Artful News June 2026

In This Issue

​Gallery Opens For Summer With Improved Access
Annual Member Meeting Draws Enthusiastic Supporters
Celebrate the Longest Day of Art June 20
June is Bursting with Classes for Adults
Last Call for Art Camp for Kids
Studio Tour Presents 43 Artists in 18 Venues this July
Our Members In The News
​Artful Tidbits

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Gallery Opens For Summer With Improved Access

The Art of the Lakes Gallery is now open every day of the week for the summer. An incredible array of talented local artists offer fresh paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, wearable art, cards, jewelry, fiber creations, glass, wood and more. 

Our featured artists for June are Wade Lehmkuhl (June 1-15) and Jodi Peterson (June 16-30). 

Be sure to visit the alley behind the gallery! As part of the Battle Lake Arts Advisory Committee and the City of Battle Lake Beautification Project, the alley was blacktopped, and a concrete patio and steps were installed. Temporary handrails have been added, with plans for artistic iron railings and a louvered pergola to support outdoor classes and events during the summer. No more potholes or mud, with easier parking!

​The city of Battle Lake provided a grant to fund $5,000, and My Kind of Bank donated $1,000, with the balance of the project estimated to cost about $17,000; the pergola and its installation are expected to cost another $7,500. Grant funding is being pursued but has not yet been confirmed. If you know of any sources of funding to help defray the costs please contact an AOTL board member.

Stop in to say hello, browse, see the new improvements, purchase a gift or add to your collection. 

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Annual Member Meeting Draws Enthusiastic Supporters

The AOTL Annual Member Meeting was held on May 21 and attended by 75 members and guests. Because of the large turnout, the social hour was held in the gallery, while the meal and meeting took place at the Battle Lake Senior Center.

After serving on the board for the term-limit maximum of nine years, Kristi Kuder presided over her final meeting before retiring as chair and board member. Other board members and staff were introduced, and committees presented their reports. Kathy Olesen was elected to the board for a 2026–2029 term.

As of May 31, AOTL has 153 active paid members, including approximately 75 displaying members.

Thank you to all members and guests who attended. It was a fun and productive evening, and a wonderful way to reconnect as we kick off another summer season supporting the arts in our community!

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Celebrate The Longest Day of Art
And Battle Lake's 135th Anniversary

register

June 20 is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of sunlight of the year. Art of the Lakes invites you to celebrate that light during the Longest Day of Art as a way to commemorate Battle Lake's 135th Anniversary.

Prairie Lake Plein Air painters will be capturing Glendalough and Battle Lake throughout the day. This is a great time to experience painting outdoors. The public is invited to engage with the painters and can purchase paintings in the gallery.

Amateur photographers! We’re inviting you to use your cell phone or digital camera to capture Battle Lake via people, animals, plants, places, buildings, whatever draws your interest. Whether it's a half hour or half a day, the amount of time you spend on this is up to you.

​Register your best guess on when and where you hope to be photographing that day. ​Once you register, you'll receive more information on how to submit your images. Your best images (maximum 3) will be included on Facebook, and in a slide show in our gallery throughout the summer. 

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June is Bursting With
​Classes for Adults

register

It's never been more exciting to be part of the creative community than this month, with hands-on workshops in calligraphy, drawing, watercolor, ceramics, oil painting, sushi-making and more. Just look at this line-up of classes!

• Illuminated Letters - Medieval Merriment with a Paintbrush
• How to Draw Celtic Knots
• Sip & Paint Glass Drinkware
• Calligraphy: Art Nouveau Letters and Designs
• Genteel Cursive Calligraphy
• Handbuilding Clay Vases & Bowls (sold out)
• Watercolor Impressionism: Landscape/Cityscape with Michael Holter (almost full)
• Beginning and Intermediate Ceramics (sold out)
• Pencil Portraits (almost full)
• Plein Air Oil Painting Workshop with Mary Boylan
• Painting Flowers Bold & Loose in Watercolor
• Let's Make Sushi!
• Birch Trees on Tile Using Alcohol Ink
• Figure Clay Class

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Last Call for Art Camp for Kids

There are still openings available for Youth Art Camp at First Lutheran Church in Battle Lake this July.

Kids in grades 2-3 can take creative classes in mosaic coasters, acrylic painting, Zentangle and hiking sticks.

Classes for grades 4-5 include all these plus slow stitching, photography and even skateboard painting.

All materials are provided, and classes are just $15 each. Classes start July 7. Hurry!

register

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Studio Tour Features 43 Artists in 18 Venues this July
​July 17-18-19

Many thanks to Sarah Browne for creating this year's Studio Tour brochure!

The 2026 edition of the popular Art of the Lakes Studio Tour will feature 43 accomplished artists in 18 studios this July. Efforts have been underway for several months to prepare for the Tour, with artists creating new work and the project team developing the logistics and promotion needed to make the Tour a success.

The Studio Tour web page provides an overview of the event, a list of participating artists, and a Google map of studio locations. Many of the artists also submitted detailed information for the Artist Profile page, where you can learn more about their work and see additional images of their creations. Printed brochures are available in the gallery and at each studio location.

​"Art Tourists" will have three days to explore unique studios and meet fun, creative people among the lakes, hills and byways of Otter Tail and Douglas Counties. To encourage you on your travels, our Miles of Art promotion gives travelers who visit ten or more studios a chance to win fabulous art prizes.

And for a bit more fun this year, you'll be able to go on an Art Scavenger Hunt while you travel about!

It doesn't get much better than this. The Art of the Lakes Studio Tour - one of the largest rural art crawls in the Midwest. And, dare we say, one of the best!

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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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Beth Jacobson will be having an exhibit for the month of June at the Evansville Art Center along with Olivia Hoppe. An artist reception will be held June 12 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.

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John Shaw reports that "while in Phoenix this past winter, I was fortunate enough to take a twenty-one week course from an accomplished artist, Jon Yukio Higuchi. I actually made some dishes, which for me, is an unusual product."

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Artful Tidbits

Art in the Minnesota Capitol:  Call for Proposals
The Capitol Art Exhibit Advisory Committee (CAEAC) is issuing a call for proposals for art exhibitions that will be on display in the 3rd floor exhibit gallery of the Minnesota State Capitol in the 2028 calendar year.  Artists, culture bearers, and organizations are welcome to submit a proposal. Application deadline is June 15, 2026. For more information

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Board Minutes

Board Minutes May 20, 2026

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Got AOTL News?

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