“Wake Up Island.” A print from hand-cut woodblock by Duluth artist Nick Wroblewski. The print appears in Mary Casanova’s book of the same name.
Exhibit at Slaggie Family hall into January
WINONA, Minn. — An exhibition of art from the books that tap into nature has inaugurated the Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s new Slaggie Family Gallery. Among featured works are illustations by printmaker Nick Wroblewski in Mary Casanova’s 2018“Hush, Hush, Forest” in 2018 and 2016 “Wake Up Island.” Also on display are illustrations by Fumi Nakamura in Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s 2020 “World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishmente.” The illustrations run concurrently through January 7 with the Museum’s Flora and Fauna suite of exhibitions and public programs. Also dispersed through the exhibit are folk sculptures of the Museum’s Leo and Marilyn Smith of Fountain City collection. The Smiths say the sculptures were inspired by the “the whimsy and wonder” of Mississippi River marine environments.
Slaggie Gallery debut. The literary arts exhibit is in the new Steven and Barbara Slaggie Family Gallery at the Marine Art Museum. The gallery comprises 2,300 square feet. Slaggie was a co-founder of Winona-based Fastenal, which has grown into a major U.S. supplier of construction tools.