May 12th, 2025
Saint Peter — In her largest solo exhibition to date, Mankato-based multimedia artist ARK (Abigail Kimble) will combine painting, collage, fiber art, clay, and interactive elements in If The Waterfalls So Will I, on display May 23-July 12 at the Arts Center of Saint Peter.
According to her artist’s statement, ARK is a “queer, bipoc, multimedia artist living in rural south-central Minnesota…inspired by the exploration of one’s inner landscape and centered around the process of transmuting pain into personal power” through techniques such as automatic drawing and somatic journaling. ARK is also a vocalist and live painter who performs frequently throughout the region and in Minneapolis. She is the recipient of a 2025 Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Concurrently, the Arts Center’s Minnesota Avenue-facing window will feature Stitches of Sun, a cyanotype quilt by Mankato-based Hanna Cesario, a fiber artist who is also an actively performing musician and music educator.
A reception for both exhibitions will take place on Saturday, May 24, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Arts Center. The artists will deliver brief remarks at approximately 3:30 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public, and the galleries are wheelchair accessible.
Additionally, on Friday, June 20, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Carnegie Art Center in Mankato, ARK will host a “powerful evening of authentic expression highlighting the black experience, where two featured artists will share their journeys of navigating mental health in a world stacked against them.” The event will include a guided discussion period, and performances of original music created by ARK in conjunction with her exhibition. For more information visit worksofark.com.
This activity is made possible through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.