Artful News August 2025

In This Issue

Art & Craft Affair 2025 is August 9
Prairie Lakes Plein Air Brings Creativity Outdoors
Art of the Lakes to Reconfigure the CAC
​Member Appreciation Dinner Planned for August 26
Studio Tour "Miles of Art" Prizes Awarded
Summer Arts Youth Camps Come to a Close
Get Creative: Classes & Workshops in August
Our Members in the News
​Evansville Art Center Photo Fundraiser

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Art & Craft Affair 2025 is August 9
Railroad Park in Battle Lake, MN
​Fair Open 9-4
​Kids' Activity Tent 10-2

Preview of 2025 vendor offerings

Free kids' activities!

For nearly 50 years, Art of the Lakes’ Art & Craft Affair has enlivened Railroad Park in Battle Lake on the second Saturday of August. This year’s event will be held Saturday, August 9.

This popular one day show draws nearly 80 vendors and 5,000 visitors annually. The fair is held in the grassy park land at the center of town, sandwiched between Larry’s grocery store and Hatchery Row.  

A wide variety of vendors will offer creative, handmade, original arts and crafts. From woodworking and fine artwork to jewelry, signs, clothing, personal care items, leather goods, holiday and lake decor, and more, there’s something to delight everyone!

Fairgoers of all ages can enjoy wandering through the event, connecting with creative people, and discovering hidden gems for purchase. Several food and beverage vendors will help satisfy your hunger and keep you hydrated. 

A free Kids’ Activity Tent will offer hands-on spin art and weaving crafts. The Activity Tent will be open from 10-2.

AOTL Members: Call for Art! We need artwork to sell in the AOTL booth at this event. Please drop off your work at the Gallery from Wednesday 9/6 to noon Friday 9/8. Call Deb Ness 218-864-8606 if you have questions.

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Prairie Lakes Plein Air Festival Brings Creativity Outdoors

​Enjoy Education, Exhibition & Competition
Learn Outdoor Painting
Volunteer, Have Fun, Make Connections

"Each artist will display up to three paintings at the reception and awards, held in the beautiful AOTL Gallery in Battle Lake. Quick Paint is a fun event in which many of us set up our easels around town, painting outdoors. Check us out!" 
​-- Susan Seaborn, PLPA2025 Featured Artist


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"​Thank you for your help and participation!" 
-- The PLPA 2025 Committee
Shanna Cramer, Stephen Henning, Ann Smith, Debbie Ness 

The Prairie Lakes Plein Air festival combines outdoor painting education, exhibition, and competition open to professional and non-professional artists of all skill levels.

• Plein air competition, demonstrations, and quick paint activities are happening from now until August 30.
• The concluding Preview and Award Ceremony on August 29 is an art-lovers' social and collecting event.
• Competition artwork will be on display for purchase in the Gallery from August 30 to September 27.
• See all scheduled PLPA 2025 activities

​It’s not too late to register for the Open Class in this event! If you’ve thought about trying plein air, but have been intimidated by the competition, Open Class is a great way to experience and learn about outdoor painting.

• Saturday August 2 there will be two demonstrations you can attend to watch plein air artists work. At 10am, Susan Seaborn will demo watercolor, and at 11:30am Stephen Henning will demo oil pastels. Look for Susan and Stephen at the Molly Stark picnic shelter in Glendalough State Park. Open to the public with park pass, RSVP for Susan and Stephen.
• Open Class artists will also have an opportunity to get feedback from this year's competition judge, Cheryl LeClair-Sommer.
• Register for Open Class ($20) here.

Volunteers are needed to assess current art inventory, rearrange the gallery, receive competition entries, hang the PLPA exhibit, and help host the reception and quick paint competition. Volunteering is a good way to have fun, make connections and contribute your energy to this annual event. Contact Deb Ness 218-864-8606 to learn more.

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Art of the Lakes to Reconfigure the Creative Arts Center

Partnerships are being expanded.

Classes will transition to partner facilities.

​ We're actively seeking partnerships and venues to help serve the CAC mission.
​
​Volunteers needed to help with this project!

Art of the Lakes will reconfigure its popular Creative Arts Center (CAC) in August and September, 2025.

The CAC’s robust programming - including art classes, performances, exhibitions and social gatherings - has received enthusiastic participation and glowing reviews from residents and visitors alike.

Enabled by a grant from the Blandin Foundation in late 2022, the CAC has operated in a former church building on West Main Street in Battle Lake. The facility has served programmatic activities well, but the rent and utilities on such a large building have been a significant financial drain.

In August, the CAC will expand its partnerships with community organizations and local businesses, and transition CAC programs to partner and pop-up spaces throughout the community. By the end of September, the CAC will no longer be housed in its current building.

Programming within the Battle Lake area will remain steady, as we actively search for a new long-term location that better aligns with our needs and sustainability goals, and those of our partners. 

“We see this as an opportunity to strengthen our connections with the community,” said Kristi Swee Kuder, AOTL board chair. “We’re already partnering with the Battle Lake Senior Center, Glendalough State Park, Good Samaritan, The Shoreline Restaurant and others. We’re fully committed to the vision of bringing arts education, community programming, and creative experiences to the region, within a new format.”

Organizations with potential venues may contact [email protected] to discuss partnership opportunities.

Volunteers are needed to help us organize, move and reconfigure our CAC facilities. Contact Deb Ness at 218-864-8606 to learn more about volunteering.

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Member Appreciation Dinner Planned for August 26
5 pm, Beach Bum's 

Save the date! On Tuesday, August 26 we'll honor and thank our members as we gather for dinner at Beach Bum's on Otter Tail Lake. All members are invited to attend along with a guest. Watch your email for a reminder later this month.

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2025 Studio Tour "Miles of Art" Prizes Awarded 

Our 2025 Studio Tour is now a wrap, but first we've got to give away some fantastic art prizes in our "Miles of Art" Passport drawing! Watch the video for the results.

​Congratulations to our winners, thank you to the artists who donated work, and thank you to all who participated in this year's Tour! It was a fantastic success!

Special thanks to Judi Celaschi, this year's Studio Tour Chair!

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2025 Summer Arts Youth Camps Come to a Close 

Our 2025 Summer Arts Youth Camps in June and July were a resounding success! Nearly 70 kids in two age groups enjoyed coloring, drawing, weaving, cooking, knitting, writing, painting, making piñatas, doodling, stitching, hand-building, wheel-throwing and glazing ceramics. Whew!

Thank you to the teachers, parents and kids for a fun summer of making art and friends!

"Thank you AOTL for doing this camp!! My kiddo LOVED every single class! His manners at dinner after the tea party were 💯"
-- Molly Johnston

"I second this! My two boys loved the classes they attended! Thank you Art of the Lakes for putting these classes on this summer!! Such great opportunities for our youth. ❤️"
-- Katrina Ball

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Get Creative:
​Classes & Workshops in August

Jim Turner: Fun with Watercolor on Yupo

Aug 6: Painting Birds and People in Watercolor (FULL)
Aug 6: Clay Date Night (1 spot left)
Aug 8, 15: Slow Stitching: The Relaxing World of Hand Sewing
Aug 10: Barn Quilts
Aug 14: Gelli Plate Printing and Mixed-Media Art
Aug 21: Charcuterie for Dinner!
Aug 27, 28: Fun with Watercolor on Yupo

Get creative - see you in class!

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Our Members in the News

Art of the Lakes members are among the most active and accomplished artists and art supporters around! Here's a selection of news about just some of them.

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Sandy Thimgan will participate in MState's Second Wind exhibition August 19 to October 30 in Fergus Falls. Reception and artist talks September 25, 4-6pm. Second Wind is an exhibit about people who got into art after a career in something totally different.

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Susan Seaborn has paintings in three upcoming shows:

• Red River Watercolor Society‘s 32nd National Juried Show, August 25 to September 19 at Diederich Gallery MSU/Moorhead. Reception August 26 6-8 pm.
• Second Wind in the Charles Beck Gallery MState Fergus Falls. August to October 30. Reception September 25, 4-6pm.
• Demonstrations and competition in AOTL's 2025 Prairie Lakes Plein Air festival.

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John Shaw  is pleased to have had three of his most recent ceramic pieces selected for the Lake Region Arts Council’s current exhibit, ‘Guest Juror Exhibit - Nancy Ariza’. Of 102 pieces submitted for consideration, 28 were accepted. The exhibit is in the LRAC Main Gallery in Fergus Falls. The show runs from now through September 24. An Artist’s Reception is scheduled for September 16, 5:30 to 7:00 pm.

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Lyssa Lovejoy is offering experiences she calls "The Art Within: A Safe Space to Create & Let Go". Call her at 763-516-7219 for more information.

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4 Points of Light members Lyssa Lovejoy, Calvin DeRuyter, Jackie Henning, and Stephen Henning will host another Open Studios event on Friday and Saturday, August 22 and 23, from 10am to 5pm. Details on Stephen's website

​While visiting the Evansville area you may also enjoy taking in the current exhibition at Evansville Art Center, featuring paintings by Al Stelton.

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Grace Haverty had her painting The Conductor accepted into the Red River Watercolor Society National Juried Exhibition, held August 25 through September 19 at the Diederich Art Gallery at Minnesota University in Moorhead.

Grace also ​had her painting Snow Geese accepted into Women in Watercolor Sixth Annual International Juried Competition. The painting was one of 276 accepted out of 1,730 entries from 56 countries. 

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Sandra Shaughnessy (Clayhouse Pottery Studio) is participating in Lakes Art Tour along with five other local studios. The tour is August 23 and 24 from 10-5 each day. Click the map for a larger image.

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Evansville Art Center
​Photo Fundraiser

Evansville Art Center is conducting "Picture This," a photo fundraiser. Make a donation and receive a professional photography session (headshot, couples, senior class, family).

​The event is Sunday August 6 from 12-6pm in Evansville, MN. Click the yellow image to view their poster. 

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Board Minutes

Board Minutes for July 16, 2025

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Got AOTL News?

Please email stories and images to AOTL's newsletter editor, 
​Tom Kuder. Deadline is two days before the end of each month. Thanks!