Arrowhead Arts Awards
Maddie Simons Advocate Award, 2010: Cheryl Kramer-Milder (left)
George Morrison Artist Award, 2010: Mary Casanova (right)
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On Friday, June 4, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ARAC is honored to present the 12th annual Arts and Cultural Heritage Arrowhead Arts Awards in a ceremony at the Encore Performing Arts Center and Gallery at 2035 Highway 33 South in Cloquet, Minnesota. The Arts and Cultural Heritage Arrowhead Arts Awards were created to recognize two individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts in the Arrowhead Region. Robert DeArmond, Executive Director of the ARAC, explains, "These individuals play an essential role in all of our lives and it is important for us to recognize the artists and individuals in our communities who work tirelessly to make the arts a part of our everyday life."
This year's recipient of the George Morrison Artist Award is young adult author Mary Casanova of Ranier, Minnesota. Casanova is the author of over twenty books, from contemporary novels and historical fiction, series, books (and movies) for American Girl, picture books, and a biography. Her book awards include an American Library Association "Notable," Booklist "Editor's Choice," Parent's Choice "Gold" Award, Aesop's Storyteller Award, plus numerous state reading list nominations, several Northeastern Minnesota Book nominations, and two Minnesota Book Awards.
Casanova initially set her books in Minnesota, but has ventured as far away as Norway, France, and Belize to research stories, She is invited to speak nationally and occasionally internationally but prefers to be home in the north woods of Minnesota where she finds the quiet she needs to write. Casanova is currently working on an historical novel set in northern Minnesota in 1920.
"We have a wealth of talented artists and writers in northern Minnesota," Casanova stated, "I'm humbled and honored to be selected as this year's award recipient."
The George Morrison Artist Award is named after internationally acclaimed visual artist George Morrison who was an important member of the second generation of American abstract expressionist artists and was heralded for successfully synthesizing American Indian themes with abstraction and surrealism. Morrison, a member of the Grand Portage Chippewa, was a long time resident of the Arrowhead Region.
This year's recipient of the Maddie Simons Advocate Award is Cheryl Kramer-Milder of Cloquet, Minnesota, in recognition of her contributions to the arts and community theater in Cloquet and Carlton County. Her passion for community theater began 33 years ago in Weeping Water, Nebraska, before moving to Minnesota. in 1987, Kramer-Milder founded the County Seat Theater Company, the only full season community theater in Carlton County. It began as a fund raiser for the Carlton County High School Band. The County Seat Theater Company moved three times in its first several years before finding a stable home in the Old Country Church Theater in Atkinson in rural Carlton County. A few years ago the County Seat Theater Company made a major move into its new and expanded location, the Encore Performing Arts Center and Gallery in Cloquet. Kramer-Milder spearheaded the huge undertaking of a major capital campaign and gathering and developing community support. The new Center and Gallery is becoming a focal point for community theater, music, poetry readings and art exhibitions. "There is so much talent in community people that is just waiting to be discovered or showcased," Kramer-Milder stated, "that I take every opportunity to speak to service groups in the community, or anyone who will listen, about the arts and what we do at Encore every day of the year."
Kramer-Milder has been involved as an actor and director with the Lofte Community Theater in Nebraska, the Swea City Patent Pending Players in Iowa, Civic Summer Theater in Fairmont, MN, and Renegade Comedy Theater, Access Theater and the Duluth Playhouse in Duluth. She has also directed for several high schools including Carlton and Barnum. She was recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Directing and Set Design by the Minnesota Association of Community Theaters in 2007.
Kramer-Milder served as the Artistic Coordinator for a Violence Prevention Grant Program for Carlton County Schools from 1993 to 1995 and has also served on the board of directors of two community theaters.
The Maddie Simons Award is named after the first volunteer Chairperson of the ARAC Board, Madeline Simons. Simons, a long time resident of Grand Marais, owned a dance studio, helped start the Grand Marais Playhouse, the Lutsen Art Fair, and Minnesota Citizens for the Arts.
Past recipients of the Arrowhead Arts Awards:
George Morrison Artist Award: George Morrison, visual artist, Grand Portage; William Bastian, tenor, Duluth; Lewis Jenkins, poet, Duluth; Gladys Koski Holmes, visual artist, Angora; Ellen Olson, Native American bead artist, Grand Portage; Allen Fields, dancer and choreographer, Duluth; Barton Sutter, poet and essayist, Duluth; Carl Gawboy, painter, muralist, illustrator, educator, and advocate of American Indian Art, Duluth; Cecilia Lieder, printmaker, founder and director of Northern Prints Art Gallery and Calyx Press, Duluth; Jim Brandenburg, photographer and filmmaker, Ely; Connie Wanek, poet, Duluth.
Maddie Simons Advocacy Award: Jay Andersen, past Executive Director of the Grand Marais Arts Colony, Grand Marais; John Steffl, past Artistic Director of the Duluth Art Institute, Duluth; Michael Ricci, Artistic and Managing Director of Theatre at Hibbing Community College, Hibbing; Dorian Beaulieu, art instructor at Lake Superior College, Duluth; Betty Brown, painter and art advocate, Carlton; David Marty, Executive Director of the Reif Arts Council in Grand Rapids; Eileen Keen, writer, musician and art advocate, McGregor; Marek Fuller, musician, founding member of the Two Harbors Folk Festival, community activist, and arts advocate, Two Harbors; Paul Deaner, arts administrator, arts educator, volunteer, and theater artist, Finland, MN; and Elizabeth (Betsy) Bowen, printmaker, and propreiter of Good Harbor Hill Press, studio and gallery in Grand Marais; Patricia Feld, Effie, community theatre producer and director in the Bigfork area.