The Rumriver Art Gallery was initiated to support and show local artists’ work. One issue many artists experience is where to show their work as gallery space can be limited, especially to those who are just starting. Our mission with the gallery is to support and show the artwork of local artists. The shows are changed every month, providing many opportunities throughout the year for artists to display their work. The Art Gallery brings the community together and creates a greater appreciation for art. Selected artwork may be available for sale.
Being that we are located in a very old building, there are no elevators or escalators. The only way into the 21 Step Gallery is to climb up 18 stairs. We are currently exploring funding options such as grants and fundraisers to get a chair lift installed for the stairway to make this gallery more accessible for everyone.
If you’ve ever counted the stairs on your way up to visit the 21 Step Gallery, you may have tilted your head in confusion as your count abruptly stopped at 18 steps.
Legend has it that Rumriver Art Center Director Larry Weinberg was CERTAIN there were 21 steps. RRAC Co-founder Susan Yee suggested it was 18.
Susan was correct.
But being the fun, quirky Art Center RRAC is, Larry’s certainty was honored with the title: 21 Step Gallery.
Larry suggests that it remained the 21 Step Gallery to honor Susan’s birthday, which falls on the ’21st,’ and that 21 is a popular and memorable number.
Upcoming Shows
- Juanita Tatum – Exploring Emotions Through Faces: Saturday, August 5, 2023 – Saturday, September 30, 2023
- Britt Maki – Don’t Be Hasty: Saturday, October 7, 2023 – Saturday, November 4, 2023
- Holiday Show and Shop: Saturday, November 18, 2023 – Saturday, December 30, 2023
- Levi Berg: Saturday, January 6, 2024 – Saturday, February 3, 2024
- Margarita Stantchevski: Saturday, February 10, 2024 – Saturday, march 9, 2024
- Joel Springer: Saturday, March 16, 2024 – Saturday, April 13, 2024
- Lynelle Kocher: Saturday, April 20, 2024 – Saturday, May 11, 2024
- MaryLeah Marshall: Saturday, May 18, 2024 – Saturday, June 8, 2024
- Rachel Coyne: Saturday, June 15, 2024 – Saturday, July 6, 2024
- Jerry Jorgenrud: Saturday, July 13, 2024 – Saturday, August 3, 2024
- Tou Her: Saturday, August 10, 2024 – Saturday, September 7, 2024
- Jeannine Kitzhaber: Saturday, September 14, 2024 – Saturday, October 5, 2024
- Emma Ahart: Saturday, October 12, 2024 – Saturday, November 9, 2024
- Carol Colins: Saturday, November 16, 2024 – Saturday, January 4, 2025
Gallery Hours
Beginning Monday, September 11th: Monday – Friday: 10am – 3pm
Holiday Hours:
Closed September 22
Show and Shop Saturdays 11/18, 11/25, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16: 10am – 3pm
Closed December 23 – December 26
December 27 – December 30: 10am – 3pm
Someone may be available beyond those hours. Please call 763-323-8830 or e-mail sales@rumriverart.com first to make arrangements if you would like to view the gallery outside of our office hours.
Current Gallery Show: Juanita Tatum – Exploring Emotions Through Faces
Rumriver Art Center will present a new gallery show titled: Exploring Emotions Through Faces. The show’s opening will take place in the 21 Step Gallery (2665 4th Ave, Suite 201) on Saturday, Aug 5, from 2pm-4pm. The gallery show will feature mixed media artwork by Juanita Tatum. Juanita will be hosting an Artist Talk on Thursday, August 31 from 6-8. She will also host a Meet the Artist/Demo on Saturday, September 16 from 1-4 where attendees can meet Juanita and will learn about her as an artist and the creative process she uses in creating her artwork.
As humans we often can’t find the words to express how we are feeling. Without those words it’s hard to have conversations that lead to healing. As part of her healing journey Juanita started creating faces to convey the emotions she could not name. Each piece she creates captures a moment and a feeling. Juanita hopes that by sharing the pieces with others her art may start a conversation about the feelings we have and don’t know how to talk about. She feels the expressions on the faces might resonate with people that have a hard time connecting with others. Juanita believes talking about what emotions a piece makes you feel or what story it is trying to tell can help cultivate connection and understanding.
In early 2021 Juanita was walking through Barnes and Noble looking for inspiration and found a Somerset Studio magazine that caught her eye. The article Face It by Amanda Judd pushed Juanita to start her own 99 faces challenge. Feeling that she couldn’t draw a face Juanita started with reference photos but quickly found her own style and inner voice. Juanita completed her 99 faces challenge and never stopped, losing track after 1000 faces and continues to add pieces every day.
Juanita is a self-taught artist that creates through play, experimentation, and the right amount of chaos. You can usually find her in her home studio on the floor with her dogs surrounded by acrylic paint, watercolor, inks, pens, pencils, paper, canvas, fibers, and wood panels.
Please stop by and explore the work of Juanita and see what conversations are started.
Exploring Emotions Through Faces will remain in the 21 Step Gallery through September 30, 2023.
Next Gallery Show: Britt Maki – Don’t Be Hasty
Rumriver Art Center will present a new gallery show titled: Don’t Be Hasty. The show’s opening will take place in the 21 Step Gallery (2665 4th Ave, Suite 201) on Saturday, October 7 from 2pm-4pm. The gallery show will feature oil paintings by Coon Rapids artist Britt Maki. Maki will be hosting an Artist Talk on Saturday, November 4th from 12:30-1:30. She will also host a Meet the Artist on Tuesday, October 10th and Thursday, October 19th from 11:30-1:30 where attendees can meet Britt and will learn about her as an artist and the creative process she uses in creating her artwork.
Step into a world where time slows and nature’s beauty emerges through Britt Maki’s oil paintings. Don’t Be Hasty invites you to explore Minnesota’s forests, wildlife, and the intricate details often overlooked. Bones and fungi entwine, plants and woodland creatures come alive, all in rich colors inspired by both real and fictional worlds like Middle Earth. Maki’s art encourages us to slow down, find beauty in everything, and celebrate the connection between science and art. Experience this enchanting showcase that whispers to us: Pause, appreciate, and find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
A captivating fusion of reality and imagination, Don’t Be Hasty draws inspiration not only from the natural world but also from legendary fictional realms like Middle Earth and Hyrule. The artist’s keen sense of color infuses each piece with a rich palette, igniting the canvas with hues that seem to breathe and glow. These works are a testament to the delicate balance between science and nature, a harmonious dance of creativity that showcases the inherent beauty in everything, no matter how small or hidden.
As you stroll through the gallery, you’ll find yourself transported to a place where time takes a backseat, and the intricate details that often evade our attention are placed in the spotlight. Don’t Be Hasty is a gentle reminder to slow down, to savor the moments, and to truly see the world around us. Each painting is a call to pause, to appreciate the delicate veins of a leaf, the textures of bark, and the wonder of the unseen.
Don’t Be Hasty will remain in the 21 Step Gallery through November 12th, 2023.
Past Shows
- Surelle Schewe – The Stories She Tells: Saturday, September 10, 2022 – Saturday, October 1, 2022
- Call for Entry – World of Anime: Saturday, October 8, 2022 – Saturday, October 29, 2022
- Paul Hanson – Portraits in Watercolor: Saturday, November 5, 2022 – Saturday, December 17, 2022
- Sanjukta Mitra – Spiritus: Saturday, January 7, 2023 – Saturday, January 28, 2023
- Danniella Mortezaee – Love Always: Saturday, February 4, 2023 – Saturday, February 25, 2023
- Val Coopet – Faces and Places: Saturday, March 4, 2023 – Saturday, March 25, 2023
- Montana Becker – Prone to Wander: Saturday, April 1, 2023 – Saturday, April 22, 2023
- Kenya Latourneau – Kenya Letourneau’s Kreations!: Saturday, June 3, 2023 – Saturday, July 29, 2023