This weekend marks the 2015 edition of annual artist gallery crawl Art-A-Whirl. What began in 1996 as a small open studio event has expanded to include a dozen artist studios, plus innumerable bars, restaurants, and brew-pubs across Northeast Minneapolis.
It’s also become a shopping destination for fans of Minnesota-made products. To help you get started, I’ve compiled a list of the best pop-up sales and open studio events happening at this year’s weekend-long event.
Able + Art: An Open House
This pop-up event hosted at the still-under-construction Able Seedhouse & Brewery features a handful of Minnesota makers and creatives. Solid Manufacturing Co. will be setting up shop (and maybe even crafting some baseball bats on the spot) alongside Concrete Pig‘s concrete-meets-modernist furniture designs (plus some giveaways), North Loop maker-geared shop Wilson & Willy’s, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, and designer Sarah Nassif of Rectangle Designs, who will also be screen-printing botanical-inspired t-shirts and bandanas on-site. (If you buy a shirt, you get a token for a free beer when the brewery opens later this year.) Bonus: hot brats will be served by Gerhard’s Brats. 5–10 p.m. Fri., noon–8 p.m. Sat., noon Sun., 1121 Quincy St. N.E., Mpls., 612-382-1627, View the event on Facebook
Rectangle Designs’ Ginkgo miniclutch, $24 @ rectangledesigns.com
Courtesy Rectangle Designs
Made by Hands Art Fair
On Sunday, Bauhaus Brew Labs hosts a Made by Hands art fair as part of its Art-A-Whirl block party. Look for jewelry, woodworking, knits, ceramics, sweets, tattoos, and edibles, as well as handmade furniture from Willie Willette Works. There will also be an on-site barber, live music, vinyl spun by a live DJ, and beer and food available until 10 p.m. View the full artist lineup at the Facebook event page. Noon–5 p.m. Sun., 1315 Tyler St. N.E., Mpls.
Midwest Is Best: An Art-A-Whirl Spectacular
Spark Letterpress hosts an exhibition and sale of artwork from local artists, letterpress demos, and print giveaways at its Northeast studio, plus food truck Peeps Hotbox on Sunday. Artists include Bailey Cahlander, Redshoes26‘s Christy Johnson, Julia Caston, Larsen Husby, Erin Maurelli, Jason Yoh, Laura Andrews, and more. View the full artist lineup at the Facebook event page. 5–9 p.m. Fri., noon–8 p.m. Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun., 1300 Quincy St. N.E., 1st floor, Mpls., 866-594-7113.
Redshoes26’s Paul Bunyon statue t-shirt, $44 @ redshoes26design.com
Courtesy redshoes26
Gumball Collective Vintage Pop-up & Art Market
Northeast boutique Gumball Collective is hosting a vintage pop-up sale and artist market in honor of Art-A-Whirl. Find goods from 80 Minnesota makers and artists, including iconic Minneapolis painter Frank Gaard. 5–10 p.m. Fri., noon–8 p.m. Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun., 158 13th Ave. N.E., Mpls., 612-568-5813, gumballcollective.com
Northrup King Building Open Studios
The biggest artist building in Northeast, Northrup King hosts a number of open studios from local makers. Britta Lynn Design and artist Ashley Barlow will join Louisa Podlich’s A Mano ceramic in her studio (#252). Karin Jacobson’s jewelry studio will feature painter Berry Holz and children’s clothing company Janey Appleseed, which partners with a group of women artisans in the Democratic Republic of Congo (#288). Eco-friendly jewelry line L. Shoff will launch designer Lauren Shoff’s new eco-friendly, natural juice and tea company, raw51. There will be a juice tasting from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday and new jewelry on display all weekend (#375). Metalsmith Nick Lundeen will have his range of Southwest-inspired, metal and stone jewelry for sale, as well as his home objects, such as wooden spoons, brass stirring sticks, and brass and copper catchalls (#451). Silvercocoon will be selling a limited-edition collection of metal bangles and a new line of colorful, geometric earrings exclusively at Art-A-Whirl (#277). 5–10 p.m. Fri., noon–8 p.m. Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun. Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. N.E., Mpls.
Black Spoke Leather Co. deluxe wallet in ink blot, $145 @ blackspokeleather.com
Courtesy Black spoke leather co.
Casket Arts Building
Black Spoke Leather Co. designer Sarah M. Holm will be joining other artists and makers with punk-inspired, bicycle-friendly leather goods, including discounted samples and limited-edition items (#150). Bohemian-styled e-commerce shop Velvet Moon is hosting its final studio opening before it moves with a huge sale that includes $5 and $10 racks and 60 percent off select goods including women’s clothing, accessories, handmade dog clothing by Dog Threads, and healing crystals (#218). 5–10 p.m. Fri., noon–8 p.m. Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun., 681 17th Av. N.E., Mpls.
Grain Belt Bottling House
Design studio Redshoes26 will pop in in the Grain Belt Bottling House with t-shirts, pillows, prints, phone cases and pillows from its “State Icons” line, which features whimsical illustrations of Paul Bunyan and First Avenue nightclub. Jewelry designer Bridget Clark also hosts a weekend-long open studio. 5–10 p.m. Fri., noon–8 p.m. Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun., 77 13th Ave. N.E., Mpls.
California Building
On Friday night, a collective of artists and designers present the group show 50 Shades of C.R.E.A.M., which includes a pop-up shop and live fashion installation at 8:15 p.m. from CVSTINGS, a new designer vintage collection by stylist Lisa Marie Gherardini, as well as Ghost Bird Clothing, a new line of bondage-inspired lingerie by local designer Katie Mae Dickinson. Plus artwork by Nicholas Larkins Perez, Jeremy Nutzman, Justin James Sehorn, and DJ sets from MAKR. 5–10 p.m. Interactive performances beginning at 7 p.m. Fri. 2205 California St. N.E., #514, Mpls. View the Facebook invite.
Artspace Jackson Flats
On Friday night, designer Annabella Sardelis will be popping up with her Spring/Summer 2015 collection from her line Indigo & Snow, including organic, hand-dyed tunics, bamboo scarves, fold-over leather clutches, hand-dyed necklaces, and a selection of hand-printed home goods. 5–10 p.m., 901 18 1/2 Ave. N.E., 3rd Floor, Mpls.
Thorp Building
On Saturday, Lauren Neal of NEAL Jewelry hosts a day-long open studio featuring her latest NOVA Collection as well as some one-of-a-kind pieces and favorites from past collections. Noon–8 p.m. Sat., 1618 Central Ave. N.E., #215, Mpls.
NEAL Jewelry pyramid and cone ring holders, from $75 @ nealjewelry.com
Courtesy neal jewelry
