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Spring 2023 @Al’s

In early March, elements of the baptismal font commissioned for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, came together when Al and metal artist John Sterner fit basin to base at Anurag Studio in Stillwater. Find details on the glass HERE.

In Center City, mid-March brings the annual celebration of Reubens & Irish Stew at Al’s Center Saloon. This year the team served up over 600lbs of corned beef! When not at the grill, Al was at the sales desk in the glass showroom.

March 25: Al will be doing demonstrations at FOCI Minnesota Center for Glass Art, a great opportunity to catch him in action and to experience the Minneapolis facility. More info HERE

Coming in April: another appearance at Art in Bloom, the annual, fleeting installation at Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Details from the the 2022 event HERE. Follow the 2023 event HERE.

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a shining season in Center City MN

Alan Honn Glass features perfectly simple works and masterpieces, vintage and brand new designs.

🎄 Especially as the days grow shorter, all are welcome to stop in for a moment with color, light and Al’s artistry.

Open FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS, noon-6pm and by appointment via alanhonnglass@gmail.com
320 Summit Avenue, Center City

🍔 Fortify yourself with burgers & beer across the street at Al’s Center Saloon!

Open 11am-midnight, DAILY. Call 651-257-5757 for take out.
325 Summit Avenue, Center City

More info at alscentersaloon.com

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Take Me to Marine!

Artist Mary Jo Van Dell will open open her amazing studio space to host a group show mixing wood, textile, metal, clay and glass works by area artists with her award-winning landscape paintings.

Al is honored to be included with Don Gahr, Tim Harding, Asa Hoyt and Connor Isenberg.

The studio is located above the historic Marine General Store,
at 101 Judd Street, Marine on Saint Croix MN
and will be open
September 15, 10am-8pm, with an artists’ gathering & live music from 5-8pm
September 16-18, 10am-5pm

The exhibition is part of Take Me to the River 2022, a program of ArtReach St. Croix in partnership regional art fairs & festivals. The curated collection of events celebrates “Art at Every Bend in the River” over the course of four weekends in September and October.

Find more information at maryjovandell.com & artreachstcroix.org

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more from the MN State Fair

UPDATE: furnace down/gallery open at FOCI-MN Center for Glass in the West End Market (map HERE) • NO DEMOs until next year!!

A look at Al’s 2018 First Place Fine Arts win HERE

The story on those smileys (& skulls):
A few fairs ago, Al picked up a Nordic Ware baking pan
at the Grandstand to test as a glass mold.
A success, resulting in clear, fun charms.
Experiments ensue, from time to time.

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State Fair Sale

Thankful for the loan of these shelves, but it’s time they go back to the
Foci-Minnesota Center for Glass Arts gallery at the Minnesota State Fair.

State Fair Sale!! Great glass, priced to go at
Alan Honn Glass Showroom
FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS, noon-6pm
across from Al’s Center Saloon
320 Summit Avenue, Center City MN; find the map HERE

Al’s GLASSBLOWING DEMO SCHEDULE at the Fair (West End Market map HERE)

• August 25, 3-8pm
• September 1, 3-8pm
• September 3, 3-8pm
• September 5, 3-8pm

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Art in Bloom

Among the installations at Art in Bloom this season is Richard Raiche’s arrangement in a multipart piece he commissioned from Al. There’s a lot going on here! but the pictures show details of the work paired with a Beauford Delaney oil. Richard’s concept was to add floral “life” to a glass interpretation of the University of Notre Dame football stadium, complete with a Golden Dome and Touchdown Jesus. In the video below, the docent says “Richard, this is one of your simplest”!!

Art in Bloom is on view through May 1, 2022 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

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up to the Lake

Congratulations! to Lake Superior Art Glass, celebrating 10 years in Duluth from their fantastic Canal Park venue. In early April, Al had the honor of kicking off their slate of guest artist demonstrations, making his signature splash vase – pictured here – as well as a large platter, captured start-to-finish on video, HERE.

Demos continue through May 20, culminating in an auction & events by the lake May 21. Find the details at lakesuperiorartglass.com

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lunch break with The Landscaper’s Daughter

For cues to spots worth a visit around Chisago Lakes & western Wisconsin, we follow The Landscaper’s Daughter. We flagged her down for a visit to Al’s in Center City, caught up over lunch from Al’s Saloon and Alyssa turned her camera on the glass at Al’s Showroom. We love her point of view! Read her take HERE and find more about her work HERE

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on the radio

When Mumblin’ Drew played Al’s Saloon for the first time in March 2020, it was also the last live music at the bar before pandemic lockdown days later. We got acquainted over corned beef and uncertainty.

Recently, Al enjoyed catching up with Drew Temperante at FOCI-Minnesota Center for Glass Arts in Minneapolis, where Drew recorded this audio profile for the MinneCulture series on KFAI 90.3 FM, Twin Cities. The piece captures the sound of studio action, and Al’s thoughts on fundamentals, collaboration and working solo.

Listen here: MinneCulture | The Art Of Defying Gravity

KFAI.org

MinneCulture on KFAI is supported by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund