ARTIST STATEMENTS

33rd Annual Juried Show

Juror Karen Goulet 

Sandy Barry  |  Clyde 

After my neighbor's passing I painted my memories of him and an important event that I had attended. I knew that he did not like public promotion but I was driven to express my memories and honor a great man.

John Bauer  |  Red Winged Blackbird 

Since losing my daughter to suicide, I've turned to art as a way to process my grief. Each sculpture offers wonder and carries a message about mental health, connection, and hope. I've found power in transforming forgotten objects into unforgettable whimsical sculptures, blending imagination with textures of the past.

John Beaudine  |  Utah 

I firmly believe within each passing year that photography truly is like catching lightning in a bottle.  Photographers are capturing moments in time that might not be replicated ever again.  With the world ever changing, my goal is simply to photograph the present.

Michelle Bedford   |  Innocence 

Growing up in a family rich with artistic talent has led me to painting with playful, whimsical lines and vivid color choices. I am inspired by the visuals that come to me in dreams, synchronicities, and landscapes that stir a deep connection within my heart.

Mel Benkert  |  Passing Parallels, Volume  

“Passing Parallels, Vol. I” explores an intersection of two environments. Lawrence Raymond’s photography calls attention to chance moments, preserving what is often overlooked. Spanned in a book format, the images chronicle a visual migration occupying physical space. The book’s accordion binding, when fully extended, unveils a network of nerve-like threads that trace connections between the organic forms and manmade structures. Contours blend, mirror each other, and fade in and out, reflecting moments which exist simultaneously in one place. This collaboration was inspired by Mel’s deep appreciation of Lawrence’s photographs and perspective of the world around him.

Karlyn Berg  |  Protectress of our Fortitude 

Collage is a nonlinear mode of creating, incorporating shapes, color, and images. The juxtapositions do not need to be logical. I try to express that which cannot be portrayed by words, but becomes a landscape expressed through color to create a spiritual adventure into an unknown world of the imagination.

Nathan Bray  |  Resist - Fight for Human Rights Skirted Mug 

The work I make changes with the times. I am currently focused on functional pottery revolving around the fundamentals of Human Rights. My use of color is inspired by the graffiti art from my youth in CA and the bright paintings my dad made in his later years.

Anna Cain  |  Filomeno's Journey 

I use various mediums when making art. Scratchboard is an interesting medium for me, since I'm taking away rather than adding. Once the ink is scraped off, there's no going back to undo what I've done. I'm always thinking about where I'll put each line, each scratch. Sometimes it's tedious, but it's mostly fun when my scratches take form.

Tawnee Corning  |  Psychedelic Renaissance - Part 2  

I am a painter, gardener, and mother of three young children. I enjoy incorporating nature into my still life oil paintings, whether it be the produce and flowers grown in my gardens, or foraged goods paired with images of wildlife.

Patricia Hagen  |  Stepping Stones into the Horizon 

Water is life. It's in us, around us, sustaining and inspiring us. It's a subject I'll never exhaust.

Cheryl Heikkila  |  My Idea for the Minnesota State Flag 

I've sewn for 61 years, recycling for 54 and combing the two for 44 years. For some reason the fabric scraps keep getting smaller and smaller. I like to use a 1933 Singer which was picked up in a Thrift Shop when my 20 y.o. (modern) machine's thread broke inside and two of us tried following U-Tube instructions to fix it for 3 hours without luck.

Karley Heminger  |  Riding with Resilience 

Han Mitakuyepi, My dakota name is Wospiya Winyan and my english name is Karley Heminger. I was born, raised, and currently reside in Sisseton, South Dakota on the Lake Travserse Reservation. I am Sissitunwan-Wahpetunwan Dakota and am a mostly self-taught mixed media artist. I'm currently 19 years old and I have a strong passion and drive for creativity. My work reflects my culture, beliefs and alternative style! Henana epe kte

Monica Ihrke  |  Some Bright Morning 

Monica Ihrke is a printmaker based in Duluth, MN, whose work explores themes of nature, industry, and the human connection to place. Her primary medium is relief-printed linoleum, allowing for bold imagery and tactile surfaces.

Jacklyn Janeksela  |  The Land Speaks 

An energy and artist, I am a Saami direct descendent and of Nordic peoples. Spirit animals are rabbit, raven, reindeer. I am a storyteller, a maker by nature; a deeply feeling person. People who honor my creations keep this magic in me alive! My art grows and evolves, like me. I gravitate towards the intersection between art and nature. I get lost in time and space when creating.

Susan Klann  |  Brenda 

I seek to capture moments that have left an imprint on me in portraits, interiors and landscapes. The people and places represent memories of beauty, love, joy and time passing.

Kaitlin Klennert  |  Visual Distortion 

My work explores themes of femininity and autonomy, often with floral and figurative subjects. Understanding my identity has always been important. Through my artistic practice, I’m able to explore, express, and deepen that understanding. My art reflects how  I celebrate myself, others in my community, and the feminine perspective.

Ashley Kolka-Lee  |  Water Track with Round Islands within Red Lake Peatland 

These are miniature (6 by 8 inch) hand-hooked rugs made with strips of recycled clothing. They depict the aerial beauty of patterned peatlands.

Rachel Kortekaas  |  Dragon Breath 

This drawing is one from a series of drawings that I’ve done using black paper and acrylic pen. Along with doing many abstract paintings and drawings I’ve also been drawn to drawing flowers. Especially during the cold months of winter when I am looking forward to spring and the arrival of flowers.

Molly Mae  |  Embodied 

Molly Mae is a creator, generalist, and lifelong curious soul. Constantly weaving in themes of grief, discovery, community, decay, and home in her life and work. Grounded in Nisswa, MN, she translates these themes with her hands by painting, writing, and fermenting, to name just a few.

Krista Matison  |  Mish Dish 

Krista Matison works as an artist in the Grand Rapids area. She experiments with a variety of media in order to feel vibrant and alive. This artwork is done without careful planning and thought— a day to day visual journal 

Brenda Miranda  |  A Plethora of Flowers 

I started in stained glass, but quickly found my passion in fused glass. I’m primarily a self-taught glass artist, constantly trying to build and expand upon what I’ve learned through trial and a lot of error. I try to reflect in my art the feelings I havewhen I look at things that appeal to me, whether nature or the fanciful.

Kris Nelson  |  Interstate State Park 

I am the Chairlady. I repurpose used chairs. Every chair tells a story and has its own personality. I try to match the style of the chair to my composition. The chair is my canvas. I hope my chairs make a difference by taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary. My goal is to paint 1000 chairs before I am 100.

Duke Nguyen  |  Agate Hunting 

My work primarily consists of oil paintings that capture the beauty of natural landscapes, the energy of vibrant city life, or the abstract emotions of life's great joys and struggles. My paintings reflect my lived experience and the world I witness. Art to me is a commitment to self-expression until the day I die and an attempt to touch the hearts and minds of the people around me.

Wesley Rabey  |  Figure Chained to Cement Blocks  |  Vanitas

My work is figurative with an emphasis on contemporary themes and dealing with aspects revolving around the human condition. It is primarily in Bronze.

Christy Rybak  |  Matthew Jon 

I am a painter, and my medium of choice is acrylic paint. As an acrylic artist, I am drawn to vibrant colors, delicate details and bold contrasts. I believe this shows through in my work. The subject of my work is primarily portraiture. I find faces, of all shapes, sizes and species, fascinating.

Catherine Sayward  |  Steadfast Vision 

Black, brown and gray leaves become feathers, fur, mountains and landscapes, magnifying the beauty found in some of our simplest forms of nature. I enjoy discovering, preserving and sharing the beauty hidden within nature that is so often overlooked.

Susan Solomon  |  Rainbow 

Susan Solomon is a freelance paintress living in beautiful Saint Paul. Her work is a search for a light in the dark.

Roxanne Swanson  |  Yeaaas Queen 

I strive to create human expression on canvas through vibrant colors and dynamic brushwork using acrylic paint. Each piece aims to connect viewers to the subject and the shared experiences that bind us all.

Beth Vander Heiden  |  Aurora Ribbons 

Growing up in Wisconsin, I developed a deep connection to nature, fueling my nightscape and landscape photography. I capture serene forests, waterfalls, and the majestic night sky, bringing their beauty to those who haven’t experience it firsthand. Join me on this journey, where nature and the cosmos reveal their boundless beauty.

Jennifer Winkelman  |  Elephant in Dust 

My painting was created for moments of past memories and new learning. Watching this animal, photographed by my husband, and then reinventing the scene with a bold color palette keeps the memory of the majesty of the encounter. Although I chose an animal from across the world, it is my hope that art of any animal creates a sense of awe and reflection in the viewer.

Josiah Wood  |  Currently Praying to my Television 

Hello, My name is Josiah Wood and I'm a mixed media artist. My work often uses photography and found materials to experiment and explore different stories through familiar objects and settings often based on my experiences or thoughts. 

Sam Zimmerman  |  Thunderbird Flight Above Sleeping Giant / Babaamise binesi besho nabaamisaabed

Sam Zimmerman focuses on continuing the Anishinaabe tradition of storytelling, embedding the themes of environmental stewardship and conservation of the North Shore through his studio and public art commissions. His work explores his Ojibwe heritage, his learnings and experiences in nature upon his return to the Grand Portage reservation while preserving shared oral histories, sharing his experiences with our animals, bird, fish and plant relatives while incorporating the natural landscape of Lake Superior’s North Shore.