St. Croix 360

River stories to inspire stewardship.

  • Share News
  • Event Calendar
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Support

Pine Needles artists-in-residence selected for 2017 season

A novelist, a painter, and a sculptor will live and work at the St. Croix River cabin this summer.

By St. Croix 360 | April 11, 2017 | 2 minute read

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print
  • More
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Telegram

From the St. Croix Watershed Research Station:

Pine Needles cabin

Three artists have been selected to live and work at the St. Croix Watershed Research Station’s historic Pine Needles cabin this summer. The artists and writers will each spend two to four weeks at the cabin on the banks of the Wild & Scenic St. Croix River.

Since 2001, the program has welcomed 40 artists and writers and has provided dedicated time and space for participants to pursue artistic interests. It also lets artists interact with Research Station scientists and the community, informing their creative process. The Research Station is the field research station of the Science Museum of Minnesota.

The 2017 artists-in-residence are Sarah Stonich (Minneapolis), Elizabeth Belz (Grand Marais, MN) and Karlyn Eckman (St. Paul).

Sarah Stonich is the author of several novels, including The Ice Chorus and These Granite Islands. Her memoir Shelter: Off The Grid in the Mostly Magnetic North, won the NEMBA award and has been re-issued in paperback by the University of Minnesota Press. Her novel Vacationland was a MN Book Award finalist and has been a selected community read by nearly a dozen Midwestern cities. First in a trilogy set at a remote resort in Northern Minnesota border country, Vacationland will be followed this spring by Laurentian Divide. Stonich will continue work on the final piece of this trilogy,Watershed, during her residency.

Elizabeth Belz, a Stillwater native, primarily works with metal, fiber, printmaking and basketweaving. She has studied at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, John C. Campbell Folk School, North House Folk School and Penland School of Crafts in the Blue Ridge Mountains. During her residency, she hopes to create a series of sculptures, made of forged and fabricated steel with added natural elements, inspired by the landscape at Pine Needles.

Karlyn Eckman paints in the genres of landscape, historical and nautical art, working in oil and watercolor painting and metal point drawing. She will use the residency to reflect upon the intersection of her two professional lives, which are united by water. In addition to her art, Eckman has been a professor in the Department of Forest Resources at the University of Minnesota, where she focused on the human dimensions of water quality issues. “Water is the unifying theme of my life’s work, and I seek to capture its beauty and to interpret its condition,” says Eckman. She intends to create a series of drawings and paintings featuring historical and natural sites within the St. Croix watershed and at the Research Station. At the same time, she seeks a greater understanding and insight into integrating natural sciences and the arts.

The Pine Needles cabin was originally built in 1912 by conservationist J.W.G. Dunn and was later owned by his son James Taylor Dunn, who served as chief librarian of the Minnesota Historical Society from 1955 to 1972 and published the first major history of the St. Croix River in 1965. It was donated to the St. Croix Watershed Research Station in 1998. The Pine Needles residency was piloted by writer Laurie Allmann in 2001, and was opened up to other artists starting in 2002.

Related articles:

Follow

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Features

Two inches and 6,000 gallons: A swollen century on the St. Croix River

Cold comfort

New preserve will let students, community, and anglers experience the Kinnickinnic River

St. Croix 360 is now 100% supported by readers.

Click here to contribute →

 

Latest News

Stillwater restaurant’s trees spared as construction starts on new walkway

Interstate Park and Ice Age Trail prove popular during pandemic

River Falls reservoir drawn down for good after dam damaged by flood

City on lower St. Croix considers housing ordinance in conflict with river rules

St. Croix forestry conference will connect people working for watershed woods

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

About

St. Croix 360 builds support for river stewardship, and connects people and organizations. It is an independent news source produced by Greg Seitz, with past support from the St. Croix River Association.

Donate to St. Croix 360 today »

Story of 360

One of the biggest challenges facing the St. Croix River is harmful blooms of algae in in the lower river, due to excess nutrients in runoff. The goal is to restore the river by reducing phosphorus levels to 360 tons/year. Learn more »

Share Your News

St. Croix 360 is powered by a broad community of St. Croix River-loving people. Please visit our submission page to send tips, press releases, and other news.

Submit an Event

Lower St. Croix: St. Croix 360 partners with online calendar St. Croix Splash.

  • Submit your events to Splash.
  • Share it with St. Croix 360 for promotion.

For events elsewhere in the watershed, contact St. Croix 360 directly.

St. Croix 360 Syndication

To help increase awareness of the St. Croix River, news organizations and other outlets are free to share St. Croix 360 content, as long as you follow a few simple rules.

Republish St. Croix 360 stories »

Partners

  • St. Croix River Association
  • St. Croix Watershed Research Station
  • ArtReach St. Croix
  • You and all St. Croix 360's readers!
Handcrafted in May Township, Minnesota. Please contribute today »
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.