Minnesota's vibrant arts community continues to flourish with three distinctive cultural experiences recommended by local Art Hounds, featuring everything from sacred manuscript art to contemporary portraiture. Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who actively promote and highlight exciting developments in local art beyond their own creative work.
The Saint Johns Bible Experience stands as a monumental achievement in sacred calligraphy and artistic craftsmanship. Calligrapher Maura Lynch of Minneapolis strongly encourages visits to this extraordinary work housed at Saint John's University in Collegeville. The Bible represents a collaborative effort involving significant contributions from Minnesota artists and can be experienced year-round both through in-person visits and digital viewing.
"Calligraphy is seen first and read second," Lynch explains. "When you experience the words in the Bible that have been rendered in a visually and aesthetically beautiful way, it elevates the entire experience." The hand-crafted, illuminated manuscript was created by a dedicated team of artists and calligraphers, offering visitors a chance to witness this sacred text transformed into a stunning visual masterpiece on the peaceful university campus.
For those seeking a more interactive artistic adventure, the Edge of the Big Woods Art Wander in Carver County provides a unique self-guided studio tour experience. Hutchinson-based potter Betsy Price recommends this event that winds through the wooded landscape that gives the region its distinctive name. The tour features more than 40 artists working in diverse mediums, including pottery, jewelry, painting, woodworking, and other crafts.
Running Friday through Sunday, the Art Wander allows visitors to explore working studios, observe live demonstrations, and connect directly with artists in their creative environments. Notable stops include the Mocha Monkey, where visitors can watch pottery demonstrations by Jon the Potter. "It feels like a true wander through art and nature," Price notes, emphasizing the unique combination of artistic discovery and natural beauty that defines this rural cultural experience.
In Minneapolis's North Loop district, the Form + Content Gallery presents "Kinship and Clay," a powerful exhibition that runs through October 4th. Minneapolis arts advocate Becky Smith highlights this compelling show that pairs two distinct but complementary artistic voices. The exhibition features life-size charcoal portraits by Chris Cinque, who documents friends from her lesbian and nonbinary community, alongside expressive ceramic vessels created by Sharon Jaffe, described as a radical Jewish feminist artist.
Smith emphasizes the profound social and cultural significance of the work, stating, "They're celebratory, and they also serve as a real documentation towards resistance and survival of people who are experiencing an oppressed sexual identity." The exhibition combines Cinque's intimate portraiture with Jaffe's expressive ceramics, creating a dialogue between different artistic mediums while addressing themes of identity, community, and resilience in contemporary society.
