December Open Studio days!

Thursday, Dec. 6 5-9pmSaturday, Dec. 8 10am-4pm

The artists of Casket Arts invite you to TWO open studio dates: December First Thursday and a bonus Saturday. Two opportunities for you to satisfy your holiday appetite for local shopping and delicious food and drinks. Open studios, handmade gifts, amazing artwork, your favorite local artists!

It's fun, it's easy and it's artful! Visit us!

Mercedes Austin & Carolyn Halliday - Amazing Artist Interviews continued!!

Mercedes Austin - Mercury Mosaics Custom Studio - mercedes@mercurymosaics.com

Tell us a bit about your story and your work--

My work at the Casket Arts Building comes from the leftover pieces in projects that are made at my main studio.
We work on: storefront mosaics inspired by the New York subway system, Hot Air Balloon mosaics 3 stories tall as homage to the worldwide hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque, historic replica tile made to look like it is 100+ years old. Each mosaic made at my custom studio has a story behind not only the tile, but each piece becomes one of a kind and a new use for the tile originally intended for something else, so nothing ever goes to waste! Currently I am working on a custom piece going to a hospital. The client's daughter passed away due to health complications and the piece is the client's way of giving back to the hospital that supported her the whole way. We reused pieces from a project we made for a Portland Oregon client, there are pieces from a Canadian retail mosaic and we've even incorporated handmade letter tiles spelling out the name of a song the client used to sing to her daughter each night before bed. It's a personal piece that makes us tear up sometimes thinking about the inspiration it will spread to others making what was an unfortunate loss become a celebration of the life that once was.


What can people expect to see from you at Cache 2012?

NEWLY created Home Accessories and new, custom mosaics!

I am really passionate about making small pieces of art that are one of a kind!


What is special to you about Casket Arts?
It is a beautiful building that inspires me to create beautiful things. The community is especially my favorite. As an artist, to be surrounded by such a wealth of talent encourages me to become a better artist and be a true representative of the high caliber people I call neighbors here.

Are you sharing a demo this weekend?

We are going to have a mosaic wall piece in process.
We'll be using tiles made that were inspired by the New York subway system and will be converting them into a custom piece that will be spontaneously created during the demonstration. We'll be showing how we cut, smooth and glue the pieces.
Saturday, 1-3pm.







Carolyn Halliday - Fiber/Sculpture/Mixed - carolynhalliday.com


Tell us a bit about your story and your work--

I am a Minnesota- based textile artist specializing in knit wire natural forms.  I use the vocabulary of textiles to create sculptural forms that often reference body or nature.   I am always intrigued by the process of converting a discovered material into a form that I call a textile.

Simple elements of my daily existence: a found stick, a scrap of metal, or coffee beans may become the seeds of a piece. I intend to magnify nature, reference concepts of the feminine through body and domesticity, and examine life’s daily debris.


What can people expect to see from you at Cache 2012?

I will have bodies of work for people to view that include sculptures of knit wire and wood; figurative work of knit wire and wood; and pieces that are part of my Darwin theme.

New and special for Cache are knit wire and stone necklaces that make dramatic accents for any garment.


What is special to you about Casket Arts?

This is my first year in the Casket Arts building, after having had admired the beautiful building and studio space for a number of years.  When being a patron of the arts (during Art a Whirl for instance) the Caskets Arts was my preferred building because of the caliber of artists present, the "doable" number of studios, and the aesthetically inviting atmosphere of the building itself.

Are you sharing a demo this weekend?

I am not doing a special demo, but I will be knitting with wire throughout the whole week end.

Those are mango seeds...

Interviews with the Artists - Kirk Sklar and David Cunningham

Two weeks ago, we had the chance to interview a number of the esteemed artists and studios participating in this year's Cache at Casket Arts show, from November 2-4, next weekend!
These are our first two, stay tuned for more and more!

Each gave us the tip of the iceberg, snapshots of their worlds.

Kirk Sklar - Metal Heart Jewelry - www.kirksklar.net -
Tell us a bit about your story and your work--
My jewelry work has been described as edgy organic. Oxidized silver and gold formed into leaves, flowers and twigs and set with opal, citrine, and tourmaline.
What can people expect to see from you at Cache 2012?
I have three lines of jewelry based on natural forms of leaves and flowers, and I have necklaces with colorful tumbled glass.
What is special to you about Casket Arts?
I have a great space at Casket Arts Carriage house, with wonderful maple floors, good light. Plenty of room for my eight jewelry benches, torch station, casting room, and a host of other metalsmithing tools.

Master craftsman, master teacher.

One of Sklar's classic creations.

Sklar teaches classes year round...

David Cunningham - www.davidcunninghamart.com

Tell us a bit about your story and your work--

I was interested in art early on because my older brother cousin were also artists. They apprenticed to a fresco painter for a year and afterward started attending a French Academic Art school based out of Minneapolis named The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art. They brought me along.

Training at the Atelier began with cast drawing in charcoal to study the nuances of light and to develop the discipline of seeing nature in terms of line and tone. Lectures on human anatomy and composition were a background of the program. I then advanced to more difficult subjects in color, such as still life, portraiture and the human figure. Concurrent with these pursuits was the study of life drawing. After completing the program I took up studying landscape painting while living in southern Argentina and became tuned into the 19th century tonalist painters George Inness and James Mcneill Whistler. Their atmospheric paintings along with the works of countless other painters, musicians, and writers continue to influence his work. In the past couple of years I've become very interested in street photography and street painting.

Every little detail considered...

What can people expect to see from you at Cache 2012?

Painter's quiver.

Atmospheric Street Paintings depicting candid moments in urban environments.

What is special to you about Casket Arts?

Working around other creatives you have access to a wider range of expertise to bounce ideas around, discuss concepts and issues, and relax.

Artists, artists, artists!!! Artists everywhere!!!

Things are ramping up for Cache' here at Casket Arts!!

We're getting all of our participating studios finalized, amazing visiting guest artists confirmed, performances and demos scheduled, delectable edible delights and delicious libations ordered.

Over the next few days, we're going to be blitzkrieging the blog with some of the artists we were able to interview over the last couple weeks.  This will have the resultant effect of making you rabidly excited to meet these amazing people and to ravenously devour their beautiful works.

Please don't worry about containing yourselves, or your frenzy.

These are amazing people who have created beautiful works of love, sweat, and tears.  And passion. It pours from their ears.

Enjoy...

The all new, super duper...
AWESOME MUSIC LINEUP!!!! 
4th Floor - PA 
Friday 11/2
5:00-6:15 - Chemistry Set ©
6:45-8:15 - Doug Otto & the Getaways ©
8:45-10:00 - Poor Nobodys ©
Saturday 11/312:00-3:30 - DJ DEMEX ©
4:00-5:30 - Dead Pigeons ©

6:00-8:00 - Vonnie Kyle ©
Sunday 11/4 12:00-1:30 -Open
1:00-2:30 -Robert Bell ©
3:00-5:00 - Jake Manders ©


1st Floor - Acoustic
Friday 11/2 5:30-6:30 - Doug Otto - Solo ©
7:00-9:00 Bernie King & GP ©
Saturday 11/3 12:00-1:00 - Open
1:30-3:30 - Robert Bell ©
4:00-8:00 - DJ DEMEX ©
Sunday 11/412:00-1:00 - Chris Thompson ©
1:30-2:30 -Open
3:00-4:00 - Open

Details, details. Cache hits Casket Arts!

HOLY SCHNICKEYS!!! 
It's that time of year, AGAIN!

It's the 5th Annual Cache at Casket Arts!!

First. Pertinent important details -
Friday November 2nd: 5-10pm
Saturday November 3rd: 12-8pm
Sunday November 4th: 12-5pm

Next, for the uninitiated, what's this all about? WELL, glad you asked...

At the heart of the Northeast Arts District is the historic city block that is Casket Arts...

Imagine a place of breathtaking art, whimsy, sweat, noise, heat, silence--complete and full artistic expression. A place where over 100 artists create daily in their studios birthing beautiful and inspiring works.

Once a year we host our annual fall celebration, Cache at Casket Arts – inviting the community and art enthusiasts into their fascinating historic workplace to see what they do and how they do it.

-How often, do you get to see a master painter, putting color to canvas, witness the genesis of a piece of art that will live on forever?

-How often to you see the jewelry that you wear around your neck, when it's but wire and precious metals, before it's imbued with the life and love of an artist's touch?

-When do you get to touch the pieces of the mosaic before they have been fused together, see the block of clay before the sculpture has been teased from within?

-How often do you get to see ANVILS? And molten things!

This is a PARTY and CELEBRATION of arts and culture like no other, a way to experience art intellectually, emotionally, aurally, visually, sensually. Treat all of your senses...

Wander the halls of the 100 year-old buildings, delve deep into the lives of working artists who welcome you right into their studios to see, discuss and, of course, purchase their work.

Cache at Casket Arts is much more than an art
show. Within one city block visitors will have access to over 150 resident and guest artists’, working art studios, hands-on demonstrations and tutorials, films and a variety of live music.

Mark your calendars, spend the weekend, and don't just see the art...experience its birth.

Cache at the Casket 2011

New for Cache at the Casket 2010!

When you are at Cache at the

Casket this weekend,

November 19: 5-10pm

November 20: 10-5pm,

come to Studio 202 for

One-of-a-kind Ornaments!

created by artist

Lauren S. Strom

Cache @ the Casket...Next Weekend!

Don't miss the 3rd annual fall art show at the Casket Arts Building and Carriage House on Friday, November 19th from 5-10pm AND Saturday the 20th from 10-5pm. You'll see an amazing group of artists showcasing their jewelry, textiles, mixed media, mosaics, painting and photography, sculpture and so much more! Visit www.casketartscache.com for the full line-up of artists, music, and events going on throughout the weekend!


Sarah Michaela Designs
Studio #211

Stop by my studio to see my line of handcrafted sterling silver and 18k gold jewelry...my latest work features black diamonds....yum!!

And be sure to get in on the opportunity to win a $50 gift certificate toward the purchase of a personalized sterling silver & 18k gold name charm necklace. Stop by studio #211 for details!

New Tasha Rae Jewels for Cache´2010! November 19th & 20th

The holiday season is right around the corner, so get your shopping on and support local artists while sipping on refreshments, listening to music, and becoming inspired by the creative and festive surroundings of the Casket Arts Building!

I will have a first peak at my brand new holiday line in Studio #314. Some items fresh off the runway, they will be sure to have all the sparkles the holidays deserve!

When

Friday, November 19th - 5pm to 10pm

Saturday, November 20th - 10am to 5pm

Music schedule

FRIDAY

5:30-7:00 Peter Larson

7:00-8:30 SoundColor Theory

8:30-10:00 Calamity and the Owl

SATURDAY

10:30-12:00 Benjamin Aaron

12:00-2:00 The Poor Nobodys

2:00-3:30 William Within (indie folk)

3:30-5:00 Tombstone Trio

Birds in Frames

During

Cache at the Casket,

November 19 & 20

5-10pm; 10-5pm,

there will be a wide selection of framed artwork

by Lauren S. Strom.

Pick up the perfect gift all ready to go in the frame!

Featured in this picture:

Left: "Mr. and Mrs."

3.5 x 5 inches

$15

Middle: "Chester"

7.5 x 5.5 inches

$30

Right: "Sometimes it's Lonely"

3 x 4 inches

$15

October 7th: NE Jewelry Night Out: Minneapolis

Northeast Arts Distict Jewlers hosting guest jewelry artists on Thursday, October 7 from 5-7pm
Come to the Arts District in Northeast Minneapolis and see some of the best art jewelry that the Twin Cities has to offer! As part of American Craft Week (http://americancraftweek.com/), Arts District jewelers are teaming up with each other and hosting a great group of guest jewelry artists to provide you an amazing selection of jewelry to view and shop. You'll find a variety of media, styles and prices to fit your accessorizing and gift giving needs. And, as it is the first Thursday of the month (and also part of American Craft Week), many other artists' studios will be open for First Thursday Open Studios in the Arts District - so Northeast will be full of all types of artwork to enjoy. Please come and visit - this promises to be a fantastic event!
In the Casket Building (http://www.casketarts.com /), you'll find:
Barbara Bloy, (www.bbloy.com), studio #304
Brittany Foster (www.brittanyjewelry.com), guest artist – 3rd floor lobby
George Sawyer (www.georgesawyer.com), studio #125
Kerri Norman (www.sterlingsunjewelry.com), guest artist – 2nd floor lobby Kristin Berwald (www.bionicunicorn.com), guest artist- 1st floor lobby Marisa Martinez (www.meztizadesigns.com), studio #217
Sarah Michaela Designs (www.sarahmichaeladesigns.com), studio #211 Soren Priede (www.sorenjewelry.com), guest artist – 1st floor lobby
Tasha Rae Jewelry (www.tasharae.com), studio #314


In the Northrup King Building (http://www.northrupkingbuilding.com /), you'll find:
Allison J Johnson (http://pot-pour-ri.blogspot.com), guest artist, studio #435
Betty Jaeger (www.3jagdesign.com), studio #435
Britta Kauppila (www.brittalynndesign.com), studio #435
Emily Johnson (www.ecdesignstudios.com), studio #435
Judith Kinghorn (www.judithkinghorn.com), guest artist, studio #363
Karin Jacobson (www.superkarin.com), studio #288
Tia Salmela Keobounpheng (http://shop.silvercocoon.com), guest artist, studio #288
Yen Chee (http://www.yencheedesign.com), guest artist, studio #288

Thursday, October 7, 2010; from 5 - 9pm. Casket Building (http://www.casketarts.com /), 681 17th Avenue NE, Minneapolis, 55413

Northrup King Building (http://www.northrupkingbuilding.com ), 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis, 55413

http://casketartsbuiding.blogspot.com

Meztiza Designs by Marisa Martinez

Come by and see my work and meet my guest artist, Photographer- Marina Castillo this 1st Thursday in Studio 217!

www.meztizadesigns.com

New Sleepy Guy

Titled "It's Too Early To Wake Up"


Acrylic on Canvas
6x12 inches
$40

First Thursday

October Craft Week - NE Minneapolis

The First Thursday Open Studios in October is looking to be a big event in NE Minneapolis. It is National Craft week and there are several NE artists participating, which will bring attention from all over the midwest. The Casket Arts Building and Northrup King Building are teaming up for a big night promoting jewelers from all over Minneapolis. As of right now, the Casket Arts Building will not only be showing the in house jewelers (Sara Micheala Designs, Marisa Martinez, Tasha Rae Jewelry, and Barbara Bloy Jewelry), but also guest jewelers such as as Kristen Berwald from Bionic Unicorn, Kerri Norman from Sun and Moon Creations and many more to come. This is bound to be an exciting evening with art, music, and more. Keep in on your calenders.
http://www.americancraftweek.com/index.html

Thankfully, October is still a month away, so don't forget about September's First Thursday as well. Take an evening stroll around NE Minneapolis and enjoy the local art scene.


photos courtesy of Casket Arts artist Keith McKenna

July open studios

This month I'll be showing some new work in #418 as part of the "Water Paintings Project," which you can read more about here. Inspired by what's going on in the Gulf ecosystem and from having grown up and lived on both coasts, I'm focused on water these days. I'm not sure where it came from but I try to follow the inner muse, so my palette is looking really different!
See you soon, Hannah

First Thursday July 1st

July is almost here! The best way to start your month off is to get in the Casket!

Open Studios, Artists at work and on display from 5-9pm.

10+ guest artists in the lobbies, live music, and artist's demonstrations. Spend your Thursday evening exploring the arts of NE Minneapolis.

July Live Music: Fourth Floor Lobby will be featuring some sweet local sounds! Make sure you come out to see MC HARV rappin, followed by the harmonius stylings of Calamity and the Owl.
myspace.com/emceeharv
myspace.com/calamityandtheowl

July Demonstration: Oil painter David Cunningham provides us with a portrait demonstration in Studio 313.

Studio 316

New from Linnea in Studio 316: Robot Stickers! Get your hands on your very own miniature-stickable-purple-painting Robot. Full color vinyl 2x3 inches.

New in Studio 314 - jewelry

Sketching with metal: Tasha Rae Jewelry
I've been working on new series of necklaces in my sketching collection. They are all one of a kind sketches in metal: like individual canvases. I start by randomly drilling tiny holes into a sterling silver disc and then I feed my saw blade through and start 'drawing'. There's never a plan: just a moment in time. A true one-of-a-kind charm. Perfect for a simple necklace to be worn alone or layered with many more.



Piercing in progress. All piercing done by hand.

New Art

Image 1. Hannah Albert
Image 2. Lauren S. Strom (Studio 202)