First Fridays are back for 2013! On Friday night we had nearly 60 people show up during the First Friday Art Walk/Artist Reception! Carol Steinmetz is our featured Exhibition Cove Artist for the month of May (pictured here on the right, with her daughter on the left). A talented watercolor painter, Carol's work will only be on display during the month of May - so be sure to stop by and check it out!

Nearly 50 people stopped by the gallery on Saturday, when we had a reception for Harris-Lake Park High School Students!  Great job girls, on your artist talks!

Last Saturday afternoon was the reception for Okoboji High School, our January 2013 installation of the Classroom to the Gallery project! Pictured here with her painting is Jennifer Theesfeld.  Great job, Jennifer!

Last night was the November First Friday Art Walk and Exhibition Cove Artist's Reception for the very talented watercolorist Glenda Drennen! Over 80 people were counted for the day! Be sure to stop in and see Glenda's paintings in both the Exhibition Cove AND Alcove #6!

We had a great turn out for October's First Friday Art Walk/Artist's Reception! The artist of the night was Jennifer Samuels-Tewes, who gave a great talk about her photography! Her work is on display in the Exhibition Cove this month, so don't miss it!

The multi-talented artist Joel Lueck is our September Exhibition Cove Artist! Here is a photo of him giving his artist's talk during the First Friday Art Walk on September 7th. Be sure to stop by to see his detailed pen and ink drawings and his creative 3-D renderings!

Last night was the Artist's Reception/August First Friday Art Walk! Natalie Groves, a very talented illustrator from Brayton IA, is August's Exhibition Cove artist! Here she is giving her Artist's Talk. Be sure to stop in and see all of her work before the end of the month!

Last night was our June First Friday Art Walk, and we had a whopping 90 people! Avis Davis and Dan Ruf (pictured) gave a wonderful artist's talk, and put together a great painting and photography exhibition! Be sure to stop in soon to see their work, as the show only lasts for the month of June!

We had a GREAT turn out for the National Crime Victims Rights Week black and white photography exhibition reception - about 30 people! Thanks again to everyone who helped to make the exhibit come together!

Saturday was our Classroom to the Gallery reception for our April School - Sioux Central High School! The students asked for one of APOW's Member Artists (Jim Van Horn, pictured on the right) to come in and give a personal critique of the work. Here he is shown talking with one of the students, art teacher Rhonda Saunders, and some onlookers.

Here are the lovely and talented ladies from Dan Ruf's March Beginning Digital Photography Class, who have their photos on display right now! Pictured from left to right is Karen Luinstra, Mikael Adolph, Katlynn Luinstra, Penny Adam, Margaret Bockman, and Alma Thies. Stop in and see their photography today!

We had 4 VERY talented female artists talk about their work during last Saturday's Classroom to the Gallery Reception! They are students at Clay Central-Everly High School. Great job girls!

Saturday, February 18th was the reception for Harris-Lake Park High School in APOW's Classroom to the Gallery project! Four talented young artists came to talk about their work. From left to right in the photo: Jenn Kruger, Katlynn Luinstra, Kaylee Feldick, and Emily Anderson. Great job, girls!

Last night was the reception for our January Exhibition Cove Artist, Rachael Sitzman!  She gave a great artist talk about her work, recalling the first time she ever used the encaustic medium as well as her motivation for becoming an art teacher. If you haven't made it in yet to see her encaustic pieces, you really need to!

Photographer Roger "Lou" Hargens is the December Exhibition Cove Artist and last night was his reception!  About 60 people were in attendance for the First Friday Art Event, and Lou gave a great talk about his work - Be sure to stop in the gallery to see his award-winning photography!

Last night was the November First Friday Art Walk/Artist's Reception for David Bratzel, a talented painter/pastel artist from St. Paul, MN. About 50 people were in attendance, and David gave a really great Artist's Talk. Be sure to stop in and check his work out before the end of the month!

Nature photographer Emily Johnson gave her Artist Talk during the October First Friday Art Walk!  She has really made a transformation of the Exhibition Cove, if you haven't been in to see her work yet, be sure to stop by before the end of October!

Here's Gary Gunderson during his Artist Talk last night. His work will be on display in the Exhibition Cove throughout the month of September! Be sure to stop in and check it out!

The Winners and Judges of the second annual Chalkstock! From Left to right: Rachael Sitzman (Best Landscape), Megan Creasey (Best Portrait), Brooklyn Wackerbarth (Most Original), Briel Woods (Grande Madonnaro), Autumn Irizarry (Secondo Madonnaro), Natalie Groves (Most 3-D), Moriah Hawn and Theresa Odom (Judges). The day turned out to be so awesome, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated and stopped by the check out the work!

Jean Weiner, an amazing watercolorist from LeMars, IA, is August's Exhibition Cove Artist! This is an image of her from her artist's talk she gave last night. It was one of the best First Fridays I've seen, with DELICIOUS food, plus a FANTASTIC artist giving a really INSPIRING talk! Jean's paintings are on display until the end of August, so be sure to stop in to check them out!

The Creative Community Mosaic on Saturday was a HUGE success!  A large, 4' x 6' mosaic painting was completed by the Lakes Area Community, and now hangs on display inside the front window of A Piece of Work, Inc.!  The painting will be on display through the end of July, so be sure to stop by to check it out! There is also a sheet with all the artists who signed their names, so if you were one of our talented mosaic artists, stop by to see the full painting, find your square and find your name!

An image of Marisa Sidles during her artist talk last Friday during the July 1st First Friday Art Walk!  We clicked a total of 86 brave folks who were willing to brave the heat in the name of art!

If you haven't made it in to see Marisa's paintings yet, YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Her work will be up through the end of July, so be sure to take the time to stop in the gallery and check it out!

On Thursday evening, we had a reception celebrating the work of the six students in Dan Ruf's recent Intermediate level Digital Photography Class! Featured in this collage of photos taken during the artist talks is: Jennifer Helle, LaNee Perkins, Alex Miles, Ardy Palmer, Shelley Tewes, and Russ Thomson. Great work, guys!

Last Friday was our June First Friday/Judy Thompson's Artist Reception! It was a great time, with delicious food (I LOVE rhubarb upside-down cake!). And Judy's talk was really interesting, she explained the stories behind her Homestead Series, which was fascinating! Judy's watercolor paintings will be on display through the month of June, so be sure to stop in and check them out!

Barb McGee during her artist talk. She has returned to the Exhibition Cove (she had her paintings in the Cove April 2010) and her reception was during the FIRST Official First Friday of 2011! We had a great crowd of about 50 people, and in addition to having some fantastic food, Barb spoke about her amazing photo-realistic paintings! A great time was had by all!

We had over 50 people at the gallery last night for the reception for Dan Ruf's March Beginning Digital Photography Classes! Pictured here (in no particular order) is Russ Thomson, Deb Jostand, Kristen Jostand, Donna Mahlendorf, Gayla Kendall, Jennifer Helle, Amy Kueper, Lisa Peters, Juli Johnson, Megan Donnenwerth, Emily Butterworth, LaNee Perkins, and Shelly Tewes. For more information on art classes held here at the gallery, check out the "For Enthusiasts" page and click on the "Art Classes" link!

Brad Kringen, an acrylic painter from Sioux Falls SD, is this month's Exhibition Cove Artist!  Here is an image from when he was giving his artist's talk, which was FABULOUS! If you didn't get to the reception, be sure to stop in before the end of April to see his work, because his paintings are beautiful!

Out of a dozen students whose work is currently hanging in the Classroom to the Gallery project at APOW, only one was able to make it to the reception and give an artist's talk - and what an artist's talk she gave! Jessika Kluender, who has won multiple awards for the pieces she submitted for the project, got right up and spoke about each piece without hesitation! Great job, Jessika!

Friday night was the reception for our six staff artists here at APOW. From left to right in the picture: Jordan Welch (tech guy), Irene McCoy, Avis Davis, Sharon Sadusky, Dan Ruf, and Haley Isder (gallery director).

The artist talks turned out to be a blast, complete with a security blanket in the form of a plastic cup, a demonstration of how a zombie walks, and a confirmation that yes, ladies, Jordan is available! ;)

From left to right, Harris-Lake Park's talented trio of artists: Samantha Brueggeman, Katlynn Luinstra, and Jennifer Kruger.

Seven girls have their work in this month's Classroom to the Gallery project, which features students from Harris-Lake Park High School.  The 3 girls pictured spoke on Saturday during the students' reception about their artwork.

Here is a shot of Spirit Lake potter Brad Travis, giving his artist's talk last night during his reception.  We had a whopping 54 people come for Brad's opening!

His pottery will be on display for the calendar month of February, so be sure to check it out while it's still here!

Last night was the reception for Abby Jones, an abstract expressionist painter from Sioux Rapids.  The weather was against us, but a few brave souls dared to brave the trek for art!  She gave a great artist talk, explaining how potential and kinetic energy, as well as transcendental meditation relate to her paintings.  If you haven't seen them yet, you really need to get into the gallery - Abby's work will only be up for the month of January!

Last night was our December First Friday Art Trek/Artist's Reception for Judy Hemphill (who is, in addition to being a Member Artist, our Exhibition Cove Artist this month!). Here is a shot taken during Judy's Artist Talk. We had 30 people brave the weather to come on in for great food, fun, friends and of course - GREAT ART! In addition to the normal festivities, we also had Little Swan Lake Winery here, offering their wine for sale and tasting!

Voluntary Action Center of the Iowa Great Lakes held a recognition coffee reception at A Piece of Work, Inc. this morning to thank Spirit Lake volunteers! We clicked a whopping 80 people coming through our doors! Coffee, cider, fruit and slices of loaf cakes were served by Christina Ostovic, who put the whole thing together and made it happen. Thanks again to everyone who came and participated!

We had an amazing turn out for November's First Friday Art Walk and Exhibition Cove Artist Reception! Kari Bruinsma (shown here giving her Artist Talk) really had some insightful things to tell the audience about her work. If you haven't been in to see Kari's mixed media paintings, you really need to! Her inspiring artwork will be on display through the calendar month of November.

Here are the 9 students from Buena Vista University's Encaustic Class!  Their reception was held on Saturday, Nov. 6th. It was a small reception, and nearly everyone who was present was an artist, so we did things a little differently - setting up chairs in a circle and having a POSITIVE critique, where each artist spoke a little about their work, then everyone else commented. Haley, the gallery director at APOW, thought it was a very successful (albeit unusual) reception, and said she loved "the feeling of being back in art school and having critiques again!"

That's right, we had Dino from the Flintstones making a special visit at APOW on Saturday for the Halloween Walk!

We ended up having 677 people come through our doors that day - and an estimated 400 of those were trick-or-treaters! An overall extremely successful day, despite the fact that our creepy-head-guy made our VERY FIRST trick-or-treater cry!

On October 15th and 16th we had a GRAFFITI PARTY at A Piece of Work, Inc.!  It was a ton of fun, with artists of all ages participating - working with not just spray paint, but tubes and brushes too!  Here's a shot of the official APOW "Tech Guy" Jordan painting a totally crazy (and by crazy I mean AWESOME!) reptile.  To see more images of the party, as well as pics of the graffiti that's been painted so far, click on the link --> http://picasaweb.google.com/apieceofworkinc/AlleyOfAhhs?feat=directlink

You can also check us out on Facebook (there's a link at the very bottom of the page) where you can find more images from events at the gallery!

An artist’s reception was held Thursday, October 14^th, from 5:30 – 7:00pm at A Piece of Work, Inc. for the gallery’s Sept/Oct Beginning Digital Photography class.  The class was taught by member artist and local nature photographer, Dan Ruf. 

Featured at the gallery is the work of Owen Ensrud (Jackson, MN), Kay Hassing (Jackson, MN), Pearl Molgaard (Spirit Lake, IA), Katie Ask (Dunnell, MN), and Jan Ferguson (Spirit Lake, IA).  Their photographs will be on display from Thursday the 14th through the calendar month of October.

Mitch Eveleth's reception was last Friday night, and while it was smaller than usual, it was still a lot of fun! It's always so interesting to hear the stories behind the artwork! Mitch's pen and ink drawings will be on display at the gallery through the month of September, so be sure to stop in and check them all out!

Here's an image from the Watercolor Workshop/Intermediate Digital Photography class reception we had in late August.  The Photo class was taught by Dan Ruf (left) and the Watercolor class was taught by Katie Plucker (right), both Member Artists at A Piece of Work, Inc.  For more information on Art Education Classes being held at A Piece of Work, Inc., check out the "For Enthusiasts" page (there's a link at the top of the page!).

Here are the winners from the first Chalkstock - held on the 1600 block of Hill Avenue in Olde Town Spirit Lake!

From left to right, pictured are:

Briel Woods - First Place, $200

Seana Godbold - Most Original

Rachael Sitzman - Most 3-D

Gina Ove (crouching) - Second Place, $100

Ashley Ove - Most Colorful

Lexi Jennings - Best Landscape

We have Chalkstock merchandise for sale at the gallery in the Art Supply alcove, including T-Shirts from this year's festival and the chalks used to create the amazing drawings!  We also have a poster (in 3 varying sizes) for sale that shows the final squares (all of them!) from this year's competition!

Last night was August 2010's First Friday Art Walk, and here at A Piece of Work, Inc. we had over 110 people come through our doors!  We also hosted a reception for Joleen Dentlinger, a pen and ink artist from Storm Lake, IA.  Here is a photo of Joleen giving her Artist's Talk.  Her artwork will be on display in the Exhibition Cove through the end of August, so come on in to take a look!

Anita "Katie" Plucker is holding a watercolor workshop at APOW this week! It's a full class, and everyone is having a lot of fun! Here's a shot from the first day. For more information on upcoming art classes at A Piece of Work, Inc., head on over to the "For Enthusiasts" page!

Emily McAllister giving her Artist's Talk July 2nd.  We had an impressive 125+ people come through our doors that day! With each month that passes, First Friday events are becoming more and more popular - food, family fun, and definately an abundance of art and artists - if you haven't been to one yet, you are missing out!

Emily's photography and paintings will be in the Exhibition Cove through the end of July, so be sure to stop in and take a look! As a Member Artist at APOW, she also has work in Alcove #22.

The Artist's Reception held last night for Jamie Bowers was fantastic!  There was good food, a number of enthousiastic art appreciators, and Jamie gave an amazing Artist's Talk!  If you haven't been into the gallery yet to check out his paintings, you had better hurry!  Jamie's artwork will be on display in the Exhibition Cove until June 30th. 

Despite the soggy weather, this year's Mainsail-A-Bration Collective Community Creation was a huge success! We had over 90 people come through the doors of the gallery, and even more stopping by on the street to LEAVE THEIR MARK and help paint the large, 3-sided free-standing painting.  The Collective Community Creation "Our Piece of Work" will be on display in Alcove #19 at A Piece of Work, Inc. throughout the month of June, so be sure to stop in and check out how artistic the people in the Lakes area can be!

A Piece of Work, Inc. would also like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who painted, asked questions, took pics with their camera-phones, or just stopped to watch for a little bit! If it wasn't for you, the CCC just wouldn't have been the same!

The reception for the latest Digital Photography Class (taught by member artist Dan Ruf) was held on May 20th. Over 55 people came in for the event! Everyone had a great time, the students stood up and spoke about their work, and the photos on display were fantastic! The cake, of course, was fantastic as well. ;)

In preparation for CHALKSTOCK 2010, Avis Davis took a Saturday morning off to perform scientific chalk/pastel experimentation on the sidewalk in front of the gallery. This is a shot of the gallery director, Haley Isder, posing with the end result of Avis' grueling experiments!

Keep checking back for more information on this upcoming event... because on August 14th, 2010, CHALKSTOCK arrives...

Our first First Friday event of the year was a huge success! Over 65 people showed up, and the Rhubarb Upside Down Cake was amazing! Not only that, but Avis Davis told an incredible story as part of her artist's talk! If you haven't come in yet to see "The Enchanted Forest" series in the Exhibition Cove, you are missing out!

Saturday the 10th was the opening reception for A Piece of Work, Inc.’s April installation of the “Classroom to the Gallery” project.  Clay Central Everly High School has eight talented young artists displaying their work this month, and their art will be hung at the gallery for public viewing until April 30th.
The students who participated in the “Classroom to the Gallery” project are (from left to right in the photograph): Sanghun Yang, Bruce Tepfer (teacher), Angie Geerdes, Kodi Hansen, and Kiera Van Westen.  The student artists missing from photo are Nate Drees, Courtney Cronk, Chelsea Heikens, and Jacque Ginger.

Barb McGee giving her Artist Talk. The reception was fabulous, with delicious food and great company! Barb's work will be on display in the Exhibition Cove through the end of the month. Be sure to stop in to be inspired by her amazing paintings!

Avis Davis speaking last night at the reception about the work done by the students in her Jan-Feb watercolor class. We had over 30 people at the reception, and both the conversation and the food was spectacular! Thanks to everyone for making it so successful!

The Digital Photo Class Reception had a great turn out, over 60 people! Here are a couple photos from the opening.

A few participants aren't pictured, but these are the lucky survivors from Dan Ruf's January Digitial Photography Class. If you're interested, the next one will be held March 27th, April 10th, 17th, and 24th. For more information or to register, call or email the gallery at (712)336-1077 apieceofworkinc@gmail.com .

Saturday the 13th was the opening reception for A Piece of Work, Inc.’s February installation of the “Classroom to the Gallery” project. Harris-Lake Park High School has seven talented young artists displaying their work this month, and their art will be hung at the gallery for public viewing until February 27th.
 
The girls who participated in the “Classroom to the Gallery” project are (from left to right in the photograph): Kari Bruinsma (teacher), Morgan Orwig, Emily Anderson, Jodi Hibma, Samantha Brueggeman, Jennifer Kruger, Katlynn Luinstra. The student artist missing from photo is Kelsey Christoffer.
 
The "Classroom to the Gallery" project is an opportunity to show area students’ work in a professional gallery. The work is on display for one calendar month, and the students may sell their work if they so choose.  The goal of this project is to give art students the chance to meet and interact with practicing artists, as well as giving them one more exhibition that can be listed on their resume.
 
Everyone is encouraged to stop by the gallery at 1619 Hill Avenue, in Spirit Lake, to show support for these emerging artists and to browse the wonderful selection of original art on display there.  The gallery’s hours are 10:00am – 5:00pm Tuesday-Saturday.

The winners of the Mrshmallow Man Blaster Shoot Out (from left to right): Jason Feather (MUSHIES), Macy Pullen (MINIS), Diane Lockard (TOASTED), and Kacey Krieger (MINIS 2nd Place).

Students in the class hard at work.

Students critique pictures from last weeks assignment.

Dan showing the class some pictures.

Photography by Mike Houge

A Piece of Work is excited to announce that a special exhibition of Mike Houge’s photography will be on display during the month of January.  A Reception will be held Thursday, January 14th from 5:30-7:00pm.

Mike Houge is a local businessman, born and raised in Northwest Iowa into an artistic family.  “I have always looked for the proper medium to express my artistic interests.  After trying several different mediums, I have found that my love of nature and photography seem to be the right combination.”

“My journey has led me to a collection of images from Northwest Iowa, and from the shores and woodlands of the north shore along Lake Superior in Minnesota.  I try to capture images of the locations I visit in a pleasing and interesting way with hopes that they will draw emotions and stir some feelings.”

Marshmallow Man Blaster Shoot Out

Saturday, January 30th

11:00am-2:30pm

 A Piece of Work, Inc. would like to invite you to register for the first annual Marshmallow Man Blaster Shoot Out.  The Shoot Out will take place at A Piece of Work, Inc.  Saturday, January 30 during the 2010 University of Okoboji Winter Games.

There are three divisions:

MINIS (12 & under)

MUSHIES (13-49yrs)

TOASTED (50+ yrs)

Competition will consist of a preliminary round.  Each participant will get 3 practice shots and then blast 5 live marshmallow rounds at specially designed animated targets.  The top 9 point makers in each division will move on to the final round.  Finals Participants will fire 10 live marshmallow rounds.  Shoot outs will continue until a winner is determined.

The MINIS division will have a preliminary round from 11:00-11:45am and finals from 11:45am- 12 Noon.  The MUSHIES preliminary round will be from 12:15-1:00pm and finals from 1:00-1:15pm.  The TOASTED division’s preliminaries will be from 1:30-2:15pm with finals from 2:15-2:30pm.  The top winner in each division will receive an authentic “Stay Puft Marshmallow Man”.

“Shoot Out” rules are modeled after the strict Code of Ethics established by the Ghostbusters Team.  Shooting at other participants and eating live rounds are prohibited acts.  Each participant must have fun. 

A nonrefundable registration fee of $1.00 must be included with your registration form.  Participation is limited to the first 862 paid registrants.  Registration forms can be picked up at A Piece of Work, Inc. at 1619 Hill Avenue, or at the Winter Games website www.uofowintergames.com

A Piece of Work, Inc. is now on Facebook!

Search A Piece of Work, Inc. and become a fan. 

A Reception was recently held for students who completed classes at A Piece of Work.  The artists being recognized include: Lesleigh Wiese, Roxana Rivedal, Deb Johnson, Jami Mahn, Diane Lockard, Janice Clark, Teri Kannedy, and Jane Black.  Four students completed an Introductory Drawing Class in October instructed by staff artist, Sharon Sadusky. The Drawing Class had an underlying theme of value study and worked on various drawing techniques.  Six students completed a Soft Pastels Class in November instructed by staff artist, Irene McCoy.  The Pastels Class introduced the idea of color theory, landscapes, and florals.

The December First Friday Art Walk was recently held at A Piece of Work.  Sharon Sadusky's Artist Reception for the December Exhibition was also held during the Art Walk. 

Here are some of the highlights:

 Member Artists Ed Linhardt and his wife, and Irene McCoy enjoying the First Friday festivities.

Member Artist Dan Ruf, Gallery Owner Diane Lockard, and community member in good conversation during the First Friday Art Walk.

Remembrance
A special selection of paintings by Sharon Sadusky

A Piece of Work, Inc. would like to announce that a special exhibition of Sharon Sadusky’s paintings will be on display from December 1 – 31.  Her show is titled “Remembrance”.  An artist reception will be held Friday, Dec. 4 from 5:00-7:00pm.  Refreshments will be served and Sharon will give an Artist Talk at 6:00pm.

Sharon Sadusky, a native of the Lakes Area, currently resides just south of Jackson, Minnesota.  Over the years Sharon has taken a variety of classes and workshops, where she has studied with Anita Plucker, Hank Hall, Agnes Alsgaard-Lein, Yves Larouque, Johan Thunberg, and Sebastiao Pereira to name a few.  She continues to take college classes, where she can be introduced to old and new methods and materials.  Sharon believes that we need to return to the basics and that life is meant to be a life long learning experience.

“I have always enjoyed working with my hands.  My Aunt did a variety of crafts and painting and always had a project for us to do.  I would look forward all week to going to the farm for the weekend and seeing what she had planned.”

Inspiration comes from many directions. Sharon has traveled extensively on art history trips to France, Italy, England, Ireland and Egypt as well as numerous trips in the great U.S.A. Taking walks and viewing nature makes one want to try to preserve the moment.  Sharon is always eager to share this passion with others, and it is through this sharing that she keeps experimenting and trying new things.

She has had solo exhibitions at Minnesota West College, Mayo Health Center, Pearson Lakes Art Center, Carnegie Art Center, and the Nobles County Art Center.  Her work has also been showcased in many venues throughout the Midwest.  Sharon’s work can be viewed and purchased at A Piece of Work, Inc.

November Exhibition: Agnes “Bobbie” Alsgaard-Lien

A special exhibition of Agnes “Bobbie” Alsgaard-Lien’s paintings will be on display from November 5 – November 28. 

For over twenty years, Bobbie Alsgaard-Lien as been an Art Instructor and Gallery Director at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Worthington, Minnesota.  She has received many awards and honors throughout Minnesota and the Midwest, including the Prairie Star Award, Distinguished Artist in Marshall, MN; Gene Schaar, Excellence in Painting in Worthington, MN; and Best of Show in many shows throughout the state. 

“I Still ‘COLOR’ after 45 years.  I am always curious to see what transpires.” 

Bobbie’s work has been on display in throughout the country.  Most recently, in Vermillion, SD, as part of the University of South Dakota Alumni Exhibit.  A few of her other recent exhibitions include: Remick Gallery, Windom, MN; Nuance Gallery, Beresford, SD; Gallery 180, Tuscon, AZ; Nobles Co. Art Gallery, Worthington, MN; Octavia’s Haze Gallery, San Francisco, CA; University of Wisconsin, River Falls, WI.  Bobbie is also a member of SMAHC, the Rural Arts Initiative/Blandin Foundation, and the Nobles County Art Center. 

 A Piece of Work, Inc. would like to invite the public to take an Art Walk during First Friday in Olde Town Spirit Lake Friday, November 6 from 5-7 pm .  The Art Walk brings the public into two unique art galleries, A Piece of Work, Inc.. and Art on 16th, in Olde Town Spirit Lake to see exceptional original art.  View one-of-a-kind artwork created by local artists and enjoy refreshments by Diane Lockard and wine, compliments of Little Swan Lake Winery.

Many of the Member Artists at a Piece of Work, Inc. will be at the gallery to meet. Member artists include Hillcrest Forge, Perry Polson, James Olivari, Dan Ruf, Deb Paxton, Ed Linhardt, Jr., Bogenrief Studios, Lynn Hunter Swan, Kelli Farrar, Avis Davis, Anita Plucker, Glenda Drennen, Jolene Nichols, Mike Houge, Irene McCoy, Curiel-Reynolds School of Visual Arts, Sharon Sadusky, Judy Hemphill, Jill Winders, Holly Kellogg, Kari Hagan, and Gary Hastings. 

A special exhibition of Agnes “Bobbie” Alsgaard-Lien’s paintings will also be on display during First Friday.  Bobbie’s work can be viewed from November 5 – November 28. 

First Friday

at A Piece of Work, Inc.

Wine Tasting Compliments of Little Swan Lake Winery

Friday, November 6

5:00 - 7:00pm

Over 300 trick-or-treaters came through the doors of the gallery on Halloween.  A Piece of Work, Inc was one of many of the downtown Spirit businesses to participate in the day’s festivities.

The Spirit Lake First Grade class currently have their Snakes from Art Class on display at the Gallery.  There are nearly 80 snakes in different shapes, and colors.  Each one is labeled with the artist's name and titled (by the artist).  You can only imagine what a First Grader would name their snake :-)

The snakes are on display through Saturday, Oct. 31st.

Dan Ruf Accepted into Competition

A Piece of Work, Inc is excited to announce that Member Artist Daniel Ruf has recently had his work chosen in a Showcase Competition.  Only the top 250 of 3,250 images submitted are included in the showcase.  Ruf’s selected piece is titled ‘Canada Geese in Spring Snow, Hottes Lake near Spirit Lake, Iowa’.

According to Ruf, nature photography is as much about marketing as it is about getting out into the countryside to ply ones craft as a photographer.  With the digital age the competition has increased greatly along with the tools and learning curve that come with new technology.  In recent years the business has become fast paced and ever changing requiring all photographers to keep abreast of the digital medium and the direction that fine art photography is headed.

Mr. Ruf’s work has recently been accepted into the Showcase Competition of the North American Nature Photography Association www.nanpa.com and will be included in their 2010 “Expressions” catalogue.  This important selection involves a jury of some of the top nature photographers in the world, all of whom have diverse backgrounds in exhibition, publication, research and teaching.

Since retiring from farming, Mr. Ruf’s work has found its way into numerous private collections around the country as well as publications such as Our Iowa magazine and the 2010 Our Iowa calendar.  He has been involved with a number of local artist organizations and is presently exhibiting at A Piece of Work, Inc. in Spirit Lake, Iowa; Cornucopia Art Center in Lanesboro, Minnesota; and CR Gallery in Milford, Iowa.

First Friday Includes Art Walk & Irish Minstrel Band on Sept. 4
A Piece of Work, Inc. and Art on 16th invite the public to take a final summer Art Walk and enjoy the Irish Minstrels Band during First Friday in Olde Town Spirit Lake on September 4 from 5-8 pm. The Art Walk brings the public into two unique art galleries in Olde Town Spirit Lake to see exceptional original artwork and enjoy complimentary refreshments. Other Olde Town Spirit Lake shops and several restaurants are open for business for this monthly evening of food, fun, free entertainment, and, of course, art!
The award winning and highly entertaining Irish Minstrels Band will perform from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Hill Avenue.  They present a variety of fun, traditional tunes from the pubs of old Ireland with never a dull moment during their show.  The public is invited to enjoy this informal concert and come and go between the shops, restaurants, and the performers. Please note you will need to bring your own chairs if you want to sit outside for the music. 
The Irish Minstrels Band is part of the summer First Friday music series supported by the Olde Town Spirit Lake merchants group.  
Many of the member artists at a Piece of Work, Inc. will be at the gallery to meet. Member artists include Lynn Hunter Swan,  Kelli Farrar, Ruth Beardsley, Avis Davis, Anita Plucker, Glenda Drennen, Michael Houge, Ron Heiman, Perry Polson, Hillcrest Forge, Inc., Irene McCoy, Daniel Ruf, Tony Curiel, Bogenrief Studios, Sharon Sadusky, Robert Ten Cate, Judy Hemphill, Holly Kellogg, Jill Winders, Ed Linhardt, Jr., Carol Herden, Richard Ahrenholtz, Jolene Nichols, James Olivari, Deb Paxton, Kari Hagan, and Gary Hastings.
Art on 16th will also have many of the gallery artists available that evening. Art on 16th features remarkable local art by Bogenrief Studios, Danielle Clouse, Avis Davis, Dennis Dykema, Kathy Evert, Shelagh Gamble, Anita Gilbert & Anthony Vodraska, Hank Hall, Lou Hargens, William Lieb, Jill Olson, Anita Baedke-Plucker, Torrey Proctor, Dan Ruf, and Brad Travis.
A Piece of Work, Inc. is housed in the 1921 Walker Motor Company building located on Hill Avenue in Olde Town Spirit Lake, Iowa.  The Gallery is now showcasing the original works of 30 regional artists.  Hundreds of one-of-a-kind pieces of art are available for viewing and sale in a wide assortment of art mediums.  The Gallery is open from 10:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Saturday.  For more information call 712-336-1077 or visit www.apieceofworkinc.com.
Art on 16th is Hank Hall’s creative laboratory on 16th Street in Olde Town Spirit Lake in the former Joe Lieb wood-working shop built in 1948. A career teacher and master artist, Hall teaches a variety of youth and adult art classes and sells the work of sixteen local artists, including his own one-of-a-kind clay and mixed media pieces.  Art on 16th is open Monday through Friday 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday 9 am – 1 pm, and by appointment. For more information call 712-330-6006 or visit www.hankhallarton16th.com.

A PIECE OF WORK ,INC. CELEBRATES ITS FIRST BIRTHDAY

A Piece of Work, Inc. would like to invite the public to its 1st Birthday Celebration Saturday, July 25. Events are planned throughout the day from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm! Starting at 9:15 - 11:15 am, join us for a PLANEAIR SOARING SAIL. The idea is to create a work of art on a piece of paper and fold that paper into a paper airplane. Every 15 minutes the airplanes will be lifted to the roof of the building and launched. It's a great activity for families and people of all ages. Watch your piece of work take flight! There will be BIRTHDAY CAKE & beverages served from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, as well as artist demonstrations throughout the day. CURIEL REYNOLDS SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS will be doing a glass fusing demonstration from 12:30 - 2:00 pm. CRVA is located in Spencer and offers instruction in jewelry and glass bead making, stained glass, silver cqasting, and many more unique arts. IRENE McCOY will be demonstrating soft pastel landscape drawing from 1:00 - 2:00 pm; since moving to Iowa in 1997, she has been drawn to the natural beauty of the landscape. Irene is a local artist who works in watercolor and soft pastel. PERRY POLSON will be doing a wood turning demonstration from 1:00 - 2:30 pm. Perry is located a short drive away in Spencer and uses and recycles local natural wood for his works. SHARON SADUSKY will demonstrate drawing techniques from 2:30 - 3:30 pm. Sharon lives just north of the Lakes Area and works mainly in acrylic, watercolor, and graphite. She has traveled throughout the US  and overseas and that influence can be seen in many of her works. AVIS DAVIS will be demonstrating watercolor techniques from 3:30 - 4:30 pm; Avis is also a local artist who uses watercolor as her primary medium.  Her work has been exhibited throughout the state of Iowa.

"Portraits Of Olde Town", Spirit Lake is now on permanent display near the front entrance. This massive door has been rebuilt and displays the top 12 entrants to the Portraits of Olde Town contest. It was unveiled in a grand fashion during a St. Patrick's day event. The opening was well attended and many folks had a great time. Stop in and see the 9' x 4' door to experience it first hand. 

We have had a great response the first fifteen days of being open. Thank you for that everyone. The question everyone is asking is WHAT ARE GOING TO DO WITH THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING? If you haven't been by or don't know the Spirit Lake area the front of this building is a GLAZED BRICK (photo). It's pretty awesome. The building was built in the 1910’s and this brick isn’t made anymore.  AND... the wood you see attached to the front is connected with concrete bolts and glue. While this may be good for attaching wood to brick it is VERY BAD for detaching wood from brick. The bolts tend to rip apart the brick from the inside and the glue rips off the glaze.

So we are still trying to figure out the best way to keep as much of the original brick front as possible. We’re still talking about it with some engineers about how to best accomplish this. It will be a while before the front changes significantly but we will try and do a little here and there… maybe cut away the wood that’s not a threat to the brick. So just be patient and it will look fantastic.

AND … if you or anyone you know is a MASTER BRICK LAYER and can tell us how to UNGLUE wood from glazed brick please call me.

Peace

Chad

Gallery Director

We are now open... so stop in and look around. We have had a couple of artists commit to some alcoves and we always welcome more. Come in for a tour and sign up to receive an invitation to the GRAND opening.

Email me with any questions info@apieceofworkinc.com

Here is a sneak peek of one of the hallways and some of the alcoves. There is brown craft paper on the floor to protect it from paint splatter. Shhh... don't tell anyone you've seen this.

We started painting the alcoves today and they look great. Middle Grays, Lite Grays and Sage Green.