Art on Lake Minnetonka
Looking for one-of-a-kind art for your home? More than 150 artists will display their wares at Excelsior Art on the Lake, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 11 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 12. Artwork includes ceramics, fiber art, paintings, drawings, sculpture, jewelry, leather, metal, glass, photography and creations from recycled materials. A kids' art tent offers hands-on activities and face painting. Live music and food booths will be on site throughout the free event at Excelsior Commons Park. Go to excelsior-lakeminnetonkachamber.com or call 952-474-6461.
Fields of peonies
It's peony season. If you love the big showy spring blossoms, consider a short road trip to Swenson Gardens' Peony Field Days, where hundreds of flowers in a rainbow of colors will be in bloom. All Swenson peonies are grown without chemicals. Staffers will be on hand to answer peony-related questions and offer growing tips, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 10 and 11. Swenson Gardens is at 10958 70th St. SW. in Howard Lake, Minn., just west of the Twin Cities in Wright County. For more information, visit swensongardens.com or call 763-350-2051.
Made in the shade
Planting shade gardens and entire landscapes offer many advantages over sun-drenched areas. Garden writer and landscaper Don Engebretson will share his expertise and ideas at "Embrace Your Shade: Plants and Design Tips for Shady Spaces," 6:30 to 8 p.m. June 7, Lakewood Cemetery Mausoleum and Reception Center, 3600 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. Cost is $30; $25 for Minnesota State Horticultural Society members; includes appetizers and a walking tour of the grounds at 6 p.m. Register at northerngardener.org.
LYNN UNDERWOOD
Painting old homes
Is a painting project on your to-do list? The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) is hosting a class, "Healthy Paints for Healthy Living." Instructor Ioana Stoian, a classically trained European painter who specializes in historic restoration and decorative finishes, will host the class in her own 1917 restored home. Paint will be provided by KEIM, a German company that produces a sustainable mineral silicate paint used in many historic restoration projects including the White House and the Sydney Opera House. Students will have the opportunity to see paints on the wall in Stoian's house, mix their own colors and learn how to apply them properly. Class size will be capped at 10 participants. The class will be held 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. June 25 at 1118 Edmund Av., St. Paul. Cost is $50 ($42.50 for PAM members), which includes lunch. Register at mn.preservation.org.
Living lightly
Heading to Northern Spark, the dusk-to-dawn arts festival in downtown Minneapolis next weekend? Check out the lightHouse, a concept home for efficient living designed by architect Geoffrey Warner of Alchemy, which will make an appearance during the festival. The lightHouse, built within a 8- by 20-foot shipping container, will be open to the public free of charge from 9 p.m. to 5:26 a.m., June 11-12, below the Stone Arch Bridge in Mill Ruins Park. Built by University of Minnesota School of Architecture students alongside Warner and a team of design/build professionals, the lightHouse is designed to be a mobile hotel room that uses the city as its lobby. It's built for year-round use in Minnesota and features a spray-foam shell, triple-paned windows and doors, solar-powered HVAC, all LED lighting and hydronic inflow heat, plus an attached lighted stack that serves as a beacon. Alchemy staff will be on hand to answer questions. After Northern Spark, the lightHouse will continue to move throughout the Twin Cities, when not "resting" between the Carleton Artist Lofts in St. Paul, across from the Raymond Avenue Green Line train stop. For more information, visit facebook.com/northernsparkmn.
KIM PALMER
