Newsletter September 2023

In This Issue

Gallery Hours are Changing
Prairie Lakes Plein Air: Big Weekend Ahead!
23/24 Program Offerings Go Way Beyond the Visual
Celebrating Our Volunteers
Battle Lake School Family and Community Night
Members in the News

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Gallery Hours are Changing

Labor Day Weekend
Friday 10-9
Saturday 10-9
Sunday 10-4
Monday 10-5

Sept After Labor Day
Thursday 10-5
Friday 10-5
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 10-4

Artists, please remember to schedule your gallery shifts in Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec. If you have trouble scheduling, contact Donna Westerling at the gallery or phone 612-386-2868.

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Prairie Lakes Plein Air: 
​Big Weekend Ahead!
Festivities September 29 & 30, 2023

​By Shanna Cramer
Collector's Preview Reception and Award Ceremony 
Friday evening, 6-8 pm, September 29, 2023

• The Collector's Preview and Award Ceremony is a rare opportunity to view artworks from prominent plein air painters from around the Midwest.
• A ticketed event, this exhibition of works by the competition participants will be held in the Art of the Lakes Gallery in Battle Lake.
• Grand Prize winners will be announced in a special award ceremony by accomplished oil painter and this year's judge, Bob Upton. Come and be inspired! 

GET TICKETS

Quick Paint
Saturday, 9:30 - 11:30 am, September 30, 2023

• Participating artists will be found painting in Battle Lake. Artists will check in at the gallery to learn the location. Paintings must be on display at the Art of the Lakes Gallery by 12 pm. 
• 12-2 pm: Grab some lunch downtown and then vote for the People's Choice Award and view all paintings for purchase in front of the AOTL Gallery. This event is free and open to the public.

Plein Air Demonstration with Bob Upton
Saturday, 1 - 3 pm, September 30, 2023

• To inspire those who want to know more about Plein air painting, our judge for this year's PLPA competition, Bob Upton has agreed to provide a demonstration and share some tips and answer questions. Free and open to the public.

Quick Paint Award Ceremony
Saturday, 3 pm, September 30, 2023

• Our Prairie Lakes en Plein Air festival concludes at the gallery where Quick Paint Awards will be presented and competition paintings will be on display.
• The gallery will be open for the general public to view and make purchases.
• Paintings from this event will be in the gallery and available for sale throughout the month of October. 

Can you sponsor an award for one of the prizes? Contact Shanna Cramer, [email protected]​
$1000 - Best in Show
$500 - 2nd Place Award
$250 - 3rd Place Award
$250 - Best of Glendalough - sponsored by Galloping Goose
$150 - People's Choice Award
$50 - Honorable Mentions (3)

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23/24 Program Offerings
​Go Way Beyond the Visual

By Tom Kuder
Art of the Lakes has always been well-known for the quality and variety of its visual art, workshops, and events. Now, get ready for a whole new level as we broaden the concept of art to include many new creative pursuits.

How broad, you may ask? Culinary creations. Music. Creative writing. Storytelling. Theater. Dance. Even beekeeping!

Your AOTL programming team (Judi Celaschi, Ann Hermes, Kristi Kuder, Shari Prigge and Mary Jo Wentz) have been very busy planning, recruiting providers, scheduling and contracting for almost 60 different events from October until next Spring. There's sure to be something of interest for almost everyone in our community - and beyond.

A few of the confirmed offerings include rug hooking, barn quilt painting, storytelling and music, goblin tea lights, Seussical The Musical, and crepes/Swedish pancake cooking. Watch our website and your email for specific announcements beginning later this month.

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Celebrating Our Volunteers

​By Donna Westerling
​It's been quite a year for Art of the Lakes, with more programs and events than ever. We're so grateful for our volunteers who make things happen! On August 23, we held a celebration in their honor at Beach Bums, where about 65 members enjoyed good food and good conversation.   

• For the Kite Making event, 11 volunteers worked 60 hours over the course of 8 days. More than 60 kites were made by people of all ages, plus 15 kites were made by artists and later sold in a silent auction.
• The Art of the Lakes Booth at Phelps Mill was a success because of 9 volunteers who gave 54.5 hours. Thanks for setting up, taking things down, and booth sitting.
• The Milk Carton Boat Race and Kite Fly was a first! Thanks to Sue Kalsiem for heading this up. The team made a boat that floated and finished the race, coming in second. We had 2 young paddlers from the community and 7 AOTL volunteers, with 30 volunteer hours. Thanks to Mary Williams who drove her car in the Wenonga Days Parade that evening.
• Lastly we had the Art and Craft Affair. This was a big project for Debbie Ness and she handled it well! So many people gave their time to make this happen.  This event used 21 volunteers and totaled 111 hours.  

In all, these events represent 255.5 volunteer hours from 50 volunteers. Thank you to all who showed up to help!

This month, we need volunteers for the Plein Air Competition and Festivities.  If you can help, please contact Donna Westerling [email protected], 612-386-2868

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Battle Lake School Family and Community Night

By Mary Jo Wentz
Battle Lake School’s Annual Family and Community Night was held August 30 and was, once again, a big success!

​Families and friends enjoyed back-to-school pictures; hot dogs, chips and cookies provided by the school; art activities; games and even a butterfly tagging and release provided by Glendalough State Park.

Art of the Lakes had an activity table at the event. Kathrine McDowell and Ken and Mary Jo Wentz provided a creative time printmaking on a folder for kids who became artists, learning a new technique in painting/printing.

Fun was had by all!

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Members In The News

The Bikers, Grace Haverty

Sweet Smell, Grace Haverty

Midsummer Sunset​, Stephen Henning

Dreamscape II, Kristi Kuder

Kristi Floersch is excited to be a part of the Detroit Lakes Women’s Edge Speaking Series on September 27, 2023 at 3pm. She will be both SPEAKING and PAINTING at the same time. More information

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Grace Haverty's painting, The Bikers was accepted into Northwest Watercolor Society 83rd International Open Exhibition. 75 paintings were selected out of 395 submitted from around the world. The exhibit will be held at the Matzke Fine Art Gallery on Camano Island, Washington, October 12 thru November 12, 2023.

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Grace Haverty’s painting, Sweet Smell was accepted into the National Watercolor Society and Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolor 2024 International Exchange Exhibition. This is an exhibit of watercolor paintings 8 inches by 8 inches in size. Some of the paintings will be shipped to Scotland. All will be online. 

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​An exhibition of paintings by Stephen Henning will be featured in the Beck Gallery at M-State Fergus Falls, from September 20 to November 6, 2023.
 
“I have always drawn inspiration from the beauty I see in Nature, preferring to paint images of  American wilderness and rural settings over urban landscapes.  My earlier paintings were more representational, but as my style has matured my art has become much more impressionistic, and occasionally includes a touch of fantasy."

An Artist Reception is planned for Thursday, October 5, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

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Kristi Kuder is looking forward to exhibiting work at the Prairie Renaissance Cultural Alliance (PRCA) in Morris, MN, from Sept. 21 through Nov. 11. The exhibition, As I Sit I Knit, captures thoughts and images relating to transitional spaces lacking clear markers of identity or ownership. Some of Kuder's past works of wire and wire mesh along with many newer pieces employing cyanotype will be included. An artist reception will be announced later.

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The Wagge Gallery is showcasing the fine art of Thursday's Group from August 16 - December 14. 

Thursday’s Group consists of nine artists that are all present and past members of AOTL: Tracy Anderson, Arlene Sherman, Bonnie Roberts, Annette Hochstein, Myron Sahlberg, Diana Fuder, Naomi Bjorklund, Bonnie Pfeffer and Cindi Garris.

These artists and their stories are featured until December 14 at MN State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls.

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