Bemidji Weavers Guild Fiber Art Exhibit Opens Feb. 6 at Watermark

An exhibition of members' fiber art by the Bemidji Area Weavers Guild will open Feb. 6 at Watermark Art Center and remain on display through April 11, 2026. The show will give local residents a chance to see a range of woven works and to engage with makers whose practice supports cultural life in Bemidji and Beltrami County.

An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 6, with a brief introduction at 5:30 p.m. The reception is free to the public. Watermark’s gallery schedule will allow multiple opportunities for viewing during the exhibition period; visitors seeking hours and registration details for related events are directed to watermarkartcenter.org.

The Bemidji Area Weavers Guild, known locally as BAWG, organizes the exhibition as part of its mission to share weaving skills and promote fiber arts in the region. The show is intended both to showcase individual members’ techniques and to reinforce the guild’s role as a community resource for skill-building and cultural exchange. For a small city like Bemidji, such exhibitions play a practical role in sustaining an arts ecosystem that supports classes, workshops, and public programming.

Complementing the gallery show, the guild and Watermark will host a rep weave workshop March 10 through March 12. The workshop is slated for intermediate to advanced level weavers and will be led by master weaver Kelly Marshall. Registration is required for the workshop; interested participants should consult watermarkartcenter.org for class details, fees, and sign-up instructions.

The exhibit and accompanying workshop create immediate benefits for local residents. They provide direct access to arts education without requiring travel to larger metro areas, offer networking opportunities for maker economies, and help keep cultural programming anchored in the downtown arts center. For civic leaders and cultural planners, events like this demonstrate how volunteer-organized guilds and nonprofit galleries collaborate to broaden arts participation and to attract visitors who contribute to the downtown economy.

For those looking to get involved, the opening reception on Feb. 6 is a low-barrier way to view the work and meet guild members. Weavers aiming to deepen technical skills can pursue the March workshop, while spectators and neighbors can support the local arts scene by attending the exhibition through April 11. The show will be a visible thread in Bemidji’s cultural calendar, reinforcing the role of community-based arts in civic life and offering practical pathways for residents to learn, connect, and contribute.