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 Bryce Vincent Haugen By his own account, Edwin Chinchilla is lucky to still be in the United States. As a 12-year-old Salvadoran, he and his brother were packed into a semi with a couple dozen other people and given fake…
February 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.March 1, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.1883 Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site504 3rd Ave. S.E., Jamestown, NDThe 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse and the 164th Infantry Remembrance Association are joining…
February 21, 6-8 p.m.Turtle River State Park, Arvilla, NDEnjoy a self-guided hike in the picturesque woods of Turtle River State Park. The trails will be lit with luminary candles. After the hike, warm those bones by the fire at…
By Sabrina HornungThe quote, "The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command” from George Orwell’s iconic novel “1984” has come up in conversation more times than…
By Ed Raymond‘Dakota Attitude’ should be read by all North Dakota studentsI have been meaning to write about this book by James Puppe for several years, but the world has been in such a mess I thought I should write about …
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 GionSince the much-dreaded Covid years, there has been much ebb and flow in the Fargo-Moorhead restaurant scene. In 2025, that trend continued with some major additions and closings. Let’s start the New Year on a positive…
Saturday, January 17, doors at 7:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe Slow Death is a punk supergroup led by Jesse Thorson, with members and collaborators that include members of The Ergs!, Dillinger…
By Sabrina Hornung There's a certain kind of magic to the Fargo Theatre. It’s a place to escape to for the small fee of the price of admission. It's a place of shared communal joy (or any other kind of shared emotion for that…
By Jacinta ZensIt may sound cliché, but the 90s in Minneapolis were pretty magical. Underground punk and hip-hop shows occurred weekly, zines were all the rage, colorful, exquisitely executed graffiti started popping up everywhere…
Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…
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 Liverani In January 2026, the 2026-2030 dietary guidelines for Americans were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They are supposed to be revolutionary and a “reset” from the previous ones.…
January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…
By Vern Thompson Benjamin Franklin offered one of the most sobering warnings in American history. When asked what kind of government the framers had created in 1787, he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Few words…
