Art fair returns to Forestedge Winery

The Forestedge Winery of rural Laporte reclaimed its annual art fair from the cultural void of the COVID-19.

Among the area events that were canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the art fair returned Saturday and Sunday with a bazaar lined by artists’ booths and a seating area ringed by food vendors.

Visitors came from at least as far away as Anaheim, California – by way of family members’ home in Walker – to look at jewelry, ceramics, wood carving, painting, photography, fiber art, stained glass and more, all created by regional artists.

Another booth was set aside as a memorial to Maureen O’Brien, with a notebook and a sketching tablet available for passersby to “share a thought … a treasured memory” and make art in her memory.

Artists included Aron Levandowski of Cokato, who does pottery with his wife Jennifer.

"We've been coming here for probably 8-10 years,” he said. “The time of year is really nice. You get the cool mornings, and it still warms up pretty quickly during the day.”

Levandowski said the Forestedge art fair is a big event for them because it’s not far from Bemidji, where he studied fine art. He said he recognizes a strong artistic, cultural community in the area.

“I love this art fair,” agreed photographer Liz Shaw of Park Rapids. “A lot of talented people. A lot of bright and happy customers.”

1/4: Jerry Goll and Elizabeth Tamburro look at art by Mary Ann Snedic-Wunderlin of Minneapolis, who created the medium she calls wood assemblage in 1970, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021 at the Forestedge Winery art fair. "I think this is great. This is beautiful," said Tamburro. "It is," Goll agreed. "That is very unique." Robin Fish / Park Rapids Enterprise

2/4: Bethany Kilpela of Anaheim, Calif., at left, and Renee Anderson of Brooklyn Park look at Falling Leaf Pottery creations by Roxanne Cota of the St. Cloud area Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021 at the Forestedge Winery art fair. "I like to whimsy my way through life," said Cota, whose artworks include funny-faced mugs, dragons, fish and more. Robin Fish / Park Rapids Enterprise

3/4: Artist Jeff Renner of Park Rapids, left, shows his paintings to Jeff and Cathy Forbes of Bemidji, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021 at the Forestedge Winery art fair. Robin Fish / Park Rapids Enterprise

4/4: Skip and Jayne Schaeffer of Bemidji admire the lighting of Liz Shaw's photography Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021 at the Forestedge Winery art fair. Robin Fish / Park Rapids Enterprise