Big Art in a Small Town: Nicolet College, Northern Arts Council to Host 37th Annual Northern National Art Competition

Nicolet College and the Northern Arts Council are pleased to announce the opening reception for the 37th Annual Northern National Art Competition on Thursday, June 13 from 5 pm – 8 pm at the Nicolet College Art Gallery.

The annual exhibition is a collaborative effort between Nicolet College Arts & Enrichment and the Northern Arts Council to engage the arts community by providing a platform for Northwoods artists to display their work alongside artists from across the country.

This year's esteemed juror and exhibit curator is Debra Brehmer, an accomplished arts writer and gallery owner. Brehmer owns and operates Portrait Society Gallery, a contemporary art space in Milwaukee. She also served as the editor and publisher of Art Muscle magazine and taught art history as an adjunct professor at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design for a decade.

The opening reception offers a first look at the competition's winning artwork. Several cash prizes totaling $8,500 will be awarded the night of the reception. Guests will have the chance to mingle with artists whose work is displayed and meet the juror.

The tickets to the reception are $20 and include heavy appetizers and refreshments. Patrons can purchase tickets by June 6 by calling the Nicolet College Art Gallery at (715) 365-4556 or emailing artgallery@nicoletcollege.edu. Tickets can also be purchased at Childs Frame Company in Rhinelander and from members of the Northern Arts Council. Limited seating is available. 

Northern Arts Council board members LeeAnnette Schmidmayr and Gale Willcox said the annual event is important for our rural community because it puts the Northwoods on the map for artists nationwide to showcase their work and celebrates the caliber of artistry this area has to offer.

Brehmer selected just over 100 pieces from more than 700 entries submitted. Nicolet College Arts and Events Manager Jenny Bonardelli said Brehmer’s talk will be the highlight of the evening, and patrons can expect to hear her thoughtful comments on the artwork displayed in a lecture area adjacent to the art gallery.

“I am excited to have Debra Brehmer as this year’s judge because she is a conduit who bridges Wisconsin to the art world at large,” Bonardelli said. “Her work as writer for the contemporary online publication Hyperallergic and interest in portraiture is evident in the eclectic mix of engaging contemporary art and portraits you will see at this year’s Northern National exhibit.”

The exhibition will be on display June 13 through July 26 at the Nicolet College Art Gallery. Admission to the exhibit is free and open to the public. Select works on display will also be available for purchase. Local businesses and community members seeking artwork are encouraged to stroll through the gallery to purchase art from the exhibition.

Photo above: “A Million Pieces” by Amanda Coleman of Kalamazoo, Michigan, explores fear and anxiety experienced as a mother to a small child during the pandemic. Her self-portrait will be displayed alongside works of other artists from across the country in the 37th Annual Northern National Art Competition at the Nicolet College Art Gallery June 13 – July 26.