MSS will be closed Monday, 12/23, Tuesday, 12/24, and Wednesday, 12/26 for the holidays.
Yulemart is an over-the-top, gallery-turned-gift shop, and will feature petite handmade art and crafts that make perfect gifts for the holiday season.
Join us on Friday, November 15th from 6-8pm for an opening reception!
Fresh Eye Gallery’s latest exhibition, Wild & Tame, will be curated by Marissa Wegner, a multidisciplinary artist supported by Fresh Eye Arts.
Join us on Friday, November 15th from 6-8pm for an opening reception!
Join us Friday night at Fresh Eye Gallery for our Halloween Bash! There will be karaoke (spooky songs mostly), tricks, treats, and a costume contest. Be sure to dress your best!
We love our community, and we are so excited to party with you! Children are welcome. Masking is encouraged.
Our signature annual gala, Celebrate! An Evening of Possibilities, will be held on Saturday, September 28th. The event will be at the Anderson Student Center at St Thomas University - 2115 Summit Ave in St Paul.
Click the event title for more info.
Fresh Eye Gallery will be a featured location at Nicollet Open Streets, along with dozens of other great businesses and restaurants in the neighborhood! The festivities will take place on Nicollet Avenue between W 31st Street and W 46th Street.
Click the event title for more info.
Join Life Drawing for the End of the World for a new event: Still Life Desserts! Instead of live models, participants will have the opportunity to draw an original arrangement of desserts and other artistic objects, then eat the desserts! Drawing materials (and eating utensils) will be provided, but artists are also welcome to bring their own preferred supplies.
Click the event title for more info.
This year, more than 40 artists paired up to create original art for Eye to Eye, an annual project and exhibition presented by Fresh Eye Gallery.
Eye to Eye is founded on the principles of radical inclusivity, where artists with and without disabilities are brought together to build a stronger creative community. Artists work in teams of two to connect, collaborate, and create new artwork.
Over the last decade, Eye to Eye artists have built relationships, shared their knowledge and ideas, grown their networks, and engaged with people whose paths would’ve never otherwise crossed. These relationships have led to meaningful connection, community engagement, creative opportunities, and impactful works of art.
Join us on Saturday, August 3rd and Sunday, August 4th at the 33rd Annual Powderhorn Art Fair! We will be selling classic Fresh Eye merch (like our iconic tote bags) as well as original art by Fresh Eye Artists. We would love to see you there!
Join us at the Mendakota Country Club (2075 Mendakota Dr, Saint Paul, MN 55120) to celebrate MSS’s 75th birthday! All are welcome to this open-house event: current and former staff, persons supported, family members, and MSS supporters of all kinds.
Appetizers will be provided, as well as a cash bar. Please no pets.
Celebrate PRIDE with comedy in the gallery: Jokes! Drag! Storytelling! Appropriate for ages 16+.
$10 suggested donation.
Proceeds benefit The Royal Peacock Theater Company, a teaching theater company focused on queer youth and adults.
Fresh Eye Gallery presents NON, a group exhibition curated by Fresh Eye Artist Will Gonzalez.
The magic of abstract images is in the ambiguity. Abstraction conveys meaning and evokes emotion using line, color, form, texture, and composition. These works break barriers of communication and disregard assumptions of traditional artistic techniques. Every viewer is equally qualified to create their own connection to abstract work.
In NON, curator Will Gonzalez invites artists and viewers to release themselves from expectations and embrace the enigma of abstract art.
If you are interested in submitting your work, click here to view our submission guidelines.
Come as you are for a community chat/tea time and share what CARE means to you, what forms of care you see happening in your community, and how to extend these practices to our society.
Join us on Friday, June 21st to celebrate the closing of our PATHWAYS show with light refreshments and pals! PATHWAYS is an exhibiton of work by Lynda Mullan, Lena Osman, Kelly Pals, and Nina Robinson, curated by Nina Robinson.
Fresh Eye Arts & Gallery will be one of the vendors at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Art Fair on May 11th and 12th.
The fair will be open from 10am-7pm on Saturday, May 11, and 10am-5pm on Sunday, May 12th. Come visit Fresh Eye along with over 100 other artists, food trucks, crafts and more! Admission is free.
Fresh Eye Gallery presents Lines and Landmarks, a group exhibition featuring architectural drawings by artists Mike Jones, Isaiah Okongo, and Soon-Wai Wong.
Click here for a short video feature on artist Mike Jones!
Diana E. Murphy Courthouse: 300 South Fourth Street, Suite 202, Mpls, MN 55415
March 19th from 5pm – 7pm
The I Am exhibition celebrates the diversity of the human experience. From individuals to large organizations, all of us benefit from a more inclusive, equitable world. By amplifying the voices of people with developmental disabilities, we acknowledge their expertise in their own creativity, experiences, ideas, and challenges. With this exhibition, our goal is to showcase and celebrate artists with disabilities living in Minnesota and foster education and understanding in the community as a whole.
Fri, February 23rd from 6pm-8pm
Fresh Eye Gallery
DEFROST showcases 33 local artists, ten of whom are MSS artists.
The I Am exhibition celebrates the diversity of the human experience. From individuals to large organizations, all of us benefit from a more inclusive, equitable world. By amplifying the voices of people with developmental disabilities, we acknowledge their expertise in their own creativity, experiences, ideas, and challenges. With this exhibition, our goal is to showcase and celebrate artists with disabilities living in Minnesota and foster education and understanding in the community as a whole.
This show will be on display at both the Diana E. Murphy U.S. Courthouse in Minneapolis and the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in St. Paul as part of the U.S. District Court's Disability Law Program.
Exhibition Dates:
March 18th - May 10th, 2024 (Minneapolis U.S. District Courthouse)
May 20th - July 12th, 2024 (St. Paul U.S. District Courthouse)
Opening Reception: March 19th, 2024 from 5:00 - 6:30
The Court’s Disability Law Program is part of the District of Minnesota’s Public Outreach Committee’s work, and is co-sponsored by the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Minnesota Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the Minnesota Disability Bar Association, and MSS.
Fresh Eye Gallery presents two shows in one!
Fandom, a group exhibition featuring fan art that showcases our fascination with celebrities, pop culture characters, actors, musicians, and more, will be on display in conjunction with Yulemart, our annual holiday market with handmade art and gifts. You’ll find small artworks, gifts, candles, jewelry, and more that you will want to bring home for yourself or a loved one.
Interested in Supporting Celebrate! 2023? Please contact Shannon Brumbaugh at sbrumbaugh@mssmn.org to learn more about sponsorship opportunities or donating to support the gala.
Follow us on social media for updates as more details are announced.
🎉 Celebrating 10 Years of MSS Oakdale: Embracing Possibilities Together! 🎉
Mark your calendars and join us on August 17th as we commemorate a significant milestone in the journey of MSS Oakdale - our 10th anniversary! It's a time of joy, reflection, and heartfelt gratitude as we celebrate a decade of empowering individuals with disabilities in the Twin Cities metro area to live the life they choose.
For over 70 years, MSS has been dedicated to fostering inclusion and connection within our community. Through our diverse range of programs and services, we have passionately supported people with disabilities, helping them unleash their talents, pursue their interests, and achieve their goals.
With an unwavering commitment to creating opportunities, MSS has been a touchstone for countless individuals seeking independence and meaningful engagement. Whether it's through employment, music and creative arts, gardening, woodworking, or a multitude of community activities, we believe in the power of exploring each person's unique abilities.
The success of our mission is rooted in the collective efforts of our dedicated team and the unwavering support from our cherished community. Together, we have built a network of six thriving centers across the Twin Cities, located in St. Paul, Oakdale, Shoreview, Brooklyn Park, Apple Valley, and Eagan. These centers serve as vibrant hubs where over 500 individuals can connect with activities, forge friendships, and embark on personal journeys of growth.
The MSS Oakdale 10th anniversary party promises to be an unforgettable celebration of the accomplishments and resilience of our community. We warmly welcome you to be a part of this momentous occasion. Together, we'll share fun, laughs, and enjoy the music by featured performers The Dweebs!
Tickets to the event are $10 and can be purchased here.
We have Food Trucks too! So make sure you come hungry. Here are the current food trucks that we've confirmed, but make sure to check back because more are to come!
More Coming Soon!
Join us as we honor the spirit of possibility and the incredible individuals who inspire us every day. Together, let's continue championing a world where everyone's talents are recognized, their interests are realized, and their dreams know no limits.
Let's make MSS Oakdale's 10th anniversary an extraordinary celebration that will be remembered for years to come!
Jessica Williams was sparked to create an exhibition that centered on the individuality and personal motivations of artists, allowing all participants to bring their own unique perspectives, inspiration, and purpose. “What I want as an artist is to explore aspects of invisible disabilities, whether that be mental health, intellectual, or physical,” she says. “So, I create drawings, paintings, sculptures, and more that capture this through colorful, inviting motifs.” Williams curates a show that honors this approach showcasing a diverse set of mediums including photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, and more.
The exhibition and opening reception will be held at Fresh Eye Gallery - 4238 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55409
Our first exhibition of 2023 is Good Together! This show will feature work from a six-class series we held at the gallery. These workshops were designed for individuals with disabilities but were open to all.
We explored visual storytelling with Christi Furnas, Urban Landscapes with Katrina Knutson, Intuitive Acrylics Process Painting with Katie Palmer, gesture drawing with Lara Hanson, Fabric, Pattern, and Play with Sophia Munic, and SAORI weaving with Chiaki O’Brien!
Join us on January 13th from 6-8pm
for the opening reception of Good Together!
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Fresh Eye Gallery is hosting its second annual extended holiday market exhibition, Yulemart, from November 11th to December 23rd. This over-the-top, gallery-turned-gift shop will feature petite handmade art and gifts for the holiday season. Want to find something special or totally unique? Look no further!
Please join us for the opening reception of Yulemart this Friday from 6-8pm.
About the exhibition:
Curated by our very own Drew Maude-Griffin, SPELLBOUND includes over 40 works that fit the multifaceted nature of the Halloween season. From classic movie monsters to memento mori, this exhibition celebrates all things eerie, spooky, creepy, and uncanny. Whether you connect with the holiday’s reflective pagan roots welcoming the darker half of the year, or the glib modern-day rituals of candy and disposable costumes, Halloween evokes something different in all of us.
Fresh Eye Gallery – 4238 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55409
Join us for our annual fundraising gala. Learn more here.
Mark your calendars for the Eye to Eye Artist Talk! August 12, 6 - 8 PM. Our closing event to celebrate artistic collaboration!
We are so excited for you all to see these incredible collaborative works and hear from the artists who made them. We will also have art supplies for collaborative art activities.
About Eye to Eye:
Following an open call, 40 artists were paired in teams of two to create collaborative work and build a stronger artistic community.
Founded on the principles of radical inclusivity, the exhibition unites artists with and without disabilities to connect, collaborate, and inspire the community through visual art.
Eye to Eye will be on view from June 22-August 13.
The Eye to Eye Artist Teams are:
Chloe Russell Chang & Ryan Suckow
Dorinda Tveit & Jodi Youngman
Danielle Day & Martha Bird
Rock Johnsen & Nate Woodard
Marrie Bottelson & Linnea Maas – Inside the Robot
Claire Richter & Janessa Kitzrow
Lynda Mullan & Nina Martine Robinson
Stacie Sampson & Bridget McDonald
Anne Kramer & Hannah Sheets
Kenneth Bowling & Hannah Ross
CJ Weydert & Lauren Hughes
Kimberly A. Laudert & Lucienne Schroepfer
Marz Kirchoff & Merit Thursday
Brooklyn T. Kascel & Hedgiee
T.L. Reeves & Allison anne
Joel Haskard & Alden Gowdy
Kayla Koerner & Drew Arrieta
CL Martin & Mads Golitz
Arch Jones & Belle
Kristina Mengis & Sophia Munic
Join us on Thursday, March 31st for a Cow Tipping Press author reading and book release party at Fresh Eye Gallery. Learn more at this Facebook event page.
