Including Irene Bertils, Ron Woolever and Kathy Comstock, Karlee Westrem, Joe Wavra,

Irene Bertils, Crookston - Drawings "Retrospective"

January - February 2016

Retrospective Exhibit of works by Irene Bertils of Crookston, Minnesota. "Art has always been a constant in my life," said Bertils. "I can't remember a time that I haven't been drawing or painting."

Irene's work with art includes teaching art to homeschooled children; creating private and public murals and other commissioned pieces; and illustrating for a national woodcarving magazine. NWMAC knows Irene's work well through our annual art exhibits, which she has entered many times, often receiving awards or honors. The works Irene selected for this exhibit include 25 pieces created in a wide variety of media, such as watercolor, acrylic, charcoal, pastel, glass mosaic, and pencil, showing the depth of her artistic ability and depict people and scenes from her life and surroundings.

Pics & Pottery - Ron Woolever & Kathy Comstock

March - April 2016

"Pics & Pottery," with Photographer Ron Woolever and Potter Kathy Comstock

Paintings by Karlee

Karlee Westrem, East Grand Forks Acrylic Paintings

May 2016

Karlee is majoring in art and mathematics at the University of North Dakota. She was a recipient of the Student Artist Training Grant from the NWMAC in 2013 while she was a student at East Grand Forks High School. She has participated in several exhibits sponsored by the NWMAC, winning first place this year at the regional exhibit in Roseau, MN.A life-long resident of East Grand Forks, Karlee's exhibited paintings reflect past memories of one of her favorite places, Duluth, Minnesota. "I love driving along Lake Superior's North Shore, and also exploring hidden beauties in the wilderness," she says. Lighthouses, water, sailboats, and an occasional humorous imaginary scene painted with acrylics fill her canvases.

Joe Wavra, Red Lake Falls

Carvings and Chainsaw Sculptures

June 2016

The artistry of Joe Wavra

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is excited to announce an exhibit of wood carvings by Joe Wavra of Red Lake Falls, Minnesota.

Joe Wavra and his wife Chris live in a log home they built themselves in a beautiful area of Red Lake Falls, MN known as the Klondike, home of Native American settlements and a prominent trading post in the age of the Voyageurs. Joe has made carving an important part of his life over the past 15 years as he tries to capture some of the history of the unique place he calls home. Trappers, Voyageurs, Native Americans, and the animals that they hunted are some of his specialties. Joe's art business, Klondike Carvings, employs his wife Chris'; artistic ability in finishing many pieces, like blue gills, walleyes, muskies and northerns. Their exhibit for the NWMAC features a variety of Joe and Chris's work that appeals to lovers of all outdoor genres, including functional benches, sculptures of bears, feathers, trees, welcome signs, and even a 6-foot UND Hawk sculpture for Grand Forks' fans.

SNAPSHOTS IN TIME

Beau Bakken of Hallock — Paintings

July 2016

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is pleased to announce the opening of "Snapshots In Time," an exhibit of acrylic paintings by Beau Bakken of Hallock, Minnesota. Mr. Bakken who received the NWMAC 2016 Artist of the Year Award, will be featured in our East Grand Forks gallery Wednesday, June 29, 2016, through Sunday, July 31, 2016. Life-long resident of far northwestern Minnesota, Bakken learned art creation from his father, artist Rock Bakken, but also credits his sixth-grade teacher with his "favorite art lesson": “Paint what you see, not what you think you see.” His artwork includes wall murals throughout the northwest Minnesota region, and award-winning acrylic paintings. Success for Bakken comes with frugality, investing time in his artwork and family, instead of social media. He uses plastic lids for palettes, and inexpensive paints and brushes for best results. His basement serves as a studio, where he signed a spatter on a corner of the carpet. Beau Bakken sums up his exhibit as simply as his methods: "If there is a theme to this particular exhibit ... it would revolve around snapshots in time. They are simply moments of my life or of others I know." Scenes from places as diverse as Haiti, Duluth, France, Spain, and his family's farm are captured for his simply amazing portfolio.

Beauty in Glass

Jodi Peterson, Norman County — Glassworks

August 2016

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is pleased to present Beauty In Glass, an exhibit of glass art by Jodi Peterson, of Halstad and Moorhead, Minnesota. Peterson's original decorative and functional artworks will be shown in our East Grand Forks gallery Wednesday, August 3, 2016, through Sunday, August 28, 2016. Her works include 2-dimensional wall pieces, 3-dimensional plates and dishes, and wearable art.Ms. Peterson, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Duluth with BFA and BAA degrees, earned her MLA degree at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, and has taught high school and middle school art for many years. As the Art educator in the Norman County West high school, she has helped her students participate in the NWMAC regional exhibit each spring. Jodi explained about her focus on glass, "Glass is an exciting medium. I have been working with glass for over 15 years, and started Wolfnest Glassworks about the same time I fell in love with glass. I blow glass occasionally, but mostly slump, fuse and do flame worked pieces from beads to small sculpture. Slump glass is pacing glass on a mold/form and heating it up to a temperature that relaxes the glass into a mold. Fused glass is melting glass together at certain temperatures. Flame worked pieces are made using a torch and melting glass into the desired shape."

Rosemaling and Drawings by Jean Honl

Jean Honl, Roseau - Rosemaling

September 2016

Rosemaling and Drawings by Jean Honl, A NWMAC exhibit

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) proudly presents Rosemaling and Drawings by Jean Honl, an exhibit of rosemaled wood items and original drawings from Ms. Honl's studio in northern Minnesota. This exciting exhibit opens Wednesday, August 31, 2016 and will be open to the public through Sunday September 25th in our gallery in East Grand Forks. Jean's interest in rosemaling began over 40 years ago when she enrolled in a rosemaling class offered through adult education classes. She "fell in love with the beautiful scrolls and flowers prevalent in this folk art," then her interest became more than a hobby. Jean traveled to the Norwegian American Museum in Decorah, Iowa three times to take rosemaling classes from the masters. Today, her beautiful works are found in many countries.Jean creates most of the wooden pieces she rosemals in her woodworking shop. She makes functional pieces including grandfather clocks, large cupboards and deacon’s benches, as well as the smaller items in the exhibit. More than able in carpentry, she also built her kitchen cabinets and a corner cabinet. Adding to her creativity, Jean draws designs on matt board, incorporating her favored scrolls with sweet symmetrical faces, or natural themes.

Rosemaling Artist Jean Honl demonstrating her work at the Artist Reception

Thief River Falls Area Community Theater Celebrates 22 Years

Costumes and Posters

October 2016

Thief River Falls Area Community Theater Celebrates 22 Years! This exhibit featured costumes, photos, posters and videos from performances throughout the years.

TRFACT Director Jane Anderson at the exhibit featuring costumes and posters from the theater company over many years.

Creative ArtWorks of Crookston

November - December 2016

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is excited to announce an exhibit of Creative ArtWorks of Crookston in our East Grand Forks gallery. Seven artists' works come together for this unique group exhibition, showcasing some of the thriving creativity from the Crookston MN community, including award winners and area favorites. Featured artists included Courtney Olson - acrylic Modern Impressionism, Irene Bertils - charcoal, acrylic, and pastel Realism, Jean Westman - silver Jewelry and copper 3D, Marti Newquist - watercolor Fantasy nature, Ross Hier - watercolor Realism, Tim Bhajjan - watercolor Portraiture, Trey Everett - pen & ink Graphic Illustration A reception was held Saturday, November 19th from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. in conjunction with River Walk Artists' Fifth Anniversary Celebration. Musical group Penumbra performed from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. with their unique style of acoustic guitars, vocals, and Latin percussion.

Exhibit of Oil Paintings by Dale Mackowick

Dale Mackowick, Fertile. Oil Painting

December 2016 - January 2017

Artist Dale Mackowick with his wife Carol at his NWMAC exhibit of oil paintings

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is pleased to announce an exhibit of Oil Paintings by Dale Mackowick in our East Grand Forks gallery. The exhibit opens Wednesday, December 7th and is open to the public until Sunday, January 15th, 2017. Mr. Mackowick, of Fertile, MN, is known for his establishment, Mac's Cafe, and his large stagecoach mural that graced its wall. This exhibit features Mr. Mackowick's Minnesota wildlife and portraits.An army veteran of the Vietnam war, Dale Mackowick attended the Minneapolis School of Art for two years majoring in oil painting before being drafted. His art interest began in childhood when he received a kit containing drawing books and supplies, and continued throughout secondary school. Dale married his high-school sweetheart, Carol Austinson, before going overseas, then upon return they purchased their first business which grew into Mac's Cafe. He painted his well-known mural for their establishment, but all the while, Dale longed to paint.In 2005, when Mr. Mackowick retired and sold his cafe, he built a studio at home and returned to oil painting as he desired. Like Dale, his wife Carol is also a gifted oil painter and often joins him. Mr. Mackowick's subjects embrace wildlife action scenes of bucks, wolves, moose, bears, and portraits created with high proficiency. Carol's influence may be seen in his only floral, "Mom's Garden."A reception for Dale Mackowick will be held Saturday, December 10th from 3:00 to 4:00 pm.

Exhibits in 2016