NW Art Exhibit + Awards
NW Art Exhibit Award Winners Announced
The Northwest Minnesota Annual Art Exhibit is open until April 30 at the
Legacy Center in Middle River
Reception and Program on April 30 to
Honor Exhibit & Of the Year Award Winners
Adult artists from our 7 county- service region (Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Polk, Pennington, Roseau, and Red Lake Falls) entered 60 pieces of art, including photography, sculpture, drawings, and paintings, into this exhibit and are competing for $2,300 in cash awards. Attendees at the exhibit can vote for People’s Choice. Exhibit cash award winners were chosen while the exhibit is on display by Karen Goulet, a qualified juror. They will be recognized and receive their check at the Artist Reception. Student art is also be eligible for cash awards.
The awards are as follows:
Adults
1st Place Jessica Ross painting Field Work
2nd Place Betsy Saurdiff pottery Grandma's Quilt
3rd Place Megan Sugden photo Abandoned Divco Milk Truck
Merit Dennis Lee acrylic painting Old House
Merit Nancy Vraa hat and mitten set Country Classic
Merit Tim Anderson wood bowl Let Your Light Shine
Merit Debbie Aune watercolor painting Long Shadows
Merit Andrea Halvorson drawing Carrying Mom to Heaven
People’s Choice TBD Voting through April 30
1st Place Adult by Jessica Ross “Field Work”
Students
1st Place Carter Lee Johnsrud of Goodridge mixed drawing Masking
2nd Place Andrew Glad of Greenbush textile Vincent
3rd Place Geneva Gartner of Fertile mixed Moth
Merit Quinn Pittman of Greenbush drawing Moe
Merit Ashton Jensrud of Fertile typewriter drawing 15 (boston terrier)
Merit Rhiana Utter of Greenbush print Elsa (cat)
Merit Paris Sondreal of Middle River sculpture Vase Tumbler
Merit Logan Krueger of Fertile mixed Frederick (burned paper skull)
People’s Choice TBD Voting through April 30
1st Place Student Carter Lee Johnsrud “Masking”
The exhibit is at the Middle River Legacy Center at 335 4th Street, Middle River and will be open for the public to view art and vote for People’s Choice
· Mon - Fri Until April 28. City office business hours.
· Sunday, April 30 from 1 - 4:00 PM. Closing day.
Juror Karen Goulet
There will be a reception and program on April 30 at the Middle River Legacy Center. Exhibit will be open for viewing artwork at 1:00 PM. Reception with light refreshments and music will start at 3:00 PM in the cafeteria with the program at 4:00 PM. Of the Year Awards -- the NW Star Award -- Lifetime Achievement, Artist of the Year, and Arts Advocate of the Year will be presented, in addition to exhibit awards. The Exhibit and Reception are open to the public and free to attend. Many pieces of art are for sale and the public is encouraged to shop. Purchases can be marked as sold and picked up on April 30 after the reception. The reception is a wonderful day of celebrating the arts in our region.
Funding for these awards is provided by the McKnight Foundation and the Minnesota State Legislature.
Experience the NW Art Exhibit virtually! Watch a video of this year’s exhibit here.
This year’s annual exhibit was judged by Karen E. Goulet. Goulet is a practicing artist, poet, community organizer and educator. She is the Project Director of the Miikanan Gallery at the Watermark Art Center in Bemidji, Minnesota. This gallery, dedicated to Indigenous arts, is the first of its kind in the region. Karen received her BA from The Evergreen State College, MFA in Sculpture from The University of Wisconsin – Madison, and MEd from University of Minnesota Duluth.
She grew up in a family of 'makers' and artists. Her mother sewed and knitted and her father was an oil painter and woodworker who also taught her to embroider. Her decision to become an artist occurred when she went to college and met instructors who would become her mentors and supported and encouraged her to go on and pursue a degree that would give her opportunity to stay in the arts for a career. She has lived in interesting places, mostly rural, where she has met many interesting creative people. She believes in the power of art and community and takes opportunities like this to visit new places to see what creative people are doing.
