Arts News
November Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the November 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at
https://conta.cc/3C7Sz5y.
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October Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the October 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at
https://conta.cc/3U2t3EY
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Traveling Art Exhibit Visits Warren
NWMAC Traveling Art Exhibit Visits Warren
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) sponsors an annual Traveling Art Exhibit, which visits northwest Minnesota communities throughout the year. This exhibit includes 14 original pieces of art by regional adult and student artists, chosen from works submitted for our annual juried exhibit. The exhibit is currently at the Godel Public Library in Warren until November 19. Please stop by to see these works of art. Some of these pieces of art are for sale.
The 2024-2025 Artists and Artwork:
Beau Bakken, Hallock, “Sunday Evening Classy Entertainment” (Acrylic Painting)
Kelly Chisholm, Gary "John Lennon” (Drawing)
Tammy Hansen, Newfolden, “Flower and Feather” (Acrylic Painting)
Denise R. Jenson, Badger, “Found Lying Together” (Photography)
Steve Bernard, Erskine, “Candlelight Dinner” (Oil Painting)
Sarah Solberg, Plummer, “Canyon X” (Photography)
Jessica Lundeen, Thief River Falls “Sunny” (Drawing)
Izzy Swensen, Lancaster, “Purple Iris” (Watercolor Painting) Lancaster School Student Merit
Kerstyn Lindsey, Borup, “Sprinkles” (Ceramic Sculpture) Ada-Borup-West School
Brigitta Novacek, Roseau, “The Pink Cloud Replica” (Acrylic Painting) Roseau High School
Geneva Gartner, Fertile, “Flying Around” (Mosaic) Fertile-Beltrami School
Mary Jane Crane, Red Lake Falls, “Beauty in Self Image” (Drawing) Red Lk Falls School 3rd place
Ava Halvorson, Goodridge, “Sundown in Star Township” (Acrylic Painting) Goodridge School
Kinsley Oslund, Grygla, “Perfect and Deep Love” (Watercolor Painting) Grygla School
The 2024-2025 Traveling Exhibit Schedule*:
May to June 11 Crookston Public Library, Crookston
June 11 to August 6 Warroad Public Library, Warroad
August 6 to September 24 Hallock Public Library, Hallock
September 24 to November 19 Godel Public Library, Warren
November 19 to January 21 Thief River Falls Public Library, Thief River Falls
January 21 to March 4, 2025 Red Lake Falls Public Library, Red Lake Falls
March 4, 2025 to Annual Exhibit TBD Ada Public Library, Ada
*The start and end dates at each location are approximate, depending on weather, venue hours and other circumstances that may occur to prohibit travel. For specific library hours, please contact each location before planning your visit, especially if you are planning on bringing a group.
**Tentatively scheduled
For more information about the Traveling Exhibit or our other exhibits call our office at (218)-745-8886 or contact Trey at treyeverettcreates@gmail.com or NWArtsCouncil@gmail.com.
September Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the September 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at
https://conta.cc/4dQC2Bb
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August Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the August 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at conta.cc/3YPoJft
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Call for Art for Around the Farm Art Exhibit
Call for Art for
Around the Farm Art Exhibit January/February 2025
Mediums include collage, pen and ink, photography, mosaic, fiber arts, oil, acrylic, sculpture, creative writing, printmaking, and more
Submission Deadline is December 2
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is announcing a Call for Art on the theme “Around the Farm.”
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 will celebrate farm life and farming and will highlight the importance of agriculture in the lives of residents of our northwest Minnesota region through art.
The exhibit will be held in January and February of 2025 at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. The featured artist is Beau Bakken of Hallock.
Art will be around the theme of farms, farming, farm machinery, harvest, farmland, agricultural heritage, farm animals, and farm life. Artwork must be original from any art medium including painting, mixed medium, drawing, mosaic, fiber arts, writing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, and more.
Submission deadline is December 2, 2024 and limited to two submissions. Send dimensions, medium, title, sale price, and where you are from, along with a photo of the artwork to treyeverettcreates@gmail.com. We welcome submissions from our seven county Minnesota service area including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau counties. Physical artwork will be dropped off at the gallery in Thief River Falls in mid-December. Date to be determined.
For more information, contact Trey at treyeverettecreates@gmail.com or 218-280-4917.
Early June Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the early June 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at conta.cc/4aLbaA7
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NW Art Exhibit Adult and Student Award Winners
Juror Pat Danielson judged the NW Art Exhibit in Lake Bronson late last week.
Walk through the exhibit at https://youtu.be/EeSvf3_tVVg.
Exhibit Awards include:
Adults:
1st $500 Andy Hall of Climax for photography “Backlit Milkweed”
2nd $300 Irene Bertils of Crookston for watercolor painting “Warm Summer Evening “
3rd $200 Aliza Novacek-Olson of Roseau for folk/traditional wool “Solitary Qoshmas”
Merit $100 Michael McColl of Lengby in drawing “You're Getting Very Sleepy”
Merit $100 Betsy Saurdiff of Grygla for folk/ traditional porcelain “Pitcher”
Merit $100 Elizabeth Kitchell-Rockstad of Ada in mixed media “No Constraints”
Merit $100 Sara Jo Trangsrud of Thief River Falls in sculpture “Bursting Out”
Merit $100 Gail Ose of Thief River Falls for fused glass “The Dreams We Hold Sacred”
People’s Choice $100 TBD
Students:
1st $300 Brigitta Novacek of Roseau in acrylic painting “Valorous”
2nd $150 Anita Foster of Thief River Falls for mixed media “Ruth”
3rd $100 Mary Jane Crane of Red Lake Falls for drawing “Beauty in Self-Image”
Merit $50 Kyleigh Halvorson of Fosston for drawing “Iris”
Merit $50 Kaytlyn Knutson of Red Lake Falls for digital art “Orion”
Merit $50 Mason Grivno of Felton for sculpture “German Wirehaired Pointer”
Merit $50 Mahli Holter of Red Lake Falls for mixed media “Almagations”
Merit $50 Izzy Swenson of Lancaster for painting “Purple Iris”
People’s Choice $50 TBD
March Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the March 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at https://conta.cc/4aexCSm
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February Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the February 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at https://conta.cc/3uLa7RK
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January Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the January 2024 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at https://conta.cc/3U4FUr0
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Nominate for Of the Year Awards — Applications Open
Want to Honor a Deserving Arts Advocate or Artist?
Nominations are Open for Of the Year Awards
Northwest Artist of the Year $500
Northwest Arts Advocate of the Year $500
Northwest Star Award for $5,000
Applications are open for nominations for the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Of the YearAwards. Three awards are given each year to recognize artists and arts advocates within our region who stand out in terms of artistry or volunteerism in the arts. Often people serve in both roles.
Our Arts Advocate of the Year award honors someone who is a voice and advocate for arts within the community, local school, or our region. Arts includes all disciplines. It comes with $500 and often goes to a local leader who lives in the area where the artist reception will be held. However, anyone is eligible to be nominated.
Our Artist of the Year award can be given to any discipline artist including visual, performing, or creative writing who are emerging or at a mid-way point in their artistic endeavors. It is a cash award of $500 to use however they see fit.
Artists can only receive our Northwest Star Award once, as a lifetime achievement award. This award is for $5,000 and can be a wonderful gift to those who have chosen a hard career path related to artistic expression.
Our deadline for nominations is February 29. Please consider nominating someone who you view as a deserving candidate from our seven-county service area in northwestern Minnesota. Persons who believe their nominee would qualify for this award and have questions should contact the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council office at (218) 745-8886, ext 1 or email director@NWArtsCouncil.org for more information. The nomination form is on our website in the grant software. Login and click on Apply and follow the directions. For more information, visit this page on our website:
https://northwestminnesotaartscouncil.org/nominations-for-of-the-year-awards
Or download this document to learn about the information needed for the nomination. Awards will be presented at the NW Art Exhibit reception at the Kittson County History Museum in Lake Bronson on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Funding for Northwest Star and Northwest Artist of the Year comes from The McKnight Foundation. Funding for Northwest Arts Advocate of the Year comes from the Minnesota State Legislature.
Start your nomination here.
December Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is out! Read the December 2023 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at https://conta.cc/41muTCZ..
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November Newsletter
Read our November 2023 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at https://conta.cc/3SDr2iL.
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October Newsletter
Read our October 2023 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at https://conta.cc/3tMl4Sl.
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2024 McKnight Fellowships in Fiber Arts — Apply by Dec 4
Attention Textile and Fiber Artists!
There is an open call for the 2024 McKnight Fellowships in Fiber Arts.
Two $25,000 UNRESTRICTED fellowships will be awarded in support of mid-career Minnesota artists who use textile and fiber arts materials, processes, histories, traditions, and/or sensibilities in their artistic and creative practice throughout the conception, execution, and resolution of their work. Mid-career, for the purposes of the application, refers to anyone who has practiced fiber art for 8 years and has received recognition for their work from their community and the larger creative community in our state, region, and nationally (not including work done in an academic higher-education program).
The deadline for application is December 4, 2023, at 5PM.
Info sessions are being scheduled over the next two (2) months across Minnesota and on Zoom, to provide potential applicants the opportunity to learn more about the specifics of these fellowships and the application process. The application details are available on the Textile Center website:
https://textilecentermn.org/mcknight/
The application portal is on Submittable, and can be accessed here:
https://textilecenter.submittable.com/submit
The work will be reviewed by three (3) jurors of national recognition with expertise in the field, and the winners will be selected by the end February for a fellowship period that runs from March 1, 2024 – February 28, 2025. Reach out to Tracy Krumm, Director for Artistic Advancement Program Director, McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists, McKnight Visual Arts Fellow at 612-436-0464, 3000 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414. www.textilecentermn.org
Traveling Art Exhibit is in Warren
Traveling Art Exhibit Visits Godel Public Library in Warren
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) sponsors an annual Traveling Art Exhibit, which visits northwest Minnesota communities throughout the year. This exhibit includes 15 original pieces of art by regional adult and student artists, chosen from works submitted for our annual juried exhibit. The exhibit is currently at the Godel Public Library until November 28. Please stop by to see these works of art. Some of these pieces of art are for sale.
The 2023-2024 Artists and Artwork:
Ross Hier, Crookston, “Beach Ridge Bouquet” (Watercolor Painting)
Tim Anderson, Goodridge, “Let Your Light Shine” Wood Bowl (Folk/Traditional Fine Craft) Merit
Nancy Vraa, Red Lake Falls, “Country Classic” Hat and Mitten Set (Folk/Traditional Fine Craft) Merit
Lillian Ramsey, Thief River Falls, “Queen Mouse” (Acrylic Painting)
Kathy Panek, Goodridge, “Night Taxi” (Acrylic Painting on canvas board)
Jodi M Smith, East Grand Forks, “Swirls of Light “(Photography)
Dennis Lee, Red Lake Falls, “Old House” (Acrylic Painting) Merit
Madilyn Crompton, Borup, “Hang Time” (Digital Photo) Student Ada-Borup-West School
Makaela Longoria, Ada, “You Have My Heart“(Ceramic Sculpture) Student Ada-Borup-West
Emma Gunderson, Crookston, “Go on a Trip” (Acrylic Painting), Student Crookston School
Kaydence Skibicki, Fertile, Untitled (Silk Screen Print), Student Fertile-Beltrami School
Carter Lee Johnsrud, Goodridge, “Masking” (Mixed Media Graphite Pencil) Student Goodridge School (1st Place and People’s Choice)
Quinn Pittman, Greenbush, “Moe” (Pen Drawing), Student Greenbush-Middle River School Merit
Rhiana Utter, Greenbush, “Elsa” (Linoleum Print) Student Greenbush-Middle River School Merit
Maryjane Crane, Red Lake Falls, “Time” (Acrylic Painting), Student Red Lake Falls School
The 2022-2022 Traveling Exhibit Schedule*:
June to July 11 Thief River Falls Public Library, Thief River Falls
July 11 to August 29 Roseau Public Library, Roseau
August 29 to October 10 Hallock Public Library, Hallock
October 10 to November 28, Godel Public Library, Warren
November 28 to January 16 Fertile Public Library, Fertile
January 16 to February 27, 2024 Campbell Public Library, East Grand Forks
February 27 to March 26, 2024 Ada Public Library, Ada
March 26 to April TBD 2024** Red Lake Falls Public Library, Red Lake Falls
*The start and end dates at each location are approximate, depending on weather, venue hours and other circumstances that may occur to prohibit travel. For specific library hours, please contact each location before planning your visit, especially if you are planning on bringing a group.
**Tentatively scheduled
For more information about the Traveling Exhibit call our office at (218)-745-8886 or contact Trey at treyeverettcreates@gmail.com or NWArtsCouncil@gmail.com.
September Newsletter
Read our September 2023 newsletter to find out about upcoming deadlines, events, exhibits, calls for art, opportunities, and more at https://conta.cc/3LwGE2Z
Make sure you sign up to get the e-newsletter delivered to your inbox.
Art & Wine Walk in Thief River Falls July 27
On Thursday, July 27 the Zehlians are sponsoring an Art & Wine Walk in Thief River Falls from 4 to 8 PM.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Art and Wine Walk. The cost is $20. Pre-register online at EventBrite. Same day registration and check in will be at the Carnegie Library in Thief River Falls from 4 to 6 pm on the 27th. Artists are located at businesses throughout Thief River Falls. Attendees can view and purchase art and are provided snacks and wine at each business stop. There will be drawings for door prizes afterwards at the Rusty Nail. This event features many local visual artists, as well as authors and jewelry artists and more!
Debbie Dahl Aune is Artist of the Year
Debbie Dahl Aune is Artist of the Year
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is pleased to announce that Debbie Dahl Aune of Gatzke is the Northwest Artist of the Year for Visual Arts. This award was presented on Sunday, April 30 at the Middle River Legacy Center.
Aune is a visual artist who works in many mediums. She is the Art Teacher at the Greenbush Middle River Public School, as well as the Greenbush Middle River Art Club Advisor, a frequent art project presenter at the Creativity Festival in Bemidji, and a community ed instructor. She has entered and placed often in the annual NW Minnesota Art Exhibit, receiving merit, second, first, and People’s Choice awards. Finally, Aune has exhibited her work in many NWMAC themed exhibits, including several solo shows. Last year Debbie was featured on a MPR (Minnesota Public Radio) segment and in a Prairie Mosaic video on Prairie Public Television.
Aune received a BS in Art Education from Bemidji State University and has taken graduate course work at several institutions, allowing her to study under many well-known artists.
Aune said “My biggest joy is watching children and adults find their inner artist.” When asked what she enjoys about creating art, she stated, “The personal side. The connection with the people, the place. Doing a piece for someone and they love it.”
Susan Hougen Lieberg explained, “Debbie's gift as an art teacher is that she is an artist, a true artist. She can find inspiration in anything, and she finds so much in her students. Just like her paintings invite viewers into the scenes she's created, she also invites her students into the creative process -- all the bumps and warts and making lemonade out of lemons. Almost magically, her students tap into themselves to create beautiful works of art: woodcuts, watercolors, sculptures, portraits, and more… Aune’s artwork delivers joy to so many.”
Greenbush Middle River Superintendent Larry Guggisberg shared, “During her nearly three decades as an art teacher, Debbie has single-handedly developed arts programs for the entire K-12 program in the GMR School District. Over the years, her experience at making contacts and savvy at securing funding for arts programs has been invaluable and has touched the lives of students. Without her successful efforts and dedication, our students would not receive the exposure to the Arts as they have. Mrs. Aune has kept Visual Arts in this northwest Minnesota school at the forefront.”
Finally, KayDell Super explained “The most important aspect of Deb’s artistic skills is her ability to spread the love of art to her students and everyone around her. Her enthusiasm for art, creative possibilities, and life in general radiates as soon as she steps in the room. During her tenure as art teacher, hundreds of students have been encouraged to pursue their love of art – and those that were unsure, left her program with the love of art in their hearts. Deb has not kept her talents to herself – her community has benefitted and been enriched with not only her final artistic works, but with her creative ideas and energy to improve the community with these ideas and leadership.”
Aune is passionate about painting outdoors. She explained, “I take care of my personal side with painting en plein air. A painter can go to an en plein air event. It doesn’t cost much. Join others. Get out there. You are outside. There is no better place to paint.”
She encourages everyone to give art a try. “Elementary is where you get the most bang for your buck. If you are in high school, take those art classes. There are workshops. Many are available for no cost. Don’t be scared to jump right in.”
Our Artist of the Year award can be given to any discipline artist including visual, performing, or creative writing who are emerging or at a mid-way point in their artistic endeavors. It is a cash award of $500. Funding for the Northwest Artist of the Year 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.
Congratulations, Debbie Dahl Aune!