Brave the heat this July and join in with other artists in an Art Swap at Walker Art Center’s Open Field Days. The event is scheduled for Saturday, July 28, from 2 – 5pm. Let’s gather at 3pm to participate in a swap and then move to the Dunn Bros on 329 West 15th Street, Minneapolis, MN (walking distance down the street) for some cool beverages and an art discussion.

Open Field’s calendar description:

Art Swap invites you to swap a work of your creation for a work from their collection of original creations. Your piece then becomes part of their collection, available to others through swapping.

How to swap:
 (1) Bring a work of art to leave; 
(2) select a new work to take home; 
(3) pose for your “I brought/I got” photo with those pieces. If you call it art, we call it art!

Check out the website for this and other activities happening this summer. There are lots of events planned – shall we sponsor one for next summer? Have a great idea for one?

http://www.walkerart.org/openfield

Walkabout á la India Flint

Many of us were intrigued by India Flint at the 2011 SDA conference and the way she wanders about picking up natural materials for dyeing. As a result, we have scheduled an India Flint Walkabout for Saturday, June 23, 2012. It will be led by Cyndi Kaye Meier and you are cordially invited to participate. Singing and recitation of poetry as one walks about, while recommended, are optional.

June 23, 2012 from 10:30 am -1:00 pm

Walk About & Eco Dyeing Print Demonstration

Location:

Como Park Pavilion, St. Paul, MN

Black Bear Crossings Café’s Community Meeting Space*: Larry Kitto Room

1360 N Lexington Pkwy, St. Paul, MN 55103

651-488-4920

www.blackbearcrossings.com

10:30 am - Meet in the Larry Kitto room in the Pavilion.

10:40 am - Begin the walk around Como Park gathering plants and found objects.

(Alternative option - enjoy a cup of coffee at coffee shop.)

11:10 am - Return to the Larry Kitto community room to create bundles

11:30 am - Short demo of alternative methods shown in India Flint’s book: Eco Colour,Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles

Noon – Show and tell of SDA members’ work

1:00 pm - Clean up and adjourn

To create a bundle bring the following:

• One-half yard of white cotton or one old white shirt.
• Optional mordant: soak in 1:4 milk/water mixture then hang to dry in sun. (Eco Colour, p.104)
• 1 silk scarf (available at Textile Center or Dharma Trading) or 1/4 yard of silk
• (available at Treadle Yard Goods)
• Cotton string or pearle cotton (3 yards)

Cyndi Kaye Meier took India Flint’s workshop at the SDA Conference last summer. Since then she has been experimenting with plants commonly found in Minnesota. She recently exhibited Serenity, Spring 2012 at Altered Esthetics Formed by Nature exhibit. Visit Cyndi's website for more details about her and her art.

Check out India Flint's website to see photos of her art, books she has written, and workshop opportunities.

Direct questions to Karie Amstutz, SDA Minnesota Area Representative at sdarep.karie@karieamstutz.com or Cyndi Kaye Meier at cyndikayemeier@me.com

A big thank you to Black Bear Crossings Cafe for offering us a free meeting space. Please thank them by supporting their coffee shop and café. No outsidefood or drink is allowed in the Café or community rooms.