The Grain Belt Bottling House is the perfect blank canvas for art. With paintings and photographs covering its vast white walls, sculptures filling up the warehouse-like open space, films showing in side rooms and live music filling any acoustic voids, it's hard to believe that the Holiday Gala was the first such event there. The former brewery houses a half-dozen artists' studios and provided a temporary gallery space to more than 40.
Painters-in-residence Caitlin Karolczak and Tom Riggle came up with the concept and put it together in just two weeks.
"There aren't a lot of galleries showing art now, or they have enough artists," Karolczak said. "We decided to create our own scene."
Riggle added, "Artists want to show their work. We wanted to put something together with film, art and performance art. Galleries can't do that, because they can't make money from it."
As evidenced by the art-savvy crowd that ventured out on a snowy night, there is an audience for this interdisciplinary mix. With one success under their belt, look for more events throughout the year. Check www.myspace.com/grainbeltart for details.
Sara Glassman • 612-673-7310
