The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council has a new exhibit on display at its gallery inside Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls.

“Self-Taught Artists, Self-Told Stories” features 110 pieces of folk art from 27 artists, with most of those artists from northwest Minnesota.

The exhibit includes a wide variety of work, including Indigenous beadwork, paintings, wood carvings, pottery, fiber art, quilting, weaving, metalwork, music and other traditional crafts.

Roseau fiber artist Aliza Novacek-Olson says folk art can help people better understand the past. “Folk art is a way of connecting to the past on a deeper level. It helps us understand not only the purpose behind an object, but also the social and cultural practices of the people who made and used it.”

Betsy Saurdiff of Grygla spoke on her quilt at the exhibit, saying, ”This crazy quilt incorporates fabric scraps, including material from my mother’s wedding dress and my grandmother’s fanciest Sunday dress. I studied and used many embroidery stitches, fascinated by the different techniques.”

The exhibit also features a wall dedicated to Middle River musician and radio host Cathy Erickson and her music career.

The exhibit will be on display through November. The gallery is open weekdays 8-4:30 at Northland or take the virtual walkthrough of the exhibit available through the NWMAC YouTube page. The video is also available on their website NWArtsCouncil.org under the exhibits tab on the top of the homepage.