SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA—As we think about what forms the foundation for our regional community, we inevitably come around to arts and culture as one cornerstone. 

Arts and culture can mean many things to different people, but it’s hard to ignore the creativity, unique skills, perspectives and visions captured by area artists as anything but foundational to defining who and what we are – creativity and perspectives that rise up in so many unique ways.

And that’s what we’re here to acknowledge and celebrate!

Profiled artists

Root River Current’s editors are always looking to introduce or reintroduce artists whose creativity is emerging or moving in new directions. In 2025, visual artists have dominated our artist profiles. 

Artist Kelly Ristau. (Submitted photo)

Most recently we met a gifted Printmaker with Heart: Kelly Ristau – her journey from growing up on a Fillmore County farm, to resonating with printmaking while attending Luther College, and gradually on to the Twin Cities with her works exhibited in area galleries and festivals along the way. But mostly this is a story about how one aspiring artist is ‘finding her voice’ through printmaking.

Earlier in 2025 we caught up with Michelle de la Vega who’s been busy in recent years Creating a New Life in Southeastern Minnesota. Michelle, who is recognized for her creative public art sculptures in Washington state, is exploring how art integrates with life in her newfound rural setting in southwest Fillmore County and ways to contribute to Southeast Minnesota’s arts scene.

Stained-glass artist Vicky Kurk in her Spring Grove studio. (Photo submittred by Vicky Kurk)

One county over, we met three Houston County artists participating in the 2025 Bluff Country Studio Art Tour: 

• Vicky Kurk creates stained-glass artworks in her Spring Grove studio; her leaded glass works can be seen in Preston’s Minnesota Veterans Home, as well as in area galleries.
• Georgina Kingsley is a painter currently working to combine the creation of art with therapy; this was her first year on the tour, hosting guests in her studio near Dresbach.
• Art Tour “veteran” Mary Denzer’s pottery work is developed in her studio west of Houston, also home to the Houston Arts Resource Council’s Meadowfest arts festival.

Lanesboro artist Joan Finnegan. (Photo by Steve Harris)

From art fairs and home-studio tours to trade shows and juried galleries, artist Joan Finnegan is focused these days on plein air painting, as well as working in her new studio in Lanesboro. As we learned in this story, Finnegan began drawing as a youngster, moved into painting in high school and college, and over time has expanded from watercolors to oils, mostly of landscapes, often reflecting this corner of Minnesota.

Youth art – education and so much more

In 2025, Root River Current committed to uncovering stories about area youth who are developing their skills and creative interests. Among them we discovered several arts education classes and outdoor programs.

Classical Music Echoes Through the Valley introduced us to the Stringwood Summer Music Festival, a two-week residential camp for youth musicians. Now in its 25th year on the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center’s campus near Lanesboro, the festival’s student rehearsals culminate with community performances throughout the area, raising awareness and appreciation for classical music and these talented musicians.

Students rehearse at the Stringwood Chamber Music Festival. (Submitted photo)

Situated at DreamAcres, an organic farm near Wykoff, the Flourish summer camp celebrated 20 years of youth, arts and agriculture this year. While 2025 may have been it’s ‘final performance’ (its founders are considering new ideas for the future – stay tuned!), over the years this camp has exposed hundreds of students to dance, theatre, puppetry, music, visual arts, mask-making and more – blending arts and agriculture into their daily routines.

Students of all ages can participate annually in creative arts programs presented by local artists and educators.

Lanesboro Arts, for example, this year offered free opportunities through its Surprise Sculpture and Teen Creative Space programs – the latter resulted in public mural-making for the community.

Student photographers were coached on seeing things through a lens in a more artistic way. (Photo by Lanesboro High School student, Ava.)

Equally exciting was our reporting on high school students Telling Stories Through Photos. Contributor Stena Lieb shared how her journalism class at Lanesboro High School learned to approach photography in ways that tell stories through a lens and digital editing. Students moved from simple ‘picture taking’ to creating art-style photos.

Poems, essays, spoken word

Not surprisingly, area writers routinely treat us to new works, often inspired by the region – or the seasons – that surround us. Among them, Lanesboro’s Catie Glynn and her poem Come Spring, Rhubarb Takes the Stage; Diane Knight’s “Love…” In Springtime; and Preston-area poet Berta Aug’s Clouds Awakening.

Two former Winona Poet Laureates had their Root River Current debuts in 2025: Emilio DeGrazia shared Junk Love and Other Poems featuring excerpts from his new book of poetry, Story Problems; and Ken McCullough wrote about Missing Those Who Left Us.

Poets Jeff Gorfine and Dan Butterfass both have connections to the Rochester area. Gorfine’s works are notable for being written in two styles of short-form Japanese poetry – tanka and the more familiar haiku; Dan Butterfass’ Excerpts from Aerie, meanwhile, showcased three poems from his debut collection of poems published by Winona-based Shipwreckt Books.

And speaking of Shipwrteckt Books, we went behind the scenes with its founder and publisher Tom Driscoll who shared the story of how life’s circumstances led to writing his own book – Dying Man Suite – the story of near death, months in the hospital, and recovery. 

Essayist Greg Schieber appeals to the hearts of rural residents from all walks of life with charming and entertaining stories based on living deep in Fillmore County’s Big Woods. From memorable snowstorms of yesteryear, to the challenges – and rewards – of maple syruping on the homestead, to his amusing The Cows are Out! story about chasing down an escaped newborn calf, Greg’s essays on rural living always delight.

Houston County storyteller Terry Visger takes the stage! (Photo courtesy of Winona’s Sandbar Storytelling Festival)

Storytelling itself was the focus of two regional arts stories this year. Lanesboro’s Talking Trail reports on a new self-guided, audio-based history and storytelling project that opened this year. A joint effort of the Lanesboro Chamber and the Lanesboro History Museum, the project includes the stories of 30 sites, each notable for its history, interesting people connected to it, and local cultural significance. 

And Sandy Webb’s essay, The Power of Storytelling, introduces us to Houston County storyteller Terry Visger and her workshops on how to tell a good story. Broadening her perspective, Sandy’s firsthand ‘research’ for this essay led her to “jump right in” as a participant in one of Terry’s storytelling workshops!

This region’s creative community embraces so much more

Root River Current’s editors and contributors have uncovered many other art stories and artists this year, too many to call out individually in this review. 

So, we encourage you to look for theatre, dance, guest artists, and friends making peace poles in our ever-growing Regional Arts collection. You’ll find even more on our Essays and Poetry pages – and ‘storytelling’ captured by local photographers who have contributed to our Photo Gallery.

We celebrate one and all!

And remember to join us in person at Root River Current’s “Celebrating Arts & Artists” reception this Saturday, November 15, from 4-6 p.m. in the Scale Room at Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro. 

RSVP HERE!  

 

Root River Current’s coverage of the arts is made possible, in part, by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.