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Here is the complete text of ArtOrg’s submission to the Northfield News Progress Edition on July 26, 2008. Because of length limitations, the text in the paper was cut to make 800 words; this original version was over 1000 words.

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We wish to thank the Northfield News for our third opportunity to submit to the annual Progress Edition. As in previous years, we wish to get to the heart of what is important to us: our action and results. Support us if you like what we are doing.

First, ArtOrg has established several events that have turned into annual celebrations. This past year has seen the fourth year of our Japanese Animation Festival held in conjunction with the Carleton College Cinema and Media Studies Department, the second Continue Reading…

The Anderson Center in Red Wing, Minnesota is the next stop for the 1000 Print Summer project. The large slate of events starts at 12 noon and continues through the afternoon. Over 85 artists, musicians and writers take part in this annual event. The ArtOrg project kicked off last Saturday at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis with a great success. Walker authorities counted 590 people participated at our tent, and 208 prints were made! See the photoset of the event here. Thanks to Ted King, Ann Nordby, Rick Swearer, Kari Alberg, Keeney Swearer, Doug Padilla, snd several Walker volunteers for their great help!

The ArtOrg project called the “1000 Print Summer” kicks off this Saturday at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. The big project travels to over one-dozen regional art centers and festivals over the course of this summer. During each event, a small steamroller is used to roll over inked-up blocks to make prints for kids (and even some adults). The kids create their own printing blocks, the blocks are inked up, placed in front of the steamroller, covered with paper and roller over to make the print. The hours of this event are 10am to 3pm on Saturday, July 5–we will be set up in the middle of the Walker Sculpture Park, and right next to the famous spoon and cherry! Check for more details here at the Walker website.

The project is funded in part by Forecast Public Art. A complete schedule is developing–watch for additions as the summer progresses. All events are free and open to the public–the major educational activity of ArtOrg for this summer!

The goal of the 100 Print Summer is, simply stated, to teach 1000 kids how to make a real print in an exciting way. We have place where the kids sign their work so every print that is created will be signed in the traditional manner–and the kids will then learn to interpret the markings they see when they go in to the museum and see famous prints. This event at the Walker completes a troika of significant events held at the three big art museums of the Twin Cites: 1) a similar printing event held in September of 2006 at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2) the accession of the ArtOrg Day of the Dead Print set to the Weisman Museum at the University of Minnesota in late 2007, and finally this event, an stop at the Walker Art Center for one leg of the 1000 Print Summer. Not bad for a group less than 5 years old, eh?

Check back for more details as this event progresses–there is a huge capstone event planned at the completion of the project! More on that later…

The popular Scott West of the band Cloud Cult will be appearing on the NBC show “Last Call with Carson Daly” this Thursday night after Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Scott is the stage painter and sometimes musician with the band, but also has contributed his work to the ArtOrg project “The Twenty Views of Dundas“. Stay up late Thursday night and don’t miss Scott and Cloud Cult!

ArtOrg will be in the large California Building Gallery for this year’s Art-A-Whirl. Art-A-Whirl takes place this weekend on Friday from 5 to 10pm, Saturday from noon to 8pm, and Sunday from noon to 5pm. If you have never experienced this you won’t be disappointed–invite some friends, grab some dinner, and see some great art! The California Building is located here, and we will be in the main gallery of the building on the first floor (2205 California Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418). We will be showcasing many of our future and past activities including the 1000 Print Summer and a sneak-peak of ten of the The Twenty Views of Dundas. Here is a photoset of that gallery which we used in December of 2006 when our Day of the Dead Steamroller Print project exhibit moved there after a successful run in Northfield.

ArtOrg was invited by Northeast Minneapolis art building developers John and Jen to exhibit in their gallery in the California Building. Art-A-Whirl is organized by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (or NEMAA) and is the region’s biggest art crawl, featuring over 500 artists who open up their studios during this weekend.

On Wednesday, May 14 at 7pm, poet James Lenfesty will read at ArtOrg. Jim will be telling tales from his new collection of poems: A CARTLOAD OF SCROLLS: 100 POEMS IN THE MANNER OF T’ANG DYNASTY POET HAN-SHAN (Holy Cow! Press). The poems have received high praise from the StarTribune: “clear as a crystal bell,” City Pages: “A-list recommendation”, the Santa Barbara (CA) Independent: “whimsical and wise”, and Toronto’s POIESIS “a jewel of a book!” Please join us to welcome Jim again to Northfield. Here is a sample of Jim reading his poem “Finding My Older Brother” a couple of years ago at ArtOrg. An official press release follows: Continue Reading…

A great friend and artist, Mr. John C. Berkey, passed away this Tuesday. Our thoughts are with Demi, Brian, John, and Kevin in this hard time. We will always remember John’s quiet ways, his sense of humor, and the magnificent art he produced during his lifetime. Thanks, John, we will miss you very much.

Here is a story by the StarTribune about Berkey’s passing. And, here is an online gallery of a few of John’s works. Click here to see John’s “Images of Paintings“, an experimental film. John’s obituary follows: Berkey, John C. age 75 of Excelsior passed away peacefully at home Continue Reading…

Three super-huge projects will be the subject of the one-week-only ArtOrg exhibit at Dean Kjerland’s ArtOnWater Gallery at 217 Water Street S. in Northfield. 1) “The 1000 Print Summer” will be announced–this project will result in printing for over 1000 kids and adults this summer at over one-dozen local and regional art festivals and camps. 2) “Art In The Sky” is a project where we recently painted a 100-foot-long skyway in Rochester Minnesota. Artist Rana Raeuchle will paint the front windows of the ArtOnWater Gallery in the same way the actual skyway was painted in Rochester! 3) “The Twenty Views of Dundas” will have a sneak peak–we will be showing about 1/2 of the finished artworks from Ray Jacobson, Sharol Nau and Pat Lampe, Fred Somers, Fred Hagstrom, John Saurer, Meg Ojala, Alex Hage, Carolyn Swiszcz, Scott West, and Hope Cook. Don’t miss your short opportunity to get a glimpse of the set! The main opening event will be held on Saturday, May 3 from 3 to 8 pm, and general hours are Thursday, May 1 to Thursday, May 8 from 3 to 8 pm.

This is the last weekend for the ArtOrg gallery exhibit “Czech Printmaking 2008”. Here is a photoset of the opening of the show, which was a big success–drawing about 200 people. Friday, April 25 from 5 to 7pm, and Saturday and Sunday April 26-27 from 1 to 4pm is the last chance to see this wonderful show–and take home some wonderful art created over 4500 miles away!.