Our prairie lakes region boasts some of the most eclectic and accomplished artists around. "Meet Me On The Tour" is your invitation to connect personally with these creative individuals.
Artists are listed alphabetically by last name. Watch for future updates as artists are signed. Not all artists are listed here.

A - H

I - Q

R - Z

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"This will be my first tour as a participant rather than a guest. I’m really excited about introducing my body of work to the local art community."

Studio Tour Events
Diane will likely have a project in process when you visit her on the tour.

Diane Ayers

I'm a retired sheet metal worker and live on a 40-acre hobby farm in Otter Tail County. I’ve worked in glass, clay, fiber, silver and my current focus is leather.

My art mediums include hand-stitched leather handbags, wallets, backpacks and accessories.
   
My bag styles originate from designers in Turkey, Poland and Georgia. My work is hand cut and stitched from cowhide, Asian water buffalo, and fine Italian leathers chosen for their color, texture, and temper. The characteristics of the materials must support the framework of the project.

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"Come meet me! I love helping you add some color and flash to your outdoor spaces. This is my first appearance on the tour after having been a visitor for many years."

Studio Tour Events
Beth will have some of the building blocks of her work on display.

Beth Betts
Beth's Outdoor Art

Beth Betts has been creating a variety of art throughout her life, including many years painting custom ethnic needlepoint. Her last 10 years has involved  designing and creating ceramic mosiac designs.  ​

Her ceramic mosiac pieces are meant to decorate your outdoor areas. Brightly colored mirrors, birdbaths, small furniture, and other elements add color, texture and variety to your deck, porch or garden.
  
Beth breaks, mortars and glues small bits of Italian tile and grouts it to create a long lasting piece to be enjoyed. Every piece is a unique one of a kind creation.

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"I'm so excited to share my studio space with the people that come out for our tour. I've been blessed to live in a lovely spot and would love for you to see it along with my art."

Julie Gish

An interest in drawing has been in me since I was a youth. Art teachers through my school years encouraged that interest. While raising 3 girls and working in Interior Design, I found some time for artistic expression. The real catylist towards Painting and working in Fabric Art came with retirement!
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Since I'm infatuated with bright colors, acrylic painting has become my favorite medium. Watercolors are also a medium I love, but spend a little less time pursuing. For years I had been contemplating turning fabric in to art. From this came my next chapter in artistic expression: Fabric Art!
 
Often I am inspired by the places I go or the things I do. A motorcycle ride, a grandchild's first catch of a trout or a bouquet of flowers in a Ball canning jar. Whatever the inspiration, I'm not satisfied until it's captured.

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"If you'd like to follow local artists' work, here's your chance! I'd love to have you come visit, watch me work, and ask questions."

Studio Tour Events
You may catch me in a demo of watercolor batik, acrylic on canvas, or making a collage for the background of an independent layering process. I usually have treats, so stop on in I'd love to see ya.

Ruth Hanson
Song of Ruth

Art has interested me as long as I can remember. I have a degree in Art Education and taught art for several years. Now I work in watercolor batik, a few other watercolor techniques, along with oil pastel, acrylics, and calligraphy. And I teach workshops.
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​Watercolor batik is alternating layers of melted wax and watercolor on rice paper. Neither watercolor no melted wax like to stay within their bounds so the results are always a surprise. I also work in oil pastel on suede board and lately I've been working with big cloud farm scenes in acrylic. I also have around 100 greeting card designs.

I like scenes that make me feel peaceful, bring back memories, or are just interesting or beautiful. That's what I enjoy painting and what I hope you enjoy seeing.

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"The Studio Tour is a fun event and a great way to connect with local artists! With such a wonderful variety of art there's something for everyone."

Studio Tour Events
Anna will be painting with watercolor and doing demos.

Anna Lassonde
Jollybird Studio

Anna Lassonde is a multidisciplinary artist based in Detroit Lakes, MN, where she operates Jollybird Studio. Art has been a lifelong passion for Anna, beginning in childhood and evolving into a professional career. She attended NDSU for Fine Arts. In 2019 she officially launched her art business.
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​Anna enjoys working in a variety of mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, graphite, gouache, oil painting, ceramics, and mixed media.
She has a passion for capturing the beauty of nature, animals, and human connection. She incorporates whimsy, humor and heart into her work, making her art relatable and enjoyable for all.

Anna draws inspiration from the farm where she lives, surrounded by animals and nature. She enjoys painting en plein air, capturing a scene directly or snapping a photos to use for reference to paint later in her studio. Some of her art is painted by complete intuition, trusting the process of the creative journey until the artwork feels like the expression she seeks.

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"What a day to be immersed in the mind of a creative! An artist studio tour offers more than art—it’s a behind-the-scenes look at process, purpose, and inspiration."

Studio Tour Events
I'll be painting in my current series, and will have my Gallery open for a quaint place to sit and enjoy refreshments and music. I'll have large and small art and gifts for sale.
 

Lyssa Lovejoy
Lovejoy Fine Art

Lyssa Lovejoy is a self-taught visual artist exploring resilience and human connection through bold color and loose, emotive strokes. With over 30 years as a teaching artist, she passionately advocates for the role of art in mental health, creating work that invites reflection, connection, and personal transformation.
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Her practice spans a range of media, including abstract canvas work, layered collage, mixed media, pen & ink illustration, and fluid watercolor.
 
Lyssa Lovejoy’s intuitive, series-based practice blends journaling, music, and layered experimentation. Working across multiple pieces at once, she balances structure with spontaneity, allowing each work to evolve organically. Her creative process is guided by emotion, resilience, and reflection—inviting discovery through both disciplined goals and playful exploration.
 

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"People that come through on the tour give me great inspirations for future art."

Studio Tour Events
Faythe will be working on a painting or drawing.

Faythe Mills

I have a degree in Graphic Design but have focused more on fine art lately. Subjects I photograph keep my project list full.
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My mediums include Acrylics, Soft Pastels, Pencil, Inkwash, Watercolor

I sometimes run my photo through an app to get a more abstract feel. I also will manipulate a photo in Photoshop to get the look I want to paint or draw.

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"I offer individual lessons and small group / date night events."

Studio Tour Events
We'll be doing glassblowing demos all day every day, and will have some treats and refreshments.

John Olesen
White Pine Studio

As a Glass Artist I've lived and worked in a wide range of places: the Catskills of NY, Santa Barbara CA, Minneapolis MN, and now at my current studio here in Otter Tail County. I've grown and changed as an artist at every stop. Here in beautiful west central MN it's easy to find inspiration to create and I continue to evolve as an artist.
 
My art mediums are blown glass, both functional and decorative, as well as forged metal and glass sculptures.

I'm a traditional glass blower. I have a furnace full of molten glass that I gather on the end of a metal blowpipe to shape into individual items that are sometimes functional and sometimes just a beautiful object to look at. I also do a bit of blacksmithing and incorporate that into forged metal and blown glass sculptures.

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"I will be able to guide a new comer to welding on a project."

Studio Tour Events
I will be onsite welding and bending steel during the tour.

Craig Michael Palm

I found my love of art at a very young age while watching my father paint. I feel fortunate to have had many talented and special people in my life who have provided an abundance of influence and inspiration.
For the past 20 years I've been working with steel, aluminum and copper. I love to create larger than life sculptures as well as small table-top sized sculptures. Everything from people, horses, bears, elk, birds, fish and more. I like the challenge of taking a flat piece of steel and bringing it to life. It always makes me happy when I see my art bringing smiles to faces.

My art mediums are oil, acrylics, water colors, pastels, patinas, steel, copper, and aluminum.

My process always starts with a vision. I try to stay as close to scale as possible; however, my metal art always ends up larger than life.

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"Seeing where I live and work year round gives deeper insight into my artwork."

Studio Tour Events
I'll discuss and demonstrate whatever folks are interested in seeing. We'll have some snacks and beverages to offer.

Sean Scott
Pomme de Terre Pottery

Sean Scott is a ceramic artist with a BFA from Ohio University, an MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and twenty years at Pomme de Terre Pottery.
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"I take a lump of clay and turn it into art, by any means necessary."

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"We'll be at Off The Wall Gallery in Clitherall. Our studio in Alexandria is open when we're home and we love visitors! "

Bill Seykora
Turning Lake Designs

My artistic experience started as a chef, carving ice and decorating food. Because of a love of wood my art passion turned to wood turning and woodworking, always looking for another process. As a self taught turner, I love the beauty you find in a piece of wood. It's the challenge of making something new and different that keeps me going. 
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Working in wood with resin, sometimes I create turned wood bowls, lazy Susans, charcuterie boards, cutting boards, pepper grinders, pizza knives, coat racks, benches, tables and more. 

I start with unique woods from the North West and Midwest. I design what I see in the wood. It might be a charcuterie board or it might end up as a pepper grinder, It depend on what's in the wood.

The addition of colored pencils or popsicle sticks with resin brings in a whole new look, in addition to new possibilities. Many of the wood pieces I use are full of character and beautiful grain that's impossible to replicate, so my pieces are all one of a kind! 

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"For this show we'll be located at Off The Wall Gallery. Our studio is open whenever we're home, we love visitors! "

Merodie Seykora
Turning Lake Designs

I've been a potter for over 45 years. I'm also a retired art teacher and a person who is passionate about art and the directions it can take you! ​

I'll be showing pottery (wheel thrown and hand-built functional stoneware), along with colored-pencil jewelry and weavings using paper and other fibers.

The process of making something so it speaks personally is fascinating to me. I love a piece of pottery that not only looks beautiful but feels good too! My jewelry is made from my husbands artwork scraps. Each piece is a little different and guaranteed to get a comment!

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"I've participated in the Studio Tour for the past 20 years, and maybe more, hard to remember!"

Studio Tour Events
Visitors will learn about Sandra's firing process, and studio assistants will demonstrate how to throw pottery on the potters wheel.

Sandra Shaugnessy
Clayhouse Pottery Studio

I studied ceramics at the University of Northern Iowa, University of New Mexico and Eastern Michigan University achieving an MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) in ceramics in 1985. Currently, I am a full-time potter at Clayhouse Pottery, firing high temperature stoneware, gas/soda and electric kiln processes. My studio practice is an integral part of my life generating rhythm, expression, mindfulness and a never-ending desire to create!

My clay work is “ceremoniously functional”, meaning there is an element of ritual involved while using my handmade pottery. Many of my pieces have an altered quality that expresses the softness of the clay and the atmospheric soda firing process. The imagery I use combined with a tape or glaze & wax resist technique derive from the rural landscape of northern Minnesota and the cityscapes of Minneapolis.​

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"I've enjoyed sharing studios with other artists on the Tour for the past eight years and look forward to welcoming art lovers into my own home this year."

Studio Tour Events
Snacks and beverages will be available. 

Sandra Thimgan

My artistic interests have continued to evolve over the years. Presently, my passions include the creation of unique jewelry using chain maille, repurposed silverware, polymer clay, and hand-building fine silver pieces. I also have an appetite for the culinary arts.
 
In addition to these pursuits, I deeply love the tranquility of paper arts including origami, handmade cards, and book arts. A recent new passion is working with slab clay.

I'm an artist who is constantly evolving, moving into new mediums as I discover fresh techniques for artistic creation.

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"Our location is a bit off the main route but an absolute must stop for the views, demos, and work."

Brad Wegscheid

I graduated from the Perpich Center for Arts Education as a member of the second class to graduate from this fine institution. Then I was off to Michigan to get my BFA in graphic communication. Having done graphic design for decades I have now (mostly) switched to fine art.
  
I am an artistic tinkerer and as such I work in whatever medium best suits my current work or project. I mostly sculpt now and work with clay, cement, wood, metal and whatever other bits I need to bring a work to life.

I find the greatest reward creating large one of a kind works. When creating these projects I start by finding out what is required for the space. Then sketches are made and I decide what materials work best for the project. Smaller works are created from my own whimsy and the hope is someone else also enjoys the work.

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"I've been on the studio tour since the beginning. Love to meet old friends and new friends. It’s a wonderful two days!"

Studio Tour Events
I will be doing some demos during the Tour. Also will explain my process and show off my studio.

Mary Williams

I am a working artist. I've attended many art classes, and graduated from the Art Institute in Chicago. I've taught many art classes for Art of the Lakes and will teach one again this summer.
  
I work in nature's materials, particularly stone and clay. I began creating larger pieces in limestone for outdoor display. The weight of the stone was a drawback. So I started working in cement. Many of my pieces are displayed in our yard.
 
I draw, play in clay, and talk to my stones. That is how I get my ideas: a lot of hard work and patience.

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