Current Bismarck High School art teacher and mentor to many, Paul Noot, has been a staple Bismarck art figure for years.
He enjoys multiple mediums as he educates students on nearly every available material, but every artist has their favorite.
“My favorite medium is probably acrylic. That’s mainly what I paint or use. I like to draw but I think I spend a lot more time making paintings than I do drawings.”
Noot meshed his two passions of teaching and art and became an instructor here at Bismarck High School.
His career began in 1996 when he began his first teaching job in a public school.
His dedication to the art community doesn’t just pertain to school hours; however, he participates in monthly art openings in multiple locations, all of which he volunteers and presents his work in. This mainly pertains to BDAC.
“We’ve rented since 2011,” Noot said, “The building used to be the old Bismarck Tribune building. That’s where they made the city newspaper.”
BDAC stands for Bismarck Downtown Artist Cooperative and has been used as an art space for around 12 years now.
The showings happen just about every month with a new exhibit, new artists, and new onlookers.
“There’s always something new. Artists are always bringing in new work, so there’s not always a theme. We tried to get all the artists to bring in new work, you know, every so often.”
Noot has been a part of the Bismarck art community for years now, producing multiple different media pieces for buyers and spectators.
However, his art career began far before adulthood.
“I’ve been making art ever since I could pick up a pencil,” Noot said.
While some people require a push or a spark of passion Noot has just always been interested in craft.
“You know, I’ve always shown an interest in art,” Noot said, “I come from a family of farmers so I probably should have been a farmer, but I had a passion for art. I wanted to do art and I knew I wanted to be a teacher.”

These art exhibitions are a perfect way to showcase art and to expand the community here in Bismarck, whether it’s buyers or artists.
One of Noot’s most memorable moments was one of last Summer’s openings which illustrated how art moves and just how vast Bismarck’s art can travel
“Openings a lot of times, you know the artists will show up, you’ll get socialized during the summer. I like sitting down there because we get a lot of visitors from all over the country. All over the country sometimes, or even the world. This Summer there was a guy who was biking across the US and he ended up buying one of Gretchen’s pieces, and we ended up shipping it to Virginia. He has a home in Bermuda. So, we shipped it to his brother’s place in Virginia. And then he’ll be taking it to Bermuda. So that’s kind of cool, talking to visitors from other parts of the world or the US,” Noot stated.
Openings like these support local artists and become memorable moments.
For a community like this to thrive, there needs to be a positive experience that has people returning every month which can include quality art, a peaceful atmosphere, and food.
“I mean, I always go to the art openings because there’s food. That’s kind of like a joke in the artist’s world that we go to openings because of the food and beverages,” Noot laughed, “I think everyone can come together because of food. Food is like a common ground. Then you start talking to people at the opening about the art, sometimes a buyer will want to know how something was made, or it’s exciting when someone buys something at the opening and then actually meets the artist. So that’s kind of cool. I like that aspect.”
After participating in the galleries for so long, artists become familiar with the schedule of each opening and brochures are available to see scheduled future shows.
The community tries its best to come up with new ideas and sometimes these creative ideas benefit the environment.
“We do a recycling show and that’s always fun. You have to come up with materials or supplies that are going to be thrown away and reinvent them. Sometimes our shows are a little more specific. Art of food for example. So we’re doing another show, all centered around the theme of food. You know, not actual food, but doing a painting of apples. Films are art and bloom is another popular one. That’s a big one in the summer. Local florists come in and they look at the artwork displays so they can make a flower arrangement inspired by the work of art. They’re all displayed together and after the show you’ll see what the artist says. It’s kind of cool to see.”
Anyone can participate in the openings if they want, including students or adults with minimal experience.
To be included in every show there are some requirements but it is relatively easy.
“It’s a membership basis. So sometimes we do pop-up shows where we invite anyone to be part of the show. We have graphic designers who are members and teachers of course. Pretty much all kinds of people who have any interest in art. Some pay a monthly membership and some pay a yearly one. So anytime we do a special exhibit like a theme show there is no entry fee because they paid their membership,” Noot stated.
Over the years these members have come back and still continue volunteering or presenting their work in the galleries.
This has created a sense of community and familiarity as people recognize their favorite or fellow artists.
“Everyone has their taste you know, some people like realism, some people like expressionism, some people like watercolor, or even junk art. Picasso has always been a favorite of mine. I love her work and Nora Lien does all flowers. A lot of people love her work. I’m kind of all over the place myself. Sometimes I’m doing something realistic and then other times I’m doing something a little more abstract. I usually don’t have a real theme but it’s usually centered around nature,” Noot said.
It’s important to keep the community alive due to the main audience of these art galleries and participants being older.
The Bismarck art community is isolated due to its location, with fewer artists, but it’s still competitive with other cities like Fargo.
“Well, I’ve been here 28 years and I’ve seen a lot of changes. The art community here is growing. I mean, it’s not as progressive as maybe Fargo. We’re in the middle of nowhere so the art market is different here. I think a lot of it has to do with how close Fargo is to Minneapolis. So the community is a little different.”
Even though it may not detail another teaching job, Noot’s future still lies with the art community far into retirement.
He’s found his passion and has shared it with others his whole life.
“I will sit at home, paint happy trees, make no mistakes, and just, yeah,” said Noot.
Gretchen Bederman is another volunteer and artist here in Bismarck.
She is another educator who teaches personal classes more geared towards adults who are interested.
“I’ve been an artist since I was a young child. It came naturally and I was encouraged. All these many years I’ve cultivated my practice. Therefore I’ve been an artist for close to seventy years,” Bederman said.
She has been attending BDAC for years now and her art is almost always presented at each art show. Before BDAC had even existed she was already local.
“I have been involved in the Bismarck art community since about 1996,” Bederman said, “I’m working primarily in encaustics at BDAC, acrylic painting at home, and ceramic sculpture at BSC. I prefer oil to acrylic.”
Bederman has been mixed up in the local production of art work for so many years now she finds it difficult to describe her many experiences.
She has long been introduced to everyone in the community and has created many relationships from there.
“There are so many artists in the community,” She stated.
Bederman returns each month multiple times whether it’s to teach or participate in classes, to admire artwork, or to experience the rush the openings have.
BDAC is open to the public Thursday and Friday from twelve to six. On Saturdays the gallery is open from ten to four.
“Socializing. It’s fun to meet the artists, she said, “I return to the gallery to take a closer look at the art at a later date. It’s easier when it’s not crowded”
“Spring semester I’m doing independent studies at BSC. I can paint big in oils there,” Bederman said.

Judy Carlson is a local artist who has been experimenting with mediums for over 55 years. Her pieces, and her pepper jelly, are a staple of the BDAC and BAGA art shows.
“I occasionally attended art openings, especially Mandans, for many years. I’ve been more active in the past ten years. I enjoy art opening as an opportunity to appreciate local artists’ work, socializing with fellow artists, talking with public art enthusiasts, and exposure to different forms of art. Of course refreshments are nice too. ”
Carlson was always curious about hands on fine art. Whether it’s using a brush and water to paint, or her hands and a wheel to throw, she has always shown a connection to art and has continued throughout her life until now.
“I’ve been an artist since I could write. When I was five I even spray painted my name on Dad’s office doors, Ludy. Occasionally, I did art workshops during my working career and when I retired I went back to BSC for art classes,” Carlson said.
Carlson is versatile when it comes to the materials she uses to create her works. Over many years she has been able to experiment with different media to find what best fits her.
“I don’t have a favorite medium. It was watercolor and more recently pottery. I find that depending on my joy, throwing on the wheel, painting, or painting on pottery suits my mood,” Carlson said.
The surgence of her participation in the Bismarck art community over the past 10 years has made it clear to her that the art community in Bismarck is here to stay.
People like Carlson participating and volunteering in BDAC and BAGA events is what keeps the community alive and flourishing.
“The Bismarck art community seems to be surviving,” Carlson said.