December 21st, 2016
photo by Zach Gibson
When asked how he would describe his work, Richmond, Virginia-based artist Charlie Umhau says,“I’d say it’s a functional Americana version of traditional Greek black figure painted vases married with Howard Finster’s hyper productivity; the black and white gold framed color palate of Civil War tintypes, the sustainable but frenzied improvisation of African American scrap quilts, the talismanic tailoring of Old World shamans dressed for ceremony, spiritually…
December 21st, 2016
“I was never a fan of non-objective and abstract art. I just didn't have that perspective, I was too literal. Towards the end of my stay at NDSU I took sculpture classes and got into making assemblages and trying to utilize the repurposed look in a more contemporary fashion. I carry some aesthetics from this phase into the work that I create now.” says mixed media artist Alison Buecksler.
You may have seen her demonstrating at Corks and Canvas events in Downtown Fargo,or her show…
December 14th, 2016
The art trade in Fargo is a cutthroat business. Photographers, painters, and potters struggling for local sales are now also fighting for spaces in the downtown area.
Recognized by many as the cultural avant-garde of Downtown’s awakening and current revitalization programs, some artists are being forced out, while others are fearful of what future gentrification will bring.
Change doesn’t come without casualties, artists recognize, they’re simply asking not to be forgotten. The city…
December 14th, 2016
While researching the concept of his current solo exhibition at the Spirit Room, titled “#MillenialProbs,” ceramicist Hayden Swanson did a bit of crowdsourcing by reaching out to his peers via social media. I couldn’t help but ask what he thought the most serious problem was.
“I don't think I could say there is a single ‘most serious problem’ since they are all valid, but people were really concerned about opiate use, Dakota Access Pipeline, and the election. The tone people…
November 30th, 2016
“Make Room has seen a resurgence in the lost arts. There are a few reasons people come to us with the need to create. One catalyst for the revival of dying skills is the disconnect between the products we buy and how they were made.” says Chelsea Thorson, owner and director of Make Room Gallery in Fargo. “There's something comforting about knowing exactly where a handmade item came from and how it was created.”
Make Room Gallery will be presenting a “Lost Arts Workshop…
November 30th, 2016
“The World in Fargo-Moorhead” is a community photography and story project featuring area residents who have come here from other parts of the world. Launched in September, 2016, the project is a social media-based collaborative effort, first envisioned by Meg Luther Lindholm.
New York native Lindholm is a freelance radio journalist working in Fargo-Moorhead. She is currently doing North Dakota-based work as part of a grant from the North Dakota Humanities Council, telling stories…
November 16th, 2016
I’m sitting on a couch in the combination art studio/garage of local artist Matt Mastrud, aka Punchgut. We shoot the breeze about topics from horror movies to the tension in the air after the recent presidential election. He muses about how he thinks people would put aside their differences if they had a common enemy.
“Like Watchmen,” I say.
“Yeah,” he replies, then brings out his newest work of art, a stylized picture of an unquestionably hostile alien soldier with a shooting…
November 9th, 2016
By Jacinta Macheel Zens jacinta.zens@gmail.com
HPR Editor Sabrina Hornung, is not just our writer and editor. She is also a talented artist who works in multiple media. An exhibition of her works will be on display at the Rourke Art Museum from November 4, 2016 to December 4, 2016. This exhibition, titled “Sod Breakin' and Reclamation,” showcases the diversity and complexity of Ms. Hornung's work.
High Plains Reader: Your work for this show showcases your multi-faceted artistic…
October 27th, 2016
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“I’ve had a lot of experiences--learning my identity over the years, growing up as a product of the assimilation campaign, I was not taught a lot about who I was as an Anishinaabe person,” says Minneapolis-based artist Jim Denomie, “Along the way I learned a lot of that stuff by going back and talking to people and getting involved in the culture through pow wows, storytelling and ceremony.”
His art reflects just that. He was born on the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation, and…
October 26th, 2016
By Ben Haugmo
Unlike other creators, tattoo artists don’t have the ability to erase their mistakes. They don’t have the advantage of erasers or the ability to undo mistakes with a keystroke. Luckily, most tattoo artists are in their field for a good reason. They understand that, when your canvas is a human body, you have to commit to each line. They’ve taken the time to hone their skills and build the confidence needed to be certain that the final product looks great.
Athena Funk…
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By Alicia Underlee NelsonMore than 1,000 pro-worker events are planned for Thursday, May 1 across the country, including rallies in Fargo-Moorhead, Grand Forks, Minot and Jamestown. East Grand Forks and Bismarck will host protests…
By Prairie Rose Seminolems.prairierose@gmail.com I was a child who walked behind my parents into classrooms and kitchens, spaces of song and prayer, where teachings lived in the air and settled on my shoulders. I didn’t yet have…
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Saturday, May 3, 7 p.m.-MidnightPlains Art Museum, 704 1st Ave. N., FargoDon’t miss the art party of the year! What goes on at the gala? There’s a silent art auction with music by Low Standards and DJ Star IV, hors d’oeuvres…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comIt’s no secret that there are folks among us who make our communities a more vibrant place through both their actions and means of creative expression. Heck, you could be one of them yourself.…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhat age has been determined to be the worst in world history?Historians have estimated about one third of the population of Europe died of the bubonic plague, also known as the black plague, from…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com After a very inspiring conversation with Kayla Houchin of Sonder Bakehouse a few weeks ago, I decided that it’s an appropriate time to write a column about some of the sweet people who are involved…
Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Anchored by the dependable Florence Pugh, “Thunderbolts*” easily tops “Captain America: Brave New World” to make it the most satisfying MCU movie of 2025 — so far. The asterisk alludes…
By Raul Gomez Modern Man was a gentle soul. If you were down or just wanted a friend, he’d be there for you. I remember the first day I met Modern Man. It was Jeremiah Fuglseth and me. He wanted to write about this legendary…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com I remember when I was young, probably 11 years ago. One morning I was not feeling well because of my period. After I got ready to go to school, I went back to bed and it was hard to get up…
By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…
By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson.nd7@gmail.com Our trucking business has me driving almost daily from gas plants in western North Dakota's oil patch to Canada. I haul natural gas liquids (NGLs) products we used to see flared off at…
