Groveland Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Far North, an exhibition of new work by Minnesota artist, Tom Maakestad. Raised in rural Northfield, Minnesota in a family of artists among a community of farmers, Maakestad has always used his knowledge and appreciation of the land as a source of inspiration for his work.

Maakestad writes about this new work:  “The “Far North” series was created from the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota. I have known this region from early childhood when my family took trips to the North Shore, one time driving around the entire circumference of Lake Superior when I was maybe 3 years old. That journey left an indelible impression on me. In subsequent years I have spent time in the Boundary Waters Wilderness area both in summer and winter.As Minnesotans we benefit from having a wild border that is relatively untouched by modern life. This Northern Shield anchors the state and, in some ways, gives us a backdrop to the ever present and dense development of the rest of the state. The border region stands as a reminder of our not too distant past when we were all was subject to the whims of nature.

For over thirty years I have been painting the Midwestern landscape inspired by the rich river valleys and farmland near where I was raised where I was raised. The northern forests and lakes provide a completely different challenge.  There is an unusual light in the northern landscape. Bracketed by a pressing density, light catches the top of the trees at end of the day and some stems turn to orange, as the light is refracted from the atmosphere.

This group of small paintings are meant as a touch stone. Many of us have been to the northern border regions and have taken away memories of that place. These paintings are my reflections on this fragile, yet formidable and important environment.”