Since 2009, the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department has partnered with North Dakota Council on the Arts to bring local artists to state parks for a residency. This partnership has brought a wide range of talented artists from around the state.
Artist in Residency Program
The Artist in Residency program offers artists the opportunity to stay and work in unique environments where they’ll draw inspiration from a North Dakota State Park, demonstrate their skills, and assist park visitors of all ages in discovering their artistic side. The program's goal is to continue creating works of art that showcase, document, and celebrate our North Dakota state parks while providing opportunities for visitors to become stewards, with a deeper appreciation of artistic works inspired by the state parks. Artworks generated from this program have characterized the state's beauty for present and future generations, allowing park visitors to see North Dakota through the eyes and ears of contributing artists.
This project is supported in part by a grant from the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. Participating artists are required to provide a minimum of two onsite presentations, one of them a hands-on workshop providing park visitors of all ages an opportunity to try out the artist's skills, methods, and/or tools. Depending upon availability, artists are provided with either a cabin or a modern campsite for their residency duration. A stipend will be awarded to the selected artists upon completing the residency program to compensate participating artists for their time and expenses. Stipends range from $1,750-$2,250 and are based on the length of residency. Participating artists are required to donate a piece of art representing their style and reflecting their residency to the park's collection. Applicants must be current North Dakota residents.
Artist Interviews
Adam Kemp
Adam was born NE of London and moved to ND in 1987 and earned an MFA from UND in sculpture. Working from Grand Forks, ND, he works as a freelance artist and craftsman, working on various commissions and displaying his work at exhibitions throughout the region. His current work is focused on traditional landscapes, portraits, figurative sculptures, and mosaics. Adam's residency was at Turtle River State Park in 2009, the inaugural year. He completed and donated a driftwood art piece.
Arlen Evenson
Arlen was a jack-of-all-trades. After serving in the U.S. Army, he worked various jobs in several states before settling in the Dunseith, ND, area. There he owned and operated Turtle Mountain Artworks, which created wood carvings, bronze sculptures, sculpted signs, glass etchings, and plasma cutting. Although his legacy lives on, Arlen, unfortunately, passed away in 2010, shortly before his 70th birthday. Arlen's residency was at Lake Metigoshe State Park in 2009, where he completed and donated a wood canvasback carved duck.
Lise Erdrich
Lise is an internationally-acclaimed author of novels, poetry, and children's books featuring Native American characters and settings. She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant writers of the second wave of the Native American Renaissance. In 2009, her novel The Plague of Doves was a Pulitzer Prize for fiction finalist. She also ones Birchbark Books in Minneapolis that focus on Native American literature. In 2013, she was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award. Lise's residency was at Lewis & Clark State Park in 2010, where she completed and donated a Framed Book and Wintercount.
Robb Siverson
Robb Siverson is an award-winning fine art and commercial photographer who has been photographing for a variety of clients in the Northern Great Plains for the past 18 years. He works with both digital and analog photographic processes, including traditional darkroom techniques and various historical photographic processes. Robb lives and works out of Fargo, ND. Rob's residency was at Icelandic State Park in 2010, where he donated a photograph titled Lake Renwick. Artist Website
Heidi Goldberg
Heidi Goldberg is a Professor of Art at Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, where she has taught since 1995. Inspired by topics regarding the natural world and our human relationships to it, Goldberg works in mixed media, fiber, and printmaking. Heidi did her residency at Cross Ranch State Park in 2010. She created a chalk painting titled, The Missouri River from Ma-ak-oti Trail that she donated at the end of her residency (pictured). Artist Website
Ryan Christiansen
Based in Fargo, ND, Ryan teaches part-time at NDSU and NDSCS while serving as an associate editor for New Rivers Press at MSUM. He is an experienced journalist and technical writer. Ryan created a book of short stories titled, The Guards House and Other Stories at Fort Stevenson State Park in 2011.
Thomas Anderson
Thomas is a musician, professor, and private teacher based in Eastern, ND. He is a premium classical guitarist, having studied with some of the very best in the world. Thomas's residency was at Beaver Lake State Park in 2011, where he composed a classical guitar piece titled, Pioneer and Mourning Dove. Artist Website
Guillermo Guardia
Guillermo creates figurative sculptures, integrating pattern and form, that are influenced by art history, his upbringing in Peru, Catholicism, his transition to living in the United States, and social/political issues. He received a BFA from the Pontifical Catholic University of Perú in Lima and an MFA in ceramics from UND. He is currently a full-time studio artist in St. Paul, Minnesota. Guillermo's residency at Fort Ransom State Park in 2011, where he created a ceramic Farrier Baby. Artist Website
Bill Thompson
Bill is an illustrator currently living in Los Angeles, CA. He grew up in a farming community in ND and studied at the Joe Kubert School in Dover, NJ. He currently creates storyboards and advertising illustrations for companies such as Marvel Studios, Netflix, University Studios, and many more major television networks and other corporations. Bill visited multiple state parks and created a comic book he donated in 2011. Artist Website
Eileen McEnroe
Eileen became interested in pine needle basketry after picking up a book in the library over 15 years ago. Her ability to make a basket using the time-honored tradition of many indigenous peoples keeps the practice alive for others to see, learn, and appreciate. Eileen created a Pine Needle Basket during her residency at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park in 2012. Artist Website
Karla Nelson
Karla has been making pottery for over 24 years. She is a founding member and teacher at the Muddy Waters Clay Center in Grand Forks, ND (a non-profit community clay studio). She enjoys creating pottery that’s inspiring to hold and a joy to use as well as teaching others the joys of making pottery. Karla created a painting during her residency at Lake Sakakawea State Park in 2012, which was donated at the end of her residency. Artist Website
Michelle Brusegaard
Michelle currently resides in Minneapolis, MN, and specializes in oil painting, photography, screen-printing, and design. She is inspired by old things, new things, people, animals, things that grow, and things that don't grow. Everything she creates starts with an original drawing, so she always says, "keep your friends close; keep your sketchbook closer!" Michelle created an abstract painting she donated after her residency at Turtle River State park in 2012. Artist Website
Brad Bachmeier
Brad is the Department Chair for the School of Art at Minnesota State University Moorhead and serves as the Program Coordinator and Professor of Art Education, the largest program in a five state region. Bachmeier Pottery & Sculpture work is now found in private, public, and permanent collections in all 50 American states and internationally. With specialties in large-scale vessels, low-fire atmospheric firings, and large-scale relief sculpture work, Brad is also one of only 19 recognized Brick Sculptors (American Brick Association) in the U.S. Brad completed a clay & rock piece during his residency at Lewis & Clark State Park in 2013. Artist Website
Linae Bieber Enockson
Linae is a Bismarck artist who seeks to connect her knowledge and feelings with new experiences, processes, and materials. She works in glass, paper, tile, ceramic, and digital photography and video. Linae teaches community and college art courses as well and enjoys witnessing the growth and transformation of others through creativity. Linae completed a framed metal print during her residency at Icelandic State Park in 2016. Artist Website
Jane Kalmbach
Reining from Kenmare, ND, Jane’s art has several recurring themes, including dogs, nature, life on the prairie, faith, and music. All of which is a reflection of the things she values most about life in North Dakota. She began her career as a pastel artist, which has evolved to working with colored pencil work. She is the co-founder of Kenmare Summer Arts. Jane participated in the program in 2016 at Lake Metigoshe State Park. She completed a painting of chickadee which she donated at the end of her residency. Artist Website
Kalyn Dewitt
Kalyn has explored art her entire life. Calling Minot, ND, home, she is interested in the creative process as it relates to both the internal and the external environment of an artist. Working with clay elicits feelings of happiness and contentment. The physical sensations of manipulating and responding to clay connect the maker to both themselves and the earth on which the art is created. Kayln created two pottery pieces that she donated after her residency in 2017 at Cross Ranch State Park.
Kim Smotherman
From a young age, art has been an important part of my life. Harvesting inspiration from nature, I create whimsical art to mirror the tendencies of our natural world. In the last decade, I have been actively involved in the creative community. This includes teaching, commissioning artwork, murals, collaborations, and participation/administration in a multitude of community projects. Kim's residency was at Turtle River State Park in 2018. During that time, she created a turtle shell and tree canopy painting. Artist Website
Terri Berg
Terri has worked with many mediums over the years. She taught in the Grand Forks Public School system for 15 years and supported many art therapy and adult education programs over the years. Currently residing in Hopkins, MN, Terri has opened her own company involved with art parties, summer camp, after-school, and adult drawing/painting classes. She believes, "There are no such things as mistakes in art, only happy accidents." Terri's residency was in 2018 at Lewis & Clark State Park, where she completed and donated a shoreline painting. Artist Website
Whitney Nielsen
Whitney was born and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota. The intense hatred of snow forced her to spend the majority of the calendar year indoors making things, leading to a passion for art. Her art education degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead allows her to work in many different mediums, most recently including graphic design. Whitney partnered with artist Nicole Gagner for a residency at Icelandic State Park in 2018. Together they created the painting "And then we saw Ducks" and donated it to the program. Artist Website
Jennifer Matthews
Jennifer Matthews of Bismarck, ND, is an artist best known for her realistic wildlife and nature paintings. She uses a realistic style because she feels that “the world is beautiful just the way it is if we would only take the time to notice.” She has been drawn to the outdoors since she was a child, where she spent time exploring the countryside in western North Dakota near the Heart River. Jennifer paints primarily in oil, utilizing the slow drying time for her blending and glazing techniques. Jennifer created her piece in 2019 at Lake Metigoshe State Park. Artist Website
Linda Roesch
Linda is a watercolor and acrylic artist currently living in Jamestown, ND. She has worked as a teaching artist around North Dakota and is also self-employed as a freelance artist since the early 2000s. During that time, she has completed a wide variety of painting projects, from children's book illustrations to pet portraits to large murals, with a current focus on community murals and YouTube teaching tutorials. Linda completed a painting at Fort Ransom State Park in 2019. Artist Website
Shalini Agarwal
Shalini Agarwal is a visual artist working in Fargo, ND. She grew up in India and gained experience from master artists in traditional folk arts. She is also an accomplished calligrapher. She has experience teaching art to young students and introducing them to art forms they might not be familiar with. She has helped students to create and learn basic skills in visual arts and helped them develop penmanship through calligraphy. Shalini completed her residency in 2020 at Lewis & Clark State Park. Artist Website
Aaron Michaels
Aaron specializes in photographic and watercolor depictions of nature and landscapes. His artwork varies from macro images of flowers to giant mountain vistas of the National Parks and his paintings are generally based on the photographs he takes. Aaron’s latest works are deconstructions of photographs from the original photographic image to a representative watercolor painting to a watercolor painting that breaks the image into is basic geometry and color.Aaron completed his residency at Lake Metigoshe in 2020. Artist Website
Candace Brekke
Candace first began creating the day she picked up a Crayola and hasn’t stopped since. With an educational background in graphic design and communications, she currently develops visual communications for a local architecture/engineering firm in Minot, ND. Candace is most known for her ‘pieces of eye candy’ which consist of high texture acrylics on canvas. Stylistically abstract, combined with the occasional impressionistic feel, Candace’s repertoire spans a vast range of subject matter. Candace completed her residency at Fort Ransom State Park 2021. Artist Website
Pieper Bloomquist
Pieper is a contemporary folk artist based in Grand Forks, ND. Pieper has been painting in the traditions of Scandinavian folk painting since 1993 – focusing on using the old Swedish folk-art styles of dalmålning and bonadsmålning to tell modern stories. Using traditional materials of linen/jute, homemade gesso, and egg tempera, Pieper enjoys creating painted tapestries with scenes that portray universal human experiences and daily activities of rural life in the upper Midwest. Pieper completed her residency at Fort Stevenson State Park. She donated a Swedish bonadsmålning on linen. Artist Website
Tayla Sessing
Tayla is an artist and educator in Fargo, ND and has lived in ND her entire life. Tayla is an interdisciplinary artist with main interests in ceramics and teaching. She currently works at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo as a ceramic program assistant and teaching artist. Tayla completed her residency at Icelandic State Park in 2022. Artist handle @Taylafay_ceramics
Robin Reynolds
Robin, a rural potter from Hebron, ND, harvests native clay to make her pottery and glazes. Her studio and salesroom, Dacotah Clayworks, in located in Hebron, ND. Robin is a former ceramics educator and Rostered Artist with the ND Council on the Arts. Robin Reynolds did her residency at Beaver Lake State Park in 2022. Artist Website
Marie Snavely
Marie is an artist, teacher, avid bike rider, and a native North Dakotan currently residing in Bowman, ND. She works with oil, watercolor, and acrylic paint and proclaims herself a scape painter using color, composition, and line to create ethereal and atmospheric landscapes. Her teaching career spanned 45 years. Marie completed two pieces she donated after her residency at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park in 2022.
Nicole Gagner
Currently residing and working in Bismarck, ND, Nicole is a visual artist inspired by texture, saturated color, unique plays of light and form. Working primarily in oil paint with an expressive hand, translates to loose, flowy brushwork and a textural interplay of colors. Nicole also enjoys photography and drawing, as a way to sketch out ideas and study subjects for paintings. Nicole participated in the program in 2016 at Turtle River State Park and in 2017 at Lewis & Clark State Park. She donated, "View from Nature Trail" painting in 2016 and another painting from her stay at Lewis & Clark. Artist Website
Johnathan Campbell
Hailing from Bismarck, ND, Johnathan strives to do more with his photography than capture a moment in time. He works with long exposures, seconds to minutes in the dark of night, to create a scene of light and movement. By exploring the world hidden by the veil of night, a tree, man-made intrusions on the landscape, or just the stars above that light the night, inspire him to dance in the dark, to turn his camera into a canvas. Artist Website
Karen Bakke
Since 1995, Karen has focused her energy on painting fine art, focused on large murals, commissioned canvas painting, plein air painting, and studio work. Working out of Fargo, ND, she works in a variety of mediums and various subject matter to allow for flexibility to accommodate client requests and to incorporate her personal creative twist. Karen completed a residency at Cross Ranch State Park. Artist Website