‘Arts’ Archives
A New “Ringmaster” at In the Heart of the Beast Theatre
by Harvey Winje In the Heart of the Beast Theatre searched far and wide for an Executive Director to assume the role long and capably performed by Kathee Foran who retired last month. The Board of Directors chose Loren Niemi. Loren has a wide-ranging background that includes decades of involvement in local theater and literary circles.  Loren Niemi was the Tour manager and Ringmaster of HOTB”'s “Circle of Water Circus” in the summer 1983. It was an extravaganza that combined HOTB”'s three venues””education, production, and events””in a tour from the Itasca headwaters of the Mississippi River to many towns along the River, culminating in a pageant near the Gulf of Mexico. Chances are best that Executive Director Loren Niemi and longtime Artistic Director Sandy Spieler will combine to be a dynamic duo of “ringmasters.”  They both have the ability to be in the spotlight just long enough to focus the attention of [...]
A Peace of My Mind a place to hear voices for peace
By John Noltner This exhibit is the result of almost two years of work, exploring the meaning of peace. The seed for this project was planted as two events in my photographic journey coincided. The first was a sort of restlessness I had been feeling for some time that I was not doing exactly what I had been made to do. The second event was the economic downturn, which provided me with some much-needed time for reflection and evaluation. I was born the son of a social worker and an educator, so I suppose there was always fertile soil for this sort of subject matter to thrive. I have always had an interest in social justice issues, serving on several boards for non-profits that did good work both here and abroad. Yet I am not an expert on peace. I have no formal training in the subject, and I hold no related academic degree. You can ask my friends”¦ask my family”¦and they will tell you that I regularly miss the mark when it comes to living in harmony with [...]
“A Peace Of My Mind” Photo Exhibit to Open on United Nations International Day of Peace September 21 at Midtown Global Market
by Megan Swenson Twin Cities photographer John Noltner will open his new documentary exhibit, “A Peace of My Mind” at Midtown Global Market on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010, coinciding with the United Nation”'s International Day of Peace. “A Peace of My Mind” is a project that combines art and storytelling to explore the meaning of peace. Since early 2009, Noltner has interviewed 52 individuals about their thoughts on peace, including Holocaust survivors, a Buddhist minister, a homeless man, and many others. He asked what peace means to them, what they do to work towards it in their lives and what obstacles they encounter along the way. The exhibit showcases 24” x 36” black and white portraits of each of the subjects as well as excerpts from their interviews. Full audio from the interviews can be downloaded from the project”'s website, www.apeaceofmymind.net. Visitors are encouraged to download these interviews to their MP3 players [...]
