BAGLEY — There is art happening everywhere. Not only in major metropolitan areas but also rural communities. The Bagley Area Arts Collaborative wishes to expand art creation in rural northwestern Minnesota, bringing art teachers from all over to teach community members.
The planning for creating something like the BAAC began back in 2013, said Janet Brademan, who has been a part of BAAC since the beginning. It started with just a few people meeting together to talk about arts programming in the surrounding Bagley area and deciding it was something they wanted to pursue.
They would meet once a month and, in the summer of 2014, they began doing some programming. At first, it was music related, but that didn’t seem to be working with the community. Then, they started offering workshops in various art styles, and it seemed to connect with people.
“So, we have artists that come in and maybe do a half-day workshop all the way to where artists will come and do a five-day workshop,” Brademan said. “It depends on the genre of the art and how much do you have to get done and if you want people to go home with a completed project.”
Shannon Lucas-Westrum is both a participant and instructor with BAAC. She appreciates the atmosphere of the classes.
“All the other students have been really excited and really open to kind of working with each other and really communicating, collaborating together," she explained. "I think that's been really awesome.”
Bonnie Friborg, who also participates in classes, agreed.
“Everybody is just so willing to help each other no matter what level you are, no matter how good you are,” she said.
Pam Janssen, who participates in classes and instructs wood carving, appreciates the top-of-the-line instructors the BAAC gets. People from Canada, the Twin Cities and neighboring states come to take the classes because of the quality of instructors.
It’s also gotten to the point that people will join classes just to expose themselves to a new art form. They’re excited to learn something new, and most classes tend to fill up quickly.
Not only will people create a work of art in the class, but some will buy supplies and try creating more at home. Friborg said she has taken things she has learned in classes and used that knowledge to approach other art forms differently.
Class prices range from $50-150, depending on the length of the workshops and the instructors involved. Usually, materials are included with the price of the classes, so people brand new to the art form don’t have to worry about finding supplies.
BAAC used to showcase the art created in these workshops around the library in Bagley, but now it’s mostly featuring artists who will be instructing the classes. Janssen said they’ve been getting a lot of good feedback from people enjoying these art shows.
There are also Art Shares once a month, where people can bring in whatever art form they’re working on and get feedback from fellow community members. They don’t have to be a member of BAAC to participate.
“They'll give you really constructive advice and it's just to get together and talk about art and what we're doing,” Friborg said.
One thing Lucas-Westrum noticed — especially in the post-COVID world — is how much people love getting out and engaging with the classes. Adults can be afraid to try new things, make mistakes or do something badly. However, seeing people come together in groups to try new art forms and encouraging each other has been inspiring.
“But that ability to come back together, learn something new and be sort of vulnerable at that same time, and have some fun," Lucas-Westrum said. "What a great way to do it all at once.”
The classes are also friendly to any skill level participants may be. Beginners and experts are both welcome.
As for people thinking about trying out a BAAC class, Friborg said, “It doesn't matter how good you are or what you know, you're going to be welcome. ... It's no pressure. You're not expected to make a Mona Lisa.”
To follow along with what BAAC is up to, and when workshops are available, visit its Facebook page. BAAC also encourages people to sign up for its newsletter.
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
