Inspiring, Nurturing
& Celebrating
the Arts
NWFA Winter Hours begin the week of November 3.
Beginning the week of November 3, NWFA gallery will be open each Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wednesday hours will resume April 2, 2025.
Let's Soar…photograph it…enjoy it, share it! #NorthwoodsFriendsOfTheArts #LetsSoar @NWFAMN
Carl Gawboy Book Talk on ZOOM
January 22, 202
Carl Gawboy, a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe and Finnish descent, will talk about his new book, “Fur Trade Nation: an Ojibwe’s Graphic History”, the result of his research and teaching on fur trad history at the University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Scholastica.
From MPR Native News
Melissa Olson April25, 2024
“For Gawboy, teaching fur trade history is about seeing Ojibwe people and cultural values as the center of trade relations with European trading partners beginning in the 17th century. What emerges throughout the book is a recognition of Ojibew women’s economic decision-making … “Cloth was the number one trade good by volume, not guns. Needles, cloth, kettles, axes,” said Gawboy.
Registration is free, but required to join this book talk. We need your name and email address to send the invitation.
Sign up to be a part of the Carl Gawboy ZOOM Talk here!
“PIECING IT TOGETHER; A Fabric Art Show With Cecilia Rolando
This double exhibit in Cook, MN at Northwoods Friends of the Arts Gallery will feature the fabric art collages of Ely artist Cecilia Rolando and the NWFA Arts Round Robin Quilt group. The exhibit opens Thursday, January 9 to Saturday January 31. There will be a reception on Saturday, January 11 from noon to 2 p.m. at the NWFA Gallery, 210 S. River St., Cook, MN. To see this exhibit the regular open hours for the gallery are 10 to 4 on Thursdays and Friday and 9 to 1 on Saturdays.
Artist Cecilia Rolando, now retired, has sufficient time to spend creating and teaching. She is motivated to make art with the materials available and by her interest in composition. Besides using paint, computer apps, beads, and other mediums, she is fascinated by piecing fabric into wall hangings. Although she admires the work of quilters, because of a lack of patience and exactness, she is unable to follow the discipline formal quilting requires. Therefore, she has adapted her love for sewing and fabrics into the fabric collages on display at NWFA.. The show will feature 25-30 wall hangings and bags. She exhibited a number of these pieces previously in a show in Dinky Town last year. Other creations on exhibit are in private collections.
Quilts by the Round Robin Quilt group of NWFA: “Round Robin” is a method of collaborative quilt construction. Each participant starts a quilt top which is then passed on to each participant who adds an additional row, square or boarder to the quilt. The resulting quilt is always a surprise at completion. The quilters in this group include Vickie Lange, JoAnn Anderson, Cheryl Harelstad, Barb Schmidt, and Alberta Whitenack.
Happening Now
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Hello NWFA Members… Hope you all enjoyed the Holidays and are looking ahead to a healthy and joyful 2025!
NWFA had a wonderful, and successful holiday season thanks to all of you, and now we have some exciting events lined up for 2025! Planning for classes and exhibits is underway, and all dates and times will be shared over the next few months.
Upcoming 2025 Events Include:
January Fabric Art Show January 9 - 31
“Piecing It Together”, The fabric art collages of Ely artist, Cecilia Rolando, will be featured along with quilts by NWFA's Round Robin Quilt group, including Vicki Lange, JoAnn Anderson, Cheryl Harelstad, Barb Schmidt, and Alberta Whiteneck. Details about a possible reception coming soon.
Carl Gawboy Zoom Book Talk January 22 at 11 am
Renowned local author Carl Gawboy will discuss his book, Fur Trade Nation on our first public Zoom event!
Mark your calendar and look for details on how to register, which will be shared on nwfamn.org and email communication.
February Photo Exhibit: People That I've Known
NWFA members and the public are invited to provide personal photographs of people in their lives for display. You need NOT take submitted photos (new or old). However, we do ask that you share how this person is important to you. Additional details to follow.
March 6 - 28: Take a Shot in the Dark Photo Contest with cash prizes for first and second place!
A special photo contest will be on display at the Gallery from March 6-28. Entries will be judged by popular vote and cash prizes of $100 for 1st and $50 for 2nd place will be awarded. Registration is $10 per photo and participants are asked to include a theme for each submission (voting ends at 12 pm on March 28).
NWFA Members will be receiving registration materials by mail and the contest will be announced on social media and in local newspapers.
All are invited to attend the Reception/Awards Ceremony Fri., March 28 from 5 pm - 7 pm
As always, thanks to you, our members, and best wishes for a Happy New Year!
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Community Mural - Downtown Chisholm
Chisholm, MN
The City of Chisholm, the Chisholm Downtown Revitalization
Committee, and Chisholm Public Library are pleased to announce a
request for proposal (RFP) to create a piece of public artwork. We
are seeking a talented individual(s) to create a mural that celebrates
and enhances our vibrant community through story and art.
Project Overview
Location: Green space, affectionately referred to as “Troll Park”, located between the Chisholm Public
Library and Chisholm City Hall. 300 & 316 West Lake Street, Chisholm MN 55719
Medium: High resolution panels applied to outdoor cinderblock wall or comparable application. Must be designed for longevity in harsh outdoor climate.
Dimensions: ~76’wide x ~15’ tall
Description: The proposed artwork is part of an overall space redesign located between City Hall and the Chisholm Public Library. The collective vision of the space includes the addition of locally inspired art,
interactive experiences that foster play & connection, and creating community story that cultivates belonging.
Mural Aims To:
• Enhance a welcoming and unifying space within the community, serving as a destination for
community activities, conversation and gatherings.
• Reflect the unique identity and spirit of our community by creating a sense of belonging -
encouraging local pride and a sense of ownership among residents.
• Create an emotional experience where people can pause, reflect, and feel inspired by the art and
environment around them.
• Honor the unique past of our area, embrace the present moment, and imagine the future.
Eligibility
The RFP is open to artist(s) 18 years of age or older. Preferred applicants are able to demonstrate
previous experience with mural painting or large-scale public art projects.
Concept Discovery Meeting
A concept discovery meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 29th 5:00PM at the Chisholm Public Library. This meeting, while not mandatory, is highly encouraged. Artist will get an opportunity to see the space, talk to members of our committee, and get deeper insight on community vision. It will also offer an opportunity for artist(s) to ask questions and clarify any uncertainties before formally submitting anapplication.
*If you are an artist planning on attending the concept discovery meeting, please RSVP to Katie at kchristenson@ci.chisholm.mn.us by Monday, October 21st
Funding / Compensation
This project has been funded by the Rural Leadership Boost Grant through the Blandin Foundation.
Scale ranging from $20,000 - $28,000 paid in two lump sums. 1st payment at final approval and 2nd
payment upon installation. Inclusive of all artist fees, travel, research, design, materials, fabrication, transportation, insurance, installation/construction and documentation.
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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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In November the NWFA Gallery featured am exhibit called “Native American Art:
Past and Present”. On Nov. 16th Minnesota Public Radio presented a short
feature about NWFA’s exhibit on the program called “Art Hounds”. Each week
MPR’s Emily Bright interviews art hounds who want to share art from throughout
Minnesota with the public radio audience. Payton Counts and Theresa Drift were
the art hounds for the poignant exhibit put together by our local Native American
communities at Northwoods Friends of the Arts.
Members, you may listen to the two minute broadcast by googling
MPRNEWS.ORG and select Art Hounds and scroll to Nov. 16th, 2023.
Here's more information on who can be an Art Hound:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/04/29/want-to-be-an-art-hound-heres-what-you-need-to-know.
Let’s see if NWFA art can be featured again soon!
NWFA 2025 PHOTO CONTEST A SHOT IN THE DARK
YUP…. WHETHER YOU INTENDED IT OR NOT THIS PHOTOGRAPH TURNED OUT BETTER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT MIGHT. ENTER IT IN THE NWFA 2025 PHOTO CONTEST.
THERE ARE PRIZES! $100 FOR WINNER; $50 FOR RUNNER UP. VIEWERS VOTE AND CHOOSE THE WINNER.
THE ENTRY FEE IS $10.00 PER ENTRY. YES, YOU MAY ENTER MORE THAN ONE. THE FEE INCLUDES A DISPLAY MAT AND SLEEVE. STUDENTS (18 OR YOUNGER) MAY ENTER 3 PHOTOS FREE.
PHOTOS MUST BE EITHER 5X7 OR 8X10.
THE CONTEST BEGINS THURSDAY, MARCH 6, AND ENDS FRIDAY, MARCH 28. ALL ENTRIES NEED TO BE AT THE NWFA GALLERY BY ONE PM ON MARCH 1.
THE CONTEST ENDS WITH A RECEPTION AT THE GALLERY ON MARCH 28 FROM 5-7. VOTING ENDS AT NOON ON THE 28TH. WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED AT THE RECEPTION.
REGISTRATION MATERIAL ARE AVAILABLE AT THE GALLERY DURING GALLERY HOURS (10-4, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY; 9-1 SATURDAY) OR CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE FORM! ENTRANTS MAY MAIL THEIR PHOTOS WITH REGISTRATION FORM TO NWFA, PO BOX 44, COOK, MN. 55723 OR MAY DROP THEM OFF AT THE GALLERY DURING GALLERY HOURS.
2024 WINNERS!
NWFA Invites Photos for exhibit: “People That I've Known“
February’s (Feb 6-28) exhibit at Northwoods Friends of the Arts will feature photos of people you know. NWFA is inviting members and the public to lend personal photographs of people in their lives, Photos (new or old) submitted, need NOT be taken by you.
We ask that you write a paragraph or two for the exhibit, sharing how the persons or person in the photo are/is important to you.
Please, each photo, any size, deliver it matted framed or mounted on material such as mat board, plywood, foam core board or other material suitable for display.
Volunteers at NWFA Gallery are delightfully looking forward to the photos you will lend to NWFA for this interesting community exhibition. Please deliver the
“ready for display” photos to the NWFA Gallery adjacent to DreamWeaver Salon at 210 S. River St. on Thursday and Friday, January 30 or 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or on Saturday, February 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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.
Writing Publicity for NWFA:
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’.
Showing-n-Selling jewelry, watercolors, woodcarvings, textiles, greeting cards, oil paintings, stained glass, pottery/ceramics, mixed media, photography, crafts and more!
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 NWFANorthwoods 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
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