Inspiring, Nurturing
& Celebrating
the Arts
CONGRATS TO OUR PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS!
North Woods Friends of the Arts announces the two winners of the 2026 Photo Contest: Darla Freyholtz, 2nd place because of a coin toss after tie voting, of Orr, pictured, with her photo "Loon Reflection." And Carol Bowman, of Aurora, with her photo "Calm" of a feather floating on a lake. Carol was not in attendance for the reception at the Gallery in Cook. There were 72 entries in the annual contest, with the theme this year” Up North Reflections.”
GALLERY HOURS!
Summer Hours (Starting April)
Wed - Friday: 10-4. Sat: 9 – 1
Winter Hours
Thurs-Fri: 10-4 Sat: 10-2
Let's Soar…take a photo with our wings mural! Photograph it…enjoy it, share it! #NorthwoodsFriendsOfTheArts #LetsSoar @NWFAMN
Happening Now
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Hello NWFA Members and Friends and Happy May!
Our 2026 schedule of art classes is open for registration!
We are happy to offer an exciting variety of art classes to spark your creativity and build skills, including pottery, watercolor, drawing, poetry, and more!
Register for classes at www.nwfamn.org, email nwfamn.org@gmail.com, or call 218-780-7130.
Fri May 15: Reversible Beaded Bracelet with Elizabeth Yearwood from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sat May 16: Needle Felt a Picture with Dafne Caruso from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Thu May 21: Pens and Wash with Cecilia Rolando from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
May 30 & June 13: Funky Mug Ceramics with Lyn Reed from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sat June 6: Block Print with Lyn Reed from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Wed June 10: Fish Print (Gyotaku) with Lyn Reed from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Wed June 17: Free Curious and Creative Class Pottery Fun (Kids Ceramics) with Lyn Reed from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Thu & Fri June 18 & 19: with Cecilia Rolando Gelli Print (Thursday), Collage (Friday) from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. both days
Thu July 9: Free Open Mic Poetry Sharing with Cecilia Rolando from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Wed July 15: Felted Sauna Hat with Shelly Tahija, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Wed July 22: Silk Screen a T-Shirt with Lyn Reed from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Wed Aug 5: Free Curious & Creative Class Fun Printing for Kids with Lyn Reed from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Sat Aug 8: Acrylic Painting from Beginner & Onward with Dafne Caruso from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Happening Now!
All should have received the registration for the 2026 Spring Art Expo Call for Artists and Membership Forms
Wednesday’s Music in the Park Schedule is Coming Soon!
Special Hours: The gallery will have special hours Sat, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Spring into Summer Shop Hop and Sat, June 13, for Cook Timber Days.
Please check our website nwfamn.org for updates throughout the month.
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Each Monday artists are invited to "do art" with others at NWFA gallery from 6 to 8 p.m. No registration required. Hope to see you there!
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The popular Wings Mural in Cook City Park by the Library and gazebo, has been duplicated and set back in place! The original was made up of feathers painted by children during NWFA Summer classes . Thanks to Lyn Reed and Lauren Nelson. The mural is up now, go check it out!
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MN Public Radio Art Hounds…2025
From July 17 2025 Art Hounds interview MPR:
Live music by the lake
"Jeanne O’Melia, who lives on Lake Vermilion, makes her way to Cook, Minn., every Wednesday evening — often by boat — to enjoy the free live music at the gazebo downtown. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. In the event of rain, concerts move indoors to the VFW.
The music runs from 6–8 p.m. on Wednesdays throughout the summer. Next week, central Minnesota cover band JustUs takes the stage. On July 30, Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame inductee Keith Secola performs.,,,,mprnews.org/podcasts"
https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2025/07/17/art-hounds-shakespeare-music-and-pottery-all-outdoors
ListenMPR News“On fabric, dragons and freedom”
Listen to this broadcast here. If you select “Cecilia Rolando” online within the article you will see Rolando artwork.
Jan. 16 2025 Art Hounds on MPR News
A stitch in time
Lyn Reed is a former art teacher and a ceramic artist living in Orr, but she made the trip to the Northwoods Friends of the Arts in Cook, Minn., to take in the joyful colors and compositions of fabric artist Cecilia Rolando of Ely.
Entitled “Piecing it Together,” the exhibit runs through Jan. 31. Several small quilts designed and sewn by NWFA’s Round Robin Quilt Group are also on display.
Lyn Reed offers this look around the gallery, where the colors and textures provide a welcome burst of inspiration in January.
Lyn says: She calls it fabric collage, and that’s exactly what it is. She must have just an incredible resource of fabrics because I notice fabric from Southeast Asia … Japan … she’s used doilies, antique lace, gingham …There’s a piece I really like that’s red and white spiral.
She cuts different pieces of different sizes, and she’s collaged those together. You can see that she’s layered them. She’s using all different types of stitching, and the lines actually look as if they’re in a drawing. The compositions are really beautiful.
It’s like a cornucopia of all different types of fabrics from around the world. If you love fabrics, you will enjoy Cecilia’s work.
— Lyn Reed
Thank you to artist and NWFA member, Lyn Reed, for volunteering to be interviewed by MPR News “Art Hounds”.
Music in the Park!
SUMMER SCHEDULE
COMING SOON!
Classes & Events
Did you know that Volunteers run Northwoods Friends of the Arts?
Priscilla Hiipakka is the volunteer coordinator and would love to have you stop in the gallery or contact her at nwfamn.org@gmail.com to volunteer. Some training is required and Artists exhibiting at the gallery may volunteer to work in lieu of the rent fee.
It’s fun and challenging and the volunteer experience looks good on a resume. Publicity is so very important to gallery. Do you know publicity or are you interested in learning? Email us at nwfamn.org@gmail.com and we can set up a class on ‘Publicity’.
We’re part gallery, part shop, and all about celebrating handmade creativity!
Swing by to check out (and take home!) beautiful jewelry, watercolors, woodcarvings, textiles, greeting cards, oil paintings, stained glass, pottery, ceramics, mixed media, photography, crafts, and more—made with heart by talented artists.
We work with community businesses, local schools, other arts organizations, and individual artists to provide a variety of quality arts experiences for Cook and the surrounding area residents.
There’s an ART for everyone here at NWFA!
You’ll find listings for painting classes, pottery, weaving and special youth painting and crafts classes offered on a regular basis in our classroom area. We also feature a summer writing class, concerts throughout the year, dance and drama performances and literary readings, too.
Literary readings and book signings are held here, too. So there’s always something of interest taking place in the gallery along with the lovely display of “Up North” artwork, prefect for your enjoyment and gift ideas.
Classes and workshops are taught by Gallery Members as well instructors from out of the immediate area.
Look around our site and discover all we offer and learn how we can make your art blossom!
Certain activities by NWFA are made possible in part by a grant provided by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (ARAC) and is funded, in part, by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
Northwoods Friends of the Arts (NWFA) Copyright © 2011-2015 All Rights Reserved Northwoods Friends of the Arts (NWFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. No copies of text or photographs are to be made without permission by NWFANWFA is a recipient of the Mineral Articles Funding through the 2024 Mineral Taxes Grant.
The following projects are supported by the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR)
Facility Upgrades
New Point Of Sale System
Programming
Northwoods Friends of the Arts Gallery (NWFA)
Your Community-Based Non-Profit Arts Organization!
Staffed by: Volunteer Members
210 River Street, Cook, Minnesota
218-780-7130
Come Visit and Shop NWFA GALLERY