Artful News August 2026

In this Issue

See You At Art & Craft on August 8
Introducing "The Hook" Storytelling Series
Member Appreciation Event Set for August 25
Still Time to Sign Up for Prairie Lakes Plein Air 2026
Art of the Lakes Pictured In The Community
Tidbits and Opportunities
​Our Members In The News

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See You at Art & Craft on Saturday August 8

Learn More

The 2026 Art & Craft Affair takes place Saturday, August 8 from 9 am to 4 pm.  This is the BIG ONE!

This great one-day show draws about 80 vendors and 5,000 visitors annually. The Art & Craft Affair is always held the second Saturday of August at Railroad Park, located at State Hwy 78 and County Rd 83 in Battle Lake, Minnesota.

The Art & Craft Affair offers display vendors an opportunity to market  handmade original goods. Vendor applications are still open, but space is going fast. Contact Debbie Ness at (218) 864-8606.

Fairgoers will find hand-made art and craft items, food and beverages, a farmers market featuring local growers, and creative hands-on activities for kids. The event is free to attend.

Mark your calendar, and make plans to attend this fun Battle Lake happening!

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Introducing "The Hook" Storytelling Series

Everyone has a story to tell!  We're excited to introduce our community's newest way to listen to - and proclaim - those stories.

The Hook is a series of three fun storytelling events coming to 1910 Sip House this Fall, sponsored by Art of the Lakes. Grab a ticket with friends for a great evening of stories, music, beverages and snacks. And if you're willing, you can put your name in the hat to be one of eight storytellers each night, with a chance to win the audience's appreciation and a nifty prize!

Events are scheduled for September 17, October 22 and November 12. Doors open at 6:00 pm, with stories starting at 6:30 pm. Tickets and more information will be available on the Art of the Lakes website soon. Limited seating available.

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Member Appreciation Event Set for August 25

RSVP

Our Member Appreciation Event will be held Tuesday August 25 at Beach Bums on Otter Tail Lake. Social hour starts at 5:30 pm with dinner served at 6:00, followed by a short program highlighting the 2026 activities made possible by our wonderful volunteers! All members are invited to attend along with a guest. Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly. 

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Still Time to Sign Up for Prairie Lakes Plein Air 2026

By Stephen Henning
It's not too late to sign up for Prairie Lakes Plein Air! There are two months of good painting time before entries are due on September 24.

We had a great workshop with Greg Preslicka July 25, followed by painting outdoors in Henning, Minnesota.

Come here to paint, and show your work in the Prairie Lakes Plein Air Competition. Although some artists have already been painting, it's not too late to sign up and get out there.

Learn more and register.

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Art of the Lakes
​Pictured In The Community

​Studio Tour at our newest location, Lake Country Gardens (photos by Jann Kline)

Art of the Lakes was well represented in the Wenonga Days parade. Mary Williams drove her cool car, while Peggy Olson’s grandsons handed out candy and erasers. July 25 was a warm night but the event was well attended. Our side of the street is the shady side which made for the best place to set up a chair! 

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Tidbits and Opportunities

Call for Artists: Outdoor Mural Opportunity
​Request For Proposal for a new mural on the back wall of the gallery. Make your mark on the outdoor space in Battle Lake!  Deadline for consideration is August 10, 2026. Email your proposal (either a digital design or photos of a hand drawn sketch) to [email protected]. Contact Debbie Ness (218) 864-8606 for further details.

Clitherall Summer Festival Art Sales
Artists have an opportunity to sell their art at downtown Clitherall Park on Saturday, August 29 from 10am-3pm during Clitherall Summer Festival. There are no fees. Contact Mary Murphy (218) 770-0012 with any  questions.

AOTL Receives Two Grants
AOTL received a $2,000 grant from Lake Region Electric Coop (LREC) Operation RoundUp to assist with the back patio improvement project. We were also awarded a $25,000 Promise Grant from the West Central Initiative. 357 applications were made to WCI, and grants were awarded via a random selection process. Only about 20% of the applicants received a grant. AOTL will use the funds to assist in Gallery operations.

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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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Edie Thiel won first place in the MN Parks & Trails Photo Contest 2026 for the northwest region, for her photo of a trumpeter swan at Glendalough State Park.

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John Shaw was the Featured Artist at Off The Wall Gallery in Clitherall Minnesota the third weekend of July. His work will be on display at the gallery through the end of the season.

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Four Points of Light (Calvin deRuyter, Lyssa Lovejoy, Jackie Henning, Stephen Henning) will concurrently open their nearby studios in Evansville on August 16 and 17 from 10am to 5pm. Contact [email protected] for more information.

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Jackie Henning, Mary Smith, and Stephen Henning have their work on display at Ida Graves Distillery near Alexandria through August 16, and will give artist talks Sunday, August 2, at 5 pm. 

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Grace Haverty had her painting Jumping For Joy accepted into the National Watercolor Society International Art Exhibition. 

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Ruth Hanson's watercolor batik, Teamwork, has been accepted into the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. The Minnesota State Fair runs from Thursday, August 27 through Labor Day, September 7, with Preview Night for the Exhibition being Tuesday, August 25 from 7pm - 8:30 pm.

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Got AOTL News?

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