Bob Carls & Amy Sharpe, founders

After years of packing and unpacking our work at art fairs across the midwest, we decided to cut back on the miles. We took a leap of faith, transformed a garage into a gallery space and opened Ripple River Gallery. When we asked a few colleagues if they would be willing to show their work in our backwoods gallery, they took the leap and joined us.

That was back in June of 2000…since then we were able to spend less time on the road and more time in the studio. There was time to work in the garden and linger over morning coffee to watch the deer browsing in our backyard. Best of all, we had time to grow friendships with both artists and patrons alike.

Sadly, Bob passed away in December 2022. These days our operating credo is: What Would Bob Do? He would want the gallery to continue. He would make art and support other artists. He would fill the bird feeders. He would want us to plant peppers, though maybe not so many this year. Most of all he would want us to nurture and celebrate the creative spirit in each of us. Art connects us all!

Amy Sharpe calls herself a weaver who writes, or a writer who weaves, depending on her current project. She also works in fiber, paper and mixed media, does photography and loves to cook for friends. A former newspaper editor, for 16 years she published “Homespun,” a magazine “celebrating the art of creative living.” She leads workshops on creativity, nature printing and journaling, and hosts travel adventures to inspire the artist within each of us. She dreams in color.

Bob Carls was a full-time studio artist and the creative force behind Ripple River Woodturning. He brought to his work a lifetime of study in art forms that ranged from improvisational music to the visual arts, especially photography, sculpture and film. Functional and decorative lathe-turned woods vessels by Bob Carls can be found in the permanent collection of the Minnesota State Historical Society, St. Paul, MN; corporate and private collections worldwide.

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 261, Deerwood, MN 56444
Gallery: 27591 Partridge Ave., Aitkin, MN 56431
ripplerivergallery@gmail.com

218-678-2575