Lacey Prpić Hedtke leaves l'étoile

By Kate Iverson

For the past two years, writer Lacey Prpić Hedtke has been a staple at l'étoile, helping bring the good word of art, music, style and culture in the Twin Cities to the eyes and ears of our readers. A quirky and talented lass if there ever was one, Lacey has infused a fun and interesting perspective into our "pages" with her tireless involvement within the community and her awesome artsy affiliations. But all great things must come to an end. Lacey is leaving our little group of volunteer art instigators to focus more directly on her own creative work -- she's even scored an Artist Initiative Grant from the MN State Arts Board -- and we couldn't be more proud. We love Lacey and miss her already, but we surely haven't see the last of this one.

Lacey granted us an interview about why she's leaving and what's next. We expect to see big things from this gifted gal!

You've written for l'étoile for two years and we're so sad to see you go! But, we're also happy for you! Tell our readers a bit about what you've been doing over the past couple years and why you're leaving.

Well, I got my Masters of Library and Information Science. I got a dog. I started teaching Alternative Photo Classes. I moved to Minneapolis from St. Paul, made a few zines, started a blog, Now That We're Being Honest..., joined the editorial board of Information for Social Change Journal and am on the editorial board of the North American branch of German library journal LIBREAS Library Ideas, I'm a co-chair for the Miriam Braverman Memorial Prize from the Progressive Librarians Guild, I became a sex educator at the Smitten Kitten and a grant writer at Planned Parenthood. I want to buy a house so I can build a darkroom. I made some tintypes for Nature Noir at the Mahan Gallery, learned to letterpress, and tabled at the Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago and Twin Cities Zine Fests, the local one of which I help to produce. NOW can you see why I'm leaving l'etoile? Ah!

Photo by Stephen Stephens

Your art is getting lots of accolades as of late! What's on the horizon?

I got an Artist Initiative Grant from the MN State Arts Board to digitize my great-grandfather's negatives, slides, scrapbooks and telegrams and make tintypes on the Iron Range, where his archive hails from. My tintypes are part of mnartists.org and Springboard for the Arts Community Supported Art batch this year. I'm learning the wet plate collodion process so I can be a traveling Civil War-era photographer. My work will be at Bounce Bash to help raise money for artists' health care. I'm in a band called Bla Bla Blacksheep, and our album is almost done. We've got a concertina, guitar, harmonica, drums, shakers, glockenspiels and kid's toys. The Blank Line Collective found my Likes/Dislikes zine at the Chicago Underground Library, which inspired a performance based on it.

Lacey Hedtke, Cromniomancy, 10 x 10 inches, dryplate tintype, 2010

How much fun have you had working for l'étoile? What were some of the highlights?

It's been really fun to tell everyone about the millions of amazing things going on and the people doing them. I really loved helping with the Paper Hearts valentine's day party at Rogue Buddha, hanging out with the l'etoile-ites, and reading what the other creative ladies and gentleman had written that week.

Your perspective helped clue us in on the DIY scene in the Twin Cities, and gave us the inside scoop on numerous counter culture events and groups. How do you think that scene has evolved over the past couple years?

A lot of places closed before the Republican National Convention (the Belfry, which I was a collective member of, Jack Pine), and now Arise! is closing and changing. I think people in the community are starting to feel the void of places that provided resources like community and art spaces, zine libraries, free food and classes, and anything else people wanted, and are taking it into their own hands to continue the Twin Cities the tradition of radical DIY spaces and collectives . Now we're getting Boneshaker Books and a new infoshop out of the ashes of Arise, the Bedlam is getting more and more appreciated, we've got the Experimental College of the Twin Cities, and Reading Rickshaw is pedaling into town.. I'm really excited about everything that's beginning and enduring.

You famously dated the Twin Cities most recognizable artist, Scott Seekins, for a portion of your time at l'etoile (artsy street cred!). Can you tell us, does Scott sleep in his suit?

Hehehe..maybe if he falls asleep while watching a movie! My lips are sealed.

Will you still be our friend? ;)

Yes! What would I do without you?

Keep up with Lacey via her blog Now That We're Being Honest...