Events

Events

 

What follows is a list of upcoming events of interest to members of the Twin Cities Bungalow Club. Some are sponsored by the Bungalow Club and some are not.

 

Moments of Memory: Minnesota Landscapes Painted from Life

Bell Museum
2088 Larpenteur Ave. W., St. Paul
612-626-9660
bellmuseum.umn.edu/moments-of-memory-minnesota-landscapes-painted-from-life
Admission: $12 to $15 (Bell members free)

Plein Art canvas and paints with landscape in the backgroundThose who attended the Twin Cities Bungalow Club’s event last year on plein air painting will enjoy this new exhibit at the University of Minnesota Bell Museum.

Plein air painting is the art of capturing outdoor scenes from life. Named from the French for “open air,” this form of painting moves artists out of the studio to study real landscapes, focusing on how light and shadow interact with things in particular places. The result is a snapshot of a moment in time, one that might be remembered but never repeated. 

This exhibition is a partnership between the Bell Museum and Minnesota Plein Air Collective (MPAC), a statewide collaboration dedicated to helping all artists, from beginner to expert, capture the beauty and diversity of the state’s natural landscapes through painting. The exhibition is centered on MPAC’s second annual juried exhibition of landscape paintings. It features recent paintings completed by artists during Minnesota’s premier plein air festivals held in the Driftless Area, Prairie Lakes, and North Shore regions. 

exterior view of the Bell MuseumVisitors will learn about the art of painting outdoors; its importance in the field of natural history; and its role in the making of the Bell’s dioramas. They will see a variety of outdoor painters’ equipment and have the opportunity to learn more about plein air painting techniques.

The Bell Museum has scheduled two special events related to this exhibit. There is a “Paint With the Painters” event on January 27 where visitors will have the opportunity to paint their own outdoor scenes, and may leave their work behind for inclusion in the exhibit or take it home. A “Quick Paint” event on May 11 will provide participating artists and visitors materials to compose and complete a painting in the morning, with votes for best in show; an informal exhibit of work; and a chance to meet the artists in the afternoon. Check the website for updates on these special events.


37th National Arts & Crafts Conference and Shows

Grove Park Inn
Asheville, North Carolina
office phone: 828-628-1915
arts-craftsconference.com

Furniture at Grove Park Antique ShowThe Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, is considered the finest Arts & Crafts resort hotel in the world. Since 1988, the Inn has hosted the National Arts & Crafts Conference and Shows, with the country’s finest seminar speakers, recognized experts, reputable antiques dealers, educational tours, workshops, and discussions, as well as artists and skilled artisans from across the country—plus the most enthusiastic group of collectors anywhere!

If you love Arts & Crafts, this conference and a visit to Grove Park Inn is a must at least once in your life. Visit arts-craftsconference.com for the full details.


Twin Cities Bungalow Club presents:

Seeking Homes for the 2024 Bungalow Club Home Tour

We are hunting for houses for the 2024 Bungalow Club home tour!

Do you have a charming bungalow or other early 20th century house? Do you appreciate other homeowners who put their houses on tours so you can benefit from their ideas and enthusiasm? Then you may be a candidate for our next tour. We could not do it without the generosity of homeowners!

Email us at mail@bungalowclub.net or call 612-724-5816.


Steam Engine Excursions in Duluth

North Shore Scenic Railroad
506 West Michigan St., Duluth, Minnesota
Prices vary according to excursion
800-423-1273
Steam locomotive excursions: duluthtrains.com/steam
Additional train excursions and museum: duluthtrains.com

This spring, for the first time, the North Shore Scenic Railroad in Duluth will offer train excursions pulled by a fully restored vintage steam locomotive.

The #332 locomotive was built by the Pittsburgh Locomotive Works in 1906 for the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway. It operated in northern Minnesota until 1964, and in 1974, was donated to the North Shore Scenic Railroad Museum.

In the fall of 2013, a restoration project began to bring it back to operating condition. The #332 weighs in at 102 tons—172 tons with her tender loaded with 8,000 gallons of water and 12 tons of coal.

A limited number of excursion trains pulled by the #332 will be offered this summer, so reserve tickets now at the link above. If you can’t make the steam engine trips, excursions on other vintage rail cars and engines will be offered daily throughout summer and fall.


An Introduction to Hennepin County

Hennepin History Museum
2303 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis
Adults $8; students/seniors $5
Free for museum members
612-870-1329
hennepinhistory.org/avada_portfolio/an-introduction-to-hennepin-county/

This exhibit consists of six main panels, covering topics from Hennepin County’s pre-settlement home of the Dakota; the establishment of the County in 1852; the rise of local industry; and the diverse immigrant populations that moved here.


Red Wing Pottery Exhibition and Event

Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pottery Museum of Red Wing
240 Harrison St., Red Wing
Admission free
Call ahead for group tours (5 or more, $3 per person)
651-327-2220
potterymuseumredwing.org

There is nothing better than spending a day in Red Wing, Minnesota. While you are there, stop in at the Pottery Museum of Red Wing. The museum houses more than 6,000 vintage pieces of artisan-crafted stoneware, art pottery, dinnerware and folk art.

Red Wing museum prohibition exhibit.Currently on view is a special exhibition: “The Red Wing Saloon.” This exhibit shows what a saloon looked like prior to January 16, 1920, when the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed, prohibiting “intoxicating liquors” in the U.S.

See how liquor was dispensed from advertising jugs produced by Red Wing companies for businesses throughout the country. (In one month alone in 1910, the pottery shipped more than 6,400 jugs.)


Rethos Places Reimagined.Classes Offered by Rethos

Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) has a new name—Rethos—and a greatly expanded ambition. The organization has reinvented itself as a nationwide organization that strengthens communities within the context of historic spaces. Rethos is focused on finding new uses for historic buildings of all types by offering educational programs; coordinating Main Street programs in rural cities; advocating for public policies that bolster historic properties; and fostering investment partnerships to save historic buildings. For a full description of the new organization, visit: www.rethos.org/whynowhyrethos

People at a window repair demo.

Photo courtesy of Rethos.

One of Rethos’ goals is to build a community of homeowners, craftspeople, DIYers, realtors, and anyone who cares about (or cares for) old buildings. Hands-on workshops and classes connect you to the tools, skills, and experiences you need to take good care of the places you love.

Bungalow Club members will be especially interested in the Homeowner Workshops. Classes vary but typical topics are window repair including wood rot; leaking pipes and clogs; how furnaces and boilers work; and kitchen cabinets and countertops. Check the Rethos website for the listing of upcoming classes and workshops.


Fix-It Clinics

Person repairing a sandal.

Repairing a sandal is possible via a Hennepin County Fix-It Clinic virtual session.

Get help with your broken stuff and learn valuable repair skills at free Fix-It Clinics. Currently, one-on-one virtual repair sessions with volunteers are available. Check online for the process to sign up.

Fix-It Clinics offer free, guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot, and (hopefully) fix small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more. Fix-It Clinics teach valuable troubleshooting and basic repair skills, build community connections and reduce the number of repairable items that are thrown in the trash.

Contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@co.hennepin.mn.us or 612-348-9195 with questions or to volunteer.

Ramsey County Fix-It Clinics
www.ramseycounty.us/residents/recycling-waste/education/fix-it-clinics

Fix-it Clinics were canceled in 2020. Check their website for updates or call 651-266-1199.