“American Family” is an ambitious play, a laudable and moving production, even if it’s not a particularly subtle one. The story focuses on a family torn apart by the persistently thorny issues of race relations in America, specifically grappling with interracial love and marriage in the mid-1960s South — a time when such relationships were […]
Article · March 26, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
St. Paul artist Tyler Olsen has an easy, self-deprecating laugh, and he talks fast — as if his tongue is in a race with his mind. He’s the principal behind a veritable warren of projects, all at various stages of development. Chat with him for a few minutes, and it’s clear he’s busting with still more […]
Article · March 21, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
The weekend just past felt more like mid-June than mid-March, with temps topping out at 80 degrees — and that followed more than a week of warm, sunshiny days. Twin Citians’ giddiness over the unseasonably mild weather is as plain to see as the shorts and tank tops you’ll see them sporting around town. (I […]
Article · March 19, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
Standing before one of Mary Griep’s mixed-media drawings in the “Anastylosis” series, the viewer cannot but be overwhelmed. Through a series of piecemeal sketches and lavish, elaborate collages, she reproduces some of the world’s most magnificent holy sites dating from the medieval period, from the 10th to 12th centuries C.E. — grand cathedrals, palaces and […]
Article · March 14, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
I’ve been eager to see Amy Toscani’s new show at St. Kate’s University, “Everyday Epic.” I’ve long admired her large-scale public art: a grand, candy-colored “Molecule” on the grounds of the University of Minnesota’s East Bank; the whimsical, many-armed “Rocco,” installed at the wonderful Franconia Sculpture Park; the latter calls to my mind a jumble […]
Article · March 12, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
Spring break is coming up next week, and that’s got me scrambling to find things to keep my elementary schooler occupied in the coming days. Poking around various arts calendars and press releases, I’ve particularly noticed a number of intriguing activities for families looking for a bit of cultural adventure. Here are three attractive options, […]
Article · March 7, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
Todd Boss often describes his poems as “simple.” And it’s true, the St. Paul-based poet draws from the unpretentious terrain of hearth and home in his work: married life, parenthood, walking with dogs in the woods, his childhood spent on the family’s Wisconsin farm. And Boss’s poems are warm and musical, as generous and inviting […]
Article · March 5, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
Every midwinter, legions of artists and arts supporters from around the state head to downtown St. Paul for a day at the capitol, lobbying state legislators about issues important to the Minnesota arts community. The time has come around again: this Wednesday, Feb. 29, is Arts Advocacy Day 2012. This daylong exercise in civic and […]
Article · February 27, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
Here’s a compelling reason to go out on a school night: starting late last month, the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library and James J. Hill Reference Library partnered up to offer “Book It: Loud at the Library,” a series of Thursday night shindigs that begin with a little friendly trivia competition (hosted by […]
Article · February 22, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
There’s a new exhibit on view in the Independent Film and Photography (IFP) Minnesota gallery: “Road Work,” a themed photo show filled with images taken on the road. Of these, “Curator’s Journal” by Vance Gellert, documents the artists and self-taught creatives met on his travels through Cuba and Russia. Gellert’s portraits are evocative and worth […]
Article · February 20, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler
When Mu Daiko’s taiko drummers beat out a rhythm, it’s not just performance — it’s exultation. With a fusion of percussive beats and fluid, athletic movement, the artists on stage for Saturday night’s 15th Anniversary Concert gave the enthusiastic crowd in Ordway’s intimate McKnight Theater a rousing performance of both classic works and new compositions. Led […]
Article · February 15, 2012 by Susannah Schouweiler