In Focus: Midwinter Interlude Showcases The Work Of BSU Faculty & Staff

“My art work is these dinosaurs heads that I make. They are made out of paper and I just cut them out. They’re kind of a little pattern and you fold them and glue them together and you paint them,” says Travis Ricks, BSU associate professor of Psychology.

“It’s a digital illustration that typically what I work in and I like to play on nature scenes and things that are often mundane but I like to transform them into something that’s a little bit more whimsical,” says Kaitlyn Sapone, a photography teacher at BSU.

Bemidji State University’s Midwinter Interlude is in its 10^th year! This year, the faculty art show featured 24 artists, which is more than ever before.

“There is so much talent on this campus. It is just incredible. I started talking to people. I said, ‘What kind of art do you do?’ ‘What kind of art do you do?’ and metal work and wood work and knitting, crocheting, quilting, ceramics, painting, drawings, a guy wrote a couple of books,” says Deb Krueger, BSU office administrative specialist and organizer for the Interlude.

Many of this year’s artists were Midwinter Interlude first timers. Some say they were nervous to share their work but overall, they’re happy they made the leap.

Rachel Munson, digital communications specialist for BSU, says, “This was my first time in the Interlude so I never go to experience that sort of comradery with faculty and staff here at Bemidji State, so it’s super fun and I love that it’s been a tradition for 10 years.”

Samantha Jones, an assistant geography professor at BSU and an Interlude first timer says, “I was impressed with the variety of talent that was on display at the open house and that’s still here on display, so it was really fun to be a part of it and just connect with the other artists on campus and kind of share stories on what we do and why we do it.”

This will be Kruger’s last year planning before retirement, and she says she’s happy with the legacy she’s leaving behind. She feels the Interlude is a great way to remind her fellow co-workers of their talents.

Kruger says, “It’s really fun to help them to learn about themselves. That’s kind of what I do. I’m like a cheerleader so I go around and I say, ‘well what do you do?’ ‘oh, I don’t do anything’ ‘well, oh yeah I do this and I do that.’ Well, that’s art!”

The Midwinter Interlude Exhibit will be on display in the Ramsay Gallery at BSU until next Friday.