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Weekend Arts Roundup: Three Reasons to Get Out of the House

  Play Now [9:02]

by Marianne Combs

January 30, 2014

karen bit vejle
Psaligrapher Karen 'Bit' Vejle, whose work is on display at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis until May 25, 2014.
courtesy the American Swedish Institute

MPR News Arts Reporter Marianne Combs joins Steve Seel and Jill Riley to talk about three reasons to get out of the house this weekend despite the snowy, wintry weather.

The School for Lies — David Ives' adaptation of Molière's The Misanthrope maintains the costumes of the French period morality play, but Ives will stop at nothing to maintain rhyming couplets, including the use of limericks and rude words. This witty, ribald play is staging now at Park Square Theatre in downtown St. Paul, and its run ends this Sunday, Feb. 2.

Papercut! — Danish/Norwegian artist Karen "Bit" Vejle began doing paper cutous — think snowflakes or children holding hands — as a young girl, and it's a hobby she continued into adulthood, making more and more intricate patterns and stories as she developed her art. When a neurological disorder ended Vejle's career as a TV producer, one of her colleagues discovered her abilities as a psaligrapher; that is, a paper-cutting artist. Now, Vejle's artwork comprises large-scare scenes of stories and dreamscapes. Her work is on display at the American Swedish Insitute in Minneapolis, and it will remain on show until May 25.

Art Shanty 2014 — What could be more embracing of the winter weather than building an artistic community on a frozen lake? This year, Art Shanty moves to White Bear Lake in its eponymous city north of St. Paul. Art Shanty opens this weekend, with a Sparkle Parade on Saturday, Feb. 1. Adorn yourself with reflective items to participate and to beat the winter blues. Learn more about Art Shanty 2014 at its official website.

Marianne Combs joins Steve Seel and Jill Riley every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. to give the Weekend Arts Roundup. Read more arts news at the State of the Arts Blog on mprnews.org.