"The Mixed Effect"
February 9-March 27, 2026
In the Exhibition Hall
White Bear Center for the Arts is hosting “The Mixed Effect,” a curated exhibition featuring selected works from regionally based mixed media artists of all levels. The show will be curated by a panel of professional Twin Cities mixed media artists, to be announced after the call for entries is over.
Selected works will include a variety of techniques and approaches to mixed media, and the exhibition will feature educational components to introduce visitors to the wide array of mixed media styles.
Community Reception
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 6:00-8:00 PM
Curator talk at 7:00 PM
Meet the Curators
Barbara Riegel Bend
My intent is to create work that reflects our human ability to connect through whimsy, archetypes, legends, love, and nature. I construct forms that enhance the voice of fabrics and use an assortment of discarded materials that connect and repeat to give my work rhythm and movement. The fabrics are remnants, selected for their historic, cultural, and structural voice which adds richness. My work responds to both the integrity of the materials and the influences of my surroundings. My artistic journey allows me to reach a deep and meaningful place where I can explore cultural influences, feed my passion for creating with remnants, and experience a path of self-discovery. My BA is in Applied Arts, Masters in Elementary Education. I have taken workshops at the Weavers Guild and Textile Center of Minnesota in spinning, weaving, natural dying, felting, quilting, and rug hooking, and learned to weld through community education.
Becka Rahn is a full-time teaching artist who works in a micro-studio in Minneapolis, MN. She creates primarily in fabric and paper, specializing in cut-paper illustrations using recycled papers and hand embroidery. Becka is the co-author of "The Spoonflower Handbook," a guide to designing your own fabrics, and holds a book arts certificate from the MN Center for Book Arts. She is passionate about helping artists conquer technology barriers to make their work more accessible. Her superpowers are breaking complex ideas into simple steps, inspiring creative thinking, and incorporating puns into everything she makes.
beckarahn.com/galleryportfolio
IG: @beckarahn
FB: @beckarahn.fiberart
Erik Pearson has been creating paintings, sculptures, and murals for over twenty years. His public art career includes twenty four public murals, and eight installations, working with city officials, community groups, and business owners in the process. I create each work of art as a glimpse into a character's life at a given moment in time. The color, composition, and contrast reflect my love of a theatrical setting, and play with some of my common subject matters of music, circus, and nautical themes. My goal is to create artwork that embraces multiple viewings, allowing new discoveries and interpretations over time.
IG: @erikpearsonart