For years, Gallery North in Bemidji has held “First Friday” events, where they allow area artists to showcase their work. The tradition continued for the month of September last Friday.

The art gallery has been a part of the Bemidji community since 1989. It was started when several artists decided to work together to promote art and to hold events in Bemidji and the surrounding area.

“This is a cooperative artists gallery. So it’s all artists from the local Bemidji area got together and said, ‘we need a kind of a market somehow so that artists can show their space, their work in a space,’ and then each of the artists also works in this space.” said Mary Knox-Johnson, president of Gallery North.

With this month’s “First Friday,” a student of Pathways to Art was able to showcase his art. The program is for youth ages 11-17 where they are mentored by artists in the community and can produce art to eventually be displayed at Gallery North for sale.

“This Pathway to Arts is something new that we are doing here at the gallery,” said artist and mentor Chris Tolman. “And so just to encourage other people, if they’re interested in arts and are looking to advance their careers to come down, check us out and let us know that that’s a path they want to take and see if we can hook them up with another artist.”

Brennen Hill is the first to be a part of the program; he was discovered by mentor Chris Tolman and later brought to Gallery North where he displayed his art and sold his first piece of art.

“It’s pretty cool. It’s fun being the first Junior Artist here. I know it’s just an exciting thing,” said Hill. “Chris Tolman, she invited me and said that it would be fun to put some of my stuff here when I showed her my drawings one time.”

More information on Gallery North and their featured artists can be found on their website.

By — Zy'Riah Simmons