More than 125 people from around the region gathered July 27 to celebrate the grand opening of the newly expanded Mary Van Evera Visual Arts Center located on the campus of Northland College in Ashland, Wis. The building features a new painting and drawing studio, expanded photography facilities, improved student exhibition space, and ceramics facilities.

The ribbon cutting ceremony included a debut performance of the piece “Northern Light” Fanfare for Northland College, by The Superior Brass. Northland College Trustee Emeritus Meredith Alden commissioned the piece by composer David Evan Thomas. The event also coincided with the Northland College Faculty Art Exhibition featuring work by faculty members Jason Terry, Ruth Lull, Don Albrecht, and Viken Peltekian.

Mary C. Van Evera, of Duluth, Minn., was a founding member of the Sigurd Olson Advisory Board. She joined the Northland Board of Trustees in 1978, and served as Vice-Chairwoman of the Board, then Chairwoman. Van Evera currently serves as Vice-Chairwoman of the Trusteeship Committee, and sits on the Executive, Academic Affairs, and Institutional Advancement committees.

Van Evera is an activist for peace and justice. She has served as founding chair of the World Policy Institute, chair of the Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation, and on the board of Common Cause. In the 80s, she regularly commented on Minnesota Public Radio on matters of global awareness.