Northern Minnesota is under a new alert until Friday at 7 p.m.

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Duluth singer-songwriter Breanne Tepler of 

Breanne Marie and the Front Porch Sinners

 is digging the new album by Matthew French, who is based in Minneapolis.

The album is called “Two Sides,” and French digitally released the first five songs as “

” at the end of January. The songs take on themes arising from the pandemic. 

Tepler singles out the song “Still Got a Heart” for its call to kindness and civility amid polarized politics.

“There's just something really comforting and exciting at the same time about his music, his voice and the way he plays his guitar,” said Tepler.

The digital launch of “Side 1,” hosted by Sarah Morris, is 

. “Side 2” is coming at a future date.

Visual artist Alison Price of Minneapolis admires the bold colors and geometric patterning in the works of 

Grube lives with dystonia, a chronic neurological disorder that can cause muscles to contract and twist involuntarily. She turns to painting as a way to calm her tremors.

Price says the fine details of Grube’s paintings as well as her “inverted” colors, magenta trees and green skies turn flowers and landscapes into something new on the canvas.

Sheri Grube

Grube’s exhibit, “An Affair of the Heart,” is on display at the 

Science fiction writer Rayson Lorrey of Rochester loves the theater, and he’s looking forward to an upcoming play at the 

 about one of the great contributors to astronomy. 

“Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson tells the story of Henrietta Leavitt, whose work at Harvard University in the early 1900s helped astronomers realize how vast the universe is. Leavitt’s discoveries created a standard measurement for determining the distance to other galaxies.

Director Philip Muehe joined the Repertory Theatre last fall from the Commonweal in Lanesboro, Minn., which staged the play in 2018.

Lorrey likes the simple set that allows the strong story to shine. At times it appears the actors are walking on the night sky.

“Silent Sky” opens March 4 and runs through March 20.

Emily Bright

Author

Sheri Grube uses painting to manage and speak about living with chronic pain. Rochester Repertory Theatre prepares to stage the play “Silent Sky” about one woman who helped show the world the vastness of the universe. Art Hounds also recommend Matthew French’s new album.

Sheri Grube uses painting to manage and speak about living with chronic pain. Rochester Repertory Theatre prepares to stage the play, “Silent Sky,” about one woman who helped show the world the vastness of the universe. Art Hounds also recommend Matthew French’s new album.

Art Hounds: Works of the heart

A black and white photo of a singer performing.

Art Hounds: Works of the heart

Go Deeper.

Like this?