Podcasts from 2026
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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.
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!!
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!
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!
Roseau Jewelry Artist and Winner of the NW Star Award Becky Rosenkrans talked about receiving the award, creating jewelry, her creative process, her shop, and more!
She received the award on Saturday, April 25 at Warroad RiverPlace in Warroad during the NW Art Exhibit Awards Reception and Program for her jewelry artistry.
Rebecca (or Becky) has been creating one-of-a-kind jewelry for over 30 years since 1994. . Becky handcrafts new pieces of jewelry or recreates old into new with Greek and Italian leather, beads, crafted chain maille, glass, stone, silver, crystal, and vintage goods.
Becky is the owner of Bead Gypsy, a shop in Roseau where handmade goods and original art from over 20 artists are sold. Located in a 1905 former bank building, the store is a haven for artists and arts lovers who live and visit the region. She readily shares her knowledge, creativity, and talents and is a tireless advocate for fellow artists.
Rosenkrans grew up in a creative family , including her mother Frances Karlsson who was a well-known painter from the region. For over 14 years she worked with the court system as a Guardian ad Litem, which was an intense and sad job. She had always loved jewelry and found that creating it helped her relieve stress and worry from that position.
Becky especially enjoys creating the design and repurposing items. She’s made earrings from old, galvanized steel she collected from the old, torn down Roseau grain elevator and vintage cookie tins. She reshapes old silverware to magically transform into beautiful pendants and bracelets. Another example of this is when her husband discovered her mom’s copper boiler buried behind the garage. Becky and her siblings bathed in this boiler as toddlers and later used it to soak their clothes before washing as they grew up. After digging up and cleaning the vessel, Becky flattened it out and created hundreds of pieces of jewelry from it. One of the pieces was on display at Warroad RiverPlace. She admitted, “it was the most fun and creative things that I could do.”
Becky shared advice for aspiring artists. “Just start and let the creativity just flow. Find a mentor. Come and ask me and I’ll help you. Don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t work out. It makes you happy to create something with your own hands.”
The NW Star Award comes with $5,000. Artists can only receive it 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.
Congratulations, Becky! Listen to hear their entire conversation.
NW Artist of the Year Samantha Harrill spoke about her introduction to clay and pottery and how she continued and continues the practice. Originally from Red Lake Falls, Samantha is now a gifted ceramic artist who lives in Warroad. She studied Design and Art at Bemidji State University. She creates a variety of functional and decorative pottery pieces.
She shared, “A surprising fact about me is that I’m a bit of a metalhead. After 20-some years, it’s just part of my process — when I sit down at the wheel, that’s what I listen to. There’s a rhythm to both pottery and metal — it can feel intense and even a little chaotic, but also really grounding and almost hypnotic once you get into it.”
Samantha has a downtown studio in Warroad where she creates her pottery. She sells at occasional pop-ups, a local store, vendor shows, and on her website. You can find her at her FB page Northern Spruce Studio or her website www.northernsprucestudio.com.
Samantha is also the Executive Director of Warroad RiverPlace. In that position, she works tirelessly to affirm and bring the arts to northern Minnesota, while advocating for all art mediums, theater, art workshops for children and adults, music, and cultural and celebration events.
Harrill gave this advice to aspiring artists, “Be patient with yourself. It takes time to develop your skills and find your voice, and that’s not something you can rush. You think you need to have everything figured out, but you don’t. Don’t be afraid of mistakes — they’re honestly one of the most important parts of the process. Especially in pottery, things don’t always turn out how you expect, and that’s where a lot of the learning happens. I would also say to stay curious and open to trying new things. Just keep showing up and doing the work.”
Samantha will receive the Artist of the Year award on Saturday, April 25 at our NW Art Exhibit Awards Reception and Program at Warroad RiverPlace. This 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.
Listen to Samantha and Phil’s conversation to learn more. Congrats, Samantha!
TRFACT’s former Executive Director Jane Anderson of Thief River Falls is this year’s Northwest Arts Advocate of the Year Award. Jane and Phil spoke about Jane’s background, theater, meeting Ethel Merman and more!
Jane is a theater artist – actor, singer, director, costumer -- and former Executive Director and founding member of the Thief River Falls Area Community Theater (TRFACT). Her decades of service, leadership, and advocacy have had a profound impact on area actors and audiences. Jane believes in nurturing young artists for their development and to sustain a vibrant arts community. Her unwavering commitment to the arts and arts education and her extraordinary ability to strengthen and expand the local theater community can be felt throughout our region.
This award will be presented on Saturday, April 25 in Warroad at Warroad RiverPlace University of Minnesota. 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. Our Arts Advocate of the Year award is $500 and includes arts from all disciplines. Funding for this award comes from the Minnesota State Legislature. Congratulations, Jane!
Listen to the conversation to learn more and join us on April 25 in Warroad.
Alice Blessing was the juror of the NW Art Exhibit in Warroad this year.
Alice Blessing is a socially engaged artist based in Bemidji whose work is deeply informed by principles of intersectional feminism. Over the past two decades, Blessing's portraits have been exhibited in numerous galleries across the state, earning her multiple awards and grants. She is also an experienced educator, having taught at Bemidji State University for 13 years, as well as conducting painting workshops throughout Minnesota. Currently, Blessing serves as Gallery Director at Bemidji State University, where she teaches courses in Drawing, Painting, and Color Theory. She has a BFA in painting from Bemidji State.
As a juror she looks at each piece objectively, as well as the level of skill and experience. Part of the level of success is when a piece really hits you. Art is universal and can present any point of view. She spoke about fingerprinting and her own project on non-conformity. “Thirteen: Nonconformity” is a portrait series that explores intersectional feminism, gender, and the consequences of systemic oppression through finger-painted portraits of children aged 6-13 and includes 13 large portraits.
About the exhibit she shared, “Walking through this exhibit, I felt a genuine connection to the care, creativity, and individuality present in each piece. Here we have a beautiful balance between technical skill and imagination, where our participants’ unique approaches show us the limitlessness of art. I was especially moved by the range of expression; all of these pieces are full of curiosity and exploration. This collection highlights both seasoned expertise and emerging talent and offers a hopeful glimpse into the future of art. Thank you so much for inviting me to play a small part in this wonderful exhibition.”
Area guitarist Anthony Diaz has played the guitar for over 30 years and recently finished a project that he received NWMAC funding for. It’s inspired by the book Becoming Nobody. Anthony spoke about the book and the impact it had on him. His project is a radio documentary where he plays bluegrass music with a mandolin, banjo, and guitar. It’s a mixture of storytelling and song (including a narrative; stories between each song). Each song is a different plane of consciousness.
Recently, Anthony played for the Stardust & Soul artist reception at the Fournet Building in Crookston and he will be playing at the Artist Reception for the Good Vibrations exhibit (on April 16) at the NWMAC Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls. He is also featured in that exhibit.
You can find the radio documentary on Apple music, Spotify and YouTube (search Anthony Diaz Planes of Consciousness). Listen to this interesting conversation to learn more!
East Grand Forks Artist Jeanne O’Neil is a printmaker, musician, dance caller, and part of the O’Neil Family Band and Co-Founder of North Country Fiddle and Dance. North Country Fiddle and Dance is featured in the Good Vibrations exhibit currently open at our gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls.
Jeanne and her husband Tom founded North Country Fiddle and Dance in 1986 and focused on community dances and other performances. Their style is American Folk Dance and the music they play includes Appalachian, Metis, French Canadian, and Scandinavian. Their daughter Erin plays the fiddle and is part of their band. Dances are at Bernie’s Restaurant now from 3-5:30 PM. There is no charge to attend, but they accept donations. Other bands are brought in to join them at the community dances. They also receive funding from the NWMAC. They spoke about dancing, Jeanne’s history, what the community dances involve, Jeanne’s past mural painting, etching and printmaking, teaching art, and much more. Check out one of their community dances (once a month — the next one is April 25) and listen to this interesting conversation!
The music of Santiago and Christina Silva of Project: Constellation blends folk, punk, Irish music, pop, and more. Christina is a violinist and Santiago plays the guitar. They perform Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Danish songs sung in their languages, drawing on Santiago’s background growing up in Stockholm, Sweden. They are working artists in the Red River Valley who offer live performances and write their own songs. Their Scandinavian music programs started when they played at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead with a set of Swedish music; then performing Norwegian music the following year. Recently, they began playing at museums and libraries throughout the region. The duo is included in the Good Vibrations exhibit at the NWMAC Gallery at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. Follow them on their Facebook page Project: Constellation. Christina is also an author of children’s literature and YA fiction. Listen to hear about their music, where they perform (including the Eastern European country of Georgia and throughout the US), and more!
Crookston Ojibwe artist Candace Sam spoke about the vibrant mural she and Trey Everett created at Highland Elementary at the entrance to the library. The mural depicts the 7 Grandfather Teachings (including animals) with an Ojibwe beadwork theme. The teachings are core Ojibwe principles designed to guide individuals toward a good life based on wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth. These sacred values, often associated with specific animals representing their spirit, are essential for fostering community, ethical behavior, and balance. They worked with native students teaching them painting skills. She spoke about how they created the mural and the positive reactions from the students. Candace explained details about references in the murals helping to educate students and link her culture to the schools and the greater community.
Candace and Trey are also creating a mural at the Crookston High School that will begin soon. Candace’s high school daughter will be creating a mural at the same time.
In addition to painting, Candace does bead work (including beaded outfits) and makes jewelry.
Listen to hear all about the murals and Candace!
Devra Carlson of rural McIntosh, a close friend of one of our featured artists in the Good Vibrations exhibit, spoke about Little Bobby, his impact on the music industry, and how he became a blues musician. Little Bobby hosted a radio show Little Bobby’s Juke Joint that promoted and featured blues music on Pioneer 90.1. He also sponsored a Women of the Blues festival because of their underrepresentation in the genre. Devra provided a glimpse of the human side of Little Bobby, as well. Listen to hear the conversation plus a snippet of Little Bobby’s music.
NWMAC Executive Director Mara Hanel spoke of the numerous deadlines, exhibits, and other events going on right now.
Grant deadline for projects (including fairs, festivals, events) is February 28. Apply now!
The deadline for entering into the Annual NW Art Exhibit is February 28. The exhibit itself will be in Warroad in April. At the end of the exhibit is a reception and awards program on Saturday, April 25.
Teaching Artist Roster Training. Apply for the 7 session training (2 in person and 5 online). We are accepting applications right now through March 6. This is for artists who would like to offer trainings and be hired for artist residencies. The training will help participants think through all the steps of a residency, create the necessary materials, and get a page on the NWMAC website. Once the artist is trained they are eligible for funding via Artist Residency grants through the schools. Value is $1,000 and the training is FREE.
Good Vibrations: All about NW Minnesota Music exhibit at NCTC open into mid-April.
Stardust & Soul: “it’s in everything” exhibit by Crookston Artist Sarah Pester at the Fournet Building downtown Crookston. She’s also offering yoga classes at the exhibit.
Traveling Art exhibit is in Fosston at the Sorenson Gallery at the Aurora Center for the Arts. This is the final stop of this exhibit.
Of the Year Awards. Nominations are in. Arts Advocate of the Year, Artist of the Year, and the NW Star Award will be announced in March and given at the NW Art Exhibit Program in Warroad on Saturday, April 25. Consider nominating deserving artists for next year!
Arts Advocacy Day will be March 3 in St. Paul. Consider traveling to St. Paul to advocate for the arts. Mara will be there.
Maury Finney spoke with Phil McKenzie about our Good Vibrations exhibit and his musical background. Originally from rural Kittson County Minnesota, Maury Finney grew up with music dominating his family’s focus. Dorothy, his mom, was a talented piano player and had been raised in a family of musicians herself. His dad George was a saxophone player and Maury followed in his footsteps at a young age. In his teens, he was hired by a local band leader to fill in for the regular sax player who was forced to take time off to have his teeth fixed. When the sax player returned, Maury remained in the band, gaining invaluable experience by playing alongside seasoned musicians. Those early gigs proved life changing as he developed his talent in ways that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.
With his brother Allen, Maury formed a rock and roll band called The Charms. The band recorded a record and developed a large following, playing venues throughout the local area from Winnipeg to Fargo. In addition to his music career, Maury enjoyed working in electronics with music. He and his wife Faith owned Maury's Tv and appliance business in East Grand Forks and later opened a recording studio.
n 1976 Maury recorded the song “Maidens Prayer” for Soundwaves Record Co. of Nashville, which began his country music career with nationwide success. Between 1976 and 1977, he charted the most instrumental songs of any country music artist. In 1977 and 1978, Maury was named “Top New Instrumentalist” by the three leading music reporting magazines -- Billboard Music Week, Record World, and Cashbox magazine. He charted twelve times on the Billboard country singles charts. Later, he organized a 7 piece band called Reedsong Music Company, which included family members. Maury was inducted into Minnesota’s Rock Country Hall of Fame in 2007.
Maury is featured in the Good Vibrations along with the late Little Bobby Houle and other area musicians. He and Little Bobby Houle performed together at numerous venues. Maury shared, “it was a magical time when I became Little Bobby’s saxman at several of Bobby’s shows at casinos, Bluesfests, and many city celebrations. It was a blast playing with such a professional and talented songwriter, guitarist, and great Blues singer. Little Bobby’s passing has left a hole in my music life.”
Maury continues to perform in the northwest Minnesota area and sometimes in Florida, with blues bands, on his own, and when other opportunities arise and he still thoroughly enjoys it. Listen to the conversation to learn more and stop by the exhibit!
Crookston Artist Sarah Pester spoke with Phil McKenzie about her artwork and her current exhibit Stardust & Soul: “it’s in everything” at the Historic Fournet Building in Crookston. Sarah is a painter and a yoga instructor. She discussed her background and philosophy, how she came up with the title of the exhibit, her process, and much more! She’s offering 2 yoga classes at the exhibit — Art in Motion on Feb 17 and March 3. There’s an Artist Reception on March 19 at the Fournet that is open to everyone.
Robert Blair Ndondo-Lay is a Minneapolis-based filmmaker, educator, and program administrator at FilmNorth. In addition to facilitating FilmNorth’s outreach and professional development efforts—engaging education and industry partners, media artists, and students — he administers the McKnight Media Artist Fellowship Program, which supports independent media artists living and working in Minnesota. Four fellowships of $25,000 are awarded every year. These fellowships are unrestricted (not project based) and, in addition to the funding, they offer recognition and educational opportunities. These fellowships are for filmmakers; writers and directors in film, television, and streaming; interactive and virtual reality creative artists; and other media artists (including but not limited to radio, podcasters, narrative-based storytellers) who are beyond emerging and have a history of sustained work (not for beginning artists).
Robert’s professional background includes contributions to prominent film and television organizations such as Verve Talent & Literary Agency, Imagine Entertainment, IMAX, and Fox Searchlight Pictures. Since joining FilmNorth in 2023, Robert has developed and managed more than a dozen programs that support filmmakers at every stage—from emerging voices to established artists. His work includes workforce training, fellowships, youth media education, and industry mentorship, all aimed at expanding access for underrepresented artists and strengthening the region’s creative ecosystem.
Applications for the McKnight Media Artist Fellowships open this year on February 2 and the deadline to apply is March 23. https://filmnorth.org/filmmaker-support/mcknight/
Robert is open to offering feedback and other assistance for fellowship applicants. Listen to hear more of the fellowships, information about the application process, and much more!
Fosston Visual Artist Ivy Bailie paints in watercolor, acrylic and oil with a focus on nature. She offers winter art classes, creates art that people can buy as gifts, does commissions, and she provides framing services. Ivy is a frequent entrant and award winner in our annual exhibit. Additionally, she’s listed in our Artist of NW Minnesota booklet. She recently received a grant from the NWMAC to purchase a high quality, sturdy tent system for festivals. Listen to hear details!
Heidi Danos is serving as the Interim Director of the Firefly Center for Art & Wellbeing in Fosston. She shared the background of the Firefly Center, including how it came to be, how they designed the space, and that they offer classes, meetings, memorials, and more. The Center is where creativity and wellbeing come together in an unbiased, creative environment that fosters community, inclusion, and equality with a focus on reducing the stigma about mental health.
Heidi received a grant from the NWMAC to create and distribute a self-published book titled “The Art of Connection: Building a Restorative Community Through Creativity” intended as a resource that will combine storytelling, along with instructions for hosting creative circle events, restorative justice, and will serve as a resource for broader community wellbeing. She hopes that the book finished and available soon. Find out more at fireflycenter.org, saeterconsulting.com, and listen for details.
Victor Sweeney is a mortician at DuBore Funeral home in Warren. He hosts a podcast “Death And” and is the author of a recently published book. He’s also a viral internet sensation with YouTube videos. He’s been interviewed on MPR and national news sources.
His book Now Departing: A Small-Town Mortician on Death, Life, and the Moments in Between was recently released. In this unique and thoughtful collection, a young funeral director — also known as “the internet’s favorite mortician” (CNBC) —explores various aspects of death, offering heartfelt and practical insights into how we determine what matters most while we are alive. Now Departing examines the science, craft, and mindfulness behind Victor M. Sweeney’s very peculiar skill set. Working in the funeral business since he was eighteen years old, Sweeney astutely shares the powerful and moving lessons of how we can exist and be remembered with intention and meaning.
Each page of his book is filled with reflective observations and true stories from the lives and deaths that Sweeney has come to know through his work in Warren. He also reviews the rituals around preparing and saying goodbye to those we mourn; the love and forgiveness that arises in the face of grief; the universal interplay of walking between the chasm of the mundanity of a required business practice that touches on humanity’s deepest metaphysical realities; and ultimately, how loss gives us the opportunity to focus on and celebrate the elements we have gained.
During this interview, Victor talks about his journey, philosophies, practical information, and much more. You don’t want to miss this thought-provoking and interesting conversation.
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!
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.
Heritage Through Image Photographer Monika Lawrence spoke about her time in Minnesota, the exhibit, her photography, and more. She explained how this exhibit came to be right before she moved from Bemidji to Germany. Unfortunately, Monika has never seen the exhibit on the wall, even though she created it. The exhibit includes 22 images that depict traditional practices, customs, and folklore that serve a visual representation of regional heritage. Listen to this entertaining conversation and stop by the Carnegie to see the exhibit!
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!
Mike and Janette McColl spoke about the Old School Artist Retreat Center, their art, the retreats and activities at the retreat center, and more! Janette is featured in the Artists of NW Minnesota booklet and the Artist Retreat Center is also in the booklet.
Located in a restored 1906 schoolhouse in the heart of Lengby, MN, the Old School Artist Retreat Center is a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing creativity and building community through immersive, hands-on retreats. It’s a place where artists, makers, and curious souls can gather to learn new skills, connect with others, and find beauty and inspiration in the creative process. See oldschoolarts.org for more info.
Hosted by artist duo Mike and Janette McColl—local educators and lifelong creatives
Located one block from Spring Lake, walking trails, and local bars
curated gifts and materials are included with every retreat
beautiful studio environment filled with natural light, history, and the warmth of creative energy
Delicious meals—some made lakeside or as part of a group cooking event!
Upcoming Creative Retreats at the Old School Artist Retreat Center
à la cARTe (SOLD OUT!)
July 5–8
An art buffet for the creatively curious! Try painting, stained glass, bookbinding, and leatherwork before choosing a medium to dive into. Includes goal-setting, quiet reflection, and a lakeside barbecue.
Art of the Light (Stained Glass Retreat)
July 17–20
Create your own stained glass panel while learning the art of cutting, foiling, and soldering. A sun-drenched, joy-filled experience.
Denim Alchemy (Hand-Stitching & Patchwork Retreat)
August 7–10
Embellish your favorite jean jacket with embroidery, appliqué, and a touch of magic. Storytelling through stitches, and slow fashion at its finest.
Art of the Table (Ceramics + Culinary Retreat)
September 18–21
Inspired by the Mediterranean, this retreat includes plate glazing, indigo napkin dyeing, beeswax candle-pouring, and a group Greek cooking experience. A feast for all the senses.
Fired & Adorned (Fused Glass Jewelry Retreat)
October 10–12
Design and fire 15–20 pieces of stunning kiln-formed jewelry. A perfect creative getaway just in time for holiday gifting.
Looking for a personal artistic escape? They also have a Airbnb that just opened upstairs at the schoolhouse. Their upstairs apartment, The Wandering Artist Academy, is available on Airbnb. It’s a private, sunlit space with a working art studio, clawfoot tub, and vintage charm—ideal for solo artists or creative couples seeking inspiration in a peaceful, small-town setting.
Jane Anderson, Executive Director of the Thief River Falls Community Theater, spoke about TRFACT’s 30 year anniversary, the organization, the upcoming shows this summer, including Little Shop of Horrors (June 4-6 and 9-11), Seussical Kids (June 24-26), Talking with … by Jane Martin (July 9-10), and The Addams Family (July 29-31). You can buy tickets for these shows online at TRFACT.org. Jane also shared anecdotes about the importance and impact of theater for kids, as well as her work at TRFACT (including grant writing, publicity, and signing contracts, and more. Listen to the conversation to learn more about TRFACT and theater!
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.
Phil spoke with Darcy Reese of Thief River Falls. She’s a retired music educator and recently received the prestigious NW Star Award for creative choir directing from the NWMAC. She shared how she came to take an innovative approach to choir directing. Darcy and her students learned about and incorporated diverse experiences into the choir room and performances, including poems about the Holocaust, spending time with Holocaust survivors, Black Gospel music, and American Indian music and jingle dancing into performances. These experiences were eye opening for her and her students. This is part one of their conversation.
Artist of the Year Loreen Hanson is featured on this week’s podcast. Loreen received the award from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council for Visual Arts. This award was presented on Sunday, April 27 at the University of Minnesota in Crookston. She spoke with Phil about her art and more.
With over 76 years of experience, Loreen has worked in numerous mediums, but she prefers to paint with watercolors. She likes the softness of watercolor. Her artwork ranges from images of wildlife, flora, and fauna, still life arrangements, portraits, and paintings of people doing everyday activities -- all of which celebrate life. She has skillfully captured the beauty of the world around her and has demonstrated her exceptional talent and dedication to the arts through her contributions to the art community.
Throughout the years, Hanson has participated in more than 30 art exhibits. She has been an active member of Artists Unlimited for over 40 years. She spoke about the trips they took together and the painting they did on the trips. Although she has not had any formal training, she has always been eager to learn and has sought to improve her work by attending several workshops, skill exchanges with other painters, and pored over books by professional artists. Her dedication to learning and honing her craft has shown through her works of art. Last fall Loreen had an impressive one-woman art show featuring 186 watercolor paintings in Thief River Falls!
Along with her artistic talents, Loreen also remains passionate about promoting the arts and has encouraged young and old alike to participate in it. Hanson gave this advice for aspiring artists, “If you can draw, you can paint. Choose your favorite medium and go for it.”
On the impact of the arts on society, Hanson shared “Art enriches our lives. Not just the artist’s life, but everyone’s. People appreciate art.”
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.
Listen to the conversation to learn more!
This week Rena Zapata Bouchard spoke with Phil. Rena will be receiving the Arts Advocate of the Year Award on Sunday, April 27 in Crookston at our Awards Reception and Program.
Rena spoke about how she got involved in Studio 110, what they offer, and being a make-up artist and a photographer. She coordinates all the activities there now.
A certified freelance makeup artist and portrait photographer, Rena is passionate about empowering others and using the arts as a tool for social change. In 2019, she spearheaded the creation of Studio 110, a permanent space dedicated to digital storytelling for youth and adults in Crookston and the surrounding area and has continued in an active leadership role with the organization.
A satellite site since 1996 for Minneapolis organization In Progress, Studio 110 first offered summer programs called Fresh Voices in Crookston. In high school, Rena participated in one of their sessions. Later in 2018, she enrolled her kids, and she joined them to chaperone and never left. There she learned portraiture and has continued to hone her craft.
Studio 110 has become a space for media arts creativity with themes related to breaking stereotypes and acceptance. It is open to everyone. Media arts is art made looking through a lens like photography and video. Rena helps students who identify as persons of color find a welcoming home base at Studio 110. She coordinates media arts workshops, bringing in talented professional artists from across the nation to teach and empower those who come to the downtown Crookston location. She also podcasts and utilizes her makeup artistry in creative projects with the students and offers free family portraits during themed holiday events at Studio 110.
This award will be presented on Sunday, April 27 in Crookston at the University of Minnesota. Everyone is welcome to attend. 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. Our Arts Advocate of the Year award is $500 and includes arts from all disciplines. Funding for this award comes from the Minnesota State Legislature.
Our featured guest this week was Glen Henry, the juror of our NW Art Exhibit in Crookston this year. The exhibit features 128 pieces of art by student and adult artists residing in a seven-county region including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Polk, Pennington, Roseau and Red Lake. The winners will be recognized at the Northwest Minnesota Artist Reception in Crookston on April 27.
Glen 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. Throughout his career, Glen has built a distinctive artistic voice, blending traditional techniques with modern digital approaches. 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.
Glen spoke about what he looks for when he jurors an exhibition, including subject matter, potential, original thought, style, creativity, and skill level. He noticed that this exhibit included a lot of plein air imagery, landscapes, the outdoors, forestry, and animal life. which makes sense given our location. He reads the inspiration for or interpretation of the piece as he judges.
When asked what advice he would give to artists who are considering submitting their work for exhibits, he said “Be confident that you will be finished in time. Be courageous and have perseverance. It takes courage to show your work.”
Currently, MSUM has a BFA exhibition up at the Diederich Art Gallery. Glen spoke about the art program at the school and upcoming exhibits.
The NW Art Exhibit is open until Sunday, April 27.
Crookston Artists Trey Everett and Ross Hier spoke about their background and road to becoming artists. Last summer they painted a mural together in East Grand Forks that featured over 30 species of fish. Trey has also painted a number of murals elsewhere, including some at the Golden Link Senior Center. There’s one in Crookston on the Ace Hardware exterior wall that Ross helped him with. They will be painting a mural in Fosston together this summer.
Trey also spoke about being the Showcase Specialist for the Arts Council and NWMAC exhibits, including the NW Art Exhibit in Crookston at the University of Minnesota and Welcome the Whimsical (there is a call for art right now for 3rd grade on up through adult).
NWMAC Executive Director Mara Hanel spoke about many current opportunities and activities related to the arts in our region. This include upcoming grant deadlines (for organizations and individuals), the annual NW Art Exhibit at UMC open right now until April 27, Of the Year awards (NW Star Award Darcy Reese of Thief River Falls, Artist of the Year Loreen Hanson of Thief River Falls, and Arts Advocate of the Year Rena Zapata Bouchard of Crookston), the Awards Reception and Program on Sunday, April 27, and Welcome the Whimsical Exhibit Call for Art. Listen for all the details!
Thief River Falls native Samantha Buckley is this week’s featured podcast guest. Samantha was active in TRFACT during her time in Thief River. After high school, she attended college and graduated from Mankato State with a BFA. Afterwards, she moved to the Twin Cities and acted in a variety of shows, including being an understudy in a performance at the Minnesota Children’s Theater. Samantha now lives and acts in Chicago. Listen to hear her advice for aspiring performers and about her experiences as an actor, singer, and voice artist.
Thief River Falls native Brayden Drevlow connected with Phil McKenzie in Singapore recently. This is the second part of their conversation. Brayden is a talented pianist. In the first part of the conversation he shared the challenges of practices his instrument when he travels. They spoke about how few pianos he finds internationally and the overuse of these pianos. Because of this, he has learned how to fix pianos. He fixes the pianos before his concerts. Now, when he returns to Minnesota for 3 to 4 months a year, he tunes and works on about 1,000 pianos. He also searches out pianos when he travels, fixes them, and performs.
Brayden has an upcoming concert in Alexandria on April 5 with the Central Lakes Symphony. Listen to hear their conversation.
Thief River Falls native Brayden Drevlow connected with Phil McKenzie in Singapore recently. They spoke about some of Brayden’s upcoming concerts — March 15 and 16 with the Bismark Symphony and one in Alexandria on April 5 with the Central Lakes Symphony. Besides being a world traveler, Brayden is a talented pianist. He attended Concordia for piano performance. He’s performed quite a bit internationally, including Siberia and Africa. He shared the challenges of practicing his instrument when he travels. Listen to hear the first part of their conversation.
Warroad Artist Kat Allen spoke about working on the NWMAC Artists of NW Minnesota booklet as the graphic designer. Kat is a children’s author and visual artist, as well as a graphic designer. This resource is available on the NWMAC website here and in hard copy throughout the region (at libraries and other spots). The booklet highlights regional artists, arts businesses, and organizations that serve artists or offer arts programming. Each listing includes a photo of the artist and what they create or offer. The booklet also lists performing artists like musicians and bands. Kat also spoke about her books and one that will be published soon. Listen to the conversation to learn more!
This week’s podcast continues the conversation with Leslie LeCuyer, Executive Director of Central Minnesota’s Art Council. Leslie spoke about projects that the Central Minnesota Arts Board provided funding for and the impacts of those projects. She also spoke about legislators and how important their support for the arts is. (hence the importance of Arts Advocacy Day) Leslie explained that art can build community and develop relationships. “The arts allow us to escape and address our emotions… The arts are an essential need.” Arts Advocacy is March 4 and you can see Leslie there. Listen to hear all the details of the conversation.
Central Minnesota Regional Arts Director Leslie LeCuyer spoke with Phil this week. Leslie has a long history in the arts in Minnesota. She has served in the Minnesota House of Representatives, as a county board member, on the board of the Perpich Center for the Arts, and she’s a visual artist. Leslie spoke about her background, the importance of Arts Advocacy Day, the Legacy Amendment, and more. Listen to Part 1 of 2 of this conversation.
Isaiah Burkel is a classically trained singer (a tenor) from Thief River Falls. He acted in the Thief River Falls Area Community Theater as he grew up in northwest Minnesota. He has sung with the Minnesota Opera in the chorus. Listen to his conversation with Phil about his career, experience, the impact of participating in theater in his youth, how the Minnesota Opera works, his advice, and more!
Hallock Artist Beau Bakken spoke about his art, the background of and his work in the current exhibit Around the Farm, his artistic influences, painting murals, and more. He continues to think about what his high school art teacher Kay Rosengren told him,“Paint what you see and not what you think you see.” He is the featured artist in the current NWMAC Gallery exhibit Around the Farm. Listen to hear more.
Thief River Falls Public Schools Choir Director Dane Froiland spoke with Phil McKenzie about his teaching career, returning to Thief River to teach, the music that he teaches, his goals for the program, and upcoming concerts. He studied under former teacher Darcy Reese. Listen to learn about Dane and the choral program in Thief River Falls schools.
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) Executive Director Sarah Fossen spoke with Phil McKenzie this week. MCA recently turned 50 years old. Sarah shared information about what MCA is and what they do, arts funding including the Legacy Amendment, Creative Minnesota, the research they do, MCA’s PAC, the benefits of the arts, her own arts background, and the upcoming Arts Advocacy Day on March 4 (register at artsmn.org). Listen for all the details!
Christina Woods, Executive Director of the Duluth Art Institute, continued her conversation with Phil McKenzie. They spoke of her roles serving on the State of Minnesota CAAPB Task force on Monuments and Statues and on the State of Minnesota Capitol Arts Exhibitions Committee, bringing her unique viewpoint and background, and more. Woods also serves on the Minnesota Arts Board. Listen to hear part 2 of the conversation.
Christina Woods, Executive Director of the Duluth Art Institute, spoke about being the first Anishinaabe leader of the Duluth Art Institute, the organization, and her focus on decolonization. Christina serves on the Minnesota Arts Board, as well as a number of other arts boards. Listen to hear part 1 of her conversation with Phil McKenzie!