Artful News February 2025

In This Issue

heARTS on Main Celebrates Galentines & Valentines
Art Connects Us: Your Membership Supports Art for Seniors
Call for Artists: Studio Tour 2025
Seussical JR. Youth Musical Performance Needs Actors
Cabin Fever Reliever Events Seeking Volunteers
​Workshops and Events at the CAC
​Our Members In the News
Artful Tidbits

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heARTS on Main Celebrates
Galentines & Valentines
Creative Arts Center, 112 W Main, Battle Lake

Open Studios
Free Potluck Dinner & Movie

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Chocolate Truffles Class
​Free Social Dance

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In mid-February, Art of the Lakes brings forth thoughts of love, friendship, dancing and... chocolate! It's our heARTS on Main celebration at the CAC, and we'd love to share it with you.
 
We'll kick off on February 13 with Galentine's Day:

• From 1:00-4:30, there'll be Open Studios for all you Gal Makers. Just $10 gives you access to ceramics, fiber, and other creative areas. Info and registration
• From 5:00-7:30, all gals are invited to bring a dish to share for a potluck dinner as we watch the movie Little Women. Feel free to BYOB.

On February 14, of course, it's Valentine's Day:

• From 3:00-5:00, take a class in The Art of Chocolate Truffles. Treat yourself to an afternoon making rich, luscious chocolate treats! Info and registration 
• From 7:00-9:00, enjoy a free social dance with line dancing, two-step, waltz and polka tunes. Free, sponsored by Eagle Lake Lutheran Church.​

Volunteers are needed to help with these activities. Contact Deb Ness if you can assist.

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Art Connects Us: Your Membership Supports Art for Seniors

"It's simply wonderful - getting seniors interested in something new, and connecting us to one another!"

Become a member

Art of the Lakes has embarked on a 2025 membership drive called “Art Connects Us.” One of the ways that we connect people and the arts is through our partnership with the Good Samaritan Society. 

Ila Osman, a resident at Good Sam Assisted Living Apartments, recounts her recent experience at her facility:

“Two weeks ago there was a sign up sheet for an onsite watercolor class given by Art of the Lakes,” Ila noted. “Of course I signed up, and two more people did as well. Then two more residents walking through the area joined us, so there were five of us in the class. 

“It was really fun and productive! Sue Kalseim was our teacher. She was very helpful and positive and we had good results.

“Two weeks later, there were eight of us in the class. Sue taught us how to make tiles of aspen trees with alcohol paints. All of us were very happy with the results, and will no doubt attend the next session, bringing more friends. 

“It's simply wonderful - getting seniors interested in something new, and connecting us to one another! We really appreciate the artists’ time and preparation!”

Art of the Lakes is thankful for a grant from West Central Initiative, and for support from its members, to enable these classes and the connections they bring. In February, two art pastel workshops will be taught at Good Sam by Stephen Henning, and more classes are planned for March.

Please join (or re-join) as a member today to support this artful connection!

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Call for Artists:
​Studio Tour 2025

Artist sign-up

Become a member

Art of the Lakes is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its annual Studio Tour! This self-guided art crawl through stunning lakes and prairie countryside showcases the diverse and unique talent of artists in our region. The Tour will be held on July 18, 19 and 20 this year.

Artists across all mediums are invited to participate. You will want to be part of this amazing event! It's one of the largest rural art crawls in the upper Midwest, with participating artists reporting excellent sales and connections with art lovers.

Artist registration is now open with a March 15 deadline, so sign up today! (Art of the Lakes membership is required.) And if you don't have a home studio, we'll even find you a venue to display and sell your artwork.

If you have any questions,  contact Judi Celaschi, Studio Tour Chair ([email protected]).​

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Seussical JR Youth Musical
Needs Actors

CALL FOR ACTORS AGES 8-17

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Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical JR., a fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. ​Director: Kaele Peterson.

Youth actors ages 8-17 are invited to audition for this fun play, to be performed March 29 and 30 in Battle Lake.

Auditions are on Saturday morning, February 8.

audition sign-up

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Cabin Fever Reliever Events
​Seeking Volunteers

Can you help us out?
Volunteers are needed for Cabin Fever Reliever 2025, a series of events to be held on Saturday March 8 at the CAC. This activity is funded by West Central Initiative as part of a grant focusing on combating isolation and improving community relationships. That's good for all of us!

12:00-3:00 JigSaw Puzzle Tournament
3-4 volunteers needed as moderators/timers and circulators
Teams will compete to finish a 500 piece puzzle in 60 minutes, and a 1000 piece puzzle in 105 minutes. Prize money will be given for each round! Online registration coming soon - $30/team.

3:00-4:00 Puzzles for Sale, Board Game Swap
3 volunteers needed to sell puzzles & organize board games

3:30-5:00 Bingo
3 volunteers needed as caller and card sellers/retrievers
Cards available for rent at $1/card. The winner of each round gets the pot for that round.

7:00-8:00 Quad Squad improvisation
2-3 volunteers as ticket taker and greeter needed.
Online ticket sales coming soon. 

If you can help with any of these activities, please contact Deb Ness.

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Workshops and Events
At The CAC

Every Sunday - Sunday Social
Every Thursday - Fiber Arts Groups
Wed and Thurs - Open Ceramic Studio

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Feb. 7   Social dance lesson and free movie Footloose
Feb. 8   Seussical Jr. Auditions for youth actors
Feb. 13  Galentine's Day Open Studios for Gal Makers
Feb. 13  Galentine's Day Potluck and movie Little Women
Feb. 14  Valentine's Day The Art of Chocolate Truffles
Feb. 14  Valentine's Day Free Social Dance
Mar. 1    Clay Date Night
Mar. 8   Cabin Fever Reliever - info  and sign up coming soon

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Our Members In the News

Vanessa Sellner

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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Vanessa Sellner, Torri Hanna and Mary Williams have artwork in the What is Home? exhibition at Lake Region Arts Council in Fergus Falls. Their work is on display until March 13, 2025. 

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M-State in Fergus Falls is featuring two Art of the Lakes members in their Winter Exhibits. A joint artist reception will  be held February 20 from 2-4, with an artist talk at 2:30 pm.

Ruth Hanson shares her watercolor batik naturescapes in an exhibition titled "Wending Through Watercolor Batik." Her exhibit is in the Charles Beck Gallery until March 13.

Mary Jo Wentz is exhibiting original needle felting, wet felting and fiber art paintings in "The Fusion of Fiber and Nature." Her show is in the Waage Gallery until May 11.

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Stephen Henning will teach oil pastels in several different venues this winter:

• February 15 he'll lead a class for the Rumriver Art Center at Great River Regional Library in Kimball, MN.
• March 1 he'll lead an oil pastel workshop at the Holmes Art Cellar in Detroit Lakes.
• On March 29 he'll teach Introduction to Oil Pastels and Mastering Oil Pastels at Gladje Gallery in Lindstrom, MN.​

Stephen's also leading two oil pastel sessions at Good Sam in Battle Lake this February, as part of AOTL's West Central Initiative grant.

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Artful Tidbits

LRAC Spring Legacy Grant Round is open now. Deadline is Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 5:00 pm. Spring Legacy Individual Grants will award a total of $40,640. Apply for up to $6,000/$3,000 equipment.

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Are you a Featured Artist wanna-be? We still need a few member artists for the 2025 Featured Artist schedule. Contact Donna Westerling, 612-386-2868.

You could be a Featured Artist if:

• You want to showcase your art by having more of your pieces in the gallery this summer
• You want others to get to know you and your art better
• You haven’t been a Featured Artist in the past 2 years
• You're a current paid member of Art of the Lakes
• You've scheduled your 2025 gallery shifts

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Put the Sunday Social on your calendar, and help us bring this artful connection to the community.

• Anyone can attend, free, every Sunday from 2-4 pm
• Bring your project and socialize with other creatives 
• The coffee pot will be on

Can you help host this event? Contact Donna Westerling, [email protected]  612-386-2868

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Open Ceramic Studio is now available Wednesdays from 5-8 pm and Thursdays from 1-7 pm. For as little as $5 a session (member price), you can gain access to pottery wheels, tools, work tables and more. Clay is extra. Purchase a punch card and join us! Ages 16+

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The Gallery will be closed in February and March.​ It will re-open in April, on Saturdays from 11-4. Displaying artists: shifts are now available in Schedulista for setting up your 2025 gallery duties.

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Board Minutes

Board minutes January 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!