Inspiring, Nurturing
& Celebrating
the Arts
SUMMER HOURS ARE HERE!
Wednesday – Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
“80 Square Inches of Art”
Register to participate in this year’s “80 Square Inches of Art”
It’s easy! Stop by the gallery during open hours and pick up 8X10 canvases for $10 each. Work in any medium of your choice…. paint, weave, quilt or adhesive. Return the completed canvases to the gallery by June 28. During the July exhibit, canvases will be displayed and priced at $50 (if you wish to sell) and 50% of the sales will contribute to support NWFA classes and events.
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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NWFA Spring Art Expo Opening Reception is Friday, June 6
COOK, MN — Northwoods Friends of the Arts (NWFA) is inviting the community to the opening reception of their 15th Annual Spring Art Expo on Friday, June 6, from 5 – 7 p.m. The celebration kicks off at the NWFA gallery, 210 S River Street where over 40 local artists will showcase their work, offering a chance to explore a diverse range of talent while enjoying light refreshments.
During Cook's Timber Days (June 13-15), the Expo brings fun for families with Make-It-and-Take-It art activities for kids. The NWFA art table will be in the City Park on River Street and will be buzzing with creativity on June 13, from 1 to 4 p.m., and again on June 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with extended Gallery hours to 4 p.m. that day.
The NWFA Annual Meeting takes place on Tuesday, June 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Gallery. Attendees are invited to share a potluck dinner, followed by our special guest speaker, Dan Pellinen, author of The Yoga Baseball Method, from 6 to 7 p.m.
NWFA is also running a 50/50 raffle with tickets priced at just $5. The top winner will take home their choice of a cash prize of 50 % of the ticket sales, or a stunning acrylic print by local artist Carol Bowman, titled "A Blaze of Glory” valued at $265.
Tickets can be purchased for the 50/50 Raffle & Annual Fundraising Concert by emailing nwfamn.org@gmail.com or from NWFA board members. Concert tickets can also be purchased in person at the Gallery during normal business hours: Wed.- Fri. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. & Sat. from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The lucky winners will be announced at the Annual Fundraising Concert on June 28 held at the Cook Community Center, 510 Gopher Drive.The night begins with Eric Pederson, delivering a mix of classic country and rock favorites. Then, Monroe Crossing takes the stage with their signature bluegrass harmonies. Concert tickets are $25, which includes drinks and dessert, with additional food options available from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Food Tent.
NWFA is soliciting donations of raffle baskets or gift certificates from individuals or businesses for this fundraiser. The opportunity to bid will be available at the Gallery throughout the month of June. Stop by for details. For more information, email nwfamn.org@gmail.com
NWFA – Bringing art, music, and community together in Cook.
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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
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!
Music in the Park returns this June! Friends & family, join us Wednesday evenings this summer for live music, great food, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Relax as the sun sets, enjoy local bands, and savor delicious eats with good company!
Time 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church will have food for purchase.
In case of rain, performances will be at the Cook VFW.JUNE
18-The Jimmy & Eric Show
25- The Hutter Bunch
JULY
2- The Dionysian Dithyramb Band
9- The Divas
16- Sam Militich Trio
23- Just Us
30- The Jimmy & Eric Show
AUGUST
6- Robert Walker's Outlaw Country
13- R & B, The Dan & Sharon Experience
20- The No Notes
27- The Jimmy & Eric Show featuring Anna Marie! The year end extravaganza!
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 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
Come Visit and Shop NWFA GALLERY