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• September Meeting: Watercolor Batik Demo with Melissa van Egdom

  • When
    Tuesday, September 08, 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    First Presbyterian Church of Moorhead

  Register

  Join member and secretary Melissa for a demo on batik watercolor art.   

  Watercolor batik is an innovative adaptation of the traditional batik technique, which typically involves applying wax to fabric to create intricate patterns before dyeing. In watercolor batik, artists use watercolor paints instead of dyes and work on rice paper. The wax acts as a resist, preserving the areas beneath it from the paint, resulting in beautiful, layered effects.

  Artist Bio:

  Melissa Van Egdom is a watercolor artist working in both traditional watercolor and the distinctive watercolor batik process. Her paintings are rooted in a deep appreciation for the natural world and explore the quiet beauty found in everyday moments.

  Born and raised on a livestock farm in northwest Iowa, Melissa developed an early connection to the rhythms of rural life, where close observation of animals, changing seasons, and the landscape fostered a lifelong sense of wonder. That foundation continues to influence her work, which often features wildlife, domestic animals, florals, and other nature-inspired subjects, as well as commissioned pieces. She is especially drawn to the interplay of light and shadow, using watercolor's luminous qualities to reveal subtle details and evoke a sense of calm and presence.

  Committed to continual growth as an artist, Melissa has studied with nationally recognized watercolor masters including John Salminen, Judy Betts, Mark MeHaffey, Dale Popovich, Sterling Edwards,

  and Soon Warren. These experiences have expanded both her technical skills and artistic vision while strengthening her distinctive voice.

  Since returning to painting in 2016, Melissa has earned Signature Member status with the Iowa Watercolor Society, the Watercolor Honor Society (Watercolor USA), and the Red River Watercolor Society. Her work has been recognized in numerous juried exhibitions and awards.

  Through her paintings, Melissa seeks to foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world by inviting viewers to slow down, observe closely, and find beauty in the quiet, often overlooked moments that surround us.

  Other Activities

  1.  Show and Share!  We will lay out our summer painting projects from the workshop and the plein air events - bring what you did this summer to share.  We want to celebrate your summer art success.

  2.  Tools to Share - Got any art supplies you no longer want?  Bring them along and put them on the Share Table.  Pick up something you want.  No money changes hands and take home what is not picked up.  Next month someone will want it.

  Note the earlier start time - 6pm. Gather from 5:00pm to work on your card exchange card, trading cards or your art together.  

  
  

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• September Evening Paint Out #2: Bear Creek Winery

  • When
    Wednesday, September 16, 2026
  •  
    4:30 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Bear Creek Winery at 8800 25th St S, Fargo, ND 58104

  Register

  Head down south to the winery with a wide diversity of interesting objects, views and vistas to paint and enjoy!  Always a delightful time with lots to see and paint!

  The address is 8800 25th St S, Fargo, ND 58104. Hope to see you there Wednesday afternoon and evening anytime!  
  

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• September Plein Air Celebration with Community Outreach and Paint Out: Northern Plains Botanical Garden

  • When
    Sunday, September 27, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Northern Plains Botanic Garden

  Register

  

  It looks like a nice day for our last botanical garden paint out this year and we are going to celebrate the summer of art!  Bring all your paintings, sketches and art and we will lay them out for everyone to admire and enjoy our summer of art!

  We will be meeting in the Yunker Farmhouse and then spreading out or staying inside or on the verandah to sketch, paint or draw.  (It is air conditioned!) The Northern Plains Botanical Garden folks will be there welcoming the public and we can share our art with them.   For our celebration, expect cookies and lemonade at 2pm!

  So all of you who have painted this summer:  bring your art along so we can see what you have been doing!  Sharing is caring.  

  The address is 1211 28th Ave. N. Fargo with convenient parking in front of the house. Hope to see you there!

  Enjoy the beauty of our amazing gardens!

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• October Meeting at MSUM - Ellen Diederich presents on Clouds

  • When
    Tuesday, October 13, 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    MSUM - King Hall Room 305

  Register

  t

  Our partner MSUM is welcoming us to the Center for the Arts King Hall Classroom again.  

  Ellen Diederich, a charter member of our organization is going to show several sky techniques.  If you want to paint along and try these methods, bring a hake brush that is  1 ½”  wide or a large flat and a  1” flat, paper towels, paint and watercolor paper.  Ellen plans to make several demos of different varieties of clouds to help people be creative, less fearful and enjoy the wonder of watercolor and large brushes.  

  Artist Bio:

  Ellen Jean Diederich is a national award winning watercolor and acrylic painter from Fargo, North Dakota. She has been painting professionally since 1985. Her rural and city backgrounds play a significant role in her choices of subject matters. She particularly enjoys and relates to paintings of flowers, architecture, domesticated animals, and landscape. Proud of her Mid-west heritage, Ellen brings sincerity and love to each painting. Diederich is known for her neo-impressionistic style and wonderful use of color.

  Ellen graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a B.F.A. in Fine Art and a B.A. in Art Education and an honored alumnus. She is a signature member of the Red River Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, the Watercolor Society of Alabama, Watercolor West and the Northstar Watercolor Society. Diederich teaches watercolor and acrylic and Gouache workshops primarily in the Midwest. She has authored and illustrated three books including her Ben Franklin Gold Medal Award Winning Book Where’s Petunia?, Progressive Painting – Your Creative Journey and “Samson’s Gift” which won a 2015 Gold Medal Illumination Award for Exemplary Christian Literature in the Gift/ Keepsake/Specialty Bible Category. Her company Givinity Press publishes her images as note cards, books, calendars and giclée reproductions.

  Diederich is a charter member of the Red River Watercolor Society. She served as program director for 20 years and assisted on many committees. Diederich was charter Chairman of the 1st RRWS National Juried Exhibition. She chaired again in 2015 and for the shows 25 th Anniversary. She has helped select jurors and instructors for the national show and served on multiple committees over the years.

  Meeting venue information:

  We will be meeting in the Art Education room in King Hall - Room 305,  Park in M1 and come in the doors and up the elevator to the 3rd room.  Do not be late as the entry door off the parking lot will lock at 6pm.  Come early to get a seat - the classroom only takes 24 people.  No snacks will be served so bring your own drinking water.  The classroom has a sink for painting water.  

  

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• Annual Meeting and Paint In at the Church

  • When
    Tuesday, November 10, 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    First Presbyterian Church of Moorhead

  Register

  
  

  1.  Annual Meeting agenda:

  Budget review

  Board review and election of new officers:

  - President

  - Secretary

  - New board member

  Other matters

  This meeting will be led by Michelle Roise, our immediate past president

  2.  Show and Share!  We will lay out our fall painting projects from the workshops and the plein air events - bring what you did this summer to share.  We want to celebrate your summer art success.

  3.  Tools to Share - Got any art supplies you no longer want?  Bring them along and put them on the Share Table.  Pick up something you want.  No money changes hands and take home what is not picked up.  Next month someone will want it.

  Note the earlier start time - 6pm. Gather from 5:00pm to work on your card exchange card, trading cards or your art together.  

  
  

  Show details