The First Friday Art Walk supports both the artists and businesses of Bemidji’s downtown community by providing a festive self-guided walking tour featuring an average of 8 artist receptions each month throughout downtown Bemidji’s restaurants, libraries, schools, and businesses. Watermark Art Center is the anchor exhibitor of the First Friday Art Walk, as well as its media liaison.

An estimated 100 people are out each month during the First Friday Art Walk to attend art openings, visit with artists, and listen to artist talks, live music, readings, or demonstrations. The fun continues into the evening as attendees visit area restaurants and bars for musical entertainment, food, and drink.

View the interactive map for this month here!

Bemidji First Friday Art Walk
August 4, 2017

Dunn Bros Coffee – Dunn Bros presents the photography of Nancy Barcenas Mayer. Mayer and her husband, Tony, have been teaching in international schools such as Moldova, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan. Mayer’s exhibit features these regions, opening a window into the people, culture and scenery of Asia and Eastern Europe. Dunn Bros is open 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. and is located at 501 Paul Bunyan Dr SE.

Neilson Place continues their display entitled “Another Time, Another Place” by Dee Ann Najjar. Currently, Najjar is working in oils, acrylics and mixed media to capture folk traditions and record the people and places in her world. Her present artistic inspiration is leaving a visual story telling legacy for her grandchildren. Najjar has many accomplishments including teaching, books and publications illustrations, solo and group exhibitions, private collections and awards. At Neilson Place, her artwork will include watercolor, acrylic, pastel, oil, ink, collage and mixed media paintings. Neilson Place is located on the Sanford WoodsEdge campus, 1000 Anne Street NW and is open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Bemidji Library – The library wall will feature items created by the Bemidji Wood Carving Club. The carvers do projects of many styles, including human figures, caricatures, birds, busts and more. The library will be open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located at 509 America Ave NW.

Wild Hare Bistro and Coffeehouse continues the paintings of Mary Lingen. Lingen’s paintings, like the northern landscapes she depicts, are at once beautifully chaotic and perfectly balanced, using her unique technique of geometric segmentation to organize the busy-ness of color and light from the complexity of the natural world. Representative and abstract at the same time, the resulting work and is both striking and comfortably familiar. Lingen received her B.A. in art from Augsburg College in 1981 and has been painting ever since. Her work has been exhibited in over 20 states and won numerous awards in national competitions. She has been listed in Art in America’s Annual Guide to Museums, Galleries and Artists on four separate occasions. This show is a “must see” for art consumers, professionals and students! Wild Hare is open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 523 Minnesota Ave.

Gallery North – Gallery North will host a First Friday open house on August 4^th from 2-6 pm featuring the work of Showcase Artist Gregory Steele. Steele began his career as a cartoonist and ads layout artist for a newspaper, later freelancing as an illustrator. Most recently, he has been painting full time, working only in oil. Featured artist for August is Gallery North member Kathy Sanders. Kathy has had a lifelong interest in the arts and started painting by attending rosemaling classes many years ago. She has been teaching classes in oil and acrylics for the past 10 years. Most recently, Kathy creates her unique handmade artisan glass beads used in jewelry and on her gourd art. Gallery North is located at 310 4th Street NW.

Watermark Art Center and Northwest Indian Community Development Center (NWICDC) present a reception and silent art auction on August 4th at the NWICDC. Proceeds from the auction will go to local artist and sculptor Duane Goodwin, who recently lost over 40 years’ worth of artist tools and supplies in a fire that burned down his studio. Up for bid will be a variety of work from many area artists, including painting, woodworking and more. A reception and chance to preview work will take place from 4-5 p.m. The auction will be open for bidding from 5-7 p.m., with winners announced at 7. The NWICDC is located at 1819 Bemidji Ave N.

Headwaters Music & Arts – Headwaters School of Music and the Arts presents Time Funnel, an opening reception and artist talk featuring David L. Smith of Siren, WI. Smith uses objects from second hand stores in combination with his own woodwork to create his art pieces. He describes his work as “found object sculpture with influences of folk art, surrealism, and outsider art.” The public is invited to this free opening reception on August 4^th from 4-6 p.m, with an artist talk at 5 p.m.  Following the Smith’s reception, Headwaters will host the First Friday CoffeeHouse from 7-10 p.m. The CoffeeHouse events feature local musicians, singers and writers sharing their talents in 10-15 minute sets. Featured performers on August 4^th include Rachael Munson and Jeffery Sawyer. Artists will be scheduled ahead of time with limited slots reserved for sign up the night of the event. Cost to attend the Coffeehouse is $3/person or $7/family. Headwaters is located at 519 Minnesota Ave NW.

Rail River Folk School – Rail River Folk School will host the monthly First Friday Fest, August 4, 7-10 p.m. The First Friday Fest is an all-inclusive music and creative arts gathering happening every First Friday. The August 4^th lineup includes performers Annalise Aakhus, Michael Rendahl, Ivan Les Smith and Day Gun. They will be joined by artists Jake Baggenstoss with his paintings, Gabrielle Congrave Baggenstoss of Snotter Press with her zines, Fisher Jambor with floral arrangements, Jessica Mahlberg of Lost Flower with jewelry and H2O by Heather Lynn with henna and hula hoops. The event is free, and open to the public. Rail River is located at 303 Railroad St. SW.