Artists at Pine Needles Gallery

Temporary exhibit | Level 4

Minnesota’s landscapes inspire art and science

Each year at the Pine Needles cabin on the St. Croix Watershed Research Station property, painters, writers, photographers, and other artists explore where art and science meet in Minnesota’s environments.

Their work reveals new perspectives of familiar landscapes — the curving patterns of a river, flowing grasses in the wind, and even the glimmering sheen of a freshwater mollusk. Through words, paintings, and other mediums, the artists-in-residence tell stories of Minnesota’s changing landscapes, share their views with scientists to inspire new ways of thinking, and connect with local communities who share the same environment. 

At the end of each residency, the artists donate at least one artwork to the museum for display onsite. Currently on view is a kaleidoscopic collection of 29 artworks from Pine Needles creators, curated by their scientist peers who share in the beauty and dynamism that exist on the banks of one of the Mississippi River’s mightiest tributaries. 

In this gallery, St. Croix Watershed Research Station staff and scientists selected pieces that spoke to their understandings of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Illustrations, photographs, prints, and other works come together to create a landscape nearly as diverse and captivating as their subject in this temporary installation. The result is a deeply human conversation between art and science — one that invites visitors to explore shared wonder, purpose, and curiosity from two distinct but interwoven disciplines. This, at its core, is the mission of the Artist at Pine Needles program.