Folk Art of Emily Lund

Filled with barns and sheep, farmers and cattle, children at play and families at work, the original paintings of Emily Lunde on special exhibit at the Dakota Buttes Museum in southeast Hettinger in early September illustrated the wide range of early 20th Century family life in town and country onthe Northern Great Plains. Recorded in brightly colored oils, the classic stories of the joys and struggles of immigrants settling the small towns and prairies of the area come alive on the canvases.

​Made possible through the Rural Arts Initiative of the North Dakota Museum of Art (NDMOA), Grand Forks, ND, this touring art exhibit was delivered, installed and de-installed free-of-charge by the NDMOA’s education Department. It was on display in building two of the Dakota Buttes Museum for area schools and the public from August 29 through September 8.

​“It was heartwarming to see students’ faces light up when they saw the paintings,” said one teacher. “They wanted to stay and see more!” Many came back with their parents to study the paintings again.

​Over 300 people of all ages viewed the exhibit: school groups, local folks, some from the wider area and folks from ABLE and Western Horizons Assisted Living. Other groups were scheduled. The original art display was free and open to the public.

“We’re excited to be able to have another NDMOA exhibit at the museum,” said one of the museum’s board members. “Their exhibits are always high quality, interesting, and reflective.”

Students from HPS came to the exhibition with lesson plans and background material on the display provided by the NDMOA at no cost.