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Looking for some mid-winter artsy fun? Look no further than this handful upcoming exhibits at area galleries. For more information on these and other art events happening around town, visit the Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization HERE.

Voyage

Locally-based, Chilean-born installation artist Alonso Sierralta exhibits his mixed media sculpture works at The Gordon Parks Gallery in January and February. Guest curator William G. Franklin speaks to the work as “a poetic struggle in which three-dimensional revelations are born.”

Free

January 26 through March 2
Lecture: February 9, 7 to 8 p.m.

Metropolitan State University, Library and Learning Center
700 East Seventh Street, Saint Paul, MN 55106

INFO HERE

Robyne Robinson: Hands and Heart

Robyne Robinson is both collector and artist. This February at the U of St. Thomas the former news anchor turned jewelry designer will showcase not only her own handmade creations, but will bring her eclectic private art collection into the spotlight as well.  She will also be hosting a lecture on “The Impact of Global Urbanism on Art and Design” on Friday, March 16.

Free

February 1 through April 13
Lecture: March 16, 6:30 p.m.

O’Shaughnessy Educational Center
2115 Summit Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55105

MORE INFO

Illo Minn: Volume Three

It’s all about illustration this February at the College of Visual Arts. This biennial exhibition of regional illustrators will feature a printed illustration from each artist accompanied by its original artwork, an additional original artwork of their choosing, and a Moleskine notebook with an artist-designed cover. During the reception the Moleskines will be sold in a silent auction with proceeds benefitting the CVA Scholarship Fund.

February 3 through March 3
Reception: February 2, 6 to 8 p.m.
Panel Discussion: February 9, 6 p.m.

College of Visual Arts
173 Western Avenue North Saint Paul, MN 55102

MORE INFO

A Midwinter Night’s Dream

It’s an artful ladies’ shopping excursion at the AZ Gallery this February, where you can check out art and jewelry by female artists at “A Midwinter Night’s Dream”. Featuring work by Christy Johnson, Jen Hanlon Ash, Larissa Loden, Megan Moore, Emily Gray Koehler, Jennifer Merchant and more. While you’re there, pick up handmade beauty and home products by The Elixery, Simple Scents and Aromi.

February 10 through February 26
Reception: February 11, 5 to 10 p.m.

The AZ Gallery 308 Prince Street Saint Paul, MN 55101

MORE INFO

A Victorian Christmas at the Ramsey House

A Victorian Christmas awaits at St. Paul’s historic Ramsey House! Rewind the clock to an era of decadence and nostalgia and experience what the holidays were like in 1875. Be dazzled by twinkling lights and cheerful decor, sample fresh baked cookies from the Ramsey House’s wood burning stove, tap your toes to tunes played on the family’s classic Steinway piano, and admire original ornaments and Christmas gifts from days of yore. Learn a bit of history as costumed guides re-enact how the household prepared for the holidays, then stop into the carriage house to pick up replica Victorian ornaments and other holiday gift items.

Dec 1 – Jan 1 / 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, noon-3 p.m. Sundays

Fee: $11 adults, $9 seniors and college students, $7 ages 6-17; $3 discount for MHS members.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-296-8760 /  Click HERE for details

Alexander Ramsey House / 265 S. Exchange St. / St. Paul, MN 55102

A Christmas Memory

Add some old-timey theatrics to your holiday season as local actors Linda Sue Anderson and Sam Landman bring to life Truman Capote’s heartfelt holiday tale revolving around a boy coming of age during the Great Depression. The 1 hour program will include musical accompaniment by Minneapolis singer-guitarist Dan Hylton, performing holiday songs. Stick around after the show for light refreshments and guided tours of the famed manse.

Dec 1st & 2nd / Dec 8th & 9th / 7:30 p.m.

Fee: $12/$10 MHS Members, No credit cards accepted

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 / Click HERE for details

James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave, St. Paul 55102

Hill House Holidays

The fanciful holiday cheer of James J. Hill and his prestigious family is brought to life at the impeccably preserved historic Summit Avenue property. Indulge in a Gilded Age Christmas as you’re entertained by costumed actors that dramatically portray life as servants during the holiday season in first decade of the 20th century. The one-hour program will tak you through the gorgeous halls and even into the basement servant work areas. And it’s all legit–the script is based on letters and oral histories of people who actually worked for the family.

Bonus: On Dec 11th and 18th at 6pm be charmed by Victorian Christmas Stories a la Charles Dickens and Mark Twain!

Dec 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 / 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., tours begin every 30 minutes

Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $6 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 / Click HERE for more details

James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave, St. Paul 55102

We’re diggin’ all the groovy spin off events that the MN History Center’s 1968 exhibit has spawned. Case in point: November 6th and 8th you’ll be able to indulge your hippie side and also get a bit of education in the process!

This Sunday, peruse the exhibit then hang out with Scott Rohr of Twisted Groove T-Shirt Shop, who will be hosting a family-friendly workshop on tie-dye techniques. Watch and learn as Scott bend, binds, and twists t-shirts into snazzy patterns, then step up to the plate yourself to tie-dye your own groovy creation. Feel free to bring an addition item to dye such as socks, a scarf, or a pillow case.

Sunday Nov 6 / 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. / MN History Center / Workshop fee includes a t-shirt and all materials and snacks. This program is recommended for kids 6 years and up. Reservations are recommended, but drop-ins are welcome too. For more information click HERE.

On Tuesday, November 8th, get the inside scoop on the 1968 exhibit during an intimate talk with Curator Brian Horrigan, who will share stories and anecdotes on the process of creating the large-scale traveling show. Additionally, the Historical Society’s Teen Advisory Council will put their youthful exuberance to the theatrical test in a performance of “1968: Teen to Teen” created by playwright Cory Hinkle based on oral histories from real-life people who came of age during the dramatic and intense time frame of the late ’60s.

Tuesday Nov 8 / 10:30 a.m. / MN History Center / Free; ($8 senior museum gallery admission not included). Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015, or register online.

We’ve just discovered a clever little discussion series that feeds both our nerdy side and our artistic side, thanks to the Science Museum of Minnesota. Each second Tuesday of the month head to the Black Dog Cafe to be titillated by presentations from both artists and scientists on an array of topics, with the overarching view being the intersection between art and science.

Tuesday, November 8th brings together multi-disciplinary artist/Media Arts Professor Diane Willow and U of M professor of Plant Biology Neil Olszewski. The two will discuss the concept of biological art, and will touch on the process of contemporary works that involve living organisms (something we’re dying to know more about!).

Diane Willow is a multi-modal artist and Associate Professor of Experimental and Media Arts at the University of Minnesota. Working at the nexus of art and technology, architecture and science, by any medium necessary best describes her process as she experiments with hybrid media to explore the poetic dynamics of nature, technology and community. Focused on art as experience, she invites people to engage in multi-sensory explorations as participants and choreographers.

Neil Olszewski is a Professor of Plant Biology at the University of Minnesota. His laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms by which hormones and posttranslational modification of proteins with sugars regulates plant growth and development. He also studies the molecular biology of plant viruses.

November 8, 2011
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Free & Open to the Public

Black Dog Coffee & Wine Bar, 4th & Broadway, Lowertown / www.blackdogstpaul.com

For more info on the Beaker & Brush series click HERE.

The bi-annual St. Paul Art Crawl returns for its autumn installment October 7th-9th, and amid all the staple studios, galleries, and art nooks that you’re used to checking out, comes a new spot worthy of your attention. Air Sweet Air G
allery has found its new home at 262 4th Street in Lowertown, just in time for the fall crawl. A multi-faceted project space, Air Sweet Air plans to shake things up a bit when it comes to programming, taking the traditional art show and infusing it with multi-media events and installations throughout the year. This week we chat with director Cheryl Wilgren Clyne and the ASA crew about the new space and what to expect from them in the future.

Tell us a little more about your gallery. What’s the concept?

Air Sweet Air, the gallery and art labs have been in the making for a few years. We have been looking for a space since its inception. The studio at 262 E 4th St. Suite 203, St. Paul, MN sort of came out of the blue and felt like a good place to jump in.  The mission is to create a multimedia exhibition space for experimentation and play, while discovering the best way to present it all. We don’t really wish to be held to or by any one type of exhibition. There is a need for more venues for artists to show their work. There are even fewer places that are set up to show video or film. We will be holding some screenings nights and video installations in the space.

Already there are a few international artists interested in coming here to show their work, and of course we want to show local art. We hope to develop some sort of exchange of people, art and ideas internationally but that is still in the works. We are especially interested in art that embraces the importance of nature and the state of being human.

What can we expect to see from you this weekend at the crawl?

We just moved into the space last week but didn’t want to miss out on the Saint Paul art crawl crowd! Cheryl Wilgren Clyne, who is the gallery art director will be exhibiting her drawings and a short film in the space. She is certain to be giving something away to those that stop in this weekend.

What else are you excited for this art crawl?

There is so much going on it is difficult to pick one or even two events. 262 Studios has some very gifted artists. The thesis photography students from the College of Visual Arts will be using our other gallery space at 275 E 4th St. Suite 795 in the Northwestern Building. We can’t wait to see what they come up with. One reason we like the art crawl is that you find unexpected things, work you didn’t know about. It is also a time to celebrate art and artists which should happen much more frequently everywhere.

What drew you to Lowertown?

Lowertown has a very different kind of feel. Everyone kind of knows everyone. It feels a little like a small town inside of an urban area. That may sound cliche but it is true. Plus, the architecture is a big draw for us.

What are some of your favorite things about St. Paul in general?

We love all the construction! Just kidding. The downtown skyline is wonderful. Saint Paul has so many beautiful buildings and many of the spaces are still very affordable for emerging artists or small business owners. It is fascinating to see all the changes that have happened here over the last year and how many more changes will come.  There are some remarkable neighborhoods in Saint Paul. And of course, the clouds are more beautiful in Saint Paul than in Minneapolis. (No, we are over in Minneapolis all the time too!) There is something about the way the light hits the buildings on almost any day that is magical. The sky changes so frequently here in Minnesota. And there are times of the day and seasons of the year when the light radiates. It might be a midwest thing. We have moved many times and we keep coming back to this place.

For more information on the gallery, visit their blog HERE.

For more information on the St. Paul Art Crawl click HERE.

On Thursday, October 6th, a number of local designers will band together to present a fresh spin on a staple garment. “Little Black Dress” will feature looks by local faves Max Lohrbach, Maritza Ramirez, Danielle Everine, Ivan Idland, Raul Osorio, Sarah Holm, Amanda Christine, George Moskal, Laura Fulk, Jenny Carle, Emma Berg, Jenn Bratvold and Nicole Larson. Each designer was invited to create their own version of the little black dress as well as a second look that encompasses their signature design style. Held at St. Paul’s newest and hippest joint, the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, Little Black Dress will surely make a glamorous splash as the venue’s first fashion event.

We got the low down from St. Paul fashion designer George Moskal, who will be showcasing his work at the event on Thursday…

The 651: The concept of the event “Little Black Dress” is pretty self-explanatory. How are the designers involved taking that simple concept and making it unique?

George Moskal: For me, fabric was important and finding something more dimensional that wasn’t just a solid or typical black fabric.  I chose a lacquered lace which gave me the texture I wanted,  levels of matte and sheen, as well as sheerness and opaqueness.  I like the duality of the fabric and was able to choose a more classic shape which I tried to keep more modern with inserts of another sheer lace and raw edges.  I like the additional texture you get at the edges leaving it raw.

Can you give us any hints as to what you’ll be making for your second look?

For my second look I wanted to choose a really bold color to offset the black.  I chose a fuchsia waffle weave silk crepe with a little bit of sheerness.  It’s so lovely to work with, so I chose to drape something with it and let the fabric almost do what it wants on the form.  I am controlling slightly by using a cording base and draping and cascading the fabric around the cord and body (as it sees fit).

Your studio is in St. Paul! As a working designer, what are your favorite or most inspiring things in the city?

I think first and foremost is my actual studio/home which is a converted warehouse with 2 walls of windows that lets in so much light and helps my creative process.  It makes me a bit of a recluse, but I need to be constantly creating whether it’s fashion, decorating my space, or cooking a great meal.  Other than that, I love getting outside and walking or running along the Mississippi.  There are a lot of great vintage clothing stores in St. Paul which is always fun.  So much great architecture, especially on Cathedral Hill and Summit Avenue.  So, I love absorbing as much of that area’s great restaurants, book store, and shops.  I live downtown, so there are a lot of great restaurants and a wine bar within walking distance and we have the best Farmer’s Market in the Twin Cities.  The Art Crawl twice a year is also a great reason to visit and I have shown work in the past.  I Love St. Paul!

Aside from a “little black dress” what accessory or item do you think a woman absolutely needs to have?

It probably doesn’t help me as a designer, but I have always thought that a great haircut and a good pair of shoes are the most important piece of both a woman’s and man’s wardrobe.  That and self confidence!

What projects are you working on this year?  

I am working on Fall ’12 which I plan to show next Spring during MNfashion Week to give me more time to produce for prospective clients.  I have had my line sketches created and fabric for months, and am now in the patterning stage.  I am playing up some of the darkness and avant garde aspects that inspired my early work but making it more refined and accessible for the woman of today.  There is a certain artist/poet that has inspired my work for awhile and listening to that while I work has really helped the creative process.

EVENT INFO:

Thursday, October 6th // 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public.
Attendees must be at least 21 to attend.
Runway will occur promptly at 8:30.
Validated parking will provided in the Lawson Ramp (connected to the venue). Entrance to the Ramp is on 5th St between St Peter and Wabasha.

For additional details visit the Facebook page HERE.

For more info on George Moskal’s designs visit his site HERE.

The month of September has become an especially sensitive time in America, since the attacks of 9/11 and the subsequent war it launched. A new generation of artists all over the world have become more attuned to the concept of war and how it affects the world–even in our own protected little Midwestern pocket. Curator, writer, and CVA faculty member Christina Schmid tackles the subject head on with a handful of artists whose interpretations may surprise you. In Deceptive Distance, a myriad of mediums, experiences, and thought processes collide in a thoughtful, representative exhibit. This week we caught up with Schmid, who gave us a fascinating earful about the exhibit and her curatorial process…

“Traces”  series by Laura Crosby

The subject matter in this exhibit plays on themes of war. How is this different than other exhibits of similar nature and what can people expect at the opening?

Well, the first difference that comes to mind is that the six artists in this show, all of them based in the Twin Cities, share a certain reflective, inquisitive, at times commemorative approach to the topic. Their work is not activist in the sense of trying to raise awareness about war and inspire a desire for change. They don’t tell us what to feel or think—we have to figure that out on our own. And I think that’s an important difference from other shows: the work here asks questions rather than make definitive statements about the war.

As a curator, I resisted the urge to simply impose my own political vision on the show. That soapbox approach would probably not be very interesting to anyone but me. So instead of embracing any one political ideology, the work on view explores the psychological consequences of being at war: grief, anguish, a reckoning with responsibility, the painful need to memorialize—and the longer-lasting repercussions on what has been called the “9/11 generation.” Recently, in conversation, a young artist felt the need to explain the word ‘pacificism’ to me—and I was struck that a term like that would no longer be assumed to be a part of our shared vocabulary—or that generation’s vocabulary.

But back to Deceptive Distance. The six artists share what I would call a very thoughtful, contemplative approach to engaging with the decade since 9/11, an approach that is also intensely personal at times—and not without its problematic moments. But rather than erase or exclude these moments, I am hoping they will spark some critical dialogue and conversation. This topic is fraught with controversy—why not acknowledge that rather than ignore it? Now, what to expect at the opening: drawings (some of them created specifically for this show—which I am very excited about), paintings, photographs, and installations, as well as a panel discussion on opening night–with three very smart people: Jane Blocker, Patricia Briggs, and Camille Gage. Two of them are art historians, one of them is an artist/activist—and I hope for a spirited conversation about the work on view and, more generally, socially engaged art.

Work by Ana Lois-Borzi

As a curator, how do you tell a fluent story about such an intense topic? What was your process?

When I was first invited to curate a show for CVA, the topic was open. So I consulted with my colleagues who are practicing artists and active educators about what they thought might benefit our students the most. Quickly, I learned that the students needed to be exposed to more socially engaged art. Then, Vesna Kittelson approached us with a proposal for a 9/11-themed show—and that is where the original idea for this exhibition came from. Thanks to Vesna’s generosity, I got to develop this idea farther.

Starting out, I knew that I wanted to avoid the kind of political art that blatantly sets out to raise awareness in order to inspire a desire for change—that is, art that literally means to ‘activate’ viewers by exposing them to previously unknown facts, to shock them out of their happy complacency into action. Historically speaking, there is of course a time and place for such work, but I was reluctant to base this show on similar assumptions about our audience’s ignorance, complacency, and guilt.

Instead, I was interested in work that took seriously the fact that this nation has been at war for most of the past decade—and made that fact personal, while, at the same time, recognized the limits of even the most well-intentioned creative feats of empathy and imagination in the face of the immensity of war. I set out asking myself, how do artists create work about a topic like this, very well aware of the futility of their efforts, the dangers of making suffering look too beautiful—but nonetheless compelled to engage with the subject anyway? I was curious about work that did not follow the perhaps more familiar activist route but wanted to expose something other, and, in my mind, possibly deeper—in that it tries to see beyond ideological divisions and invites us to be human, mindful of our humanity and the suffering we so habitually inflict on each other.

In my studio visits, I was both interested in the recurrence of certain formal elements—there are a lot of doublings, shadows, reflections, refractions, and double-exposures here—and a narrative that would tie the work together. The narrative that eventually emerged was one of connection—connecting the current wars to the long, brutal history of war in general, and connecting the political to the personal—and distance. The artists I chose to work with all owned up to a certain distance in the face of war and recognized the impossibility to “accurately” represent the experience of war from the outside, vicariously. There are no heroic glorifications here and, on the other hand, no vilifications, I hope. Instead, the artists in this show invite us to ponder what seems to have gotten accepted as the inevitability of war: is it really an inevitable, necessary, even “natural” part of the human condition?

My own questions and much of my thinking about this topic were inspired by Susan Sontag’s book Regarding the Pain of Others and, on the other hand, by Jacques Ranciere, whose writing suggests a different connection between politics and aesthetics. The essay I wrote for the show ends with a line from Ranciere: “The images of art do not supply the weapons for battles,” he writes. “They help sketch new configurations of what can be seen, what can be said and what can be thought and, consequently, a new landscape of the possible.” It is my hope that the work in this show begins to imagine what charting such a new topography might look like…. And what we no longer see because we have learned to just accept it as a given.

Harriet Bart’s “_Eulogy_”

Do the artists have personal connections to the subject matter? Any particular stories you’d like to share?

This is a tricky question to answer: there are, of course, differences in how to define the relative proximity and/or distance of these six artists to the war. Megan Rye’s brother served in Iraq, and her work is based on the digital archive of photographs he took while there. But other artists are mothers or grandmothers whose kids are growing up in a world where war has become normal. These kids have never known this country not to be at war. And that shocking normality of war—the way war has become this inevitable, ordinary part of life—that is the way we all are connected to these wars.

When President Obama, in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo, said that the “the imperfections of man and the limits of reason”—I hope I got that quote right—necessitate war, that literally means we are creating and accepting a kind of reality, a kind of world where we no longer can imagine peace as the normal, inevitable state of affairs: “war has been the norm, peace the aberration,” writes Susan Sontag. And accepting war as this ordinary, normal event—that touches all of us, connects all of us to this war, personally. That is a man-made reality we live with daily.

What’s on CVA’s plate exhibition-wise for the rest of the year?

Following Deceptive Distance, we are hosting our annual Leaders in Design series: this time, the lecture and exhibition are dedicated to Minnesota women in design—WOMN, so the official title. Then we’re on to our holiday art sale, before we begin 2012 with the third installment of Illo MN, a showcase of Minnesota illustrators.

What are your favorite things about Autumn in St. Paul?

Running along the river with my two dogs at Crosby Farm and Hidden Falls Park, watching the trees change color along Summit Avenue, seeing eagles migrate along the river… and taking advantage of the bounty at the Farmers’ Market each weekend! And, of course, fall means that I get to work with my wonderful students at CVA again.

About Christina Schmid

Christina Schmid writes about art and teaches at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul. Deceptive Distance is her first curatorial adventure, and her essay on the show can be found on CVA’s site here. Her writing has been recognized by the Warhol Foundation and published in ArtPulse, Flash Art, and afterimage. For more of her essays, visit www.quodlibetica.com, an online journal devoted to arts, writing, and criticism.

Deceptive Distances opens this Thursday, September 15th with a reception and panel discussion.

5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Reception
7:00 p.m. Panel Discussion
(Exhibit Runs through October 16th)

CVA Gallery / 173 Western Avenue North / St. Paul / (corner of Western and Selby avenues)

Expanded gallery hours:

Wednesday and Friday
12 – 6 p.m.
Thursday
12 – 8 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday
12 – 4 p.m.

For more info on the exhibit visit www.cva.edu

This Wednesday, things are going to get a lot more colorful at the Historic Minnesota Building in Downtown St. Paul. Beloved local artists Jennifer Davis and Amy Rice have teamed up to present Delightful: A Pop-Up Gallery, a four-day exhibit featuring works in a variety of mediums and sizes, framed and unframed, on wood and paper. The temporary gallery will be open today through Sunday, with a reception on Friday night. We caught up with Jen Davis, who filled us in on all the details…

What can people expect to see at Delightful?

We are planning to show a ton of works of all shapes and sizes. The space is really big so we are bringing paintings large and small, framed and unframed, on wood and paper. Tons of drawings, prints and posters- screen prints, giclees, gocco’s and letterpress.

How did you settle on this location?

We recently learned that The Creative Connection ( a conference for women entrepreneurs) will be held at the Crowne Plaza hotel in St Paul this year. We thought it would fun to have an art show somewhere in St Paul during the conference and it quickly snowballed into this Pop-Up Gallery idea. We found a vacant space just blocks from the conference and worked with Rob Clapp/Summit Realty/The Historic Minnesota Building to make it happen. The space is big and sunny- we fell in love at first sight.

Both your work has quirky yet girlish sensibilities that are obvious to the naked eye. What do you think your major differences as artists are and in turn, why do you compliment each other so well?

We share many interests and sensibilities but our processes couldn’t be more different. Amy’s work is often based on her own memories/experiences and she uses great care in selecting her (often vintage) materials, setting up her printers, hand cutting stencils, etc. My work is spontaneous and intuitive. I just sit down and paint whatever bubbles up. I think our work pairs well because we often arrive at similar places: colorful and whimsical narratives. We inspire and motivate each other and really enjoy working on projects together.

Art by Jennifer Davis

Aside from the pop-up gallery, what do you have on your plates for the rest of the year?

Amy has TWO solo galley shows this year and they are both in October. One is called “Growing a Sense of Direction” and is at View Art Gallery in Victoria, BC and the other; “Rooted” is at Art Star Gallery in Philadelphia. I’ll be showing in two shows in CA – at Royal/t in Culver City and at Subtext Gallery in San Diego. I am also participating in a benefit show for Movember at Pink Hobo in Minneapolis.

Art by Amy Rice

What are your favorite people/places/things in St. Paul?

Our pals at Springboard for the Arts are pretty amazing. Mears Park, the farmers market, Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar… Oh, and of course, the Food Truck Court! Looking forward to checking out the brand new Amsterdam Hall this week too.

HOURS:

Wednesday, September 14, 4-9pm
Thursday, September 15, 8am-6pm
Friday, September 16, 8am- 9pm, RECEPTION 6-9pm
Saturday, September 17, 8am-6pm

The Historic Minnesota Building
46 4th Street East, Street level
Downtown St. Paul, MN

For more info, visit the Facebook event page HERE.

While the “official” grand opening hijinx will pop off September 23rd-25th, this weekend’s soft opening of St. Paul’s newest music venue, The Amsterdam Bar & Hall, will surely be a doozy. The old POP! Restaurant space in Downtown St. Paul has been reimagined by music venue magicians Jon and Jarret Oulman (331 Club, 501 Club), who have transformed the space into a hip, modular club and restaurant, which can expand for larger shows and national acts, but will typically maintain a more intimate setting–thanks to a dividing wall. The father-son duo have linked up with Eclipse Records and Big Table Studio, who will add a fresh retail element to the adjoining and adjacent spaces–a move we’re betting will inject some major pizazz into the area and foster creative culture at the same time.  This Thursday night kicks off with the Red Pens, BNLX, and Lilian & The Harveys; Friday brings The Goondas and Ghostmouth; and Saturday rounds things out with The Bitter Spills, Germaine Gemberling & Rich Mattson. Stop down and support the St. Paul scene!

This week, we chatted with co-owner Jarret Oulman about the club and how it came to be…

We’re so excited about the Amsterdam! How did you come to the decision to open a new bar in St. Paul?

The inspiration for Amsterdam as a concept came from first the fact that Amsterdam for centuries has been an international village with diversity of culture and peoples in a tolerant, inclusive, and social community with its history as one of the earliest of adventuresome commercial hubs for Europe and the New Worlds. Rembrandt, VanGough, and the Amsterdam School are a few cultural influences that drove our interest. Their “Brown Cafes” are warm, intimate, and cozy. The interiors invite mingling and close contact conversation. They serve simple small portioned sandwiches (called broodjes) of the highest quality prepared meats, cheese, cured fish, tartar, hamburger, and croquet at prices that invite you to have more. And the Belgian Frites have sauces from around the world. Genever, the Dutch distilled spirit predated English gin and it’s smooth finish is often compared to Saki, is served cold to the brim in small French tulip shaped stemware. The local custom known as “opentopf” is to bow and sip the top before lifting your glass. Holland and Belguim are famous the world over as the home of the now so popular “craft beers”, and beer snobs love them. This is the most important trend in beverage.

Personally, we’re hoping that the Amsterdam brings the “shot in the arm” that downtown St. Paul needs as far as nightlife. What has been the local response for the club so far, from both the standpoint of the public and city officials?

We originally were looking for a site in st paul when we were looking to expand 3 years ago. Martin Devaney and Sean McPherson would prod and urge me to get into St. Paul, the mayor’s office even called to let us know about available sites. Then last year, we were contacted about the Amsterdam site and we took a look and began thinking about how and if we could make something work there. Thus far we are very happy that we have decided to do so. St. Paul city officials have treated us like guests and partners. We are honored to have had the opportunity to work with them. They are interested and excited about our involvement and have supported us with enthusiasm and attention. The city officials not only support us, but also our culturally complimenting neighbors (McNally Smith, Eclipse Records, Big Table Studios, The Current) to help build a diverse cultural environment. Public response has been great. especially those who live or work in st paul who are happy that they will have an opportunity to access a new venue whose focus is on building a community centered around arts and interesting activity. While there has been a few people from Minneapolis who have said that they don’t like going to St. Paul, most have said that they are excited to have an extra reason to go there from Minneapolis. Remember, we are not making a 331 Club in St. Paul. The Amsterdam Bar and Hall will be a different experience entirely from anything you will get in either city.

The old POP! space seems to be cursed. Are you worried about that?

The space has changed and so has the block since the previous 2 establishments were active. The Banquet room is now the home of Eclipse Records and Big Table Studios is now in the next storefront. Fhima’s and Pop!! who were open for 5 and 2 and a half years respectively had very different models, culture, financial structures and offerings than we are producing. Furthermore, the neighborhood itself has sustained many complimenting businesses for long periods of time (Kinkaids, Pazzaluna, Meritage, Great Waters, Barrio, Bulldog, Alary’s, Fitzgerald, The Artist Quarter, etc). Further more, both Pop! and Fhima’s had success for a period of time and they each had different reasons for closing. Pop! had issues with personal injury to the operator. Some say that Fhima’s had internal issues, however they did capture a successful business for about 4 years before their business could no longer support the associated expenses. All of these reasons give us confidence that we have an opportunity to achieve our goals at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall.

You’ve brought on an all-star staff to book and work at the Amsterdam. Who can we expect to see?

In regards to programming, you can expect to see us build an entertainment, arts, and music community in Downtow St. Paul. Our staff understands how important it is to build and support artists and people. This goes for not only for Dave Wiegardt, Holly Newsome and Martin Devaney, but also for the rest of our staff as well. A large piece of the entertainment programming will be investing time and commitment to the right artists who can build something with us. We do have the capacity and direction to host national acts and larger local shows as well, and this will be an important part of what we do as a destination venue, however, our goal is to involve artists for longview relationships and mutual growth.

We hear the food menu is going to be pretty spectacular. What would you suggest we try?

Our offerings and bill of fare is like no other in the twin cities. I would urge folks why they should “Go Dutch” by trying our broodje sandwiches and our specialty Frittes. otherwise, make sure to try the Dutch Appelgebak for an amazing Dutch version of apple pie.

The Amsterdam opens for its preview weekend this Thursday, September 1st, with a solid lineup of musical tastemakers. Thursday night kicks off with the Red Pens, BNLX, and Lilian & The Harveys; Friday brings The Goondas and Ghostmouth; and Saturday rounds things out with The Bitter Spills, Germaine Gemberling & Rich Mattson. The bar and venue will have its “official” grand opening celebration the weekend of the 23rd, so keep your eye on their Facebook page HERE for ongoing updates and calendar listings!.

Set to open in October at Echo Arts in Lowertown Saint Paul, Transfigurations is the brain child of artists Talissa Mehringer and Laekun Foto. United by the mutual interest in rebirth and decay, Transfigurations will aims to bring its viewer into the haunting realm of the afterlife (perfect for Halloween season, are we right?). The duo comes from storied backgrounds: Talissa bounced around the world from an early age as the daughter of two social anthropologists, eventually landing in NYC to study Film and Media Arts at Pratt Institute, while Laekun has lived and worked in both Minneapolis and New York, creating art and producing commercial photography. They are currently seeking donations via a recently launched kickstarter campaign which will help fund the multimedia project.

Your multi-media exhibit opening at Echo Arts in October is in the process of raising money through kickstarter. How can people donate, and what will the money help you to do?

We have set up a project pitch on Kickstarter.com to help us raise money to cover some of the costs of putting on the show- material costs, gallery fees, promotional materials, etc. Anyone can donate by visiting our page on Kickstarter. All contributors will receive some awesome rewards we have come up with such as original artwork, prints, and actual sculptural pieces part of the show as a thank-you for helping us make this happen.

What’s the basis of ‘Transfigurations’? How did you come to collaborate?

The idea of Transfigurations is loosely based on the traditions of Samhain or All Hallow’s Eve during which the veil between life and death is at its thinnest. We’re seeking to create an installation which invites the living spectator to accompany the dead on the journey into the Afterlife, transcending the idea of art-on-the-wall shows. Be creating such an environment, viewers are physically involved and become part of the narrative. We came to collaborate since our shared interest of rust and decay lead naturally to the planning of an imaginary trip to the Underworld.

What attracted you to the Echo Arts space for this project?

The size of the Gallery. The location and ambiance. Jesse and Mary. The whole feel of creative density in Lowertown.

What do you like about the Lowertown art scene and what support have you seen for your project?

St. Paul is always a fresh new thought for people not living there. Always a surprise and always positive.

Transfigurations will open on a TBD date in October. For more information visit the Echo Arts Facebook page or check out the Kickstarter campaign to pledge a donation to the cause.