Newsletter April 2024

In This Issue

Battle Lake 3-4-5-6 Graders Use Art to Expand Learning
Help Us Transform The CAC This Spring
​More Volunteer and Paid Opportunities
Gallery Training for Displaying Artists - IMPORTANT!
​Featured Artists in 2024
​Designer Purse Bingo Fundraiser
New Members in March 2024
Members In The News
​In Memoriam: Pat Sepnieski

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Battle Lake 3-4-5-6 Graders Use Art to Expand Their Learning

The true purpose of education is to make minds.
Chris Hedges

​Art Classes, video by Tom Kuder

Art Party, video by Tom Kuder

For two weeks in early March, over 100 third- to sixth-grade students from the Battle Lake elementary school attended a series of art classes, sponsored and provided by Art of the Lakes in their new Creative Arts Center (CAC).

Artist/Instructors Sue Kalseim, Julie Miller, and Kristi Kuder led students in a variety of art-making experiences, from working with plaster, cement, and papier maché, to watercolor, oil pastels, alcohol ink, and tempera paint. Through their art-making, students learned about 2D/3D geometry, perspective, drawing, art history, the solar system and so much more.

"Kids are natural artists," said Kristi Kuder, Board Chair of AOTL. "This hands-on, visual, creative experience was full of their great ideas, while reinforcing many parts of the school's curriculum."

​At the end of their projects, parents and students attended an Art Party and Exhibition at the CAC to admire all the creativity. The Art Party was also a chance to learn even more artistic processes, with several artists teaching screen printing, wood burning, rock painting, photo glamming, and theatrical games.

A big "thank you!" to all the students, teachers, school administrators and volunteers who helped make this a wonderful shared success! It's another example of how the arts can help build our community.

This activity was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

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Help Us Transform
​The Creative Arts Center

We've signed a lease.
We've held our first events.
​Now it's time to transform the Creative Arts Center into a Battle Lake landmark we can call our own.

New logo reflects identity and form
Kicking off this transformation, we have a new CAC logo! Brightly-colored with an energetic vibe, it's designed to identify the building by echoing the iconic arched roofline and round window of its facade.

We'll use the new logo on the building's front windows, exterior signs, and everywhere that's part of the CAC's facility and programs.

The CAC program logo will work in concert with the Art of the Lakes primary logo, which will continue to represent the overall AOTL organization.

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We need your help to transform the CAC
Now that we've moved in, let's make this space shine for the creative arts.

​In April and May, we need folks who are handy with a paint brush or screwdriver, own a truck or trailer, or who just enjoy transformative experiences and camaraderie.

​We especially need:

• window washers,
• painters,
• chair fixer-uppers,
• storage installers and organizers,
• gents (or ladies) with muscle to help lift and carry,
• haulers who can do pickup and delivery,
• a daredevil who will climb our extension ladder,
• anyone else who's willing to pitch in.

We've got big dreams for this creative space, and with your help it can become something pretty amazing.
​
If you're able to help transform the new CAC building, please sign up for volunteer work shifts here. Thank you!

CAC Volunteer

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More Volunteer and Paid Opportunities

With all the activities going on at the AOTL Gallery and CAC, there are plenty of ways you can get involved. By being an active participant in the organization you'll have fun, meet new people and help us make a bigger impact.

Summer Youth Instructors Needed - Paid
We’re looking for talented art instructors who can bring the arts to life for our youth, ages 8-16. We’re planning to schedule 3-4 weeks of classes throughout the summer focusing on a range of art mediums.

We’d love to hear your ideas and to bring you on board. Instructors will be paid and materials will be covered by AOTL. For more information, contact Makenna ​Tysdal at 218-864-8606 or [email protected].

Class Assistants Needed - Volunteer & Save
We need assistants to help teachers with art classes this Spring. As an assistant, you'll get to participate and take the class at a reduced rate.

• Mead Making: April 13, 2024
• Intro to Lace Knitting: April 15 and April 30, 2024
• Beekeeping 101: April 20, 2024
• Planting for Pollinators: April 22 and May 20, 2024
• Barn Quilts: May 19, 2024
• Swedish Dala Horse Wood Carving: June 18 and 25, 2024

Please contact Donna Westerling [email protected] or 612-386-2868.  

Event Volunteers
We will also need volunteers at the Designer Purse Bingo Fundraiser on May 10, 2024, Phelps Mill Festival in July 2024 and the Art and Craft Affair in August 2024.

If you can help in any way please contact Donna Westerling [email protected] or 612-386-2868.  

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​IMPORTANT!!
Gallery Training for
​Displaying Artists

All Displaying Artist members need to work as a gallery attendant ("gallery sitting") four days during the year. If you haven't been trained on gallery operations and our point-of-sale system, or wish to refresh your training, here's your chance to hone these critical skills!

Sessions available

• Tues April 2, 10am (room for 2)
• Thur April 4, 10am (room for 3)
• Tues April 9, 10am (room for 3)

All training sessions will be held in the gallery.

Contact Sandy and Dan Thimgan for more information: [email protected] or 218-371-5964.

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​Featured Artists for 2024

The schedule for Featured Artists in 2024 is nearly complete.  

There have been a couple changes this year.

• The guideline for frequency of displays was changed to no more than every three years due to ongoing interest, and to allow more new members to have an opportunity to display. 
• For the past few years, Featured Artists have participated in our monthly Artist Talks. There has been discussion about Artist Talks being optional for Featured Artists, and open to other members too. There will be more to come on this.

2024 Featured Artist Schedule

• May  2024: Display of new members' art
• June 1-15: Sue Kalseim
• June 16-30: John Shaw
• July 1-15: Annie Capistrant
• July 16-31: Kat Smith
• Aug 1-15: Grace Haverty
• Aug 16-31: Jammie Niemeyer
• Sept  2024: [OPEN]

(Featured Artists: Watch for an email with details about the process coming soon.)

If you're interested in the Sept 2024 slot, or are a new member and want to participate in the May 2024 display, please contact Donna Westerling  [email protected] or 612-386-2868.

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Designer Purse Bingo:
Help Raise Funds for our Kids' Summer Art Program 

This will be fun, and it's for a great cause!
FRIDAY MAY 10TH
Thumper Pond Resort
300 Thumper Lodge Rd., Ottertail, MN 56571
Doors open at 6:00pm, bingo starts at 7:00 pm

20 games for $45

• Funds will benefit our summer arts program for kids
• ​Tickets include a taco & salad bar, plus a cash bar. (Starts at 6:00 and continues through the event)

bingo tickets

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New Members in March 2024 

Eight new AOTL members joined us in March!

• Tara Argall, Dean Curtis, Jacqueline Henning, Wade Lehmkuhl, Katy J. Olson, Kathy Peterson, Diane Trew, Makenna Tysdal

Welcome one and all! We are so glad you've chosen to be a part of this amazing organization!

(Be sure to attend gallery training if you're a Displaying Member!)

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AOTL Members In The News 

A selection of activities, honors and news about our members.

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Becky Albright has two of her gyotaku fish artworks displayed in the 50th M State Invitational Art Show. Mary Williams is also displaying her work at this show.

The exhibit runs March 23 through May 4, 2024, at the Charles Beck Gallery in Legacy Hall, on M State’s Fergus Falls campus. A public reception will celebrate the work of all exhibiting artists, Saturday, May 4 from 1-3 p.m. 

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Cliff Fegert will be going to the annual National Leather Craft Trade Show and Continuing Education Fair in Sheridan, Wyoming this May. At the event, Cliff will compete in an international leather craft contest.

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Ruth Hanson has a showing of fourteen paintings at Croixdale in Bayport, MN through June 10.

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In Memoriam:
​Patrick Robert Sepnieski  

Peggy Olson, who joined Art of the Lakes just last year, had some shocking news recently when her husband died. 

Patrick “Pat” Sepnieski, age 68, died unexpectedly yet peacefully on March 4, 2024 at the U of M Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A short obituary will be published in the Battle Lake Review. But as Peggy says, "Pat was so much more than those few lines."

You can read the full obituary by clicking the button below. Our sympathies to Peggy and her family.

Pat Sepnieski

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Got AOTL news? Please send stories and images to Tom Kuder, [email protected]