Arts News
Artists of NW Minnesota Exhibit is Open
Artists of Northwest Minnesota Art Exhibit is Open
NWMAC Gallery
Northland Community and Technical College
1101 State Highway 1, Thief River Falls
Experience a showcase of works created by talented individuals from throughout our region, including visual and written works
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is pleased to announce our latest exhibit – Artists of Northwest Minnesota at our gallery at Northland Community and Technical College, 1101 Highway 1 East in Thief River Falls. This exhibit includes work by 19 artists from our region who have a listing in our Artists of NW Minnesota booklet. The exhibit will run from now until mid-December. There are approximately 106 pieces of artwork in this exhibit, many of which are for sale, including charcoal, photography, watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, pen and ink, pastel, collage, mixed media, pottery, glass work, jewelry, sculpture, books and written material, and mosaics.
Artists featured in the exhibit include Kat Allen of Warroad, Beau Bakken of Hallock, Rock Bakken of Hallock, Debbie Dahl Aune of Gatzke, Paulette Christianson of Badger, Ross Harper Hier of Crookston, Kristin Eggerling of Hallock, Trey Everett of Crookston, Christine Foster of Thief River Falls, Therese Jacobson of Alvarado, Jesscia Lundeen of Thief River Falls, Cindy Kolling of Gully, Elizabeth Kitchell-Rockstad of Ada, Gail Ose of Thief River Falls, Jodi Peterson of Ada and Moorhead, Ivy Bailie of Fosston, Megan Sugden of Hallock, Betsy Saurdiff of Goodridge, and Samantha Thibert of Warroad.
Gully Artist Cindy Kolling shared, “This exhibit is an energy-filled composite of sample works from many Northwest Minnesota artists. It is a wonderful celebration of the varied and growing art that continues to develop in this area. It’s worth making a point to see this exhilarating exhibit!”
Photographer Megan Sugden of Hallock said, “I'm honored to have my acrylic photograph "Abandoned Divco Milk Truck" included in this exhibit. Through my lens, I aim to capture the quiet magic of the night sky, inspiring viewers to see the world from a new perspective and showcase how light and darkness can exist together to create a truly unique work of art.”
Alvarado Artist Therese Jacobson explained that her piece “Uncle Marty” is a portrait of her brother and that it, “illustrates his character as a radio host and musician on "the Left Coast," and also his compassionate heart toward others.” She went on to say that this exhibit, “is an opportunity for folks to see full-sized creative pieces by artists of Northwest Minnesota, to get a better sense of the depth of their works.”
Jessica Ross of Thief River Falls stated, “This exhibit features a wonderful collection of works from local artists. The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council does an incredible job of showcasing the artwork that we create. This exhibit reflects the minds behind the music, visual, and written art in our area. I encourage everyone to come see not only this exhibit but future exhibits as well. Many of the artists have beautiful work for sale. Supporting local artists enriches our communities which is what we aim to do with our art. I cannot thank this community enough for supporting me as an artist and enabling me to keep painting the beauty I see on my adventures in this life.”
Finally, Artist Kat Allen who designed the booklet and is participating in this showcase described the exhibit as "An illustrious and instinct-driven showcase of regional artists. The diverse collection includes familiar styles of exceptional skill and craft, as well as unique works created in response to the current political landscape and the effects on all of us."
Take a virtual walk through of this exhibit at https://youtu.be/cDKoo0en7lY (on the NWMAC YouTube page). The video is also available on our website under the exhibits tab on the top of the homepage.
An Artist Reception will be held at the gallery. Watch our website or social media accounts for details to be announced.
The NWMAC Gallery at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls is at 1101 State Highway 1, Thief River Falls 56701. The gallery is open during Monday-Friday from 8 – 5 PM and at other times when events are held at the college. Please call to make sure the college is open before making a special trip. Hours can change. Enter through Door B, which is right next to the gallery. Visitor parking is free.
For more information about this exhibit, visit our website at NWArtsCouncil.org, or if you are an artist interested in exhibiting a body of work with NWMAC, please contact Trey Everett at (218) 280-4917 or email NWArtsCouncil@gmail.com. Please sign up for our e-newsletter on our website home page to see the latest news and grant announcements. Email director@NWArtsCouncil.org or call 218-745-8886 to reach our office during regular business hours.
Northwest Minnesota Art Exhibit Winners Announced
Northwest Minnesota Art Exhibit Winners Announced
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is excited to announce the Northwest Minnesota Art Exhibit Winners. Student and adult artists residing in a seven-county region including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Polk, Pennington, Roseau and Red Lake recently entered the Northwest Minnesota Art Exhibit and competed for $2,300 in cash awards. The winners were recognized at the Northwest Minnesota Artist Reception in Crookston on April 27. It was a wonderful day to celebrate these artists and the arts in northwest Minnesota.
Exhibit cash award winners were chosen while the exhibit was on display at the University of Minnesota in Crookston by qualified juror Glen Henry.
Henry is a versatile and accomplished Indigenous artist whose creative journey spans a variety of mediums, including drawing, painting, and graphic design. He is the Director of Exhibitions at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He received his BA and MFA from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. His artwork often explores themes of identity, culture, and the complex intersections of the past and present, while using bold, expressive color palettes and innovative design methods. As an Indigenous artist, he incorporates aspects of his culture into his work, allowing for a unique narrative that resonates with both personal and universal experiences.
He explained that “jurying an exhibition can be a difficult process. There are numerous deserving artworks, with many exhibiting interesting subject matter, style, creativity and skill. However, these attributes are not the only ones considered when choosing artworks. I also consider aesthetic, ambition, insight and original thought. Congratulations to all the artists (the award winners and to the artists who were not selected) for their skill, ambition, and courage to submit artworks. Perseverance is key when creating and submitting art. Good luck to everyone in their future artistic endeavors. It was an honor to be the juror for the 2025 NW Minnesota Arts Exhibition.”
Walk through the exhibit at https://youtu.be/QJeYb-pkZ-A?si=uAr8Rz1hzoX4PtJY
Exhibit Awards include:
Adults:
1st Place $500 Elizabeth Kitchell-Rockstad of Ada in mixed media for "In My Nature"
2nd Place $300 Denise Jenson of Badger in photography for "Underwater Pac-Men"
3rd Place $200 Jessica Lundeen of Thief River Falls in acrylic for "Bee's Marigold"
Merit $100 Cindy Kolling of Gully in pen and ink for "Slough pumper in Habitat"
Merit $100 Dennis Kinkead of Hallock in watercolor for "Where Are You Guys Going?"
Merit $100 Fred Hartmann of Thief River Falls in folk/traditional fine craft for "Country Church"
Merit $100 Jodi Peterson of Moorhead in fused glass for "The Wave"
Merit $100 Marj Mercil of Mentor in textile for "Little Boxes"
People’s Choice $100 Beau Bakken of Hallock
Students:
1st Place $300 Alyssa Foster of Thief River Falls in drawing for "One Act Matters"
2nd Place $150 Melody Voeltz of Lancaster in watercolor for "Field Bunny"
3rd Place $100 Addison Severts of Grygla in sculpture for "Serenity"
Merit $50 Ava Halvorson of Goodridge in drawing for "Grandpa Lewie"
Merit $50 Autumn Osse of Wannaska in digital photography for "Tank"
Merit $50 Mahli Holter of Red Lake Falls in photography for "All You Have to Do"
Merit $50 Issybelle Johnson of Fosston in sculpture for "The Well"
Merit $50 Aimee Ross of Fisher in mixed media for "Alaskan Dolly Varden"
People’s Choice $50 Aimee Ross of Fisher
Fourteen 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 our website and social media 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. These students and their work include Courtney Webster of Lancaster “Sunflower,” Kyleigh Halvorson of Erskine “Existential,” Aimee Ross of Fisher “Kachemak State Park, AK,” Autumn Osse of Wannaska, “Tank,” and Addison Pal, of Crookston “Reflection.”
Around the Farm Exhibit is Open
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Announces
Around the Farm
Featuring the Artwork of Beau Bakken
With Rock Bakken, Aimee Ross, Betsy Saurdiff, Stephanie Olson, Jessica Lundeen, Cindy Kolling, Debbie Aune, Janet Knutson, Therese Masters Jacobson, Ross Hier, Annethea Novacek, Loreen Hanson, Alice Hamness, and Kate Hammer
Open Through April 25 at the
NWMAC Gallery
Northland Community and Technical College
1101 State Highway 1, Thief River Falls
We are pleased to announce the opening of Around the Farm, an exhibit open through April 25. This exhibit includes 27 pieces of art created by 15 artists in acrylic, watercolor, pen and ink, photography, ceramic, and mixed media. Beau Bakken, the featured artist, has twelve 2' X 3' acrylic on canvas paintings of tractors, elevators, trucks and farmers from NW Minnesota. Many of the pieces are for sale.
In addition to the pieces by Beau Bakken, artists from throughout the region contributed to this showcase, including Rock Bakken of Hallock, Aimee Ross of Fisher, Betsy Saurdiff of Grygla , Stephanie Olson of rural Thief River Falls, Jessica Lundeen of Thief River Falls, Cindy Kolling of Gully, Debbie Aune of Gatzke, Janet Knutson of Gully, Therese Masters Jacobson of Alvarado, Ross Hier of Crookston, Annethea Novacek of Greenbush, Loreen Hanson of Thief River Falls, Alice Hamness (deceased), and Kate Hammer of Roseau.
Farming is more than a job or a career. It is fundamental to our community's way of life, part of our region's cultural identity and history, and deeply rooted in where and how we live, work, and play. This art exhibit celebrates farm life and farming and will highlight the importance of agriculture in the lives of residents of our northwest Minnesota region through art. Art is around the theme of farms, farming, farm machinery, harvest, farmland, agricultural heritage, farm animals, and farm life.
Featured Artist Beau Bakken of Hallock explained, “Ten years ago or so I was working on a farm and found visual inspiration from my boss’s farm trucks. They were decades old, rusty, and full of battle scars. But at the turn of a key, their engines fired and were ready for the day’s work. I filed away in the back of my brain to paint a picture of at least one of these modern workhorses. I’m good for packing away more ideas than I ever have time to put into reality, so this inspiration sat dormant for almost a decade. But over the last year or two, I’ve finally leaned into painting pictures of trucks, tractors, and machinery and quite enjoyed it. Most have been painted from personal photos but also from generous photograph lenders. I never took a photo of the 1960-something green Ford truck that first inspired me, but a photo recently was given to me of my former boss pouring grain out of the old Ford’s back gate. The painting titled, “Ron and the Ford” was a meaningful capstone for me and this farm art project in many ways. Ron Petersen, now with Jesus, was a great boss, farmer, and man of God. If I continue painting farm related pictures, I hope to find more ways to depict farmers along with their machinery.”
Of her two pieces in the exhibit, Artist Stephanie Olson said, “Both pieces incorporate traditional quilt square patterns, combined with personal feelings and witness to current times."
Aliza Novacek-Olson shared: "I love paintings of red barns, so I was excited when I heard about the topic of the upcoming exhibit. I own a painting done by my grandmother, Alice Hamness (deceased) about 60 years ago. Alice is the mother of my mom Annethea Novacek and my aunt Loreen. I thought it was special to see paintings of the same subject matter from three different women in the same family, so I convinced my Mom and Loreen Hanson to submit their paintings, too."
Cindy Kolling has notecards available at https://kollingcards.com/shop/ols/categories/agriculture?page=2
You won't want to miss this interesting exhibit open through April 25 at the NWMAC Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls. Details about an artist reception will be announced soon. Watch our website and social media pages for details about the time and date.
Watch this video for a virtual tour of the exhibit at https://youtu.be/NoQwejK5jmI
The NWMAC Gallery at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls is at 1101 State Highway 1, Thief River Falls 56701. The gallery is open during Monday-Friday from 8 - 5 PM and at other times when events are held at the college. Please call to make sure the college is open before making a special trip. Hours can change. Enter through Door B, which is right next to the gallery. Visitor parking is free.
For more information about this exhibit, visit our website at NWArtsCouncil.org, or if you are an artist interested in exhibiting a body of work with NWMAC, please contact Trey Everett at (218) 280-4917 or email NWArtsCouncil@gmail.com. Please sign up for our e-newsletter on our website home page to see the latest news and grant announcements. Email director@NWArtsCouncil.org or call 218-745-8886 to reach our office during regular business hours.
Artwork by Jessica Lundeen featured in NCTC display case
Just outside the NWMAC Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls are display cases that feature work by area artists.. Check out the display case with work by visual artist Jessica Lundeen. Pieces in the display case are colored pencil drawings of cats, dogs, a chicken, and a horse. Jessica creates pet portraits on commission.
Artist Spotlight with Pamela Edevold on September 6
NWMAC Staff Kristin Eggerling and Trey Everett spoke with artist Pamela Edevold. The conversation took place live on our Facebook and YouTube channels. If you missed the live event, you can listen to the recording of the conversation is available here.
Pamela Edevold along with artists Jessica Lundeen, Heidi Danos, and Therese Masters Jacobson are featured in the current NWMAC Gallery Exhibit at NCTC in Thief River Falls — The Portrait Gallery. The conversation touched on Edevold's work in the exhibit, how it came to be, mediums she works in, her philosophy and much more!
The exhibit The Portrait Gallery is open through September at the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls. This exhibit features 33 portraits in acrylic, watercolor, digital, and colored pencils. Portraits include Native American Dancers, parents, animals, and others.
The NWMAC Gallery is located at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. The gallery hours are Monday-Friday from 8 -5 PM and at other times when events are held at the college. Please check to make sure the college is open before making a special trip to see the exhibit. Enter through Door B, which is right next to the gallery.
Please let us know if you have questions about the Artist Spotlight.
Artist Spotlight with Jessica Lundeen, Heidi Danos, and Therese Masters Jacobson September 4 at 2 PM
NWMAC Staff Kristin Eggerling and Trey Everett spoke with regional artists Jessica Lundeen, Therese Masters Jacobson, and Heidi Danos on Wednesday, September 4 at 2 PM.. The conversation took place live on our Facebook and YouTube channels. If you missed the live event, you can listen to the recording of the conversation is available here.
These artists along with Pamela Edevold are featured in the current NWMAC Gallery Exhibit at NCTC in Thief River Falls — The Portrait Gallery. The conversation touched on the exhibit, the inspiration of the artists, their body of work, how they market themselves, their philosophy and much more!
The exhibit The Portrait Gallery is open through September at the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls. This exhibit features 33 portraits in acrylic, watercolor, digital, and colored pencils. Portraits include Native American Dancers, parents, animals, and others.
The NWMAC Gallery is located at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. The gallery hours are Monday-Friday from 8 -5 PM and at other times when events are held at the college. Please check to make sure the college is open before making a special trip to see the exhibit. Enter through Door B, which is right next to the gallery.
Please let us know if you have questions about the Artist Spotlight.