Featured work by Teresa Vining (April)

Starting in April, we are featuring the work of Teresa Vining, from the Belle Plaine area.  Ms. Vining works in oil and draws heavily from her years living in Germany.  She uses much of the same scale, perspective, detail and color of the Northern Renaissance.  We are pleased to share her work in the Arts Center through May 11th.  Please stop by and enjoy her work.

LOCATION
Her work is featured in the Arts Center
7924 Victoria Drive, Studio Level
Victoria MN 55386

DATE
April 1 through May 11

TIME/HOURS
Wednesday – Friday 12-5pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm

CONTACT
Mary Thoreson Strother
visualarts@artsofcarvercounty.org
952-448-4432

Artists’ Reception for the Culture and Community Exhibition April 18 (Exhibit April 11- June 7)

Join us for the Artists’ Reception! This is a juried show, visual art of images that show the engagement of Culture and Community. It includes photographs, paintings and drawings. Come meet the artists and mingle with members.

LOCATION
ACCC Arts Center
7924 Victoria Drive, Studio Level
Victoria MN 55386

ARTISTS’ RECEPTION DATE
April 18, 2019

TIME/HOURS
6:30 to 8:30pm

EXHIBITION DATES
April 11 – June 7, 2019

HOURS
Arts Center Hours during the Exhibition
Wednesday – Friday 12-5pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm

FEE
This is a free event, finger food and beverages provided

CONTACT
Mary Thoreson Strother
visualarts@artsofcarvercounty.org
952-448-4432

Springfest Artisan Fair May 18, 2019

Welcome to the 1st Annual Springfest Artisan Fair!

The City of Norwood Young America (NYA), NYA Economic Development Commission and NYA Area Chamber of Commerce are calling all artists, painters, designers, authors, potters, quilters, craft brewers, local farmers, musicians, etc. to display their talents and wares in our charming Historic Downtown Norwood.

LOCATION
Historic Downtown Norwood,  Elm Street, Norwood Young America, MN 55368

MAX OR MIN NUMBER OF ATTENDEES/TICKETS?
Maximum of 80 Exhibitors

DATE
Saturday, May 18, 2019

TIME/HOURS
Art Fair is from 9am – 3pm
Set up time is 6am – 8:30am

DEADLINE
May 1, 2019

DETAILS

  • You must furnish tables, chairs, canopy (10×10 or 12×12), equipment, etc. for your exhibit area.  Weights are recommended for your tent.  No electricity is available.
  • Each exhibit area is 12’ x 12’ & is located on pavement.
  • Merchandise must meet at least one of following criteria:  Hand-made or Home-grown.
  • Springfest is a non-juror event.
  • Set-up time is 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. You may park directly at your space for unloading ONLY.
  • Each exhibitor will be assigned a booth number (marked day of event), a map for setup and where to park after setup.
  • Exhibitors are responsible for maintaining attendance in their booth space the entire event.
  • NYA Chamber Of Commerce is not responsible for security of merchandise during or after event.
  • No early departures.

FEE
Entry Fee: $50.00 per space – $90 for a double space – NO REFUNDS **Rain or Shine! **

CONTACT PERSON
Karen Hallquist, Executive Director – NYA Area Chamber of Commerce
info@nyachamber.org
(952) 200-8431

LINKS TO ADDITIONAL INFO
https://www.facebook.com/NYA-Springfest-Artisan-Fair-400250010523439/

NYA Area Chamber of Commerce website at www.nyachamber.org.

flash fiction contest

Flash Fiction Winners 2019

Anne Jackson was awarded first place in the 2019 ACCC flash fiction contest during the Arts Consortium’s Annual Meeting held on Tuesday, March 19th for her story “Round Robin,” a tale about a creepy neighbor and severed robins heads. Anne is a Chaska resident and member of several writers’ groups.

Second place went to Tamara Shaffer for her story “Foiled,” a story about romantic hope aboard mass transit. Tamara lives in the Chicago area.

Barb Zimmerman won third place for her story “A Surprise Discovery,” a story that suggests there’s more to fear in the woods than lions and tigers and bears. Barb is a member of the Waconia Writers Group.

Anne and Barb read their stories at the annual meeting and received their award ribbons.

Submissions to the contest were limited to a maximum of 600 words, and fifteen writers took up that challenge. Two came from the Chicago area and one from Indonesia. We thank everyone who entered.

Here are the winning stories, minus Anne’s. She requested that it remain “unpublished” for now.

 

A SURPRISE DISCOVERY

By Barb Zimmerman

The grey wash of the rain blurred my view through the window. Peering through it, I could barely see the nearby trees or the path I had carved through the woods. I longed to be on the trail, where evergreens stood like blockades on either side, and old vegetation had long ago turned to softness under my feet.

When the rain continued, I got jumpy. Alone, my thoughts hovered like mosquitoes. My stomach clenched as I read about the second body found not far from my home in the woods. This crime, like the first, was unsolved. There was just one clue; two blue mother-of-pearl buttons– one placed precisely in each unseeing eye of the victim.

Enough ruminating. My kids pressured me to move to town, worried about me alone in the woods. I reminded them that I am careful, and not really alone. I talked about the fresh air, all that oxygen from the trees, no traffic, no crime. Well…until now.

At noon, like a diminishing chord, the rain let up and released me to my sanctuary. Happily, I tromped, my boots silent on the soggy floor. I stopped, closed my eyes and inhaled: pungent, rich and deeply soothing. Chilly cascades of water fell from branches overhead. One large drop tapped the top of my head, making me jump. Relax, I told myself. This is your safe place.

Five minutes later I stared at the base of a large oak and wondered if I had lost my mind despite the extra oxygen. And yet, it was there, wasn’t it? A fairy house. Not a tacky ceramic one, but a miniature dwelling of twigs and bark. Bowls fashioned out of upturned acorn caps sat on a mushroom table. Bending for a closer look, an abrupt hard blow from my left crashed me into the brush.

Prostrate, I fended off a giant head as it tried to lick my face. “Oh, for Pete’s sake, Clyde! Get off!” Hurricane Clyde, a rescue from a Louisiana shelter, lived up to his name. What he lacked in grace he made up for in enthusiasm and fierce loyalty. He was one of the reasons I felt safe. “How did you get out, you big lump?” So much for a quiet walk. He was circling the tree, snuffling, nose to the ground. “What do you smell?” I remembered then. Had I really seen…? Of course not! But Clyde, fur at attention, barked at the base of the oak. I grabbed his collar as he lunged forward. And there it was. “It is a fairy house.” How could it have gotten there?

“The kids are right; I’ve lost it.” I looked around, felt for my cell phone in my pocket, turned it on and checked the date. No, I wasn’t dreaming or time traveling. I was here in my woods and someone had built a tiny house. I felt a ribbon of unease and took a breath. “Get a grip, woman. Let’s see what’s inside.” Tiny chairs, a twig bed, a miniature chest closed with a tiny latch. I couldn’t resist. I flipped open the lid just as Clyde jerked his collar from my hand. As I turned toward his deep low growl, I had time to recognize the contents of the trunk.

In it, stacked with precision, was a row of blue mother-of-pearl buttons.

 

FOILED

By Tamara Shaffer

He’s sitting across from me on the train, reading—or pretending—but looking at me, his gaze flicking upward then downward again quickly. He thinks I don’t notice, although he wants me to notice, makes sure I notice, and I, playing the same game, give him fleeting eye contact and half a smile but only one.

His legs are long, crossed at the ankles. I like his dark hair and skin and the way his head is cocked slightly sideways as he glances at me. He turns a page, knowing that I know he hasn’t read a word. It’s an astronomy magazine, so he might be smart, might have a telescope in his yard. I imagine him guiding my face toward the eyepiece, his arm around my shoulder. “How does the moon look up close?” he’d ask me, leaning forward to direct his question softly into my ear.

He readjusts himself, crosses his legs at the knees and gives me another quick look. We’re coming to a stop—my stop, in fact—and I hope it’s his as well. Once I gather myself and head for the door, he’s right behind me. I feel him towering over me, imagine I feel his warm breath on my neck. Knowing that we’ll know each other soon, I’m excited. I feel an arousal I haven’t felt in months, since my fiancé confessed that he’d been unfaithful—with my best friend in the world.

The door grinds open and I step down, prepared to respond when he speaks to me. Yet, I hear no voice other than the giggle of a child, just before my new prospect walks around me, not looking back, but holding his arms out for a small girl, one who jumps into them gleefully. The woman approaching them is smiling. “Honey, I hope you remembered the wine.”

This Is Ted, House Concert Series with Ted Hajnasiewicz April 13

Join us! The Ted House Concert has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 13 3-5pm

Ted Hajnasiewicz is a local Singer Songwriter who has just released a new CD called This Is What I Do. Ted has a 30 year career spanning many genres and is a captivating performer. Join us for a concert in the Arts Center. Learn more about Ted Hajnasiewicz, visit tedhtunes.com.

Driven to write the perfect song, Minneapolis-born singer/songwriter Ted Hajnasiewicz is constantly composing, learning, listening, playing and singing.

This Is What I Do CD is a culmination of years of song crafting. This is a sort of “greatest hits” package, compiling Ted’s favorite songs into one album to provide a relatable soundtrack for the lover, the loser, the sinner and the saint – roles we all play at any given moment in life.

Ted’s CD will be available for purchase at the concert.

LOCATION
Arts Center
7924 Victoria Drive, Studio Level
Victoria MN 55386

DATE
New Date April 13, 2019

TIME/HOURS
3 to 5pm

FEE
Suggested $5 donation to the ACCC at the concert. Space is limited to 30 guests.

Contact Person
Steve Kelzer
kelzer2025@gmail.com
952-465-2384

ACCC Poetry Contest

2019 Annual Poetry Contest Feb 1 – March 15

Call for Poems

The ACCC is accepting entries for the 2019 Arts Consortium of Carver County Poetry Contest from February 1 through midnight March 15, 2019.  Please send us your best poem on the theme “Minnesota:  Our Home,” which you can interpret broadly to include subject matter that reveals any aspect of life or landscape in Minnesota.  Your poem will be judged anonymously according to age and resident categories by a group of local poets.  Winners will be chosen by Joyce Sutphen, Poet Laureate, Minnesota, and Carver County resident.

Entries must be submitted via email.  In the body of the email simply include the name and contact information requested below.  Your poem should be submitted anonymously as a Word or PDF document and will include only the category of submission in the upper right-hand corner, no name or contact information.  Winners, other poets, and judges will be invited to read their work on April 11 at the Arts Consortium Arts Center.  We hope that you and your students will submit their work!

Program or Event Location
We will have the celebration of winners in the Arts Center
7924 Victoria Drive, Studio Level
Victoria MN
952-443-3200

Winner Announcement Celebration Date
April 11, 2019

Time/Hours  
6:30pm – 8:00pm

Entries
Submit one poem only by March 15 to poems@artsofcarvercounty.org
•       Students must attend school in Carver County, public, private or home school.  A student’s name, phone, grade level, school name, and poem title should be submitted in the body of the email only.    The poem should be attached to the email as a Word document or PDF and should indicate only the category of submission in the upper right-hand corner of the poem:  Grades k-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12.  Do not have the poet’s name on the poem.
•       Adults may enter as Carver County Residents or Non-Residents.  The adult’s name, address, phone, and residency category must be submitted in the body of the email only.  The poem should be attached as a Word document or PDF and indicate Resident or Non-resident only in the upper right-hand corner of the poem, no name or contact information.

Submission Deadline 
Midnight March 15, 2019
Submit Entries (and any questions) to: poems@artsofcarvercounty.org

Contest Fee
none

Contact Person
Susan Coultrap-McQuin,  Poet and ACCC Board Member
poems@artsofcarvercounty.org

Smalltown Eclectic

Smalltown Eclectic’s LOUD at the Library: Open Mic + Art Night

Smalltown Eclectic & MELSA seek visual artists to display original artwork during LOUD at the Library Open Mic + Art Night. Please note: this is an opportunity to display your work but we are not allowed to sell items at the library. Artists are encouraged to bring promotional materials and provide people with information on how to purchase artwork.

We are always seeking new artists to participate in our Open Mic. Musicians, writers, poets, and spoken word artists are all welcome.

LOCATION
Belle Plaine Public Library, 125 West Main Street, Belle Plaine MN

DATE/TIME
Monday, January 28, 6 – 8pm

DETAILS
Open to all ages and abilities – youth art welcome
Contact Maria Ricke to reserve a space. Tables and small easels provided. Artwork can be propped against walls and book shelves. Bring your own easels for larger displays.

Smalltown Eclectic – Cultivating big talent in small communities through Open Mics, Art Exhibits and Concerts featuring all ages and abilities. This project is funded with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Bring your friends!

FEE
Free and Family Friendly

CONTACT PERSON
Maria Ricke
mariaricke@gmail.com
952-873-6767

LINK TO ADDITIONAL INFO
https://www.facebook.com/smalltowneclectic

ACCC CD Vol 4

Call for Songwriters and Musicians

The ACCC is now creating Volume V of The Songwriters and Musicians of Carver County CD.

We are inviting musicians and songwriters to contact Steve Kelzer if you are interested in participating in the creation of the 5th ACCC Songwriters CD. Seeking current and former Carver County residents.
Original work only, no covers.

Volumes II, III and IV are available for purchase at the ACCC Arts Center or on our CD page. The current Volume is offered with our compliments to new members as they join. 100% of the proceeds from the CD sales are donated to the ACCC.

To learn more, please visit our CD page.

Deadline
March 15, 2019

Contact
Steve Kelzer, Producer
952-465-2384 or
kelzer2025@gmail.com

District 112 Youth Art Month Visual Art Show

The Youth Art Month Visual Art Show celebrates the creative visual art of students from District 112 Eastern Carver County Schools, students in grades K-12. We invite you to come see how local students are embracing the Arts. All are welcome to attend the Student Artist Reception to meet some of the students.

Show Dates
March 20 through April 5, 2019

Student Artists’ Reception
March 21, 2019 from 6:30-8:30pm

Location
ACCC Arts Center
7924 Victoria Drive, Studio Level
Victoria MN

Contact Person
Jeff Lenzmeier
lenzmeierj@district112.org
952-556-6919