The tranquility and beauty of our lakes, streams and rivers is taking center stage in one of the latest exhibits at the Watermark Art Gallery in Bemidji. “Nibikaang,” or “From The Water,” is meant to show love and show how important water is.

“All the work has a wonderful story and a wonderful voice. There are things, there’s purpose in this work and people are talking about their relationship to water,” says Karen Goulet, the Miikanan Gallery Program Director for the Watermark Art Center.

The call for artwork for the new exhibit came around February and around 40 artists responded. Many of the come from the Minnesota area and a connection to the Mississippi River but there are also state such as New York, Wisconsin, Montana, Ohio, and New Mexico.

Goulet says, “The thing that’s interesting is that all of these artists from these different places have some connection to Minnesota, to the Mississippi River or to water that connects to the Mississippi River.”

The exhibits features dozens of different styles and mediums. Organizers say they’ve been planning for the exhibit since last year. They say they feel its message was needed and timely.

“The message is that water is life. Water is important, significant and we need to remember its many purposes,” says Goulet.

The exhibit will be up in the Watermark Art Center through September 22^nd.

By — Shirelle Moore