Arts News
Northwest Minnesota Art Reception and Awards
Student and adult artists residing in our seven-county region including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Polk, Pennington, Roseau and Red Lake entered into the Northwest Minnesota Art Exhibit and competed for $2,300 in cash awards. The exhibit was open in March and April. The NWMAC held an art reception and awards program on April 30 in Middle River. Visitors came from all over to view the art and honor the artists. The winners were recognized at the reception at the Middle River Legacy Center.
The reception included fantastic catered sushi and fun desserts, dragonfruit fizzy tea, and coffee made with beans roasted in the building. NW Star Awardee Cathy Erickson played music.
Of the Year Awards -- the NW Star Award -- Lifetime Achievement, Artist of the Year, and Arts Advocate of the Year were presented. The Exhibit and Reception were open to the public and free to attend. Many pieces of art were for sale. The reception was 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.
Exhibit cash award winners were chosen while the exhibit was on display at the Middle River Legacy Center, 335 4th Street, Middle River by qualified juror and Project Director of the Miikanan Gallery at the Watermark Art Center in Bemidji Karen Goulet. The public voted for People’s Choice.
This “art exhibition was wonderful to jury. It was challenging to make final selections for the art awards, as there were so many interesting and well-made works of art. As a curator and juror, I have criteria in making final decisions that reflect on innovation, content, and advancing craft. Creative courage is what moves arts and artists forward and keeps the arts invigorated. I can say that if there had been two more awards to give in each group this would have been easier for me to do.
I am particularly impressed with how many schools were represented in the exhibit. I know it has not been easy for the arts in the last few years because of the pandemic, and budget challenges. Art is something that makes the world better. There must be dedication by teachers and students to keep creating. I could see this dedication in the variety of work that was submitted.
Rural artists do not always have the same opportunities to be seen as are available in urban areas. The talent I saw in this exhibit reinforces my belief that rural arts are thriving. Whether artists can work full time, or they need to make around other commitments, the quality of the work is so impressive. Juried art exhibitions are subjective to the selection criteria of the juror. Each year is another opportunity to have work recognized and seen. I hope the artists in this exhibit will keep submitting work and seek other venues for their talent to be seen.”
Walk through the exhibit at https://youtu.be/bQGJLtDppB0.
Exhibit Awards include:
Adult Winners
1st Place $500 Jessica Ross of Thief River Falls for painting “Field Work”
2nd Place $300 Betsy Saurdiff of Grygla in Folk/Traditional Fine Craft “Grandma's Quilt”
3rd Place $200 Megan Sugden of Hallock for photography ‘Abandoned Divco Milk Truck’
Merit $100 Dennis Lee of Red Lake Falls in acrylic painting “Old House”
Merit $100 Nancy Vraa of Red Lake Falls in Folk/traditional Fine Craft ‘Country Classic”
Merit $100 Tim Anderson of Goodridge in Folk/Traditional Fine Craft “Let Your Light Shine” (wood bowl)
Merit $100 Debbie Dahl Aune of Gatzke for watercolor painting “Long Shadows”
Merit $100 Andrea Halvorson of Goodridge for drawing “Carrying Mom to Heaven”
People’s Choice $100 Tammy Hansen of Newfolden
Student Winners
1st Place $300 Carter Lee Johnsrud of Goodridge for mixed media “Masking”
2nd Place $150 Andrew Glad of Greenbush for Other Folk Art “Vincent“
3rd Place $100 Geneva Gartner of Fertile in sculpture “Moth”
Merit $50 Quinn Pittman of Greenbush for drawing “Moe”
Merit $50 Ashton Jensrud of Fertile for other typewriter drawing “15” (Boston terrier)
Merit $50 Rhiana Utter of Greenbush for print “Elsa”
Merit $50 Paris Sondreal of Middle River in sculpture Vase Tumbler
Merit $50 Logan Krueger of Fertile for mixed media “Frederick” (burned paper skull)
People’s Choice $50 Carter Lee Johnsrud of Goodridge
Fifteen exhibit pieces of student and adult art were chosen to be included in the Traveling Art Exhibit, which will travel this next year to area libraries. Watch for the schedule to be announced and for it to arrive in your community. Five exhibit pieces of student art were also chosen to be hung in the hallway of Senator Mark Johnson’s office in St. Paul.
Cathy Erickson receives NW Star Award
The NW Star Award is Given to Cathy Erickson
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is excited to announce that Cathy Erickson of Middle River has received the Northwest Star Award. The award was presented to Erickson on Sunday, April 30 in Middle River at the Middle River Legacy Center during the NW Art Exhibit Awards Reception and Program.
Erickson is a well-known musician and radio show host in the area. She has been entertaining professionally in northwestern Minnesota and beyond, playing music for almost 50 years. Cathy plays the accordion, piano, organ, guitar, and vocals. She also hosts her own radio show Cathy’s Variety Show that airs every Monday night on the Northland Community and Technical radio station KSRQ Pioneer 90.1 FM. The live variety show consists of polkas, waltzes, classic country, bluegrass, gospel, and local artists. Additionally, she hosts two other live weekly radio shows – Country Church and Live from the Farm. In 2022, Cathy received the “Volunteer of the Year'' award from AMPERS, the Association of Minnesota Public and Educational Radio Stations, for the volunteer work she has done in broadcasting and in promoting 90.1 FM community radio and old-time music.
Cathy has a two-year degree from Northland Community College, majoring in music and journalism. She completed a broadcasting class in 2007 to learn how to operate the sound board while on the radio. She worked as a reporter for the Middle River Record and became editor of the hometown newspaper for some time. Cathy taught music for three years at St Bernard’s Catholic School in Thief River Falls. Cathy also acted in three Goose Festival Productions for the Middle River Community Theatre. She served as East Valley Township Supervisor for 25 years. She has been organist and song leader at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Middle River for 50 years and prior to that was organist at St. Ann’s in Goodridge.
Cathy has received grants from the NWMAC making it possible for her to purchase the necessary equipment to broadcast her radio show “live from the farm” and still take phone call requests, and to increase its hours and to also share her old-time music with residents in nursing homes or senior apartments.
Cathy reflected, “Polkas, waltzes, and variety music is still as exciting for me today as it was before the band began years ago. It is happy music that can make you laugh or cry.
I feel the time on the radio reaches out to a lot of shut-ins and elderly people who wait for my shows each week and call-in requests. Most of them I have never met, but I recognize their voices. Some have even called outside of radio time just to talk because they are lonesome. I have standing invitations to visit listeners in Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, Missouri, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Sharing the music of the piano and the accordion and the old-time music of polkas, waltzes, schottisches, and country music to residents of nursing homes, assisted living, senior apartments, and shut-ins and to my family and community has proven that music is therapy and is a very important part of a healthy living environment. I am still actively going to several nursing homes and senior apartments that include Thief River Falls, Warren, Greenbush, and a DAC in Ada.”
Cathy likes that you can express your feelings through music. She also appreciates the “joy that it brings on the receiving end of music. It makes people alert and feel good. You can see it on your audience. There is music for every mood. It can soothe and calm you. It’s for all ages.”
Cathy has advice for aspiring artists. “Don’t give up. It’s always good to visit with people who share the same interest as what you have. Share your emotions about art. Put in your time. It’s a process. Parents, keep encouraging your kids to be involved. Don’t let them give up too soon.”
According to Mark Johnson, “Cathy’s weekly variety show reaches over-the-air-listeners in 13 counties in Minnesota and North Dakota and is also heard worldwide through Pioneer 90.1’s web stream. Her shows draw a growing number of calls, emails, and donations from several states. Each of her radio shows features recordings from a variety of local musicians, which makes Cathy an advocate and promoter of local artists.
Her programs also help our nonprofit community radio station meet its fundraising goals. In addition to donations from listeners, Cathy has organized several live concerts to raise money. Cathy’s volunteer work has also brought Pioneer 90.1 several business underwriters who support the station with financial contributions.”
Jason Rominski has worked with Cathy and hired her to perform at county fairs and events. He explained, “Cathy has established herself as one of this area’s premier performers, and her audience continues to grow and support her at every event. Her professionalism and strong support of the arts through her performances are second to none.”
Cathy’s daughter and bandmate Mary Jo Sturman said, “Cathy's love for playing and sharing her music has been evident in everything she does. She is a talented and professional entrepreneur; a teacher; a mentor; and admired by all. My mother is an icon, a mentor, and truly my idol.”
Congratulations, Cathy!
The NW Star Award comes with $5,000. Artists can only receive our Northwest Star Award once as a lifetime achievement award. Funding for the Northwest Star comes from The McKnight Foundation. Three awards are given each year to recognize artists and arts advocates within our seven-county region who stand out in terms of artistry or volunteerism in the arts. Of the Year Award winners were nominated by area residents.