Finding Inspiration In Art: Juried Artists To Present Works Sept. 17 And 18 At Lakeville Art Festival | Dakota County

Justin Hossle, 2021 Best in Show winner, creates woodworks that are mid-century inspired, focusing on simple, clean design.

Aaron Furuseth greeting cards created with only hand-rolled paper.

Justin Hossle, 2021 Best in Show winner, creates woodworks that are mid-century inspired, focusing on simple, clean design.

Aaron Furuseth greeting cards created with only hand-rolled paper.

One of the most anticipated events of the year in Lakeville will be Sept. 17 and 18 when the Lakeville Art Festival takes up residency at the Lakeville Area Arts Center.

The two-day celebration of art will be Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when more than 100 juried artists will show their work on the park-like grounds around the former church building that served as the Arts Center since 2001.

Along with the artists, the festival will feature music, food and drink options, a youth art tent, artists exhibitions and a chance for Lakeville residents to contribute to a community art project.

Sarah Stowell, volunteer chair of the event’s planning committee, said the event offers a little bit for everyone of all ages. There is no admission charge, many free activities, and there will be food, drinks, and art for purchase.

Stowell said the event is great since it’s a time when people can see and interact with artists working in a wide range of media and purchase new pieces of art.

“It takes place on the beautiful grounds of the art center, and hosts its visitors with a welcoming warmth you do not always feel at other festivals,” Stowell said. “It really is a celebration of art in our community.”

The festival will include artists who work with ceramics, glass, wood, photography, paint, pottery, jewelry and more. To see a preview of the works, go to the event website where each artist has their own page.

Stowell said that variety is the key to having a great festival. Artists come from all over the central Minnesota area and beyond, including as far away as Montana. She said the high quality of artists is a big draw, since the festival uses three jurors to assemble the slate of artists who are invited to exhibit.

The event has many more applicants than are accepted into the show. The reason for the high demand is likely due to the fact that the Art Festival draws about 10,000 people each year.

Many artists are returning exhibitors, but there will also be plenty of new works to explore on the grounds.

Stowell said the Art Festival is a great opportunity to meet the artists and ask questions.

While some artists will offer a sneak peek of a work in progress at their booth, others will be offering formal demonstrations.

The schedule of demonstrations includes:

10 a.m. Helena Leary-Heinz – pottery/wheel throwing

2 p.m. Laura Presley – oil painting

4 p.m. Sonya Honaker – pottery/wheel throwing

10 a.m. Jake Zeiher – pottery/wheel throwing

12 noon Laura Juul – silver clay jewelry

2 p.m. Maya Valadez – acrylic and watercolor painting

4 p.m. Helena Leary-Heinz – pottery/wheel throwing

Artists demonstrations won’t be the only entertainment.

10 a.m. to 12 noon: Boston Imposters

12:30-2:30 p.m.: The Jugsluggers

3-5 p.m.: Laura Hugo

Paul Imholte: strolling musician – south lawn

10-11:30 a.m.: Champagne Drops

2-4 p.m.: Greg Herriges

Paul Imholte: strolling musician – south lawn

Since walking around looking at great art builds up an appetite, there will be many food options. Among items that will be served are handmade chocolates, egg rolls, pizza, street tacos, steak sandwiches, ice cream, popcorn, gyros and items from Lakeville’s own Baldy’s BBQ. A beer and wine tent will be operated by Lakeville Liquors.

The Young at Art tent has been expanded in recent years and includes a wealth of art supplies, art project ideas, and volunteers to assist chidren. Those who would like to donate art project materials or supplies can contact Stowell at lakevilleartfestival@gmail.com. Children will also have a chance to paint on easels around the tent.

This year’s community art project will also be open. People will be able to contribute to the sail boat sculpture project with the help of Arts Center instructors on the south lawn. As is true of all of the past community art projects, it will be on permanent display when completed.

There are multiple sculptures both inside and outside the art center to explore from previous festivals, as well as a relatively new sculpture on the east side of the building created by Greg Mueller and titled “Prairie.”

There will be a silent auction Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Arts Center main entrance. During the auction, people will have a chance to bid on unique artwork from a variety of artists, as well as donated items from the community.

The Lakeville Art Festival has long been a staple in the community. Even through the pandemic, the festival didn’t cancel its show. During the past two years, the festival has built itself back to pre-pandemic times in terms of artists accepted into the show. In 2020 and 2021, the number was limited in an effort to spread out the booths.

One area of emphasis in the days leading up to the event is signing up additional volunteers. People can help out by filling out some of the few remaining openings for “ambassdors” who assist the artists with various needs.

More information is at signupgenius.com/go/10c0b44adaa2ba31-lakeville1.

Sponsor support is also critical to staging a great event. Businesses and individuals can find out more about how to donate at lakevilleartscenterfriends.org/art-festival.

“We are extremely grateful to our generous sponsors for their support,” Stowell said. “It seems we have more than ever this year!”

The website also carries information about volunteering, the artists and more.

This year’s featured artist is last year’s Best in Show winner, Justin Hossle, a self-taught wood furniture and workworking artist who is the sole designer and builder at Hossle Woodworks.

He works out of a 2,000-square-foot studio in the heart of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, his artist statement says. He has won numerous awards and public commissions, and his pieces can be found at local shops, art fairs throughout the Twin Cities, and in hundreds of homes worldwide.

He says as a child he had a passion for building with Legos and forts out of straw bales.

As an adult, he said his life took him in a different direction; stage managing for live theater. His artist statement said his days of building with his hands faded into the background and he began building productions from a management perspective.

After the purchase of his first home in 2011, he said he built a piece of furniture, then friends began asking him to build pieces of furniture for them, and one thing led to another.

More about Hossle Woodworks is at hosslewoodworks.com.

Tad Johnson is a managing editor of Sun Thisweek and the Dakota County Tribune

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