Art-A-Whirl 2014

Another year, another Art-A-Whirl. I've started to burn out on this event, the good artists seem to be fewer and fewer while the growing attraction of this Northeast Minneapolis event is a proliferation of brew pubs. Not that there is anything wrong with a good microbrew, I've been known to indulge in one myself, but it turns the focus away from the artists. The same holds true, but worse, with the growth of music stages. Not only do they generally feature bad music, but the sound pervades throughout an entire building, effectively driving out any lofty thoughts about art one might entertain. It can become a bit too much for the younger attendees:


Solar Arts Building

But there were many nice visual moments; the artists' galleries tend to be in re-purposed industrial buildings which have their own aesthetic:


California Building

At times the overall effect is astonishing:


Solar Arts Building, painting by Caitlin Karolsczak

Some patrons become truly overwhelmed:


Casket Arts Building