CURRENTLY ON EXHIBIT

Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday, 9:00AM – 3:00PM. Lake Region Arts Council is closed Friday through Sunday. Please email LRAC4@LRACgrants.org or call us at 1-800-262-2787 or 218-739-5780 before you visit the gallery, to ensure that the gallery is open that day.

In LRAC’s Office Gallery:

Laura Youngbird

June 23 - September 16

We are honored to present the work of Laura Youngbird, a renowned mixed media artist, printmaker, educator, and advocate for Native Art and Culture. Her exhibition is now on view in our gallery.

"I am a mixed media artist, combining drawing, painting, and prints. The dress has been a consistent and important symbol in my work. This simple garment inspires layer upon layer of meaning—unraveling stories of identity, memory, loss, and love.

This journey began with haunting images of my grandmother as a young girl in her little white dress, standing in front of the oldest Catholic Church in Minnesota. The photos—most with her face scratched out—launched my exploration into the impacts of assimilation, identity erasure, and generational memory.

My work often reflects the complexities of clothing: as acts of love and nurture—like my mother sewing dresses for us—and as coverings that mask or disguise.

I work in series such as Common Thread, Loose Ends, Thread Bare, and my current work, Blood Memory. I’m intrigued by how memory is passed down maternally—coded in mitochondrial DNA. I use iron oxide (rust) instead of commercial paint, evoking both blood and earth. The Earth is our Mother. Iron is in our blood. This material speaks to ancestral wisdom, resilience, and the deep connection between all living beings."

Laura holds a BFA, MA, and BS in Art Education from MSUM, where she currently teaches. Her career includes serving as Director of Native American Art Programs at Plains Art Museum, as well as numerous artist residencies and fellowships across the country. She is a recipient of grants and awards from the Jerome Foundation, Highpoint Center for Printmaking, First People's Fund, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Come meet the artist and hear the stories behind the work.

Closing Reception - Tuesday, September 16

Coming soon to LRAC’s Main Gallery

“Guest Juror – Nancy Ariza”

July 14 – September 16, 2025

These activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through Lake Region Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

About Lake Region Arts Council: Lake Region Arts Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to encourage and support the vitality of the arts. LRAC accomplishes this through providing grants to community organizations and individual artists in the region and providing a monthly ArtsNews letter, workshops and technical assistance.

LRAC serves the counties of: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin Counties in west central Minnesota.