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Kay Strand Kay Strand We lived on a little farm in northern Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, and daily I can witness the changing seasons by just looking out the window. I am inspired to paint by these beautiful surroundings and by rural landscape views wherever I find them. As an example, the other day while I was at a meeting the sun broke through after many days of rain. On the way home I kept stopping to take photos as the sun came out of the clouds and lit up the colorful autumn landscape. I have always liked to draw and paint and as a child in Buffalo, Minnesota, was encouraged at home. While I was attending Carleton College I took a few art classes but it wasn’t until we moved to Willmar that I really began to work at painting. I took a class from Robert Mattson at Willmar Community College (now Ridgewater). I have benefited greatly from taking workshops with Charles Movalli, Charles Sovek, Ben Konis, Barbara Nechis, Daniel Greene, Albert Handell, Rose Edin, Karlyn Holman, and others. Working hard on my own has also been very important. | 
Title: "First Snowfall", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand Recently my painting “summer Barn” was accepted in the 2007 Art Perchance event at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and was purchased on the silent auction at that event.
In September, 2007, I was asked to be the featured artist at the annual Willmar event, Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! I exhibited 31 paintings and with the Willmar Area Arts Council hosted a reception.
Something that was very significant for me was winning a blue ribbon in the Artists of Minnesota annual spring show.
Title: "Lake Minnewaska", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand 
Title: "Garden by the Road, Oil, Artist: Kay Strand 
Title: "Sibley State Park", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand 
Title: "Winter Sunset", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand 
Title: "Summer Field", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand All images are copyrighted by the artist and may not be reproduced. | My greatest artistic accomplishment was being accepted in the American Artist magazine Realism Today competition in 2000. My painting, “Summer Garden”, along with the paintings of the other participants was featured in the October 2000 issue of the American Artist and hung at the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco where it sold. Before shipping it off I painted a copy of it for myself. 
Title: "Summer Garden", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand I have donated paintings to many events including the Buffalo Minnesota Food Shelf and Prairie Pothole Day, an annual event held at our farm. I participate in the annual Small Works Auction at the Willmar Education and Arts Center and in the Kandiyohi County Studio Hop.
My goal is to keep painting and learning. I appreciate so much the encouragement given to me by my husband, Roger, my four children and 2 granddaughters. Many relatives and friends have also given me much support.
Title: "Autumn Raod", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand 
Title: "Barn in Winter", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand 
Title: "Summer Barn", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand 
Title: "Arrangement with Sunflowers", Oil, Artist: Kay Strand |
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