Art-A-Whirl attendees try something new

Art-A-Whirl is more than viewing and buying art, or sipping a drink at a local watering hole. This year’s open studio tour offered opportunities to learn new skills.

Arm knitting

Marjorie Fedyszyn is a fiber arts artist in Studio 214 in the Casket Arts Building. She gave daily demonstrations on arm knitting during Art-A-Whirl. 

Unlike traditional knitting that uses needles, arm knitting uses your arms and is a favorite among many do-it-yourself makers who appreciate the ability to create big blankets in a short amount of time.  

“Arm knitting is fun and something everyone can enjoy which doesn’t take long to learn,” said Fedyszyn. 

Fedyszyn loves sharing her passion for arm knitting. This year she had two memorable moments during Art-A-Whirl.

One young woman who came in for the arm knitting demo said she was trying to master the skill from a YouTube video but couldn’t grasp the concept. With hands-on learning, she caught on instantly and was ready to start arm knitting. Another woman came into the studio not expecting too much, but learned how to arm knit and left the studio with tears of joy after learning the skill. 

Fedyszyn was an honored recent recipient of a McKnight Fiber Artist Fellow in 2023 that culminated in a site-specific installation with arm-knitted rope at the Textile Center in Minneapolis that ran from January-April 1, 2024.

Metal sculpting and family

Art-A-Whirl was a family spin at Elias Metal Studio, tucked under Broadway and Central at 1129 NE Van Buren St. 

Lisa Elias, the resident metal sculptor, was the host at the annual open studio extravaganza chock full of art and music from Friday to the shank of Sunday. 

But throughout the entire weekend, her family of creatives was out in full force setting up (tearing down), selling art, performing, offering refreshments and chatting with customers; no small feat for an occasional presenter. Elias was one of the first Northeast artists to add music to the mix and thousands now flock to her corner of the whirl. “I needed a crowd,” she recalled to the Star Tribune. 

Lisa is the youngest of nine, perhaps best known for her public drinking fountains, tree and street grates. 

Many/most of her siblings who helped during AAW are also artists, from sister Meg Elias-Emery, an aerialist who founded the adjacent Xelias Aerial Arts Studio, to the multidisciplinary artist Anne and painter Jane who runs the arts education-focused Simply Jane Studio.

Husband Dan Churilla is an artist/builder/guitarist who plays with the band Moy Dukksen, which performed on Saturday afternoon. Their son Oliver Elias is a rising star potter/ceramicist who sold his elegant and functional work in an attached tent. The couple also resides in Northeast Minneapolis.

Glass blowing

Have you ever heard of a Pinchy or a Sherlock? Stone Arch Glass Studio opened their doors during Art-A-Whirl to make the art of glassblowing a little more accessible to all of us, even if their art has a different name than what one may normally hear.

“As an artistic person, I love seeing all the creations,” Rebecca Loughrey said. Stone Arch Glass Studio, located at 316 Buchanan St. NE, held free mini classes throughout the weekend for Art-A-Whirl, to coincide with classes offered year-round. “We offer two-hour classes once a week and full day classes once a month.”

The new students were taught how to make small trinkets with machines that shot flames. Many of the products the experienced glassblowers make there are designed to be used in their “Smoking Lounge” in the back of the building.

Any type of alcoholic beverage one may imbibe usually comes in a glass. Many of the artistic pieces sold at Stone Arch Glass Studio, like a Pinchy or Sherlock, are glasses of a different sort. “Our main thing is selling wholesale to smoke shops,” Loughrey stated. If you’re enjoying some of Minnesota’s recently-legal cannabis products, you may be using one of Stone Arch’s creations.

Stone Arch also makes laboratory equipment, and offers blown glass repairs.

Stone Arch Glass Studio has been creating practical blown glass art for a while. Chris Masimore, assisting in teaching class that day, has been with Stone Arch since 2010. 

“Pretty much everybody down here’s got 10-plus-years experience glassblowing.”