---

The “Pure Comfort” exhibit currently hanging at the Underground gallery space in Hallberg Center for the Arts,  is a special  fusion of lake-life and creativity.  The show,  that runs through January 14, presents Comfort Lake scenes as envisioned by mostly lakeshore residents.

One of the show organizers, Dave Freemore, says in gathering the artwork he got to talk to some people he ordinarily wouldn’t have in the course of everyday activity.  Setting up the show brought some lakeshore people together, and Freemore added, hopefully  heightens the unique benefits of a lake’s life cycle; the images and emotions a simple lake evokes.  

Freemore is on the Board at the Wyoming Area Creative Arts Community and also on the Comfort Lake Association;  and he lined up use of the WACAC Hallberg Center lower level.  He put out the call for artworks on the Comfort Lake association social media network and contributions started to roll in for this first-ever effort.  

Works are limited in this first year, consisting of a little over a dozen photos, drawings, paintings and even a mounted bass (yes, there are bass in Comfort Lake.) Freemore is open to the idea of maybe making this a more regular exhibit,  if lake association members get behind it and when art center space is available.  Otherwise, for the next few weeks, the show serves as a nice little insight into why Minnesotans cherish their lakes.

Meanwhile— in the main floor galleries upstairs the “Black and White” annual show continues to mid-January as well.  The Wyoming Area Creative Arts Community gets hundreds of submittals for this, which features art pieces containing no color.  Come and vote for a Peoples’ Choice winner and be inspired.

Hours for the Hallberg Center on East Viking Boulevard, in Wyoming,  run Saturday noon to 6 p.m. and are 2 to 8 p.m. all other days—but it’s closed Sunday and Monday.
There is no admission fee but you can always make a donation, become a member or just buy a T shirt.  

Overseeing the space when the Press visited was volunteer director Kirk “Breeze” Larson, who said the organization is putting out the call now for 2024 artists who wish to reserve space and it’s not too early to be considering showing your own pieces.

A much anticipated exhibition coming this summer  has Larson busy with arrangements.  

Hallberg Center for the Arts has scheduled a showing of “Allegory 38.”  Artist Keith Dixon works in the style of the Old Masters and has recently completed a set of portraits of tribal members hanged in Mankato, MN in 1862.  The WACAC goal is to educate and share the story of the region’s First Nation people, said Larson.  Treaty territory covers most of Chisago County  and there’s much still so much to come to terms with about our settlement history, Larson adds. More information on this will be coming later.

---