South arts & leisure briefs

'Steelroots' sculpture at Arboretum in April"Steelroots: Touching Earth & Sky," an outdoor exhibition of 16 massive metallic likenesses of root forms, will be on display at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum starting April 16.

The steel sculptures were created by Pennsylvania artist Steve Tobin, who's known for his fusion of nature and art. This is just the second exhibition of Tobin's Steelroots sculpture series, which has been on display at the Morton Arboretum in suburban Chicago.

The sculptures will be located around the Arboretum's visitor center and along a half-mile paved walkway from the visitor center to the maze garden.

Tobin will visit for an event from 7:30 to 9 p.m. April 14 at the Arboretum, at 3675 Arboretum Drive in Chanhassen. Admission is $20 for Arboretum members and $30 for non-members. For more information, go to www.arboretum.umn.edu.

Authors to appear at Scott librariesAuthors will talk about their work throughout April in a series of appearances at Scott County libraries.

"Inkslingers: Authors in the Libraries" is a program funded through Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, also known as the Legacy amendment fund.

Authors appearing include:

• Stan Tekiela, a naturalist and wildlife photographer, who will give a talk on birds at 7 p.m. Monday at the Shakopee Library, 235 S. Lewis St.

• Catherine Friend, who raises sheep and cattle on a farm in southeastern Minnesota, wrote "Hit By a Farm: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Barn." She'll speak at 7 p.m. April 11 at the Jordan Library, 230 S. Broadway.

• Peg Meier, a former Star Tribune reporter who wrote "Wishing for a Snow Day: Growing Up in Minnesota" and the soon-to-be-published "Through No Fault of My Own: A Girl's Diary of Life on Summit Avenue in the Jazz Age." She will appear at 7 p.m. April 12 at the Prior Lake Library, 16210 Eagle Creek Av.

• Laura Childs, a mystery writer whose latest book is "Scones and Bones." She'll speak at 7 p.m. April 26 at the New Prague Library, 400 E. Main St.

• Mary Logue, who writes mystery and young adult novels, poetry and memoir, is author of "Frozen Stiff." She'll appear at 7 p.m. April 28 at the Shakopee Library, 235 S. Lewis St.

For more information on the "Inkslingers" series, go to www.scott.lib.mn.us.

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