The Region 2 Arts Council Board of Directors recently awarded $19,844 to individual artists from within our five-county region. These grants provide financial assistance to artists in any arts discipline or in any stage of their career as an artist residing in the counties of Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods and Mahnomen. The Individual Artist Grant Program is supported by a grant from the McKnight Foundation to fund costs associated with the exhibition, performance, or production of a creative work; purchase of materials or equipment necessary for a creative work; educational opportunities; mentorships; and proposals for career-enhancing projects or opportunities.
Grant recipients included:
Paul Albright of Akeley received $960 to purchase a welder for creating metal sculptures.
Alice Blessing of Bemidji received $2,000 to create a portrait series focusing on color and the emotional lives of pre-teen girls and to to host a free workshop for girls, ages 7-12, in the region.
Kari Ekhoff of Bemidji received $1,424 to purchase equipment to allow her to capture original musical works and record cover song interpretations for self-promotion as a singer-songwriter.
Liz Shaw of Park Rapids received $2,000 to purchase a computer capable of handling large-format RAW files, supporting layered art projects, and allowing adequate detailed viewing for product output, as well as updated software.
Lance Heddan of Bemidji received $1,883 to purchase tools, equipment, and materials to resume his career as a glass artist.
Dr. Del Lyren of Bemidji received $2,000 to attend a Logic Pro seminar to enhance his ability to compose and produce electronic music.
Lowell Wolff of Park Rapids received $1,800 to purchase a high-quality video projector to aid in the teaching of photography classes and to produce a photography exhibition.
Blair Treuer of Bemidji received $1,738 to create a series of fabric portraits exploring the topic of cultural heritage and identity, seeking to convey her experience as a white woman immersed in Ojibwe Culture.
Michael Wiltse of Bemidji received $2,000 to be an Artist in Residence at the Chateau d’Orquevaux in Champagne region of France for a month.
Zachary Schueller of Laporte received $1,424 to purchase a Yamaha “Wayne Bergeron” professional trumpet to continue studying trumpet at an advanced level, with trumpet lessons from Paul Loxtercamp, and improve performance in community bands.
Erin Marsh of Bemidji received $860 to attend the 2019 Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference to attend a workshop and have a manuscript consultation with poet Ada Limon.
Sue Olin of Bemidji received $1,755 to attend the Workshop and Master Classes at Harps in the Glen, West Bend, WI, August 21-25, 2019.
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