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5.27.26 Brianna Severts
Brianna Severts is a freshman at the Grygla School and won 2nd place in the student category for her sculpture giraffe called Jerry at the annual NW Art Exhibit. This is a 3 dimensional piece made out of paper mache. Brianna created leaves for the background. She made the eyes out of clay with fake eyelashes from the dollar store. She learned that giraffes have dark blue/purple tongues and incorporated this into the piece. Her mom Tausha is the art teacher. Brianna spoke about this piece, her family, other art she’s created, and more.
5.20.26 Bert Foster
Thief River Falls Photographer Bert Foster won a merit award in this year’s annual NW Art Exhibit. Bert has been a frequent exhibitor in our exhibits and has received grants from the NWMAC. Bert spoke about the camera he uses and the technical aspects and preferences of his work. He prefers landscape photography and recently started including humans. He and his wife, Christine Foster had an exhibit together at the NWMAC Gallery a few years ago. Listen to hear more about Bert’s photography and much more!!
5.13.26 Jodi Peterson
Ada Borup West High School Art Teacher Jodi Peterson spoke about the glass art process, the connection she feels to ancient glass blowers, her philosophy, how Aikido inspires and directs her, striving to find balance and harmony, teaching, and the classroom. Her fused glass piece “Vintage Fish” won 3rd place at the NW Art Exhibit in Warroad. Jodi explained how fused glass is created (taking sheets of glass and melting a ceramic kiln; then putting it in a mold and slumping it into a shape that she likes). The vintage fish has decals embedded in it, a process that she recently started experimenting with. Her work with glass includes fusing, slumping, casting, and making glass beads.
Jodi’s business, Wolfnest Glass Works, is in a studio above her garage at home where she has a kiln and she teaches bead making.
Jodi was joined by her students Lillian Hansen, Sydney Schneider, and Kerstyn Lindsey. Lillian received 1st place in the student category for her ceramic piece “Bon Jour Cat Teapot.” Sydney won a merit award for ceramic hand called “Ow!”; and shared that the finger kept breaking off the ceramic hand she had created so she decided to include that into the description and make it the focus of her piece. Kerstyn won 3rd place in the student category for her mosaic piece “Great Blue Morpho” a blue butterfly. She won an award for another mosaic piece that she submitted to the state art competition.
Listen to hear more!
5.6.26 Holly Ellsworth-Crowther
Warroad Artist Holly Ellsworth-Crowther spoke about winning 1st place in the Annual NW Art Exhibit in Warroad for her mixed media painting “Forest’s Queen.” She approached creating this piece wanting to just work on something that she fully enjoyed. She’s always loved nature and folklore and loves to incorporate a lot of elements of the forest into her work. The piece is magical and whimsical and includes leaves and pinecones to give 3D and textural elements. The dress in the painting is made out of leaves. The forest queen embodies the spirit of nature and the feeling of being in the forest.
Holly loves creating watercolor illustrations (fantasy-esque), oil paintings (portrait heavy), and recently fiber arts (needle felting with forest found materials) utilizing a full array of different elements. Moving here from Utah, she came from a creative and supportive family and it’s been a core part of her identity. She’ll be teaching workshops in the near future and has an Etsy shop called MossyFernStudio. Listen to hear more!
6.25.25 Fred Hartmann
First time NW Art Exhibit Entrant Fred Hartmann of Thief River Falls won a merit award for his intricate folk/ fine craft traditional wood working piece called “Country Church.” Fred has also created a number of bird houses — he also entered one in the exhibit called “Wren House.” Fred talked about how he makes these and what he includes in them. He shared that he’d be happy to offer advice on how to build these if someone really wanted to learn. Vision, patience, and good tools are essential according to Fred. He said that you also have to enjoy doing it and be willing to make mistakes. You’ll appreciate listening to this charming conversation!
6.18.25 Denise Jenson
Nature Photographer Denise Jenson from Badger won 2nd place in the adult category in the annual NW Art Exhibit. Denise spoke about being a photographer, her arts background, taking art classes from the late Roseau artist Francis Karlsson, taking and then selecting the photo that she submitted to the exhibit, composition, and much more. Listen to hear about Denise and photography.
6.4.25 Elizabeth Kitchell-Rockstad
Ada Mosaic Artist Elizabeth Rockstad won 1st place in the Annual NW Art Exhibit in Crookston. She spoke of creating the piece of art that won (it’s part of a series of 3), the materials she used (slate, shale, Ada brick, glass), the background of her process, how the public finds her (Studio413mosaics.com or studio413@ymail.com), taking commissions, workshops she offers, school residencies, and galleries where her work is at. Listen to hear more!
5.14.25 Darcy Reese Part 2
Darcy and Phil continued their conversation about Darcy’s creative approach to choir directing and receiving the NW Star Award. This is part 2 of the conversation.
They spoke about the trips that Darcy and the choir took to Minneapolis and NYC and what they experienced and learned about life, history, and humanity through music. They also spoke about racism, injustices, and how the students felt safe to express themselves in the classroom. Listen to hear the details.