Kaddatz Galleries, a vibrant nonprofit art space in downtown Fergus Falls, invites you to immerse yourself in three captivating exhibitions featuring the works of Laura Youngbird, Erika Frikken & Jess Torgerson, and Katy J. Olson. With their distinct voices and compelling narratives, these artists bring forth thought-provoking reflections on identity, environmental consciousness, and societal challenges.
On view in the Main Gallery - Laura Youngbird, a seasoned mixed media artist and former Director of Native American Art Programs at Plains Art Museum, invites viewers into the intricate layers of her world with "Inde’Wiisagendam (My Heart Hurts)." Through multilayered monotypes using the dress as a metaphor, Youngbird addresses social issues, injustices, and biases. Drawing inspiration from her personal journey and family history, Youngbird explores the powerful symbolism of the dress, weaving together threads of identity, assimilation, love, and illusion. On view in Studio K - Erika Frikken and Jess Torgerson collaborate in "For the Birds: A means to create, not waste," an installation born out of the Springboard for the Arts’ Guaranteed Minimum Income for Artists pilot. Using recycled materials and supported by guaranteed income, the installation ingeniously transforms discarded materials into a captivating installation, echoing themes of resourcefulness, community, and the potential for renewal. Frikken and Torgerson's creation serves as a tangible response to the need for income support in the artistic community, offering a visual exploration of sustainability, creativity, and the transformative power of guaranteed income. On view in the Community Room - Katy J. Olson's "The Weight of Woman" challenges perceptions of femininity, environmental stewardship, and the complexities of modern existence. Through mixed media pieces, Olson leverages the Lakes Area Plastic lab as a resource to create embellishments to adorn her plaster torso portraits. Each torso tells a unique story, exploring the intersectionality of environmental crisis, gender inequality, and the objectification of women. Olson's work serves as a call to action, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own connections to these pressing issues. All three exhibitions open Tuesday, March 19th and will be on view through April 27, 2024. A joint opening reception will take place on Thursday, March 21st from 5-7 pm with artist remarks scheduled to take place at 6 pm; this event is free and open to the public of all ages with light refreshments provided. Kaddatz Galleries receives MSAB Arts Education Grant to offer fine arts courses for adults2/19/2024 The Kaddatz Galleries is pleased to announce they have been awarded an Arts Education grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB) to support a newly launched fine arts education program for adults ages 16 and up.
Support from this MSAB grant enables Kaddatz Galleries to offer educational courses aimed to expand adult students’ skills, bolster confidence in their creative abilities, and foster community connections. This series will consist of six diverse courses varying in length from 4-8 weeks, with classes occurring on a weekly basis. Courses will include: Foundation Drawing 1 & 2, Watercolor, Egg Tempera, Oil Painting, and Mixed-Media Color Theory. All classes will be led by area artists established in each specific medium and will take place at Kaddatz Galleries in the ADA accessible classrooms located in the lower level of the historic Kaddatz Hotel Building (111 W. Lincoln Avenue). Registration for each course is offered at a sliding scale fee to allow individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds access to creative education, fostering inclusivity and equitable opportunity for artistic expression. To learn more about Kaddatz Galleries art classes or to register, please visit: www.kaddatzgalleries.org and click on the “Classes” tab. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Art Reach: Exposed7/27/2021 Kaddatz’s new Art Reach program is an outreach program designed to enrich the lives of underserved populations within our community with vibrant arts experiences. Currently, programming serves a youth support group, The Matthew House (a transitional home for men) and Productive Alternatives (an organization serving adults with disabilities). Artwork created through each of these Kaddatz Art Reach programs is included in Art Reach: Exposed.
Relationships between participants, artists and Kaddatz staff have been fostered through recurring classes as well as private gallery tours and artist talks. Creating connections between participants and community members through the arts is at the heart of Art Reach programming. Not only has the program enriched the lives of the participants, it has deeply impacted the lives of the artists and staff involved as well. The exhibit, Art Reach: Exposed, aims to expose the broader community to the incredible individuals and organizations served through this program, raise awareness about the existence, impact and need for these organizations and services and foster connections between participants and community members. This programming was made possible thanks in part to funds from the Inga M. Johnson Endowment Fund as established with West Central Initiative for the benefit of the Fergus Falls area & grant funding from the Frank W. Veden Charitable Trust. June 28, 2019 -- Minneapolis-based artist, basket maker and nurse Martha Bird. Alumni Hinge Artist, announces a joint exhibition of new and retrospective work at Kaddatz Galleries and Otter Tail County Historical Society in Fergus Falls, Minnesota from Wednesday, September 11 through Friday November 1, 2019!
The Northern Salon of the Society of Minnesota Sculptors is hosted this year by the Kaddatz Galleries in Fergus Falls, MN. The exhibition runs from Wednesday, July 24 to Friday, September 6, with a closing reception that evening.
The 2019 Northern Salon is an effort to tap into the rich sculpture scene in the Northern half of the state, promote exposure to new artists, and celebrate quality work from all over the state. This show is a mix of local artists from Fergus Falls as well as many pieces brought up from the Twin Cities metro area, or down from several cities further north. “In 1943, the Minnesota Sculptors Group (as it was originally called) was organized to stimulate public interest in creative sculpture. Since its formation, the Group has grown under the leadership of many prominent Minnesota artists and educators. For generations, indigenous voices have been stifled. One artist residency is working to change that.
| Ms. Red Star, an Apsaalooke (Crow) artist who has done the residency twice, said the institute dismantles the “othering” of Native art. “They have the right mission of really promoting Native artists as contemporary artists and not as this silo.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/arts/crows-shadow-institute-native-american-art.html?fbclid=IwAR13H0AlzkFXRY-YYCNkB4-Gtf4qOBAuCuXO9MIs7pTU1q2_EnF63xsMz6g The Kaddatz Galleries is located in Fergus Falls, a town of just under 14,000 people in rural MN. Fergus Falls has seen first-hand that the arts are a huge economic player, despite popular narratives to the contrary.
From The National Governors Association (NGA), the collective voice of the nation's governors, on Medium.com: https://medium.com/nga-economic-opportunity/a-proven-economic-catalyst-for-rural-america-the-creative-sector-94135e9bfa15 Here’s an article that was making the rounds Spring of 2019:
Arts Sector Contributed $763.6 Billion to U.S. Economy—More Than Agriculture or Transportation, New Data Shows Link to article by Isaac Kaplan for artsy.net, March 2019: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-arts-sector-contributed-7636-billion-economy-agriculture-transportation?fbclid=IwAR01f_1Iyjz_7Mc17AlFA6CCLUZPpMfIHeNLd4h8irWg8sVDvOk-pbq4GmU |