Minot State University's annual live signature arts festival, Notstock, will continue to color outside the lines of convention. Scheduled Oct. 4-6, MSU Notstock 2012 celebrates poster art, poetry, music, ceramics, theatre, and politics and features two special art exhibits, according to a news release.
"The events of Notstock allow participants to see art happen through the work of professional artists and then to turn around and make art happen themselves," said Sarah Aleshire, English instructor.
"Winged Shadows: Life Among Birds," a traveling exhibit from the North Dakota Museum of Art, features dozens of ways of looking at birds through paintings, photographs, prints, video, and electronic media by artists from throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. The exhibit is open to the public Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Conference Center.
Shaun Griffin, award-winning poet, translator, editor and activist, will lead WordStock events, including "makeshops," in which participants generate words and graphics on the theme of power. The works created at these makeshops, held Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Conference Center, will be displayed in Hartnett Hall. Griffin will give a reading of his work Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. in Aleshire Theater with a reception and book-signing to follow.
Twin Cities artists, Peet Fetsch, Nick Zdon, and Kelly Perlick, will have their poster art on exhibit for the week of Oct. 1 and will also speak about their work on Oct. 5, as well as conduct screen-printing workshops Oct. 4 and Oct. 5.
Chicago artists Jay Ryan and Justin Santora will screen print live in the Beaver Dam, second floor of the Student Center, throughout the event. Ryan and Santora will also give presentations of their work Oct. 4 and Oct. 5, respectively, at noon in Aleshire Theater. The work of Feetsch, Zdon, Perlick, Ryan, and Santora will be for sale during Notstock and displayed at 62 Doors Gallery & Studios, downtown.
Guest ceramicists and North Dakota natives Sarah Snavely and Kendra Rodgers, along with MSU faculty and students, will give ceramics demonstrations and raku firings Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 outside the north entrance to the Student Center, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
New to Notstock are opportunities to view theatre productions. The Lampshade Brigade, an alternative forms theatre group, will present "An Exploration of Improvised Forms to Delight All Sensibilities" Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 in Hartnett Hall's Black Box Theater, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The activity of daily do-it-yourself screen printing will take place Oct. 4 and Oct. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Beaver Dam. Participants will chose a Notstock design and "pull" their own screen print. Participants are encouraged to bring their own t-shirt, hoodie, tote bag or other item to be printed.
Notstock will also host a special concert with Minnesota folksinger and songwriter Charlie Parr Oct. 5 at 8 p.m in Aleshire Theater. Parr will also host an informal workshop in the Beaver Dam Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. Local bands will open for Parr, play daily in the Beaver Dam from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and perform at the Notstock closing reception at 62 Doors Gallery & Studios Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
All events and performances are free and open to the public. For a complete list of events and times, go to www.msunotstock.org.
Jill Hambek