HISTORIC SPACES WITH MODERN TOUCHES
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Suite 1, a thoughtfully designed retreat with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 1 is by ALI LAROCK, PAINTER, PRINTMAKER. "Creating art is a continual learning process about myself, those around me and the complexity of this world," artist Ali LaRock says of her work. A native of New Town, N.D., LaRock received her bachelor's degree in painting from Minnesota State University, Moorhead in 1998. She currently resides in Bismarck and works primarily with painting, printmaking and mixed media. "A duality exists in my work," LaRock continues. "Issues with adult complexity are depicted with a childlike simplicity. I hope to luse this approach tol challenge the people who view my work to see things from multiple perspectives and to look past the surface to learn more about themselves and the world around them."
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Suite 2, a comfortable retreat appointed with one king-size bed. The art feature in Suite 2 is by GRETCHEN BEDERMAN PAINTER. "My images are metaphors for my life experiences," Mandan, N.D., artist Gretchen Bederman explains. "I combine memories of actual places with a mixture of reality, myth and dream." Bederman's life began in Houston, Tex. As a young artist, she moved around frequently, spending time in Santa Fe, Chicago and San Francisco, and even studying abroad in Florence and Milan. But in 1980, Bederman would take a trip that would change her life. That year, she visited North Dakota, fell in love with the state and has lived here ever since. Over the years, Bederman has worked as a teacher, a graphic designer, an illustrator, a lithographic printmaker, a set designer and more. As an artist, she works in multiple media, focusing primarily on painting, sculpting and drawing. Bederman likens her art to poetry. "I weave my images with representation and abstraction," she explains. "As poetry releases our imagination from limitation and reaches for our emotional essence, I am exploring the possibilities of joining the outer world with inner experiences. My search is for images that resonate with the viewer on the unspoken landscape."
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Suite 3, a thoughtfully designed space with two queen-size beds. The art featured in Suite 3 is by DEANE COLIN FAY PAINTER, SCULPTOR. Deane Colin Fay's art has taken him to live in Alaska, California, Minnesota and New York. "Residing in these regions has afforded me many rich experiences and broadened my awareness not only of their cultural diversity but also of the common threads that tie us all together," the Gackle, N.D., artist explains. "It is my hope that through my work the viewer is able to contemplate [these] common bonds." Even so, North Dakota remains home. "The allure of the prairies and the kindred bond I have formed with this part of the country has always drawn me home. Being a native of North Dakota, an outdoorsman and an avid sportsman are integral parts of my being." So is variety. Over the years, the artist and sculptor has owned and operated a construction firm, an interior design and custom furnishing store and two separate fine art galleries. He currently does freelance custom furniture design, fine art installation and interior design consulting for both residential and corporate clients.
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Suite 4, a refined retreat with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 4 is by BRIAN PAULSEN, PAINTER. ''My work is eclectic in its borrowing from historical and contemporary art," explains artist Brian Paulsen. "Each painting idea starts out as if I could develop a new replacement for the wheel. Failing to accomplish such, I reuse old ideas." But Paulsen doesn't simply copy or regurgitate the same tired old notions in his art. Instead, he takes inspiration from what has come before and uses it to create something wholly new and different. "My father was a builder of houses, cabinets and boats," he begins. " had my studio space in the same space as his wood, tools, smells and noise. [Growing up,l I was always fascinated with miniature replication of reality in toys. I looked at comics to follow the action, rather than read the description. I enjoyed the early radio dramas and adventure/mystery books. My art is a compilation of all these things, plus thousands of artists seen as a possible source for ideas."
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Suite 5, a serene and inviting space with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 5 is by SUSAN HAAS-MORRISSEY MIXED MEDIA ARTIST AND SCULPTOR. "I have been working as an artist and exhibiting my work for over 25 years," Valley City artist Susan Haas-Morrissey writes. "I would call the resultant body of work a visual journal. It recalls who and where | was at age 20, catalogues the whims and dreams of my youth, reveals how I thought as a young mother and portrays what it was like to live and teach in both a large urban area and in a small town. " A graduate of the University of North Dakota (B.A., 1966), the University of Louisville (M.A., 1981) and Indiana University (M.F.A., 1987), Haas-Morrissey is a mixed media artist with a vivid style and a keen understanding and love for what she does. "On my internal hard drive is stored a repertoire of feelings and images, always at the ready for my use," she muses, "the mix and match of which often delights me, amuses me or leads me to something more profound."
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Suite 6, a spacious accommodation with two queen-size beds. The art featured in Suite 6 is by MIKE MARTH, PAINTER, SCULPTOR. For the past 13+ years, Moorhead artist Mike Marth has been exploring the boundaries of still-life imagery. A native of St. Paul, Minn., Marth moved to Fargo in 1996, when he accepted a faculty position at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. The following year, he became a lecturer at North Dakota State University, where he remained until 2002 when he joined the management team at the Hotel Donaldson. "I use the still life theme and subject matter as a vehicle for expressing my reactions and thoughts about day-to-day experiences," Marth writes, "though sometimes I make work just to satisfy my love for gooey paint and wonderfully oxidized surfaces." Marth's creations have appeared in and won honors at numerous competitions and exhibitions. In 2000, he presented "A Decade of Still Life," an exhibit spread out over six locations. It was Marth's way of increasing community awareness of the various art spaces available in the area.
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Suite 7, a refined retreat with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 7 is by MARLEY KAUL, PAINTER. ''To me, painting is a 24-hour-a-day activity," Bemidji, Minn., artist Marley Kaul wrote in 1998. "It's not something I do when the muse hits me or when it's convenient." Raised on a farm in Good Thunder, Minn., Kaul earned degrees from Mankato (Minn.) State University (B.A., M.S.) and the University of Oregon (M.F.A., 1971). He went on to serve as professor and later chair of the Department of Visual Arts at Bemidji State University. Academia offered both teaching and inspiration. "As a painter, I was working at faculty meetings, during conversations and while having coffee," Kaul recalled. "I saw color, composition, textures, rhythms and edges that reminded me of either new works or solutions to works in progress. The character of a face, the way light fell on the coffee cups in a meeting and the wonderful color combinations seen while driving home added to the vision." Now retired, Kaul continues to exhibit his acrylic- and egg-tempera paintings in solo and group shows across the region, with his work included in more than a dozen collections.
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Suite 8, a refined retreat with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 8 is by LEO KIM, PHOTOGRAPHER. Leo Kim was born in Shanghai during Japanese occupation to a Korean mother. After losing his father before birth, his family fled to Macao and Hong Kong. In 1966, following the tragic death of his mother, Kim moved to Vienna to live with his sister and study art history. Two years later, he relocated to North Dakota, eventually continuing his studies at North Dakota State University. Today, Kim works as a corporate photographer in Minneapolis. He has earned multiple national awards, including the Gold Award for excellence in corporate photography from Photo/Design and Best of Show for the North Dakota Arts and Humanities annual report. His photography has been featured in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, International Photo District News, and other publications. Despite his turbulent past, Kim approaches photography with fresh perspective. "I try to look at things as though I've never seen them before," he explains. "Rather than plan a photograph, I go to a place I think might be interesting and wait for the image to come to me."
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Suite 9, a spacious retreat with one queen-size bed. The art feature in Suite 9 is by JOE AND JESSE BURGUM STUDENTS, ARTISTS. Fargo artist and Lego-maniac Joe Burgum, 10, enjoys creating art. "I like to make art because it's fun," he explains. "I enjoy working with bright colors." His seven-year-old sister, Jesse, agrees. "I've been an artist since I was three," she says, "because it's fun, cool and pretty." Joe and Jesse are two of owner Karen Burgum's three children. Both attend elementary School in Fargo, where art is among their favorite classes. Joe's other interests include math and sports. He received the Hustle Award at basketball camp in the summer of 2001. Jesse studies tap, jazz and ballet at the Carousel Dance Theater in Fargo and won first place in the Paint It Forward Art Exchange in 2002.
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THE BIG DOG SUITE
Suite 10, known as the Big Dog Suite. Spanning over 1,000 square feet, it includes two bathrooms, a separate bedroom with a king-size bed, a dining area, and a living room with a double-size pullout couch. The art featured in Suite 10 is by WALTER PIEHL, PAINTER. Rodeo and the cowboy lifestyle are deeply embedded in Walter Piehl's soul. The son of a rancher-turned-rodeo-producer, Piehl's love of horses, rodeo, and its people shines through his work. Often called "cowboy" or "western," his acrylic paintings and collages honor his roots while expressing his passion for "paradox, anomaly, contraction and paint - but not necessarily in that order." Since 1970, Piehl has been an art professor at Minot State University, though at heart he remains a cowboy. A rodeo announcer for three decades and past president of the Roughrider Rodeo Association, he still organizes trail rides in the North Dakota Badlands and runs his Minot bar, The Blue Rider.
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Suite 11, a spacious retreat with one king-size bed. The suite adjoins the Big Dog Suite (Suite 10), offering extra room and flexibility for larger groups. The art featured in Suite 11 is by KATE BALDOCK, PAINTER. Oxbow, ND native Kate Baldock creates artwork that reflects her passions for art, friendship, and fashion. Now based in Fargo, she is known for her modern abstract paintings that balance bright and neutral colors with rich textures and expressive line work. After graduating from the University of North Dakota, Kate pursued her dream of becoming a full-time artist. Her large-scale contemporary pieces can be found in homes and businesses across the region, each infused with positivity, imagination, and inspiration.
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Suite 12, known as the Oddfellows Suite, a nod to the building's history as home to the Oddfellows lodge. This suite includes one king-size bed and a separate living area with a double-size pullout couch, making it an excellent choice for families. The art featured in Suite 12 is by JAY PFEIFER, MIXED MEDIA ARTIST Fargo artist Jay Pfeifer grew up in Buffalo, N.D., in the heart of the Red River Valley. After earning an associate's degree in commercial art from Consumers River College in Sacramento, Calif., in 1982, Pfeifer spent the next decade attending school in California and Utah and working for contractors throughout the Midwest, Southwest and Western United States. But Pfeifer returned to the Red River Valley in the fall of 1992. "I never felt connected to a place other than the Red River Valley," Pfeifer says of his decision to return. "This is a place that is psychologically comfortable for me." His art reflects this comfort. A 1995 graduate of North Dakota State University (B.S., fine art), Pfeifer works as a foreman for Roers Construction, a local commercial contractor, and exhibits his art at various exhibitions and competitions throughout the region.
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Suite 13, a thoughtfully designed space with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 13 is by ERICA THUNE, MIXED MEDIA ARTIST. "The feelings and emotional connections encountered when I am creating a piece is the essence of my work. I want people to feel—to eliminate numbness. I explore the chaos within-heartbreak, euphoria, jealousy, intimacy, solitude, rage, melancholy, romance, rejuvenation, nostalgia, and more. It is exquisite that we feel so deeply and can understand the complexities we encounter. I am sharing my perspective by reflecting emotions, feelings, and thoughts through pigments, hues, texture, and line usage. Some of my pieces are consumed by the idea of contained chaos. I am infatuated with the notion of holding something complex, beautiful, and intricate within a space without escape from the bounds. I often compare this to the complex attributes of us as humans. We all carry a collection of energies compacted into ourselves. These thoughts and emotions are the core of what drives us and consumes us. These vital pieces make us who we are, but can often be overlooked. This chaos that makes us human is often contained within—it does not seep out from the boundaries of the physical."
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Suite 14, a spacious accommodation that includes two queen beds. The art featured in Suite 14 is by DAN JONES, LANDSCAPE PAINTER. "When approaching a subject as broad as landscape painting, one is faced with many decisions," Fargo artist Dan Jones explains. "| try to stay away from a totally realistic style and choose instead to focus on the mood of place, or of a particular moment in time. My goal is to give the viewer not necessarily an immediate, positive response - although it's wonderful when that happens - but maybe sometime later, when confronted with a similar scene, they will recall the work and notice something new in what had previously been taken for granted." Jones was born and raised in Fargo. He returned to his hometown nine years ago, after working in different capacities in the art business in different parts of the country for many years. Over the years, Jones' paintings and charcoal drawings have appeared in dozens of solo and group exhibitions from California to Norway. His pieces are also included in many museum, corporate, and private collections in the United States and Europe.
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Suite 15, a spacious retreat with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 15 is by JON OFFUTT, GLASSBLOWER. Glassblowing is a passion for Fargo artist Jon Offutt. "Glass is the only medium that actively fights back," he explains. "The creation of a form is a finely choreographed battle with gravity." Offutt has been choreographing that battle for most of his adult life. A graduate of Minnesota State University, Moorhead (B.A., studio art) and Southern Illinois University's College of Art and Design (M.F.A., glass program), Offutt works fulltime as a fine art glassmaker at his studio, the House of Mulciber. Over the years, Offutt has participated in numerous exhibitions, and his work appears in a number of collections. But glassblowing is more than just Offutt's vocation; it's a skill he loves to share. To accomplish this, Offutt built a mobile glassblowing studio. He now uses it to travel the state and give live demonstrations for people interested in learning more about his craft.
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Suite 16, a welcoming space appointed with one king-size bed. The art featured in Suite 16 is by CHARLES BECK PAINTER, PRINTMAKER. "Art is about seeing qualities you had never been aware of before; a nice line, a nice shape, a nice spatial relationship with colors." That's how Fergus Falls, Minn., artist Charles Beck once described his craft. Known primarily as a landscape painter and woodcut artist, Beck finds a great deal of inspiration in his surroundings. "Just about anything I've done of significance is somehow related to the nature and the land around here. The closer it is to the land, the better I think my work is." But Beck didn't always feel that way. "There was a time when I thought of myself as a country boy from Minnesota who'd like to be a big city artist from New York and paint about the world," Beck recalls. "Thinking like that can lead you to do the worst kind of art. You have to paint what you're interested in. I'd rather paint a plowed field with some conviction than paint a crucifixion with none."
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Suite 17 at the Hotel Donaldson, a luxurious space that includes a king-size bed and a one-of-a-kind infinity tub that fills dramatically from the ceiling. The art featured in Suite 17 is by RICHARD BRESNAHAN, CERAMIC ARTIST. Richard Bresnahan grew up in rural North Dakota. The son of a grain-elevator operator, Bresnahan attended St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., and studied for three-and-a-half years under the tutelage of world-renowned potter Nakazato Takashi in Japan. His apprenticeship earned Bresnahan the title of master potter and has greatly influenced his work. Today, Bresnahan works as a full-time potter and teacher. His studio, located at St. John's University, where he has been artist-in-residence for more than 20 years, attracts students and traveling artists alike, all interested in learning his techniques. During the mid-1990s, Bresnahan helped the university construct North America's largest wood-burning kiln and continues to look for environmentally conscious ways to improve his art.
