Art to Change the World

Creating ACW Community

The Heartbeat of ACW =  The People

Workshops with the Mississippi River Pearl at the Dow Gallery.

Sam St. John’s solo show at the Fox Den Gallery in Solar Arts Building. First Thursday

Critique Club at Headquarters. This time we critiqued Anna Karena’s work and Liisa Le’s. Free to join!

Opening of My Earth show at the Dow Gallery in St. Paul 2025!

Flux Frost Fest at Flux Arts Building. ACW Members selling and making art at Headquarters December 7th.

Layl’s polymer clay class at Emma Norton at restoring waters December 2024.

Dec 15th Royal Hiptites play at Mojo Coffee. Featuring Marko Fields and Craig Harris. ACW Members attended.

Trauma Sensitive Training with Robin at Heahquarters. Training new teachers for teaching at transformational housing.

Art Crawl at Whittier with Common Bond staff and residents and ACW Artists talking about their work that was purchased for their common spaces.

Katie’s art making class at Headquarters and our lovely art shower curtain made by Lucy with member art on it.

Wini’s party and play, Shopping spree reward for classes attended day, and fall Art Crawl at Solar and Carriage House.

Creating cards and zip purses with the residents at Restoring Waters (Emma Norton Services).

Bonita the Butterfly Kelly made for the Mill City Museum during Stone Arch Festival has no arrived outside ACW Headquarters on the Monroe side of the Flux Arts Building. Come get your photos!

Leadership meeting at Headquarters and the second in-person task force meeting!

Another successful class at Emma Norton taught by Anna Karena.

Our artist classes at Restoring Waters, the new Emma Norton building.

Kelly plein air painting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Grand Marais with Outdoor Painters of MN.

Hanging work at Whittier for Common Bond!

Owen Brown’s work, Myriorama, at the JCC (Jewish Community Center)

Phakamani Picnic at Rhoda Olsen’s

Teaching lessons at Emma Norton’s Restoring Waters location.

Meeting about A.I. policy for ACW at Headquarters.Gathering and sharing a meal is always a staple of the ACW way of building community. August 29th.

Moving supplies, building out the art room, lunch and then training at Restoring Waters! August 27th

Speed Painting event at Headquarters!

Yoga classes in the studio space! Yoga for the artistic soul taught by Angela Ogle.

New interns and visit to Layl’s studio

ACW Annual Summer Pizza Party at Layl’s! July 31st

Kelly and Sam St. John hanging more resident-chosen work at Restoring Waters with our partnership with Emma Norton.

Healing Art partnership with Emma Norton at Restoring Waters. ACW artists sold work for residents of transformational housing to have in their homes. Artists talked about their work and what it meant to them to be a part of this experience June 20th.

Kelly’s Burnsville Mural project with Barbara, Paul, Anna, Melodee, and other artists Mariah and Tamina, part of Cosmopolitan 7. See process at cosmopolitan7.com and come to the event July 11th at Nicolett Commons Park to see the murals and engage with the artists! 5-8pm

Stone Arch Bridge Festival June 15th and 16th at the Mill City Museum! ACW Mill City MN Historical Society Partnership! 100 Feet of Art and History! and on Fox News!

https://www.fox9.com/video/1471035

Chowdah Feed and prep! In the new ACW Headquarters space at Flux Arts. Art, friends, and a fancy feast!

Kelly attending the plein air convention and expo, this year in North Carolina. On the Cherokee Reservation and the Biltmore in Ashville.

ACW members out and about. Show at Soovac with Lalita, Barbara, and Herman. Kelly and Paul in Burnsville. Anne and Kelly at A-Mill. Lin and Lalita and Lin’s graduation cake during Layl’s grand opening. And a round table discussion about Northeast Arts District.

Art-a-Whril May 2024! Flux Arts upstairs ACW headquarters welcomed 300 people for their first opening at AAW.

The new Emma Norton building opening! ACW partnered with them and sold art!

Some ACW members went to photograph the Northern lights. Natalie got a bit into the fun of photography!

Kelly was interviewed on WCCO for Art Crawl. See interview here: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/video/union-depot-is-the-place-to-be-to-find-your-new-favorite-art-piece/#x

Working on Kelly’s project for the City of Burnsville.

ACW members out and about

Hanging the Common Bond purchased ACW artists’ work!

Mississippi River Pearl goes on display at Colombia Heights City Hall! Amada, one of the participants, and also the city’s Mayor, put on the event.

Site visit to the Mill City Museum to figure out installation work space and sizes.

ACW’s new World Headquarters! At the Flux Arts Building! 699 Lowry ave NE Minneapolis! Kelly’s and Barbara’s studio space combined!

ACW celebrates Layl’s birthday in her studio!

Playing the game, Day Break, about saving the planet as climate change gets worse. ACW’s Climate Team meets to learn a game on how to lessen carbon emissions. Becca, Anne, Neil, Margo, Remo, Kelly, Barbara, and Layl all played and enjoyed it!

On Location February 17th! Mojo’s Coffee and Gallery in the California Building. New location next month! Good food, company and art creating!

Royal Hitpites play at Mojo’s Coffee and Gallery at the California Building February 10th.

ACW’s Climate Action Affinity Group making cards with plastic for legislators to thank them for helping vote against single-use plastics and supporting environment laws, etc.

Turbo Junk event!

Polymer Clay Guild show at Robbins Gallery in Robbinsdale January 13th opening. ACW chair Layl McDill and member SAM Greene had work in the show.

Kelly teaches a sample painting class at Emma Norton Services.

Initial meeting for the first Annual Echoes of Tradition Project at Elsie’s

ACW’s 1st Annual Members’ Celebration! Party at the Solar Arts Building 2nd Floor with live music, snacks, drinks, the launch of our 3 projects Swap + Barter, Critique Cabaret, and ACW’s Trash to Treasure kiosk. With a show in the Fox Den and new members coming and going, it was a spectacular event had by all! Let us know what you would like to see/do/have/experience at our next annual celebration!

Owen Brown’s Myriorama at the Veronique Galley in North Loop. He made 451 pieces for everyone attending to move around and “curate” the walls themselves. He was interview by Diane Willow from the University of Minnesota. Closing Reception November 11th.

ACW members came to see Wini Froelich in the play, Anon(ymous) at the Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, November 5th.

Beauty from Ashes from Art is my Weapon at the 9 Mile Gallery at the District in Edina November 4th. Barbara and Kelly had work in the show with other artists, put on by Nikki McComb.

The Art of Drag!

Frances Bates as drag king, Larry Gaga, put on her internship project, the beautiful, amazing, and artful, Art of Drag at Lush in Minnneapolis November 3rd. Over 100 people attended. Unique drag show including the history, the art, the local history, and the social justice behind the art. The colorful diversity and costumes created the most entertaining and educational night of dance, song, spoken word, and lights and music!

Dave Dvorak CD release at Mojo’s

Kelly, assistant director, painting plein air at the Harvest Festival at Holtz Farm Park in Eagan.

Art Battle! Anna Karena competed in the Art Battle painting in 20 minutes.

Wodakota Installation by Marlena Miles at Caponi Art Park in Eagan, artist talk on her Augmented Reality images.

Project Manager Training Day! October 1st.

Barbara Bridges  receives  Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Vision Award. Oct 2nd.

Click here to read her speech.  

Creating Community 2022 and Before

Candy and Craig’s installation multi-media performance, Legacy Dream Space at Owatonna Center for the Arts in Owatonna, MN. Opening show September 17th.

Phakamani Picnic Fundraiser at Rhoda Olsen’s September 10th

Club Crit with Layl McDill at her studio May 10th.

Emma Norton’s Opening Doors Gala at the Intercontinental Hotel in St. Paul April 27th. ACW sponsored a table and gave over 17 works of art to their auction for bids. Was a fun night!

On Location Drawing Co-op April 15th at the MIA

Art is My Weapon show at the Hennepin Central Library. Barbara had a piece in the show called, X2. “Own a gun? You are 2 times more likely to die by one.”

Earth Day at Solar Arts April 22nd

Noble Truths: Susan Wagner studio talk at the Casket Arts Building April 8th. From realism to abstract landscape painting.

Mississippi River Pearl workshop art experience at MWMO April 5th. Full class size for the fun-filled and educational art workshops that we offer with our amazing Mississippi River Pearl art made of trash collected on the Mississippi River and assembled by ten artists! See more on our project page.

Art Battle at the Mall of America Rotunda March 31st. Assistant Director, Kelly Frankenberg, competing in an art battle where after 20 minutes of painting the public votes who gets to go to the next round. To join an art battle or bid on paintings, go to ArtBattle.com

ACW members out and about seeing Laura Mann Hill’s play, “Inspired by Claudette & Rosa.” Youth Performance Company presented this entertaining play performed by youth, set in modern day, educating us about a 15-year-old hero who should have been as famous as Rosa Parks but the history books left her out. We were very impressed not only because it was a great performance, but because this show inspired action to be taken on social justice issues, which is what ACW is all about!  Professional performance photos by Jenna Poff

Moving Pearl to its next location at MWMO and an upcoming April 5th workshop. Check out more on our project page.

Watch Assistant Director, Kelly Frankenberg, compete painting live in Art Battle 2404, the first one in Minnesota! (her round is the second one which starts around 2:02:00. It was January 26th in Inver Grove Heights at Jersey’s Bar and Grill. There are events all over the world and there will be more in Minnesota, the next being Rochester and the Mall of America.

January Fun!

On Location Drawing January 14th at Theo Wirth Park Trailhead and Kelly and Layl visit “The Moth” on January 25th.

Candy Kuehn’s critique at Club Critique at the California Building. January 18th. This critique included her friends.

Charles Caldwell studio visit.

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Installing Mississippi Pearl at Homewood Studios for November.  Installed at the Mississippi River Management Organization on February 6, 2023.

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Solar Arts Building Light up the Night! Dec 2-4th

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Noble Truths: Layl’s Clay Squared Studio! Layl McDill showed us how she creates her designs in polymer clay and how she got started as an artist.

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Zoe Album Release! Dave Dvorak Album Release Party at 12 Cider

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Maker’s Space Teacher’s dinner hosted by Lynette.

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Noble Truths studio visit in June at Greg Volker’s studio. California Building.

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Layl and Madalina working together on the Age of Age project.

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Layl and Madalina at the Homewood Studio Show and working on sock monsters at Layl’s studio while discussing ideas for the Age of Age show.

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Kelly at a gallery opening at Art Works Eagan with her work, “Daily Progression of a Black Eye.” 

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Nina at an encaustic paint class taught by Jodi Reeb. If you haven’t tried encaustic, you should!

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Hola! Barbara and Layl soaking up art and sun in the Barra de Potosi Paradise in Mexico this winter!

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On Location Drawing at the Como Conservatory January 23rd

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Layl’s Solo Show January 13th-February 10th

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The Art Shoppe featured artists Rebecca David with Susan Gainen. And Fox Den’s 100 works under $100

Video links below

Orientation Day Testimonies
Mark
Take away:  Enthusiasm and excitement.  It was great meeting everyone in person, and everyone gives off a great energy (what do you expect from an ArtToSaveTheWorld function).  I am excited to see what these young artists do, specifically the team I’m on.  I’m enthused to be working with these kind people able to view things from multiple sides.

Deacon

The Coaching Project kickoff was such a fun event!  I was so impressed by all the people involved in this project—so much creativity and positivity.  And I was especially excited to meet my team members and get a more concrete grasp of how we’ll work to gather to support Ashley’s Blood on the Pavement project.  The flow of activities and sharing at the orientation did a great job at bringing us all together and jump starting our work.

Lauren

“I had a fantastic time at the Orientation for this project. It was great to finally meet my teammates and the other project managers and coaches. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and I cannot wait to start creating with these people.”

Ashley

The Coaching Project Orientation was so much fun! It was a great way to learn more about ACW and other team projects, as well as the expectations for this grant period. Most importantly, it was a great way to connect and build a solid foundation with teammates. During a time when the pandemic has shifted our daily interactions and the world has become so virtual, I found that having this first meeting in-person was invaluable.

Ari has a Critique
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Aristoteles Carbajal <aristotelescarbajal8@gmail.com> is our youngest ACW member.  They have a unique style and voice.  Listen:


Pop Up Palette Party   Arts District Palette: Where Neighbors and Artists Meet
Sociable Cider Werks
Read More about the Project

Photography by Natalie McGuire nmcguirestudio@gmail.com

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Photography  by Barbara Bridges  drb@bridgescreate.com

Photography by Devin Larkins devinlarkins16@gmail.com

Photographs by Ngange&Themasses <ngangeandthemasses@gmail.com>

 

Photos by JoAnnKirkman

Preparing for the Lobster Chowdah  Thank You party for our major donors.  Seafood flown in from Maine from Mclauglin’s  Seafood located in my birthplace of Bangor, Maine.  https://mclaughlinseafood.com/
Great Thanks to Deb and Natalie.  It took us almost 4 hours to shuck, pick and chop. You can do the math… I would have been sitting there for 12 hours! They look a little intimidated by the crustaceans!

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Lobster Chowdah  Event 2021 for Major Donors
Photography by Natalie McGuire nmcguirestudio@gmail.com

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Photographs by Barbara    Click to Enlarge pictures

Photographs by Lynnette Black

$200 Donor and Task Force Thank You Party  June 2021

Unique Wood Fired Pizza Party  from an oven created by renowned tile artist Josh Blanc.  https://claysquared.com/



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On Location Drawing Group   June 19,2021,  Como Community Garden
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