Doug Engberg "Leather Burning Art" in Gallery I

Doug was born and raised in Williston, ND and worked in the oil field for 30 years.

Doug says, “Loving to draw all my life there was nothing I wouldn’t try in the art world mediums. I have done oil paint, pencil drawing, and burning on wood. I decided to try burning leather to see how that will work, and now I’m hooked on it. 

With each art piece I can see the small details that will work from burning deep for the bison fur to the light shading of the tee-pee smoke.  It takes time and patience to do this as once the hot tip touches the leather, there is no turning back.

In my early work, I just did the burning on the leather, and now I have been adding color from soft tints to heavy coats to bring them out or adding a color to their eyes. I starting to like this a little bit more to give the extra WOW factor.” 

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Linda Beard "A Little Bit Alcohol, A Little Bit Water" in Gallery II

Linda says, “Working with alcohol ink and watercolor on small pieces were fun to do.   The free flow of the media on each piece makes you wonder what the art will become.  Learning to manipulate the alcohol ink through air force, either using a straw or an air brush to create the image.

Along with watercolor using different methods to achieve the effect that you need.   The use of salt, plastic wrap or even alcohol, having fun with the paints and let your imagination go.

Not wasting any watercolor paper, small pieces can be used to float the art on the mat and that’s where the framing talent comes in to play making something out of a small piece of scrap.

Along with the alcohol ink, I tried different surfaces from glass shelves, washers (necklace), PVC pipe, mosaic tile, and a mask.  Trying the different color combinations and adding gold to the mixture to give it the rich look.

I’m always looking for new and different ways to do each medium and how to frame each for a different look.”

July Exhibits

Come meet the artist! Please join us for an artist reception on Friday, July 8th from 7-8:30 PM

Mark Holter "Musings from Isolation" in Gallery I

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Mark Holter grew up in North Dakota and has always been involved with art in one medium or another.  Up until a few years ago he’s kept his visual art mostly private.  He left North Dakota in 1989 for the US Navy and after 10 years of traveling the world, found himself back in North Dakota.  He received his Bachelor of General Studies degree from Minot State University in Minot, ND in 2016.  Mark feels his art has become a way to express himself and to explore relationships with his emotions, experiences, and the people in his life. “Art has been my escape, therapy, creative outlet, and evolution.”

 Mark says, “I enjoy communicating with people, but sometimes words can be restrictive.  I feel that through my art I can communicate more honestly and completely.  I like to experiment with different mediums and materials because it's how I evolve my work.  I also like to be loud in both color and style because life is too short to be boring.  I love challenging people's concepts of what art should be, their views on different subjects, and their perceptions.  It's how the receiver interprets my messages that fascinates me.  My favorite thing is to anonymously listen in on conversations and comments when people are looking at my work. I don't define myself as a one-medium artist.  Whichever mediums and style I use on a given piece is my method of communication.  Usually for me, working in an abstract style allows me to communicate more clearly.  Maybe it's my way of making sense out of chaos.”