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.