The NSU Art Department is pleased to announce its new gallery exhibition “Always a Student” displayed at the Johnson Fine Arts Center Gallery on the campus of Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. The two-person exhibition features the artwork of artists Michael Aasness and Mark Stemwedel.
The artwork will be on display from January 12 – March 6, 2026. A closing reception is planned to be held on Friday, March 6 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. The exhibition primarily focuses on painting but also includes a range of artworks, including mixed media, drawings, and sculpture. Northern Galleries are open from 8 am to 5 pm and by appointment on weekends. The gallery will also be open during music and theatre performances in the evenings. Artist talks are free and open to the public.
“Always a Student” will provide a perspective on teachers’ reciprocal and evolving connection with their students. It will celebrate the ongoing and cyclical nature of creativity, teaching, and mentorship of art instructors. Featuring the works of two South Dakota art educators, the exhibition will highlight the diverse perspectives, techniques, and inspirations that each of them brings to their roles as teachers.
Michael Aasness has taught art to grades 6-12 at Sioux Valley School District in Volga, SD, for nine years. Michael is a 2017 graduate from the Studio Art Program at SDSU in Art Education, with an emphasis in painting. Michael continues to exhibit his artwork professionally throughout the Midwest, which includes a number of solo and group exhibitions throughout his career thus far. In the 2020- 2021 school year, Michael was named “Teacher of the Year” for Sioux Valley School District and was nominated for South Dakota Art Educator of the Year.
As a student, Michael studied painting under Mark Stemwedel at SDSU. Mark Stemwedel has taught courses in painting and drawing since 2008. He earned an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of South Dakota and a bachelor’s degree in visual arts from South Dakota State University. Mark’s paintings have been featured at the Washington Pavilion and IPSO Gallery in Sioux Falls, SD. His work has also been displayed at the South Dakota Art Museum in Brookings, SD, and in numerous national juried exhibitions. He previously received a South Dakota Arts Council Artist Development Grant. In 2023, he was awarded the South Dakota Arts Council Artist Fellowship.
Michael and Mark have impacted students from our region by sharing the importance of artistic exploration and creative expression. As artists, they contribute to the local and regional artistic community and continue to exhibit their artwork throughout the Midwest.
EXHIBITION NARRATIVE
“Always a Student” – Michael Aasness and Mark Stemwedel
From the outside, a teacher/student relationship may appear hierarchical. However, in art education it is far more reciprocal. Specific teacher/student roles are defined only within a classroom framework for a semester or a few short years. Students grow and move into their own professional roles as teachers. Teachers build connections and help others achieve their goals and dreams. The true nature of those connections is that we inform and inspire each other, perhaps in different ways, and artistic growth benefits from these meaningful interactions. Sometimes, artists have no other teacher to help them except themselves. Teaching and learning in the arts are fundamentally different, but lifelong learning is the goal. It is not about a specific answer but about searching. It is about learning to learn. It is about creating your own path of discovery. Students become teachers. Teachers become students.
