather and share ideas, a civic theater, and a civic arts space for community ed, after school,and summer programming for youth.

Wendy Holmes and Roy Close from Artspace, shed more light on how they develop live/work affordable housing for artists.  If the community is willing to do a market survey to determine how many units will be feasible for Crookston, they could pursue developing the right sized project here.  What is unique about their projects is that they own and operate them as well as develop, construct, and rent up the project. With laughter and fun they explained their challenges and success stories.  One thing is for sure, we need to plan a trip to Fergus Falls to visit the Kaddatz Artist Lofts.  Or if you are traveling to Brainerd, Duluth, or the Twin Cities this summer be sure to check out their website, www.artspace.org, to visit one or more of their developments.  Watch for more posts on this "amazing" visit to Crookston that was full of fun, serious moments, sparkle and vision.

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What does Artspace do on their Crookston Visit?

Artspace Projects will:

• Assign Artspace Projects' staff to conduct the preliminary assessment;

• Work with Kay Hegge (or assignee) and the Foundation to set dates and determine and

refine the agenda for the two-days and to help identify key participants;

• Review available documents for the potential site(s), including site map(s), concept

and/or floor plans;

• Review existing artist survey results and city redevelopment or planning documents

and/or other appropriate existing studies;

• Tour the identified site as well as the surrounding neighborhood, existing arts districts

and/or facilities. Walk the site and building with key members of the planning/core team
and an architect if active on the project and an historic preservation representative (if
applicable);

• Meet with the project leaders to discuss current programs, project concept and planning

completed to date and recommended to move the project forward;

• Meet with key city (city council, mayor, city manager), county and/or state leadership.

This meeting would include a presentation with case studies and an open discussion
intended to answer questions, educate about arts development and civic involvement, and
understand the vision and/or concerns of elected officials;

• Meet with potential local/state public and private funders and economic development

officials, to discuss affordable arts facility development, available funding sources and
tools, and gauge support for the project. This leadership group should include: local or
state level historic preservation representative (if applicable) city/county economic
redevelopment staff, leaders in the local/regional philanthropic community, private
banking, and arts/cultural funding communities;

•  Meet with a diverse cross section of artists and representatives of arts organizations who

may participate in this project’s programs. Artist representatives should include emerging
and established artists of all ages, artists of various disciplines (performance, visual,
literary etc). Organizations may include artist collectives, theatre/music/dance companies,
educational organizations and institutions, local galleries etc.;

•  Host a community forum to discuss arts development around the country and the

community and economic development impact as it may relate to the proposed project,
and to solicit input from the arts and general community;

• Meet with the key stakeholder/core group to discuss the focus group meetings, answer

questions and share initial impressions from the visit;

• Meet with other focus groups or individuals that are key to the project’s development and

agreed to by the Foundation and Artspace, and;

• Summarize findings in a written executive summary report.

"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!