Carving Out a Fulfilling Life

Two miles West of the vibrant community of Grand Marais, out towards the Cascade River, artist Betsy Bowen sits on the back step of her old farm house, carving a wood block into a work of art – a loon, flying across a blue sky dappled with clouds. A dreamy afternoon to be sure….did we mention that this is her job?

Over the past 12 years, Betsy has become a widely known and celebrated artist. Her wood-block prints capture the essence and spirit of the North Woods, and her contributions to the community of Grand Marais come in many forms. From facilitating artistic expression and gathering neighbors together, to sitting on the board of the North House Folk School and renovating a historical gathering place, Betsy helps make Grand Marais the active and creative community that it is.

History

Betsy grew up in the suburbs of Chicago until she was a teenager, when her parents bought an old homestead outside of Grand Marais. Betsy’s mother was quoted as saying that they made the move because “I just wanted my girls to know a different way.” The Northwoods lifestyle felt right to Betsy, and she still lives on the old homestead – 40 acres, a farm house, barn, and hand dug wells. There was a period of time that took her elsewhere for school, husband, and children, but it wasn’t long before she and her three sons found their way back to Grande Marais.

As her sons got older, she found she had more time and got into woodblock art. She was working as a clerk at the Sivertson Gallery, where her work was noticed on display by an editor of children’s books. After connecting with her, Betsy wrote and illustrated the successful Antler Bear Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet Year.

Over the next few years she wrote Tracks in the Wild, and Gathering – A Northwoods Counting Book. She illustrated Shingebiss: An Ojibwe Legend retold by Nancy VanLaan, and A Wild Neighborhood by John Henrickkson. In 1999, she did Calendars for Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, and illustrated The Troll With No Heart in His Body by Lise Lunge-Larsen. Recently she illustrated a book of poetry by Jeff Humphries.

It took patience and hard work to be able to sustain herself and her family by doing something she loves. For years she supplemented her income by working at Sivertson and Lutsen ski area, and doing commercial art and brochures. Her first book deal for Antler Bear Canoe is what took her art to a new level.

Community Ties

The success of her books has given her the freedom to pursue other artistic interests, such as puppet pageantry and dance. The puppet shows tend to be big outdoor events that get people together, such as the Summer Solstice Festival at North House Folk School. Betsy says, “I see these community pageants as a way for our culture of the moment to express itself in a poetic way.” Her latest on-going project has been the purchase and renovation of a 100-year-old church in town. Thecommunity theater troupe had been using it most recently, and before that it was a school. Betsy plans to move her studio into the basement, and re-do the main floor as a performance space and perhaps a dance studio as well. “I am excited about renewing the life of this historical building, and happy that it can continue to be a community gathering space,” says Betsy. The restoration will be a community process, as well, because Betsy believes in “creating jobs for my neighbors that are healthy and fun.”

Staying Put

With all of her success, Betsy certainly has had the opportunity to move around, but she has made many conscious decisions to stay put and invest her time and art in Grand Marais. “I really like the thought that the place I live was part of my family’s past. In our increasingly transient culture, I love feeling that attachment to the land,” says Betsy.

The community of people has been a strong hold for her as well. “I feel that there is a surge of creative energy in this community and it’s exciting and stimulating to be a part of it,” she explains. “I like that this is a small enough community that I can see my place in it. It is visible, and I can see and sense that I make a difference.”

Betsy’s influence reaches far beyond her community of Grand Marais. In every piece of art she creates, the viewer gets a little taste of that steadfast commitment to simplicity, beauty and meaningful connections. It is easy to tell that she loves what she does – for what it means to her and what it allows her to provide for her community. “I wish it on everyone to be able to make a living doing what you really like.”