The Johnson Heritage Post (JHP) Art Gallery is excited to host Borderlands, an upcoming collaborative exhibition featuring prominent regional artists Betsy Bowen, Jeanne Hedstrom, Stephan Hoglund, and Heidi Sobanja. The show runs from July 17 through August 9, 2026.

The exhibition is built around a lifestyle common to all four artists: seasonal migration. Over the years, each has spent significant time traveling and working near the edges of both the North and the Southwest, dividing their time between Northern Minnesota, Canada, New Mexico, and Mexico.

Rather than treating these landscapes as simple backdrops, the artists draw energy, restoration, and perspective from them. Borderlands looks at how a true “sense of place” isn't anchored to just one permanent home, but is instead shaped by a collective lifetime of travel and experience.

Beyond their shared geography, the exhibition is grounded in a long-standing friendship and mutual respect for one another's work. “Besides the common migratory element that the four of us have experienced, we have chosen to exhibit together because of our long held knowledge and respect for each other’s work. That, and an enduring friendship,” the artists shared in a joint statement.

Borderlands opens on Friday, July 17, 2026, with an opening reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

July proves to be a full month at JHP. As part of an ongoing initiative to increase the visibility of the gallery's permanent collection, JHP staff have created a “Historic Artist’s Corner” in the back left corner of the center gallery. Beginning July 1, this space will feature a rotating selection of works focusing on Cook County townscapes by a variety of historic regional artists.

In addition, a quarterly rotation is coming to the permanent Anna C. Johnson gallery. Beginning in July, selected works from JHP’s permanent collection will offer personal glimpses into the heritage of the Johnson family in Grand Marais, reflecting Johnson's deep connections to the North Shore, the Grand Marais Harbor, and her wilderness travels up the Gunflint Trail.

Finally, gallery visitors will have the opportunity to see work from JHP’s July Local Artist of the Month, Julie Arthur. Arthur is a North Shore fiber artist who has spent over five decades mastering weaving, spinning, and yarn dyeing. From her Lake Superior studio, she draws inspiration from nature to transform hand-spun wools and hand-dyed threads into unique textiles like rugs, scarves, and shawls. 

The Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the summer. Admission to the gallery is free, with donations graciously accepted.

About the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery The Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery's mission is to promote public awareness of the cultural heritage of arts in Cook County, past and present, communicate the history of this region, and provide quality exhibits, programs, and events.

About the Cook County Historical Society The Cook County Historical Society (CCHS), which celebrated its centennial in 2025, is committed to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of Cook County history, connecting it to the state of Minnesota's narrative. CCHS manages five historical sites: the Cook County History Museum (1896 Lightkeeper's House), the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, St. Francis Xavier “Chippewa City” Church, the Bally Blacksmith Shop, and a 1930s fish house replica featuring the fishing tug Nee-Gee.