DEC 1- JAN 2 IN GALLERY II

WHS ART STUDENT SHOW

The James loves to promote art for our area students, and this month we are hosting the artwork of Semester 1 WHS art students!

This exhibit showcases the creativity and talents of our High School artists, Beginner and Advanced.

Be sure to join us for an artist reception on Sunday, December 7th, from 2-3:30 PM.

NOVEMBER 3-28 IN GALLERY I

MELISSA GORDON

TAKE A WALK IN THE BADLANDS OF NORTH DAKOTA

This collection of paintings is the original gouache illustrations by Melissa Gordon from the children's book, "Take a Walk in the Badlands of North Dakota" by Sherry Niesar. Both are long-time residents of North Dakota and nature lovers. 

Sherry is a wildlife scientist and lifelong educator. She enjoys translating the natural world into everyday language for all ages in her college classes or by visiting schools. This collaboration between neighbors was a dream of Sherry's and brought to life with depictions of the wonders of the North Dakota Badlands by Melissa. 

This book was created for children everywhere, and copies of the book will be available for sale along with the exhibition. 

Melissa Gordon has been an artist all her life selling her first commissioned work at 12 years of age..She has won numerous awards for her realistic renderings around the state and has many works in private collections across the country. Melissa has had several solo shows and participates in many regional group shows throughout the year. Recently, she has become known for large-scale work done around the Bismarck-Mandan area, including her mural of Sitting Bull in Alley 5.5, which was featured on the cover of Parade Magazine. Other notable works include the Heritage Art Tunnel, Beauty at a Glance, Bismarck Veteran's Memorial Library, Department of Trust Lands, North Dakota League of Cities, and Mary Stark Elementary School. 

After over 10 years as a graphic artist, designer, and art director, she has worked independently for nearly twenty years as a freelance artist and illustrator. A highlight of her career came when she was chosen by Governor Doug Burgum for the North Dakota Governor's Individual Achievement Award for the Arts in February of 2021. She is also the 2016 Citation Award recipient at Bismarck Arts and Galleries and has won several Best of Show Awards with her work. 

Melissa also enjoys teaching and has taught in a variety of settings to age groups ranging from kindergarten to senior citizens, and has a special interest in at-risk groups. She belongs to many local arts organizations and was a founding member of Bismarck Downtown Artists Cooperative. She has served as a board member of Mandan Art Association, Dakota West Arts Council,, BSC Alumni Board, and was appointed to the North Dakota Council on the Arts in 2015 by Governor Jack Dalrymple. 

In addition to her work as an artist, she is also an active member of the community and does volunteer work for many area organizations, including Bismarck Arts and Galleries Association, Dakota West Arts Council, Special Olympics, Papa's Pumpkin Patch, and Arts For All..

Be sure to join us on Saturday, November 15th, from 2-3:30 PM for an artist reception!

NOVEMBER 3-28 IN GALLERY II

HOMESCHOOL STUDENT SHOW

The James loves to promote art for our area students, and this month we are hosting the artwork of area homeschool students in Gallery II!

This exhibit showcases the creativity and talents of youth artists, ages 5-17.

Be sure to join us for an artist reception on Saturday, November 15th, from 2-3:30 PM.

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 31 IN GALLERY I

HEATHER THOMAS OLSON

FEVER DREAMS

Heather Thomas Olson is an American oil painter who lives in Western North Dakota and paints full-time in her home studio.  

Heather graduated in 2010 from Dakota College at Bottineau for floral design and horticulture. Although Heather had been a painter and creative her entire life, she has become a disciplined daily painter since 2019. As a self-taught artist, she painted daily for an entire year in acrylics. Focusing on her skills, she then switched to oils. Her work is a broad spectrum of realism and surrealism that includes portraiture, plants, animals, still life and landscape. She toes the line between traditional and experimental techniques. She draws her inspiration from the Avante Garde, Peewee Herman, Gothic and weird pop art, low art, and outsider art. She’s also influenced by Sargent, Sorolla, Flemish and Dutch painters, and Bouguereau.

Heather states, “My work is a journey of ideas, dreams, and the byproduct of the skills that I have learned. As a self-taught artist, I may not always have the answer to the question. If I need light to look a certain way in a painting, I have to find a way to make it happen.

My work consists of portraits, pets, animals, landscapes, and still life. I have always painted, but over the last five years, I have focused on improving by painting every day. I started with acrylic, and after a full year, I focused only on oil paint. This is where the rubber met the pavement.

My passion for painting and learning has taken over my life. Each painting is a learning experience. It will be a lifelong endeavor. It is an obsession, a compulsion that is not just an enjoyable hobby.”

Be sure to join us on Saturday, October 18, from 2-3:30 PM for an artist reception!