Newsletter May 2023

In This Issue

Annual Meeting May 16 in LACC Building
Art In The Air - Member Kite Painting
Artist Volunteers Needed
Gallery Prep Volunteers Shine!
Featured Artists in 2023
Members In The News

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Annual Meeting
​May 16 in LACC Building
​"Tours & Tacos"

AOTL members are cordially invited to attend our annual meeting! As we reflect upon an exciting past year, we're thrilled to share with you the upcoming plans for next year. We want to do this together!

If you're eager to be part of the hands-on team that brings to fruition all our ideas for the upcoming year, then this is your chance to join us. The annual meeting is the best place to meet and connect with fellow members, brainstorm ideas for our beloved community, and of course - eat tacos! 

Save the date: May 16, LACC building, 112 Main St W

• 5:00-6:00 pm: Tour the proposed Creative Art Center space
• 6:00 - 6:30 pm: Make-your-own taco bar
• 6:30 - 8:30 pm: Official Annual Meeting

During the meeting, we'll discuss the new Creative Art Center, hear committee reports and sign-ups, and vote for our new board members. It's your chance to get your voice heard and make a difference in our community.

Please join us for Tours and Tacos!

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Art In The Air -
​Member Kite Painting

We're seeking member artists to contribute their talent to design and paint a kite as a promotional and fundraising effort for the Creative Arts Center.

For $8 you can reserve a kite for this special opportunity to expand your creative horizon. We have 20 blank Tyvek sled kites available for designing, painting, and embellishing. Reserve your kite here.

• Kites are now available for pick up.
  
• Completed kites should be delivered to the gallery no later than May 24.
  
• Artist-designed kites will be on display in the gallery starting June 1 (with you credited) and will be available for purchase anytime after June 23.
  
• Participating artists will also be credited in our promotion of this event on Facebook, our website and in the BL Review.
  
• A People’s Choice Award of $100 will be given.

Art-in-the-Air is one of several activities planned for this summer to engage with the Battle Lake community and surrounding region and to build support for the Creative Arts Center. Your talent and participation in this event are a fun and creative way to help with this endeavor!

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Artist Volunteers Needed

During the week of June 17-23, Art of the Lakes is holding a kite painting activity in the gallery between the hours of 11-3 pm. Member volunteers are needed to assist participants in painting a kite. We would like to have two members available each day to provide assistance in managing that day's activity. If you can help on one or more of these days, please register here. We will get back to you.

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Gallery Prep Volunteers Shine!

Special thanks to Sue Kelseim, Bonnie Pfeffer, Faythe Mills, Diana Fuder, and Dan and Sandy Thimgan for their work April 25-26 cleaning and prepping the gallery for its opening on May 5. We greatly appreciate these volunteers for offering their time and efforts when called upon. You shine!

Reminder: Gallery Training (new or refresh) is available from Sandy and Dan Thimgan ([email protected], 218-371-5964). For gallery training please communicate with the Thimgans, not Debbie.

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Featured Artists for 2023

We're excited to announce our Featured Artists for 2023!

• May: Kristi Floersch
• June 1-15 : Lyssa Lovejoy
• June 16-30: Mary Stich
• July 1-15: Jodi Peterson
• July 16-31: Diana Fuder
• Aug 1-15: Mary Jo Wentz
• Aug 16-31: Becky Albright
• September: OPEN

If you'd like to be the Featured Artist for September, please contact Donna Westerling ([email protected], 612-386-2868)

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Members in the News

Becky Albright has three Gyotaku and Fiber Art pieces in the MState 49th Annual Invitational Art Exhibit at the Charles Beck Gallery, in Fergus Falls, MN. The exhibit is showing now through May 6, 2023. Artist Reception is Saturday, May 6 from 1-3 pm. View a variety of art from West Central MN! More information here.

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Mary Jo Wentz’s “Party” has been juried into LRAC’s “Wearable Art” exhibit taking place in the LRAC Gallery in Fergus Falls May 1 - June 30. A reception to which the public is invited is on May 16, 5:30-7:00. All are welcome.

Mary Jo also has two fiber art paintings  - Sunflower and Chickadees and Sunflower, Blue Sky - in the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center’s Regional Artists Exhibit, which runs from May 3 - June 24, 2023. There is a reception on June 9 from 6-8 p.m. All are invited. 

Mary Jo’s fiber art painting entry has been selected as one of five artworks to be featured on billboards in Lincoln, Nebraska. The billboards featuring the artwork are designed to promote the annual Lincoln Arts Festival held each June and will be on display in various locations in Lincoln from now for 6 weeks. 

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