The Seven: Women of Enduring Vision Comes to the Ford Family Gallery

This fall, White Bear Center for the Arts is excited to present “The Seven” Women of Enduring Vision, a group exhibition featuring seven accomplished women artists whose work explores the natural world, personal experience, and the enduring power of creative practice.

The exhibition will be on view in the Ford Family Gallery from September 12 through October 30. Bringing together painting, pottery, sculpture, fiber, and mixed media, “The Seven” highlights the distinct artistic visions of Laura Albertson, Donna Bruni, Ani Kasten, Katherine Steichen Rosing, Mary Scrimgeour, Natalija Walbridge, and Mary Jo Van Dell, who also serves as the exhibition's curator.

Meet the Artists

Laura Albertson is a lifelong creator who has explored many mediums throughout nearly 40 years of teaching art. Drawn to texture and the beauty of the natural world, she combines fiber techniques with inspiration from small natural objects such as rocks and sticks. Albertson holds a BFA from the University of Minnesota Duluth and continues to expand her fiber practice while encouraging creativity and risk-taking in her students.

Donna Bruni is an abstract painter whose work explores perception, memory, and meaning through the expressive power of color. Inspired by landscape, lived experience, and the natural world, her paintings develop through an intuitive process of layering, revision, and discovery. Bruni has lived and worked in Minnesota for more than 30 years and maintains a studio in the Minneapolis Arts District.

Ani Kasten investigates the materiality of clay and its relationship to nature and the human hand. Her work explores transformation, fragility, loss, and beauty through organic forms and natural textures.

Katherine Steichen Rosing creates immersive installations, abstract paintings, and drawings that explore environmental processes in forests and watersheds. Her work responds to the impacts of climate change, invasive species, and extreme weather.

Mary Scrimgeour is a largely self-taught nomad artist who has known she was a painter from an early age. Sixteen years ago, she sold everything she owned and set out to create a life that was smaller, freer, and more authentic. Today, she continues to paint, travel, and live the life she chose for herself.

Natalija Walbridge is a Duluth-based fiber artist whose fabric collages draw inspiration from the wildlife, water, weather, and habitats of Park Point. Her award-winning work, which now incorporates intricate embroidery, invites viewers to slow down and appreciate the interconnectedness of the natural world.

Mary Jo Van Dell, participating artist and curator of the exhibition, is a largely self-taught oil painter known for her minimalist and powerful landscapes. Her work has been exhibited and collected nationally and internationally. She has also taught workshops and received prestigious artist residencies, including with the National Park Service and Art in Embassies.

Van Dell selected the artists for their distinct approaches and shared dedication to creative practice.

“I chose this group of women because I know and admire their work, each artist guided by a unique artistic vision. We are united by a lifelong commitment to creative practice: to making art as a source of purpose, meaning, and inspiration that continues to shape our lives and work.”

Join Us for the Community Reception

The community is invited to celebrate “The Seven” at a reception on Thursday, September 17, from 6:00–8:00 PM at White Bear Center for the Arts.

Guests will have the opportunity to hear directly from Van Dell and the participating artists as they share the inspirations, ideas, and experiences behind their visionary works, as well as enjoy music from local musician Katy Vernon. 

“The Seven” will be on view in the Ford Family Gallery September 12–October 30. We invite you to experience the exhibition and discover the unique perspectives that unite these seven women.