Minnesota summers draw us outdoors with art and music fests, filling out July and trickling into August. This weekend, Art in the Garden gets points for most beautiful surrounds: The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum—last year’s “best botanical garden,” said USA Today, and this year’s second best (whatever)—arranges more than 40 artisans among its exotic sprays. Live music includes the Prairie Ramblers Dixieland Band on Saturday and hardcore fiddling by Mary DuShane and Nick Jordan on Sunday. Also on Sunday, fold your own little paper animals at the arboretum’s Origami in the Garden exhibit.
Between stops at the food-and-beverage tent, make sure to check out these artisans’ stations:
To write on: Vandalia Street Press
COURTESY OF ARTIST KIMBERLY TSCHIDA PETTERS
This 10-year-old St. Paul studio distributes cards, prints, and watercolor paintings by Kimberly Tschida Petters—with clean, minimalist designs, Minnesota pride, and quirky humor.
To hang on a wall: Fluid Fantasy
Courtesy of Artist Rachael Staupe
Using unique pouring techniques, these paintings by artist Rachael Staupe look as if they were designed by the elements, in colors that ebb, course, and bubble around one another. (Check out the artist’s similarly swirly jewelry, too.)
For shelf space: Umami Pottery
Courtesy of Artist Katharine Eksuzian
These hand-made pots by artist Katharine Eksuzian are inspired by shinrin-yoku, a Japanese term meaning “forest bathing.” Just check out the handles: lichen branches, mushrooms, oak leaves, and more of nature’s trinkets.
To wear: Sage + Cedar
Inspired by nature (have you sensed a theme yet?), this jewelry features raw gemstones, polymer clay, and metal findings for intricate, unpretentious, organic designs.
For carrying your things: Strey Designs
Designed and made in Northeast Minneapolis, these small-batch leather bags come in many sizes, styles, and colors, with phone-safe interior pockets and versatile straps.
Art in the Garden
August 18 and 19 (with exclusive member preview on 8/17)
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska
