2015 Exhibits at the NWMAC Gallery Space at River Walk Artists in East Grand Forks
February 2015 Jessica Pribula, East Grand Forks
Jessica Pribula: Artist of the Year
February 2015
Jessica Pribula is a master at her craft. She enjoys the meditative process that comes while weaving. She began exploring paper weaving at University of North Dakota where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fibers. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Central Washington University. You can find out more about Jessica at her website, www.JessicaPribula.com. A reception for "Jessica Pribula: Artist of the Year" was held Saturday, February 14, 2015 at the gallery.
March - April 2015 Deb Aune, Gatzke: Midwest Living
MIDWEST LIVING featuring artworks by
Debbie Aune
March 6 - April 19, 2015
Artist Reception March 14
MIDWEST LIVING, an exhibit of artworks by longtime artist and resident of Gatzke, Debbie Aune was open from March 6 to April 19, 2015.
Aune works predominantly in watercolor, but includes mixed media, soft sculpture, and welding in her choices of art media.
In preparation for the show Aune stated, "I wanted to paint what I'm sensitive to; the outdoors and the busy farming community that is so important to the traditions of Northern Minnesota."
Her "Tired Dolls" sculptures are the embodiment of a lifelong passion for everyday walking, traveling, collecting anything odd and recycling, and they incorporate pieces of truck tread found along roadways.
About her collection, Aune said,”
This collection of works encompasses the spirit, strength, and beauty of my personal world right now as I continue living on the farm, teaching art intuitively and guiding children to find their inner strengths through and in art.”
May 2015 LaVonne Forsberg, Thief River Falls - paintings
LaVonne Forsberg
April 22 to May 31, 2015
River Walk Artists Gallery
Artist's Reception May 9, 2015
An exhibit of artworks by Artist LaVonne Forsberg of Thief River Falls was held April 22 to May 31. Forsberg is well known for her expertise in many media, including stained glass and watercolor. This exhibit focuses on her watercolor paintings. LaVonne said she "always lived in Northwest Minnesota, close to nature, animals, flowers, water, woods, and four seasons." These surroundings and memories provided her with a wide choice of subjects on which to base her art work. She began painting as a Rosemaler and decorative painter, then in 1982 began watercolor as her primary focus. She enjoys working in other mediums such as oil, acrylic, collage and stained glass. LaVonne said,
Although my work includes several types of media, I love the unexpected journey of watercolor, with the strong rays of color and value. I enjoy painting the stories I see in the faces of people. I enjoy an early morning walk, making the first tracks in the new snow, seeing the birds and flowers arrive in the spring, and a walk in the woods. The colors and texture of nature inspire my artwork. My greatest reward is sharing my art with others.~
Most of LaVonne's art education has been on-going study with well-known European and American artists, helping her form her own style. Her work has been shown in several states, and galleries, group and individual shows, and her work may be found in other countries as well as across the United States. An artist reception was held May 9, 2015 in the Arts Council Gallery.
June 2015 Book Authors of NW Minnesota
Literary Arts Exhibit — Book Authors of NW Minnesota
June 3 - 28, 2015
Writer's Workshop & Artists Reception June 20
The Literary Arts Exhibit featured books and publications by twenty-four authors from around our 7 county region of northwest Minnesota. Authors include novelists, poets, biographers, and children's storytellers from Warroad and Wannaska to Climax and Fertile and many places in between.
As an added bonus, the Arts Council sponsored a Writers Workshop on Saturday, June 20 at the EGF Campbell Library that was open to all writers by reservation.
Featured writers met with participants in a round-table discussion to address writing and publishing questions and techniques.
A Reception and Book signing for the authors was held Saturday, June 20 at the gallery.
Some of the LOCAL, GREAT Authors included in this exhibit included:
Kim Hruba
Kristin Eggerling
Kent Nerburn
Dale Jacobson
Steven Reynolds
J.F. Cicci
Eric Bergeson
July 2015 Functional Art
FUNctional Art
July 1 - August 2, 2015
Artists Reception July 11
Riverwalk Artists Gallery
The Functional Arts Exhibit opened on Wednesday, July 1. Functional art is creative work which may be used in and around the home. The functional pieces showcased were made by artists of northwest Minnesota and were on display in our cool gallery in East Grand Forks' Riverwalk Centre Mall. Showcased pieces in this Functional Art show include textiles, pottery, glass, and wood items. Rugs woven of sheep's wool or bison roving created by Carol Johnson of Lake Bronson, Cathy Forgit of Fertile, and Aliza Olson of Roseau are being shown. Newly created porcelain and ceramic bowls, plates and mugs by Robin and Lorrie Foster of Red Lake Falls, and Betsy Saurdiff of Grygla were included, as were ceramic pieces by Mary Ann Laxen of East Grand Forks. Jolene Juhl of Greenbush presented her newest fused glass plates. A hand-painted desk by Lois Edman of Alvarado made its debut in this show. The artists were featured Saturday, July 11 during the Art and Wine Walk.
August 2015 Textiles
Quilts of Northwest Minnesota
August 5 to August 30, 2015
Artist Reception August 8 Grand Cities Art & Wine Walk
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC)’s exhibit for August 2015 was Quilts of Northwest Minnesota, featuring a variety of quilted items by regional residents.
Showcased pieces included original designs and purchased patterns made of various materials by quilters from around the region. Featured quilters were Shirley Weeding of Halstad; Ruth Ann Schleif of East Grand Forks; Jan Anderson of Thief River Falls, MN; Betsy Saurdiff of Grygla; Judy Magnusson of Roseau, and Leanne Johnson of Roseau. The quilters were recognized Saturday, August 8th during the Art and Wine Walk at the NWMAC gallery.
September 2015 Brenda Baumer, East Grand Forks: Painting & John Rakowski, Erskine: Woodworking
PAINT YOUR WAGONS
Featuring: Brenda Baumer & John Rakowski
September 2 - 20, 2015
ARTIST RECEPTION September 19, 2015
NWMAC's Gallery located in Riverwalk Artists Gallery
East Grand Forks Resident Brenda Baumer and Erskine Resident John Rakowski were featured in the exhibit Paint Your Wagons. Brenda Baumer earned her degree in Social Psychology from Park University, choosing a career in the mental health management field. Upon retirement in 2014 Brenda began her journey as a self-taught artist with inspiration from artist Bob Ross, and encouragement from many friends and artists in the local community. Brenda's paintings were created from memory and imagination, evoking serene wooded scenes and landscapes. She experimented with new subjects. Brenda's paintings have been shown in community exhibits and have been selected for the NWMAC Regional Exhibit in Thief River Falls, and one of her paintings was chosen to be included in the NWMAC Traveling Art Exhibit.
John Rakowski grew up in a farming community and had his hand in woodworking. He remembered when farming relied on horse-drawn wagons, and when, as a child, he made his own toys replicating tractors, trucks and farm villages. In high school John built furniture, including book shelves and a table. His adult career led him to be head of grounds maintenance at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, a career he misses; but in retirement he returned to his first love of woodworking. John spent twenty years building wooden models of the wagons and buggies he remembers, including buckboards, grain wagons, and Amish buggies. Several of his pieces won blue ribbons at the Polk County fair. Paint Your Wagons was displayed in the NWMAC gallery inside River Walk Artists Shop and Gallery from September 2 to 20, 2015.
September - October 2015 Janet Johnson and Karen Monson - art
TWO FRIENDS: COLLABORATIONS
Janet Johnson & Karen Monson
September 26 - October 25
NWMAC Exhibit Gallery, East Grand Forks
Artist Reception October 10, 2015 during Art & Wine Walk
Two Friends: Collaborations is an exhibit of mixed-media artworks by Janet Johnson of Malung and Karen Monson, formerly of Greenbush. Their exhibit, Two Friends: Collaborations was open from Saturday September 26 through Sunday, October 25 in our East Grand Forks gallery in Riverwalk Centre Mall.
Janet Johnson, is a renaissance woman of the arts. A proficient ceramics artist and painter, Janet retired from teaching Visual Arts and English in Warroad in 2013, and participated for 8 years in the statewide Arts Best Practice and Quality Teaching network, where she met Karen Monson. Janet also served on the panel for the development of the ArtsConnectEd program.
She is currently developing an art space, workshops, and events in a rural school building purchased by Malung Township to use as a community center. She works closely with the Region 1 Arts Council, and strongly supports the arts at the Roseau County Fair, while also organizing and teaching group lessons with a friend.
Karen Monson's ties to Greenbush began with her parents, Dr. Lloyd Klefstad, and her mother, Helen, who established the first clinic in the Greenbush area and rebuilt the hospital. Monson, instructor emerita at the Perpich School in visual arts, said, "I am inspired by nature and the physical qualities of a variety of mediums. Playfulness is important. ... This series of work with Janet has been joyful, challenging and enlightening. It has been a no holds barred visual conversation. We have played, conversed, wondered and interacted in a realm both of us consider, on some level, sacred -- our life in art and as friends."
November 2015 Student Art Exhibit
Autumn NW Minnesota Student Art Exhibit
featuring artwork from more than 30 students
November 15 to 29, 2015
The work of over thirty students attending four NW Minnesota schools was featured from November 15th through November 29th. Participating students and their art teachers submitted a variety of art styles and media reflecting their lessons from this school year's first quarter. Nineteen of Deb Aune's high school students in Greenbush-Middle River created whimsical Calaca Dolls from found objects to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Students contributing sculptures to this exhibit were Jorden Hendricksen, Annabelle Chaplinski, Jonathan Mathews, Josh Koehmsted, Chris Koehmsted, Casey Ryan Gram, Callahan Stewart, Caitlin Wahl, McKenzie Lynn Berge, Emily Wicklund, Tyler Allen, Austin John Aune, Jordan Brandon, Nicholas Kaml, Shantelle Gustafson, and Kristy Raye Williamson. High school students of Betsy Saurdiff in Goodridge-Grygla used pencil and colored pencil to create living figures and other objects in either realistic or textural styles. Participating students in this showcase were Benji Wilebski, Hannah Dietsch, Jeremy Wiskow, Jesse Wiskow, Kristin Farris, Samantha Kraulik, Olivia Tykward, Samantha Kraulik, Anthony Loken, Arman Duyar, and Ashley Moe. Crookston instructor Gary Stegman submitted a variety of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional artworks his students created using acrylics, pencil, ceramic, or aluminum wire. Juniors and Seniors whose works were included are Alyssa Schultz, Gunnar Roed, Presley Chandler, and Marie Sandman. Students of Chris Kirchner at Warren-Alvarado-Oslo created paintings depicting loved ones, places, or things of importance in their lives. Participating students were Samantha, Jacob, Alexandra, Amanda, Fostyn, Rebecca, Courtney, and Ashton. A reception for the artists and teachers was held Sunday, November 29 at the gallery.
December 2015 – January 2016 NWMAC Annual Holiday Art Exhibit
WINTER HOLIDAY ART EXHIBIT
DECEMBER 2, 2015 - JANUARY 10, 2016
RECEPTION: DECEMBER 12, 2015
RIVERWALK ARISTS GALLERY - EAST GRAND FORKS
This seasonal Winter Holiday exhibit showcased 35 holiday-themed artworks by 19 artists from northwest Minnesota and the Grand Forks area. Featured works included whimsical pieces, such as the oil painting "Snowman Fun" by Sue Ouellette, "If you Give a Moose a Candy Cane," an acrylic painting by Erin Nelson of Grand Forks, and a mosaic-encrusted chair by Elizabeth Rockstad of Ada. The exhibit also included landscape photographs by Raul Consing of Grand Forks, watercolors by LaVonne Forsberg of Thief River Falls, and glassworks by Jolene Juhl of Greenbush. Other participating artists were Brenda Baumer of East Grand Forks, oil painting; Elisa Boushee of Grand Forks, acrylic painting; Phyllis Kalliokoski of East Grand Forks, watercolor; Lynne King of Alvarado, photography; Carolyn Meisel of Grand Forks, acrylic painting; Courtney Olson of Crookston, acrylic painting; Jan Osborn of Thief River Falls, acrylic painting; Jessica Pribula of East Grand Forks, acrylic painting; Kathryn Rynning of Kennedy, photography; Leanna Sandahl of Thief River Falls, acrylic painting; Betsy Saurdiff of Grygla, reductive printmaking; Dale Sickels of Grand Forks, watercolor painting; Alicia Spilde of Karlstad, mixed media; and Karlee Westrem of East Grand Forks, acrylic painting. A reception for the artists was held Saturday, December 12 at the Arts Council gallery inside River Walk Artists shop and gallery.
