Using a needle and thread to embellish clothing and textiles has been practiced by men and women for centuries in both the home and in professional workshops. But early in the nineteenth century, embroidery became primarily viewed as a woman’s activity and was relegated to the arena of crafts, often without recognition of the artist who made it. American museums are filled with these pieces of needle art, made in the home and passed down through the family until they end up in a museum collection. These pieces illustrate more than a woman’s ability to mark her family’s linens, beautify her home, or fulfill her expected social role. They become an outlet for her creativity and a means of moving beyond her home and into the wider world.
The Emily Reynolds Historic Costume Collection at North Dakota State University has a remarkable collection of embroidered pieces made in the home, added to clothing or textiles by professional embroiderers, or collected by donors during their world travels. This exhibit celebrates the art of embroidery—an art that spans geography, cultures, and time to connect women across the world and across history. This exhibit is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and through general operating support from the F-M Area Foundation, the Alex Stern Family Foundation, and The Arts Partnership with support from the Cities of Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo.

Calling all artists of all disciplines 2D and 3D artwork for the next juried exhibition at Lake Region Arts Council Main Gallery titled, "Guest Juror –Deborahmae Broad".

Maxine Adams, LRAC Executive Director, explains why this exhibit generates so much interest, “The Guest Juror Exhibit is always very popular with regional artists and gallery guests. Each year we invite a well-known regional artist to select the very best work from over a 100 submissions. It is a feather in an artist’s cap to be included.”

• Call for Art Opens April 1st, 2024, 9am

• Deadline to apply is April 29th, 2024 by 5pm.

• Selected artists will be notified by Monday, May 27th, 2024.

• Exhibition will run July 8th – September 26th, 2024.

• Public reception will be held on Tuesday, 5:30-7 pm, September 17th, 2024.

This call is open to all artists living in the 9 counties that Lake Region Arts Council serves: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin in west central Minnesota.

Details for call for art:

• Artists can submit up to 1-3 pieces of art for consideration.

• FREE TO APPLY

• All Artwork needs to be framed and/or ready to hang for 2D pieces. We have pedestals for 3D artwork Please fill out this online application located on the LRAC Gallery website page.

***New applicants will need to create an account, and returning applicants should use their previous credentials to log on.

Call for Art Information: https://lrac4.org/call-for-artists

Application Link: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=lakeregion

Capture the Essence: Enjoying the Moment with Watercolor Still Lifes​, with Anne Kaese

2 to 4 p.m. on Friday 3 and 10 May 2024

Watercolor allows us to be expressive, contemplative, and creative—all in the same time frame and on the same sheet of paper. It is magic with water, pigment, and a brush. In this 2-session class, we are going to cover basic drawing and painting techniques using a still life as our reference.  We get to look with the eyes of our heart as we draw what we see, and use paint to capture the objects.

This class will sharpen your eye and your drawing skills, and freshen up painting techniques. You can paint big or small, detailed or loose. The goal is to feel the colour and shapes, the textures and the magic of time with life and art. It is a joy and gift to give yourself.

There will be a homework component to practice the skills learned.  You can work at whatever size is comfortable for you.    

*Supply needed for class:

• Bring your own artist-quality watercolor paints and brushes, watercolor paper of any size, a board, pencil, and eraser (no Artist Loft or dollar store pans, please!)

​             - OR - 

• Purchase a kit of paints and brushes from the instructor for an additional $25 by selecting "Capture the Essence + Optional Supply Kit" at checkout. 

• Do not wear special clothes or do wear an apron. 

• If you have any questions about supplies, contact Anne Kaese at info@annekaese.com

Back by popular demand, but with a twist: Tickets are on sale now for "Molly Howard is No More" Murder Mystery DESSERT THEATRE! Join us on May 4th at 7:30pm or May 5th at 5:30pm at the Hjemkomst Center mainstage. Enjoy this mysteriously entertaining whodunit on our main stage and indulge in scrumptious desserts during the intermission deliberation period. It's a new cast, but the same hilarious script!

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is pleased to announce the opening of Quilt National ’23, a juried exhibit of 30 one-of-a-kind quilted masterpieces, on July 2, 2024, at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead. The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, OH, has organized this biennial competition for 45 years. Commenting on the innovation and diversity of Quilt National, Leah Magyary, Executive Director of The Dairy Barn Arts Center, says, “Throughout its history, Quilt National has showcased quilts that play with light, space, color, and technology, allowing new masterpieces to emerge and blossom. And we are not done yet- there is so much more for the quilting world to discover, and the more artists we invite to the table, the better we can progress towards untapped creativity.”