Artist Spotlight
We regularly feature an artist or artists in our Artist Spotlight Series. Often, they have artwork in our current exhibit.
Watch our Artist Spotlight with Jeanne O’Neil and Erin O’Neil here. This was live on Thursday, March 28 at 10:30 AM on our Facebook and YouTube pages.
NWMAC Staff Trey Everett and Kristin Eggerling spoke with Artists Jeanne O'Neil and Erin O'Neil. They talked about their music and the current exhibit Fiddle Tunes, Fiber Folk & Prairie Prints Featuring Jeanne Griffin O’Neil and Erin Jeanne O’Neil at the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls through April 2024. They even played some tunes for the broadcast. Again, watch the recording here.
Jeanne O’Neil explained, “The focus of this show is the celebration of Erin's recently completed book, Twenty of Plenty, in which twenty of her original fiddle tunes are transcribed. We are both folk musicians and visual artists, and it is fitting to bring these forms of artistic expression together, as the tunes and art are both inspired by the rural landscapes we live in.”
The newest prints in this show come from a series of sketches made over the past summers on Jeanne’s land. “Walking the fields and pathways every day, year after year, the colors, contrasts, textures and lines of trees, grasses, sky, river are impressed in my mind, creating an accumulated knowledge of these places. The making of each print creates a deeper knowing and a stronger connection to that knowing.”
Jeanne’s daughter Erin O’Neil created the Twenty of Plenty tune book. This was an effort with a grant from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council to get some of her tune compositions transcribed so that they could be introduced into wider circles of musicians. The descriptions and illustration throughout the book offer insight into the meaning of the compositions. The cultural influences for these tunes include French Canadian, Irish, Scandinavian, Scottish traditional fiddle music, New England Contra Dance music, Old Time Appalachian music, and Metis fiddle tunes.
Erin also has Rag Folk pieces in this exhibit. The Rag Folk represent preservation of what has been used in everyday life and creating new lives out of old scraps and rags. Erin started creating these pieces with a passion for recycling and reducing waste and a desire to connect with others.
Jeanne and Erin both play in the O’Neil Family Band. Erin plays the fiddle and feet, while Jeanne plays the banjo and concertina. The band holds many community dances in our region.
An artist reception at the gallery will be held at Northland Community and Technical College on Wednesday, April 24 at 6 PM. Everyone is welcome to join us for this free event. The O'Neil Family Band will be performing and refreshments will be served. Many pieces of art in this exhibit are for sale. You are welcome to purchase at any time and pick up when the exhibit ends.Please join us for the conversation! Let us know if you have questions!
Watch our Artist Spotlight with Andy Hall. This was live on Monday, January 22 at 10 AM on our Facebook and YouTube pages. You can watch the discussion at this link https://streamyard.com/pjh6xzyyt6mj
NWMAC staff Trey and Kristin spoke with Andy Hall for an Artist Spotlight to highlight the Pulled in Many Directions Photography by Andy Hall Exhibit. We talked about what influences him artistically, his photography, his subject matter, the exhibit, his technique, photography tips, how to purchase his art, and much more. Pulled in Many Directions Photography by Andy Hall is open until February 26. Let us know if you have questions!
Watch our Artist Spotlight with Stephanie Olson here or on our Facebook or YouTube pages. This was live on Saturday, November 4 at 11 AM.
NWMAC staff Trey and Kristin spoke with Stephanie Olson for an Artist Spotlight to highlight the Figures of Ghosts and Dreams Exhibit. We spoke with Stephanie about her what influences her artistically, her art, the exhibit, her writing background, and much more. Figures of Ghosts and Dreams: The Artwork of Stephanie Olson is open until November 29. Let us know if you have questions!
This Artist Spotlight was on Wednesday, September 13 at 2 PM. Now, watch it on the NWMAC Facebook or YouTube pages or here. NWMAC staff Trey and Kristin spoke with Sister Denise Schonhardt to highlight the Art & Spirituality Exhibit and about her artistic influence, vision, how spirituality influences her art, and much more. The Art and Spirituality Exhibit is open until September 29. Let us know if you have questions!
Watch this online discussion with retired art teacher Gary Stegman here.
On Wednesday, July 5 the NWMAC held an Artist Spotlight with Retired Art Teacher Gary Stegman. You can watch this discussion with NWMAC staff Trey Everett and Kristin Eggerling at the link above or on the NWMAC Facebook or YouTube pages. Stegman spoke about students, motivation, the arts, artistic vision, his background, and much more. Some of Stegman’s students have artwork in the current NWMAC exhibit Student Art Exhibit at NCTC in Thief River Falls. The exhibit is open until July 26. Let us know if you have questions.
Watch this online discussion with Ceramic Artist Kate Hammer here.
Tune into the NWMAC Facebook or YouTube pages on Monday, March 20 at 11 am to watch a discussion with Roseau Ceramic Artist Kate Hammer. Hammer’s art will be featured in the NWMAC Exhibit The Art of Addiction, which is open from Wednesday, March 8 - Friday, April 28 at our gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls. Can’t make it on the 20th? No problem. You’ll be able to watch a recording of the the spotlight any time afterwards. Let us know if you have questions.
Did you miss our online discussion with Thief River Falls Visual Artist Christine Foster on January 20? The artwork of Christine and her husband Bert Foster is featured in our exhibit — Northern Exposure: Paintbrush and Camera at the NWMAC Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls through March 3. We talked about the exhibit, Christine’s background and her artwork, insight into creativity and inspiration, and much more! The discussion was live on our Facebook page and YouTube Live. The discussion with Christine is here: https://youtu.be/JbZA18Mld88
You can view the discussion with Bert here: https://youtu.be/WHHi9r23Y8U
Watch the recording of our online discussion with Thief River Falls Photographer Bert Foster on January 23. The artwork of Bert and his wife Christine Foster is featured in our exhibit — Northern Exposure: Paintbrush and Camera at the NWMAC Gallery at NCTC in Thief River Falls through March 3. We talked about the exhibit, Bert’s background and photography, insight into creativity and inspiration, and much more! The discussion was live on our Facebook page and YouTube Live (and you can still find it there). You can also view it here: https://youtu.be/WHHi9r23Y8U.
You can view Christine’s Artist Spotlight here: https://youtu.be/JbZA18Mld88
For questions about Bert’s photography or to purchase any of his photographs, reach out to him at fosterbert1987@gmail.com.
Listen to TRFACT Executive Director Jane Anderson and NWMAC Staff talk about theater in NW Minnesota for youth. This discussion includes the NWMAC exhibit More Drama Please! as well as a number of other items.
Watch the discussion here.
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC)'s exhibit – More Drama Please! Open from October 4 through the end of November, this gallery exhibit features non-profit theater groups that work primarily with children in the NW Minnesota region. When you visit the exhibit you will find props, costumes, shoes, Paper-Mache creations, photos, playbills, advertising, and historical information. Many of the props and costumes are handmade and have been used in a variety of plays over the years.
The featured theater groups are Thief River Falls Area Community Theater, Middle River Community Theatre, and Fosston Community Theater. For this exhibit there are no pieces of art for sale. To view the exhibit virtually click the link below.
TRFACT Director Jane Anderson has said, “Since I am a full-time employee of the Thief River Falls ACT, theater is my working life. But it is also my non-working life. I live to create theater for the community, to educate children and adults on stage, and to bring joy and inspiration to those in the audiences. Bringing joy to others, makes me happy and whole.” Jane has much more to say during this Artist Spotlight.
The NWMAC Gallery is located at Northland Community and Technical College, 1101 State Highway 1, Thief River Falls, MN 56701. The gallery hours are Monday-Friday from 8:30-5 PM and at other times when events are held at the college. Enter through Door B. Visitor parking is free.
This exhibit is made possible with funding from The McKnight Foundation. Please sign up for our e-newsletter on our website home page to see the latest news and grant announcements. Email director@NWArtsCouncil.org or call 218-745-8886 to reach our office during regular business hours.
Join us for an online discussion with the artists who have work in our Dynamic Voices Exhibit! We spoke about the exhibit, their backgrounds, insight into creativity and inspiration, and much more! The discussion was on our Facebook page and YouTube Live. Once the broadcast is done, you can watch it at anytime with this link https://youtu.be/FPSx5KBAoWQ. Let us know if you have any questions!