Past Art Exhibitions

Each artwork by Mark Sifferlin and Kevan Willington is a "splash" — a moment where artist interpretation meets nature, resulting in works of art that challenge the objective view of the environment. Rather than nature observed from a distance, these works present nature felt. Executed in rich oil on panel, the paintings utilize the rigidity of the wood to support bold, gestural strokes and deep, singing harmonies of color. These are not mere documentations of scenery; they are colorful landscapes that invite you to step inside the vibration of the earth and breathe it all in.

Bringing together three distinct voices, “Radiant Flow: An exploration of light, texture and form” celebrates the movement between nature, tradition, and modern expression. This exhibition explores how light and energy transition across different surfaces. 

Patty MacHalec’s plein-air style multimedia canvases display a classic depth. The organic, three-dimensional curves of Kristen Treuting’s gourds are stained with ornamental motifs. Jane Johnson's contemporary paintings vibrantly capture the fluid, ever-changing nature of the world around us. 

Together, these artists invite you to witness the "flow" that connects the tactile world with the human spirit.

“Viewpoint” brings together the distinct artistic lenses of Brian Jensen and Mary Meuwissen to explore how we perceive our surroundings. 

Jensen offers a viewpoint rooted in clarity and memory—his precision-based acrylics on wood capture the iconic beauty of Minnesota’s landscapes and lakes with a storyteller’s eye. 

In contrast, Meuwissen offers a viewpoint from within. Her abstract, luminous layers of oil and wax paintings strip away the literal to reveal the emotional essence of a place. When looking at her pieces, you witness the joyful shifting of energy in nature.  

This exhibition invites you to shift your own perspective and find beauty in it all. 

Students studying Surface Design at the University of Minnesota represented the diversity of life at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum through print. Inspired by rare books from the Andersen Horticultural Library, the students created work celebrating the Library, the Arboretum, and the wildlife within.

Walk toward the trees! Take in Mary Pat Maracle’s textured photo encaustics of detailed broadleafs and Kristen Palm’s vivid, representational abstract trees and landscapes. Step back to experience Palm’s bold colors and shapes that evoke our tall sylvan relatives in acrylic, then step closer to observe the blankets of palpable wax, layered intricately by Maracle. Though both artists depict trees in different ways – sometimes playful and loud, other times ghostly with an underlying structure of branches and twigs – each style of work celebrates their own connection to the trees that surround us.