"New Bohemians are commonly thought of as creative, out-of-the-box thinkers. So, in my first editorial, I referred to a New Bohemia, N.D., and so far it has kind of stuck." - John Strand, Fargo, editor, High Plains Reader.

In the fall of 2003, John Strand wrote an editorial in the High Plains Reader, putting forward the idea of a "New Bohemia" - a place that gathers and nurtures North Dakota's artists and that experiments with artists as creative engines who generate economic vitality.

Whether New Bohemia will become an actual physical artists' community or a "virtual network" of artists across the state is still unknown.

But the idea will not die. And a small corps of "New Bohemia" promoters has been pleasantly shocked at the response from people across the state. At its most recent idea-gathering meeting, more than 30 people from the state's small towns showed up to pitch their potential as an artists' haven.

New Bohemia strategies are now being sifted by a steering committee - Strand, Jon Offutt and Cher Hersrud, all of Fargo, and Cherie Harms, of Bismarck - that is looking at a wide variety of ideas, from helping artists market their work to creating artist business plans and buying supplies in bulk.

New Bohemia has so much potential, Hersrud said.

"It would roll up all of the arts, the artists, communities and organizations, under one large umbrella," she said.

A proposal in to the National Endowment for the Arts would compile a database of artists, she said, "get us off the dime and be helpful in leveraging other funds. To provide, through regional arts councils, sample business plans, press releases, resources for artists."

Strand said he believes that an actual pilot project artists' community will happen.

"We are open to a physical destination as a starting point, maybe regional destinations," he said. "We need to start with one and keep our minds open. Meanwhile, it will be a virtual community."

Quality old buildings would be an asset for a physical New Bohemia community.

"A lot of towns have buildings available," Strand said. "A lot are affordable that are really in a scenic little spot, with a quality of life that's unique and positive."

Other needs? To be accessible to the Interstate and traffic, Strand said. Physically appealing. A welcoming and open town, rolling out the red carpet.

The pebble

It was a happenstance conversation between Strand and ceramic artist James Wolberg that became the pebble from which dreams of a "New Bohemia" have rippled across the state.

Strand's question to the artist was: "What would keep you in North Dakota?"

Wolberg's answer: To have an organization to help artists market their work, and maybe a place - an artists' community - that could attract people.

"That festered in my mind," Strand said.

Editorials led to meetings. Attendance grew to representatives from 20 or 30 small towns, each wanting to be a cradle of the New Bohemia. Government agencies also are intrigued - commerce, tourism, even agriculture.

Because New Bohemia will be more than just artists.

Around artists will eventually grow a support network, Strand said, "graphic designers, advertising and sales people, culinary arts, structural arts, architectural and landscaping arts, materials."

Barriers

Realistically, dreamers also have to confront some barriers.

"One barrier used to be geographic," Strand said. "North Dakota is pretty remote. But with the Internet, there's nothing stopping us."

A real barrier is a mind closed to possibilities, he said.

"We have this notion that you have to leave North Dakota to succeed. We need to turn that around. Not look at (small) towns as emptied-out, dead failures."

Up against those barriers are strengths.

"North Dakotans have a tradition of innovation and invention," he said. "It's built in to our nature." After all, he said, creativity is defined as taking existing ingredients and finding new ways to put them together.

Still here

And it's not just about money. Quality of life is important for artists, their spouses and children.

Wolberg, a native of Dickinson, said many artists would like to stay here because they love the state. While it's a natural human yen to experience what life is like in other places, North Dakota offers its sense of peace and pace of life, he said.

So far, Wolberg remains in the state, working in studio space in Fargo.

Jon Offutt is a glassblower who also lives in Fargo.

His parents were Minnesotans. He was a Navy brat, born in Hawaii, but like a lot of other people, "I consider myself from North Dakota," he said.

He left the state a couple of times - to California, to graduate school in Illinois - and came back with a master of fine arts degree.

A lot of young artists leave to get their education. Most don't return because there's little opportunity, few venues to show at, no major galleries, he said.

"My biggest reason for moving back? North Dakota has the best general education level of any place. People speak English and can make change. They're fairly polite and can conjugate a verb," he said.

Offutt takes great pride in being an economic generator - he markets his work out of state and brings back their dollars.

North Dakota's biggest underestimated asset and the crux of New Bohemia is neighborliness and the ability to work together, he said.

"Our small towns are such powerful little entities. That sense of community that can be pulled together to do something, in the barn-raising sense," he said.

Part of what New Bohemia is trying to do is collectively market artists' work, the way we market North Dakota beef, he said.

By himself, he's one person, "but if I can get another 100 artists, we're a $5 million business," he said. "(Artists) are a force here, not just economically, but in small town pride, quality of life."

Offutt sees possibilities - perhaps Cooperstown as a center for contemporary art, with professional artists working there two months at a time.

Or Hebron Brick's industrial facility made available to do large-scale sculpture. Perhaps Melroe-Bobcat at Gwinner could house an artist creating plaza-size metal sculpture. Maybe the word will get out - "look at North Dakota, where monumental sculpture is made," Offutt said.

North Dakota 'nice'

Cherie Harms has always been a cheerleader for North Dakota, she said. As a state, it has what artists need to attract buyers - niceness.

"Hospitality is our birthright," she said.

Possibly as soon as the beginning of next year, specific communities may be ready to put a plan into action, she said - "being a model others can emulate. This is a wonderful economic development tool," she said. "We want to build business incubators for artists - accountants, public relations people, shipping, receiving, marketing.

"And artists need food, supplies. People could come from elsewhere and study and apprentice with North Dakota artists."

A statewide inferiority complex is our greatest challenge, she said.

"We take for granted what we have here."

Tiny Pekin

Brenda Bjorlie, a Texas native living in Pekin, organized the Nelson County Arts Council, now at 300 members, and its first art show in 1993.

"I think artists' center, galleries, artist-in-residencies, will benefit us all, just like commercial businesses," she said.

Raised in the oil fields of Texas, Bjorlie prefers the smaller community, but she found she missed the cultural activities you can find in urban area.

That led to the formation of the arts council. The first show featured work by homesteaders that Bjorlie had discovered.

The public reaction has been amazing, she said; last year, sales topped $22,000.

Pekin, population 80, now bases its city's strategic plan around the arts, along with hunting and fishing. With a dynamic volunteer force, Pekin is positioning itself to become an arts center for Nelson County.

Optimistic things have already happened. An unused, low-income housing complex was purchased by three couples from Tolna and transformed into a lodge. Under way is the renovation of the old city auditorium for year-round use and an expanded arts program, thanks to grants. Today Pekin will be awarded a National Forest Service Community Spirit Award, the first city in North Dakota to receive one.

"It has made a difference here," Bjorlie said. "With every success, I can see our residents get more excited.

"It is the positive attitude that created the atmosphere for us to be successful."

Cher Hersrud works with rural communities and nonprofits. Apathy has followed the closing of small schools and other rural losses, she said.

"We are losing artists. A lot of individual artists are working in North Dakota in a not-very-supportive environment," she said.

"I see firsthand the wonderful things that are happening. But we tend to be isolated; a lot of communities aren't aware of how wonderful what they're doing is," she said.

Downhill to uphill

Art as an economic development tool is already working on a small scale in Jud, population 76, said Pauline Bergman.

Downhill was where Jud was heading, Bergman said.

But as the town looked toward its centennial in 2005, a plan emerged to spruce up the town - "we can do something with murals," Bergman said.

Starting with a $600 grant, a community match, a few other small grants, then an $8,000 national arts grant, Jud has become, as its signs say, "a village of murals," with 21 so far.

Now, she said, "we're working on a couple of other things. Getting an old building restored and applying for the National Historic Registry. That's something people will drive off the road to see.

"I would hope that New Bohemia means people would open their minds to possibilities."

(Reach Karen Herzog at 250-8267 or krherzog@ndonline.com.)