MN Vikings seek local artists for stadium collection

Excerpt from Nick Halter – Staff reporter- Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of blank walls to cover in their new football stadium, and they’re asking locals to help.
The team is putting out a call to artists starting Feb. 1 for paintings, sketches, photos, sculptures, murals, mixed media and digital art that will decorate the downtown Minneapolis stadium when it opens in 2016. The football organization will fund the collection.

“We will accept submissions from artists across the country. However, the priority is absolutely to focus on local as much as we can,” said Tanya Dreesen, who is heading up the project on the Vikings’ end. “This is a great way to say thank you to Minnesota for their support of the stadium and the team.”

Meet Artist Guillermo Cuellar

Meet and explore the interesting life and pottery of Guillermo Cuellar, a local potter featured in the “Minnesota Potters Sharing the Fire” documentary.

Monday, March 30, 2015

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Part of the Minnesota Mosaic series.

DCL at Hastings (Pleasant Hill) – Pleasant Hill Meeting Room

Please visit Dakota Library event page for more Information

LeDuc History Book Group

“A book group for local history lovers. This is a partnership between the Pleasant Hill Library and Dakota County Historical Society.” For more information, please call 651-438-0200.

Meeting times
First Thursdays, 6:30 p.m., LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings, MN

Reading list

February 2015 / Kline, Christina Baker / Orphan Train

For more information please visit Dakota County Library’s website

HPAAC Board Meeting

HPAAC Logo The next HPAAC board meeting is on Wednesday, January 21 at 6:30 pm.

It will take place at Andy Evansen’s studio at 202 Second Street East at 6:30 pm.

Scotch Tasting at the Leduc Historic Estate

January 30th! Mark your calendars for the Leduc’s Burns Night Scotch Tasting. At 7 p.m., the bagpipes will be playing as we once again embark on a tasting of some fantastic single malt scotches.

Robert Burns, ‘once upon a time’ poet laureate of Scotland, will be celebrated as the lover of scotch that he was.

Five pours (or drams) will be explored in depth with gourmet delicacies and some highland dance to accompany them.

The LeDuc Historic Estate is owned by the City of Hastings and managed by Dakota County Historical Society www.dakotahistory.org

Embracing Seasonality through Spices

It’s new and it’s exciting!!
In a six-part Saturday series participants will be able to explore herbs (i.e. spices), taste treats and health treasures of the kitchen. Participants will be able to explore herbs (i.e. spices), taste treats and health treasures of the kitchen. The series will be offered at 8 a.m. at the LeDuc Historic Estate, Hastings, MN on the following Saturdays:
January 17, March 21, May 16, July 18, September 19, and November 14, 2015.

Please register by calling either the LeDuc Historic Estate @ 651-437-7055, Hastings Spiral Coop @ 651-437-2667, or Mindful Motion Pilates & Fitness @ 651-318-9168.

The cost for each session is $20 per person for each session, but a package for all six courses is $100. These sessions have an appeal for all interest groups, but especially so for gardeners and cooking divas. Class size is limited, so register now.

Brief description of each of the sessions:

TEATIME, January 17 – Cold weather has arrived. In this course, you will learn to appreciate the beauty and aroma of tea as well as learn about the making of tea.

SPRING IS SPRUNG… OR ALMOST, March 21 – Winter is long in Minnesota. In this course, we will play with seeds and sprouting to come just a little bit closer to the budding of the year.

FORAGING, May 16 – Already the leaves are out, in their tiniest form. Looking closer, we’ll explore some foods that people through the ages relied on and celebrate the start of the growing season.

EMBRACING THE HEAR, July 18 – Summer has arrived and with it the temperature has risen. In this course, we’ll embrace the heat by combining spices and bread in the oven.

FRUITS OF THE HARVEST, September 19 – The time of plenty is upon us. Bartering has always been popular and we will, once again, revive this practice, sending everyone home with a full stomach and food to explore.

GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THINGS, November 14 – The ground is brown now. Still, the earth has given much and the hearty fruits and vegetables are still with us. How to store these, how to cook them, how to enjoy, even with the most obscure.

The LeDuc Historic Estate is owned by the City of Hastings and managed by Dakota County Historical Society. Please see www.dakotahistory.org for further details.

Hastings Reads 2015

Hastings Reads 2015 announces books, activities; ‘Orphan Train’ author to visit Hastings

Excerpt from Star Gazette article:

by Jane Lightbourn on Jan 7, 2015 at 2:36 p.m.

“Nationally-known author Christina Baker Kline, author of “Orphan Train,” will culminate the month-long activities when she appears Feb. 24 at the Pleasant Hill Library in Hastings.”

To read the article, please visit Hastings Star Gazette Hastings Reads webpage.

Winter Jackets

Winter Jackets Reading Program

From Dakota County Library:

“Beat the winter blahs by joining the Winter Jackets program from Jan. 5-Feb. 28. Winter Jackets is an annual reading program for patrons 18 years of age and older that runs at all Dakota County Library locations. It encourages adults to take time to enjoy the simple pleasure of wintertime reading, write reviews and attend author programs.
Patrons can win prizes by reading the books of their choice and then writing a brief review to be used as an entry in a weekly prize drawing. Patrons can enter as often as they like and as many reviews as the number of books they’ve read during this period of time.

For more information and to sign up, visit the information desk at your library.”

Art Submission for 2015 Rivertown Days Button

From the City of Hastings, Chamber of Commerce:
“We are seeking ideas and designs for the Rivertown Days 2015 theme and button. We hope that citizens and students will look at this opportunity. There is a $200 prize for the winning entry!”

Please see the enclosed document for more information: Button Design Press Release

“May the Force Be with You”

Friends of the Robert Trail Library and the RAAC are sponsoring the Star Wars Extravaganza at the Robert Trail Community Center, 13885 S. Robert Trail, Rosemount on Saturday, Jan. 17.

“Meet the Star Wars characters from the 501st Legion, build LEGO starships, compete in video games, battle with “light sabers,” make a droid of your own to take home and more.”

Please visit Rosemount Area Arts Council (RAAC) for more information.