'Everybody is an Astronaut' opens at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery

Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, #3; Areca Roe, 2010

​On any given day in the Twin Cities there are a number of galleries open, free for the public in order to get their fill on work by established artists. But we can't forget that many artists' journeys to renown also begin here. Starting today, a new group of creative types will step into the art world, presenting their work at the University of Minnesota's Katherine E. Nash Gallery at the latest MFA thesis exhibition, titled "Everybody is an Astronaut."

The exhibition opens today and runs through Thursday, April 21. During this time the gallery will be consumed with artists' work, including Jennifer Anable, whose ceramics creations have a surreal but comforting quality about them. Ben Garthus has a very playful approach to his sculptural pieces, which will be on display along with Bart Vargas's colorful, geometric op-art sculptures. There will also be photography by Sam Hoolihan, whose works were featured on the local television program MN Original, and Areca Roe, who has a knack for photographing the unrealistic qualities of simulated environments as well as human interaction with the natural beauty of the real world. Jonathan Kaiser's experimental and media arts will be on display as well.

"Everybody is an Astronaut" is free and open to the public. There will be an artists' reception on Friday, April 1 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery, located at 405 21st Avenue South in Minneapolis. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., however, the gallery will close at 5 p.m. on April 21, 2011.