12 new sculptures installed downtown for 2023 Bemidji Sculpture Walk

BEMIDJI — You can spot a fish called Mechanical Guppy and a giant mushroom called Mycology Manor on the streets of downtown Bemidji this summer.

They’re two of the 12 new pieces for the 2023 Bemidji Sculpture Walk, which has drawn curious folks to town since 1999 when Al and Cate Belleveau got it started.

"I really love our walk here," said Tim Nelsen of Bemidji, who created the Mechanical Guppy and Mycology Manor. "I think it's just a fantastic thing to have a sculpture walk in our own backyard. I don't think people here realize how unique that is."

Nelsen has had pieces in the Sculpture Walk for about 10 years. His fish, which is on display at the corner of Third Street and Minnesota Avenue, is made from an old wagon wheel rim, some recycled hubcaps, an old roller chain and an ice block grabber, among other things.

"There's a lot of different things going on with that one," said Nelsen.

The mushroom sculpture is located on the corner of Fourth Street and Beltrami Avenue. Its cap is made from an old plow disc that Nelsen got from a farmer and the underside is an old saw blade that looks like gills. Mushrooms "growing" out of the stem are made from parts of an old oil barrel and rebar, and the base is an old tire rim with another plow disc on top.

Nelsen has had pieces displayed in other cities, but he enjoys being able to see his work on the streets of Bemidji.

"I guess if I really like a piece I don't mind driving by it all the time," Nelsen said. "It's different having it in your own hometown rather than just seeing it online."

Dave Close, who chairs the Sculpture Walk board, said Bemidji is trying to stand out in an arena that now includes about 20 similar programs around the country.

"We’re trying to have things that are quirky," Close said. "I always think it's a win if people walk by it and smile. It's an absolute win if they take their picture by it. So there are some things that are fine art and there are some things that are just quirky."

The artists are paid for their work, and all of the pieces are for sale, with the Sculpture Walk receiving a commission on each sale. But a new wrinkle this year will allow people to purchase a sculpture and take it with them instead of waiting until the next year.

"We'll take it down and send it with them," Close said, "because a lot of our customers are traveling through, and you know they’re not going to come back next May to pick it up. And it helps the artists, who might lose a sale otherwise."

In order to make that work, new pieces need to be ready for installation.

"So now we kind of need a library, we need a storehouse, so we could call somebody like Al or Tim locally and ask if we could put another one out," Close said.

Brochures for this year's walk are available at the Tourist Information Center and downtown businesses. Information also is available online at bemidjisculpture.com, on Facebook, Instagram and on the walk's YouTube channel.