Artwork from McKnight Foundation winners on display at BSU's Talley Gallery

Apr. 9—BEMIDJI — Artwork from ceramic artists who have won the McKnight Foundation from the Minneapolis-based Northern Clay Center is now on display at the Bemidji State University's Talley Gallery.

The exhibition, which opened in early April, includes work by three artists who have earned the 2019 McKnight Residency Awards and two 2020 McKnight Fellows.

The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from April 4 to May 6, Monday through Friday in Bridgeman Hall room 140 at BSU.

"This show will expose students to diverse ideas and creativity," Laura Goliaszewski, BSU's art galleries director, said in a release. "It may also inspire art students to investigate new ideas and techniques in their progression as artists."

The fellowship winners are Andrea Leila Denecke of Scandia, Minn., and Brad Menninga of St. Paul. The residency recipients are Pattie Chalmer of Carbondale, Ill., Rebecca Chappell of Philadelphia, and Marcelino Puig-Pastrana of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The McKnight Artist Fellowships and Residencies for Ceramic Artists programs are designed to strengthen and enhance Minnesota's artistic community. Fellowships help offset studio and living expenses and allow artists to experiment with new materials and techniques and build upon ideas within their work.

Residencies are granted to artists outside Minnesota for a three-month stay at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis. Each year, the center develops an exhibit of fellowship and residency recipients which is then toured around Minnesota.

The ceramic pieces featured in the exhibit illustrate the unique story and background of each of the artists.

Five McKnight Artists and all activities at the Talley Gallery are supported by Bemidji State's student body through the Student Activity Feel Allocation Committee. The Talley Gallery is open at no charge to the public.

For more information contact Laura Goliaszewski at

(218) 755-3737