Midway and South Como are Saint Paul Art Crawl destinations

Kevin Caufield’s high fire porcelain kitchen and serving ware are minimally decorated and beautifully thrown. Caufield is owner of Caufield Clay Works. “Pottery was ‘Plan B’ for what I thought I would do with my life,” Caufield said. “I grew up one of seven kids in an Irish Catholic family on Long Island. I always figured I’d be a firefighter like my Dad, but it didn’t quite turn out that way.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN

The Spring Saint Paul Art Crawl is approaching fast. This semi-annual, three-day event will close out the month of April with studio tours and art experiences on Fri., Apr. 28 from 6-10pm; Sat., Apr. 29 from 12-8pm; and Sun., Apr. 30 from 12-5pm.

Art Crawl Director Alexzan Richmond said, “To date, we have 341 artists registered to show their work in 33 different buildings throughout the city. Of those buildings, eight are located within Midway, Raymond Station (Raymond and University avenues), and South Como. The diversity of artists and the media they work in are tremendous. At many of the studios, visitors can see artists at work and maybe try their hand at making something themselves.”

Ceramic artist Mary Jo Schmith owns the Front Avenue Pottery and Tile Company at 895 Front Ave. in South Como. “I got involved in the Saint Paul Art Crawl four years ago because I wanted to offer my neighbors a fun, informal clay workshop where they could make something useful,” Schmith said.

Photo right: Mary Jo Schmith, owner of Front Avenue Pottery and Tile Company, will be firing it up in South Como. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Schmith has been throwing pots professionally for more than 20 years. Her work is playfully decorative, high quality, functional stoneware for table and home. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

This spring, visitors to Schmith's studio can join in afternoon workshops on Saturday and Sunday from 12-4pm to hand-build a garden lantern. Finished lanterns will be kiln-fired, and can be picked up later by arrangement with Schmith. There is no charge for the workshop, but donations will be cheerfully accepted for the cost of materials. Children ages five+ are welcome to participate. The studio’s pottery wheel will be available to try every day of the crawl.

“The Saint Paul Art Crawl is not a juried event,” said Richmond, “meaning that anyone who makes art by hand is welcome to show their work. There’s a range of experience on the part of participating artists and a range of prices for those wishing to purchase art. I like to say; you can spend anywhere from $5 to $20,000 here; I’ve seen the whole gamut.”

Artists pay a small fee to participate: $45 to list their studio name and location in the event catalog, or $65 to buy a listing with a photo of their work included. Catalogs will be available at each location.

Photo left: Kevin Caufield, owner of Caufield Clay Works, at the wheel in his Midway studio at 2242 University Ave., #150. Caufield has ten student wheels which see constant use; his popular classes, such as a two-hour wine and pottery event, are booked out three months in advance. This is Caufield’s 25th year of participating in the St. Paul Art Crawl. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

The Saint Paul Art Crawl draws more than 20,000 visitors twice a year, charges no admission, and will be distributing a full color, 112-page catalog at no charge. How has that been sustainable for more than a quarter of a century? The answer, according to Richmond lies in two golden words, “community partnerships.”

“We see this crawl as an opportunity to deepen relationships between businesses and artists,” Richmond said, “and between artists and community members. The St. Paul Federal Credit Union is the official sponsor this year. They’ve been a tremendous supporter of ours; they understand how critical artists are to the health of this community.”

Richmond continued, “In addition, we’ve received so much support from local businesses including AM 950 KTNF, the Dark Horse Bar and Eatery, C & E Lofts, Metro Transit, Modern Press, the Pioneer Press and many others.

MTC will be providing free bus passes for Saturday and Sunday Art Crawl visitors. Passes can be downloaded at www.saintpaulartcrawl.org.

There are many reasons to come out and enjoy the Saint Paul Art Crawl. It’s family-friendly, it’s fun, it’s free and, thanks to MTC, it’s even easy to get around. But most of all, it’s inspiring—and you just never know what could happen when you get inspired.

This event is produced by the St. Paul Art Collective, which has been connecting art and community since 1977.

Find the following local participants in the Saint Paul Art Tour:

Bindery Building, 708 Vandalia St.

• JJ Jucick-Axis Pottery: Contemporary Ceramics

• Jeff Dahlin, E& LBindery: Book Binding, Blank Journals

• Angie Bailey: Author, blogger, humorist

• Hilary Stein: Oil Painting

• Morgan Brooke: Mosaics, Pastel Drawings

• Rich Silha Professional B/W Services: Photographer

• Lost & Bound BookArts: Hand bound books

Carleton Place Lofts, 2285 University Ave. W.

• The Studio Project: Handmade Journals, Paintings, and Joy Pages

• Healing Zimbel Dolls: Healing Dolls

• Nickerson Furnishing & Design: Furniture

• Jamie Lang: Encaustic Paintings on Handmade Adobe Tiles

• Jesse Andersen: Ink and marker drawings

• Liz Lang: Acrylic Paintings

• Nelson Cain’s Pootie Art Smackdown: Groovy Abstract Acrylic

• Reiki Laughter: relax and take time for self!

• AK Hed Vincent: Abstract Expressionist Painting & Photography

• Casey Wollschlaeger: Ceramics; photography

• Carleton Voices Print Collective: Letterpress and screen prints

• Cindy Lanphear: Drawing

• Michael Hussey: Painting, fine fragrances

• Eggs by OCK: Pysanky, ancient art form

• Deep Magenta Designs: Textiles and Fine Art

Dow Building, 2242 University Ave. W.

• Don Dickinson: Urban Landscape

• Linda Ricklefs Baudry: Pastel with mixed media

• Linda Snouffer: Botanical Printmaker

• Ryan James Ryoe: Street Art & Wizardry

• Greta Claire: Contemporary abstract sorceress

• Marcia Söderman: Abstract landscape painting

• Jason Kaping: Wheel Thrown Pottery

• Kevin F. Caufield: Porcelain & woodfired pottery

• Joshua W Murray: Collage / Mixed Media / Photography

• Denise Minkler Marych: Nature-inspired oil paintings on copper

• Madcapzest: Collage/Wearable Mixed Media

• Erik Pearson: Figurative expressionistic paintings

• Izzi Xiques: Linework ink illustrations

• Tim Monsters!: Plush monsters, screenprint posters & apparel

Front Avenue Pottery and Tile Co., 895 Front Ave.    

• Mary Jo Schmith: Functional playfully decorative stoneware

• Laura Thyne: Low fired functional pottery

• Jenny Levernier: Sterling silver and stone jewelry

• Linden Wicklund: Functional wheel thrown porcelain pottery

• Marc Johnson-Pencook: Original pen and ink drawings

• Brett Monahan Pottery: Functional reduction fired pottery

• Ryan Ball: MN made, wheel thrown, functional pottery

• Steve Wicklund: Functional wheel thrown porcelain pottery

• Jim Gindorff: Landscape Photography

Midway Triangle Building, 2500 University Ave. W.

• DeAnne L Parks: Contemporary paintings and ceramic sculpture

• Greta Sandquist: Acrylic paintings & handmade jewelry

• Matthew G.G. Holm: Painting, Drawing and Printmaking

• Marisa Martinez: Mixed Metal and Stone Artisan Jewelry

• Elle Halls: Commercial and Portrait Photography

• Amy Sabatier Designs: Inspired Sterling Silver/Mixed Metal Jewelry

• Zahnworks Studio: Bronze Sculpture

• Scarlet A Design by Amanda Kopplin: Organic Silver Jewelry

• Kay Raabe: Paintings and Drawings

• KMK Designs: Costume and Fabric art. Mix of other Mediums

• Chuck Solberg: Ceramics

• Melanie Bethke: Vibrant abstract oil paintings

• Artsy Images Photography: Fine art nudes & studio photography

• Wendy McCarty: Oil Painting, Landscapes,Flowers, Figurative

Vandalia Tower, 550 Vandalia St.

• Vandalia Glassworks

• H Kremen Glass: Hand made glass art

• Neil Johnston: Paintings

• Jake Stokman: Glass Art

• Rachel Masica: Hand Blown Glass Art

• Ed Charbonneau: Painting

• Steven Weagel: Lighted Sculptures

• Jon Reischl: Abstract figurative painting

• Jeremy Szopinski: Abstract painting

• Bryce Borkhuis: Glass Artist

• Michael Hess: Hand blown glass

Can Can Wonderland, 755 N. Prior Ave.

• Multiple artists and artisans

Interact Center, 1860 W. Minnehaha Ave.    

• Interact Center creates art that challenges perceptions of disability