Arts briefs: Ceramic artists in lower St. Croix Valley offer workshop

A half-day demonstration workshop is coming in February to highlight ceramic artists working in the lower St. Croix Valley.

Artists Guillermo Cuellar, Wendy Olson, and Joe Samuelson are to be featured in an event copresented by the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, Wis., and the Northern Clay Center of Minneapolis.

The free event is Feb. 7 from 1-to-5 p.m. in the art studio at the Phipps Center.

Each artist will present a slide lecture, discuss background and influences, and demonstrate techniques. There will be a tour of an exhibition of Olson's work in the Atrium Gallery.

Cuellar worked, exhibited and taught in Venezuela for 25 years, then set up a pottery studio in Shafer, Minn. He was featured on the public TV series "MN Original."

Olson teaches ceramics at Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights and has a studio in rural River Falls, Wis.

Samuelson has a studio in Stillwater. He taught art at Stillwater High School until retiring in 2008.

Two classes devoted to "experiencing clay" are coming up at the Phipps for teens and adults.

The three-week classes offer hands-on experience in ceramics, including wheel throwing, hand building functional pottery, and creating sculptures. A $69 fee covers clay, glazes and firings.

A Tuesday class meets Feb. 10, 17 and 24, from 6:30-to-8:30 p.m., and a Wednesday class meets Feb. 11, 18 and 25 from 10 a.m. to noon.

To enroll, go to www.ThePhipps.org, or call 715-386-2305.

The Stillwater Public Library Gallery is hosting through February "A Field Menagerie to Birds of North America," a set of drawings by Wynn Davis.

His drawings are mostly of birds and nature in the Upper Midwest. He recently published "A Field Menagerie to Birds of North America" in book form.

The library is at 224 N. Third St. Its Internet address is www.stillwaterlibrary.org.

A series of "arts marketing meet-ups" is being held to get folks who are active in culture in the St. Croix Valley to network together.

The effort began last year with Navigate, a summit organized by ArtReach St. Croix.

Monthly meet-ups are now going on to discuss arts and cultural marketing, event promotion, media relations and other topics.

The sessions are on the second Tuesday of each month from 4:30-to-6 p.m. at Charlie's Irish Pub in the Water Street Inn, 101 Water Street S., Stillwater.

Enjoy candlelit trails for an evening walk coming up at Afton State Park.

The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 7 and is open to people of all ages and abilities.

There's a three-mile trail, suitable for beginning snowshoers and hikers.

Call 651-436-5391 for information about equipment rental and to make sure the event hasn't been canceled because of weather.

Registration is open for the spring adult 8v8 soccer league in the 90,000-square-foot fieldhouse at Bielenberg Sports Center, Woodbury.

The city is accepting registrations through Jan. 30.

The league gives folks a head start before it's warm or dry enough to play outdoors.

Games begin Feb. 18 and start at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Teams have nine regular-season games and a championship round. There are two 25-minute halves.

For more information, contact Reed Smidt at rsmidt@ci.woodbury.mn.us or 651-714-3588.