Watermark Art Center is a member-supported organization made up of hundreds of artist and art patrons throughout the region who give and volunteer to help make art programming possible. The organization is run by a Board of Directors and small group of staff.
Watermark Art Center 2025 – Board of Directors
Marilyn Miller – Past President – Retired
- Member, Bemidji Noon Rotary Club – Co-chair,
- Capital Campaign for Watermark Art Center
- Past President, Bemidji Area Arts Endowment Advisory Committee
- Past President, North Country Health Services/Sanford Health Foundation
- Past President, Health Care Auxiliary of Minnesota
Ann Gorman – President
- Recently retired from IHS, pharmacy, Exhibit Install Committee, ad hoc committees.
- WAC Executive Board/ NMF Fund Grant Selection Committee
Mike Ohl – Vice President – Retired Art Educator, ISD 31
- 1994-2018 Art Educators of Mn
- 1999-2003 AEM Northwest Rep
- 2004-2018-Perpich Center for Arts Education
- Served on all three writing teams in the development of Mn State Arts Standards
- Co-Chair 2018 Mn State Arts Standards Writing Team
Emma Adams – Secretary – Case Coordinator for Bemidji Residential Programs, North Homes Children and Family Services.
- Bachelors in History and Museum Studies, Beloit College
- Masters in Museum Studies, Johns Hopkins
WAC Board Members
Patricia Kelly – Retired Professional in healthcare industry -Employment:Vice President of Development – North Country Regional Hospital (prior to Sanford Health Services) – 25 years.
Organizational Affiliations:
- Member and past Secretary of Bemidji Symphony Orchestra
- Member and past Secretary of Bemidji Senior Center
- Bemidji Chamber of Commerce – Past Board Member and Vice-President – Chamber Ambassador
- Bemidji State University – Member and Past President of BSU Foundation
- United Way – Past President – and Campaign Chair
Watermark Art Center – Board Member – Past Secretary of Board - Bemidji Rotary – Co-Editor of Weekly Newsletter
- Sanford Health Foundation – Member and Co-Chair Community Relations Committee
Eric Carlson – Assistant Professor of Technology, Art and Design – BSU
- MN Teacher of the Year Semifinalist MN Education Association 2018
- MREA Profiles of Excellence Award Fabrication Arts Lab (Fab Lab) 2017
- First Robotics Coach – Kelliher Public School 2017 – present
- KEA President – Kelliher Education Association 2019 – 2020
Nyleta “Zaagaatekwe” Belgarde – Arts & Humanities Department Chair and Ojibwe Language Instructor
- Tribal Affiliation: Turtle Mountain Ojibwe
- M.Ed., Gifted Education, Oklahoma City University, 1994
- B.A. Educational Anthropology, Stanford University, 1992
- Research & Experience : Documentation of female Ojibwemowin speakers
- Courses Taught: Speaking Ojibwe 1 & 2, Indigenous Leadership Internship
Gillian Bedford – Artist, BFA Painting – Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
- Adult teacher of Expressive Landscape Painting Class at Headwaters School of Music and Art, present
- Member of Orchard Artworks Gallery 2000 to closing date, 2019
- Member of Artessa
- Member of Artist Cultural Exchange, PA
- Member of Cheltenham Art Center, PA
- Member of Abington Art Center, PA
Kristin Majkrzak – Fiber artist and Weaver.
Kathy Gustafson – Self-taught artist who works in several mediums. She grew up in the Twin Cities metro area but has lived in Bemidji for over 50 years. She has received numerous awards in juried exhibits, shown her work in galleries and other public art venues. Kathy has been awarded several grants from Region 2 Arts Council and training as an Artist Career Counselor from Springboard for the Arts.
- Taught art at a private school for 10 years and continues to teach youth and adults in her home studio
- Founding member of Gallery North, an artist cooperative
- Founding Member – Artists of Studio 10 critique group and is an active member
- Member of Artists of Minnesota organization for over 4 decades
- Served as Fine Arts Judge for Beltrami County Fair and HS Fine Arts Festival in Fosston, MN
- Represented Beltrami County on Region 2 Arts Council Board from 2009 – 2013
- Facilitator/ Consultant for Region 2 Arts Council Biennial Planning Committee – 2015
- Served on an advisory board for Sanford Health, Bemidji
STAFF & CONTACT INFO:
General Assistance: watermark@paulbunyan.net, 218-444-7570
Lori Forshee-Donnay, Executive Director: watermark@paulbunyan.net
Karen Goulet, Program Director – Miikanan Gallery: kgoulet@watermarkartcenter
Jill P. Neumann, Art Education Program Director: jneumann@watermarkartcenter.org
Lisa Seter, Communications Director: lseter@watermarkartcenter.org
Leah Grunzke, Outreach Coordinator: lgrunzke@watermarkartcenter.org
Nokomis Paiz, Artist Liaison – Miikanan Gallery: npaiz@watermarkartcenter.org
