Summer is finally heading our way, and there are many ways you can explore the intersection of nature and art throughout Minnesota.

We compiled the following list of biophilia-related events that will take place through August. Know of one we missed? Email me at jen@projectoptimist.news with the details.

June 6

Creating Art from Nature with Sonja Larsen, Watermark Art Center, Bemidji. Exhibit runs through June 22.

Bi-Mawadishiwewaad – “When They Come to Visit“, Sam Zimmerman, painter, Watermark Art Center, Bemidji. Exhibit runs through August 17. 

Julia Iverson Exhibition, watercolor painter, Kandiyohi County Historical Society. Exhibit runs through August 24.

Spaces and Faces Art Exhibition, Jessica Stölen, photographer, Granite Area Arts Council, Granite Falls. Exhibit runs through June 29.

Joe Deutsch’s Multi-Media Mental Health Display, Arts & Heritage Center of Montgomery. Exhibit runs through July 6.

Eric Zuccola’s Collage Exhibit and Wednesday Art Appreciation Group’s French Impressionist Exhibit, Waseca Art Center, Waseca. Exhibits run through June 8.

CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour, Mankato and North Mankato. Exhibit runs through April 2025.

‘STILL’ creatively captures Minnesota’s micro-seasons

Hoffman’s daily commitment to showcasing nature has become life-changing.

Project OptimistLisa McClintick

June 7

(Re)Collect: a solo exhibition by Susanna Gaunt, Watermark Art Center, Bemidji. Exhibit runs through Aug. 24.

June 7-9

Crafting the Twig and Driftwood Chair and Footstool, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

June 8

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Watercolor - Northern Lights, 9 a.m. to noon, Waseca Art Center, Waseca.

Create a Barn/Hex Sign, 9:30 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Community Open Carving Session, 10 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Wet-on-Wet Oil Painting, 10:30 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Forest Bathing, 1 p.m., via Duluth Folk School, Duluth.

31st annual Great American Think-Off debate, 7 p.m., New York Mills School Auditorium, New York Mills.

June 9

Intro to Cyanotype: The Basics and Beyond, 11 a.m., Aspire Artisan Studios and Folk School, Victoria.

June 12

Paper Making at The Barn, 12:30-2:30 p.m., NYM Sculpture Park / The Barn Elevate Exploratory, New York Mills.

June 13

Found Object and Bead Jewelry, 2 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

June 14-16

Needle Felting and Bead Embroidery: Bead, Felt, and Frame, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

June 15

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Wooden Spoon and Spatula Carving, 9 a.m., Avon Hills Folk School, Avon. 

Watercolor - Painting Flowers, 9 a.m. to noon, Waseca Art Center, Waseca.

June 15-16

Swedish Dalmålning using Traditional Techniques, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

June 18

Swedish Dala Horse Woodcarving, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 18 and June 25, Creative Arts Center, Battle Lake.

June 20

Introduction to Rosemaling Gudbrandsdal Style, 2 p.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

Grate Owl, 2:30 p.m., Willmar Community Center, Willmar.

Worthington artist and mental health advocate channels Mother Nature for latest sculptures

The founder of southwestern Minnesota nonprofit Creative Healing Space always hated to see litter on the ground. Now she has two pieces that embody the pain and resilience of the earth.

Project OptimistJarrett George-Ballard

June 21-23

Build a Wooden Longbow, Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

June 22-23

Art on the Ave and Chalk in Sauk, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sinclair Lewis Park, Sauk Centre.

June 22

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Make Your Own Drum, 11 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

June 23

Photographing Orchids Field Trip, 8 a.m., via Ely Folk School, Ely.

Sunday Morning Nature Workshop, 11 a.m., Arts Center of St. Peter, St. Peter. 

June 24-29

Canoe vs. Kayak: An intro to skin-on-frame building, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

June 24-30

Cedar-Strip Boat Construction: Techniques and Fundamentals, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

June 24

Book Planter Class, 6 p.m., New Richland Public Library, New Richland.

June 25

Beginning Pine Needle Basketry, 9 a.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

June 26

Flower Pots Class, 5:30 p.m., Arts Center of St. Peter, St. Peter.

June 27

Beginning Pine Needle Basketry, 9 a.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

BEANS! A Granite City Wild West sing-a-long, 10:30 a.m., Paramount Center for the Arts, St. Cloud.

Making a Fabric Hanging Collage, 2 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

June 28

Bi-Mawadishiwewaad – “When They Come to Visit“, Sam Zimmerman, painter, reception from 5-7 p.m., Watermark Art Center, Bemidji. Exhibit runs through August 17. 

Minnesota tests roads paved with carbon-injected concrete

Drivers on Interstate 94 west by Albertville are part of an experiment to lock up carbon pollution in concrete.

Project OptimistJen Zettel-Vandenhouten

June 29

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Pulp and Paper Making with Sophia Hotzler, 9 a.m., Avon Hills Folk School, Avon. 

Hole-to-Hole Cane Footstool, 9:30 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Flower Sack Embroidery, 10 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Intro to Wood Burning (pyrography), 1 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Not your Mother’s Necklace, 1 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Judy Onofrio exhibit, “Deep Dive,” Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Winona. Exhibit runs through Jan. 5, 2025.

June 30

Sunday Morning Nature Workshop, 11 a.m., Arts Center of St. Peter, St. Peter. 

July 5-7

Krympburkar: Scandinavian-Style Shrink Boxes, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

Carve a Bench: Introduction to Greenwood Chair Building, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

North Shore Cyanotype Folio, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

July 6

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

July 7

Andi Lynn Arnold exhibit, “In the Garden of Life, Light & Growth,” Owatonna Art Center, Owatonna. Exhibit runs through July 28. Editor’s note: Andi Lynn Arnold is a freelance contributor to Project Optimist. 

July 8

Sandra Sargent exhibit, “Recentering, Revisioning, Returning,” Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault. Exhibit runs through Aug. 24. 

July 10

Flower Pots Class, 5:30 p.m., Arts Center of St. Peter, St. Peter.

July 12-13

Farmer’s Market Basket, Folk School Warroad, Warroad. 

July 12

Illustrating Nature in Pen and Watercolor, 1 p.m., Aspire Artisan Studios and Folk School, Victoria.

(Re)Collect: a solo exhibition by Susanna Gaunt, reception from 5-7 p.m., Watermark Art Center, Bemidji. Exhibit runs through Aug. 24.

For the Love of Trees, Sue Rauschenfels, open house from 5-7 p.m., Watermark Art Center, Bemidji. Exhibit runs through Sept. 28. 

Pizza Night, 5-7 p.m., Balsam Moon Preserve, Pine River. Registration is required; visit the website for details.

July 13-14

Chip Carving: Decorative Wall Hanging, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

July 13

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Community Open Carving Session, 10 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

How Wisconsin launched a rural medical school

Wisconsin may have some insight officials can use with the University of Minnesota’s new medical school in St. Cloud, set to open in 2025.

Project OptimistNora Hertel

July 14

Intro to Cyanotype: Photograms on Fabric, 11 a.m., Aspire Artisan Studios and Folk School, Victoria.

July 18

Wildflower Fun: Photos + Sketches, 5:30 p.m., Art in Motion, Holdingford.
Editor's note: This course is led by Lisa Meyers McClintick, a writer and artist who is a freelance contributor to Project Optimist.

July 19

Beaded Earrings with Porcupine Quills, 9 a.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Painting Watercolor Notecards, 3 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

July 19-20

Leaves, Roots, and Bugs: Natural Dyes, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

July 19-21

Scandinavian Ale Bowl Carving, Milan Village Art School, Milan. 

July 20

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Mushroom Foraging with Carson, 9 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Nature & Nurture Day, 9 a.m., Balsam Moon Preserve, Pine River. Various classes available; register by July 17.

Intro to Skinnfell, 9:30 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Forest Bathing and Food, 11 a.m., via Duluth Folk School, Duluth.

July 21

The Fundamentals of Nature Photography, 1 p.m., Duluth Folk School, Duluth.

July 24-28

Grand Marais and Beyond Nature Photography Workshop: Summer Session, times vary by day, North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

July 25

Solar chandelier, 2 p.m., Willmar Community Center, Willmar.

July 27-28

Carve a Kuska, 9 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

July 27

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Weld a Steel Rose, 10 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Needle Felt 3D Flowers with Polly Hart, 10 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Paint and Carve a Sgraffito Vase, 10 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Learn to Paint Roses with Alcohol Ink, 10:30 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

July 28

Project Optimist's Biophilia Celebration, 10 a.m., Riverside Park, St. Cloud.

August 1

Making Collage Art, 2 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Raising a Farmer event, 3-8 p.m., Rudolph Farm 8148 130th Ave., Little Falls. The evening will include the LF Farmers Market, farm tours, artist demos, art activities, food, and more.

Sunny Nahrgang exhibit, “Continuing Art After Schooling,” Bell Art Room, Winona Public Library, Winona. Exhibit runs through August 30.

August 2-4

Build a Wooden Paddle, Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

August 2

Functional Pottery with Angie Guptill, various times available, Canby Central Park, Canby.

August 3

Oil painting class, 8 a.m. to noon, Jackson Center for the Arts, Jackson.

Family Spoon Carving, 9 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Bead Embroidered Necklace, noon, Ely Folk School, Ely.

Functional Pottery with Angie Guptill, various times available, Canby Central Park, Canby.

August 4

Scandinavian Ale Bowl Decorating, Milan Village Art School, Milan. 

August 7

Mushroom Foraging for Beginners, 5 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Drawn by Nature: Citizen science helps counter climate anxiety

Volunteers fill data gaps, help with vital programs

Project OptimistLisa McClintick

August 8

Mushrooms: Find & Sketch, 3 p.m., Avon Hills Folk School, Avon.
Editor's note: This course is led by Lisa Meyers McClintick, a writer and artist who is a freelance contributor to Project Optimist.

August 9

Batik Wall Hanging, 8:30 a.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Illustrating Nature in Pen and Watercolor, 1 p.m., Aspire Artisan Studios and Folk School, Victoria.

August 10

Wild Mushroom Classroom and Foraging, 9 a.m., Avon Hills Folk School, Avon. 

Hammered Copper Bowls with Stone Tools, 9 a.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Boro Mending with Sashiko Stitches, 9 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Create a Barn/Hex Sign, 9:30 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Community Open Carving Session, 10 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Kolrosing: A Scandinavian tradition, Milan Village Art School, Milan. 

August 11

Hexagonal Weave Basket, 8:30 a.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

August 12

Jamie Schwaba exhibit, “Driftless Past and Present,” Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, Winona. Exhibit runs through Sept. 22.

August 15

Punch Needle Rug Hooking for Beginners, 5 p.m., Duluth Folk School, Duluth.

August 16-18

Foraging to Fiber: Naturally Dyed Tote Bag and Scarf, times vary by day, North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

Rosemaling: Os Style, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

August 17-18

Ribbed Basket Basics, Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

Watercolor techniques, Milan Village Art School, Milan. 

August 17

Forest Bathing, 9 a.m., via Duluth Folk School, Duluth.

Mushroom Foraging with Carson, 9 a.m., Marine Mills Folk School, Marine on St. Croix.

August 21

Fish-inspired Sketchbooking, 5:15 p.m., Great River Arts Program at the Minnesota Fishing Museum, Little Falls.
Editor's note: This course is led by Lisa Meyers McClintick, a writer and artist who is a freelance contributor to Project Optimist.

August 23

Beaded Earrings with Porcupine Quills, 9 a.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

Illustrating Nature in Pen and Watercolor, 1 p.m., Aspire Artisan Studios and Folk School, Victoria.

August 23-25

Raw Felted Fleece: A New Approach to the Sheepskin Blanket, times vary by day, North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

August 24

Natural Dyes in the Steam Box, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

Botanical Printing on Silk and Wool, 9 a.m., Aspire Artisan Studios and Folk School, Victoria.

August 25

Mushroom and Fungi: A Closer Look, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

August 28-Sept. 1

Lions, Tigers, and Dragons: Forging Animal Heads in Steel, 9 a.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

August 29

Intro to Basic Drawing, 2 p.m., Ely Folk School, Ely.

August 31

Understanding, Forecasting, and Photographing the Aurora Borealis, 3:30 p.m., North House Folk School, Grand Marais.

This piece is part of our Biophilia series about nature and design. It's supported by a grant from Arts Midwest. Learn more here.