PEKIN, N.D. – Valerie Berg found a surprise in the shed as she and her husband were in the process of moving: a unique double-sided painting, with two different artists on each side depicting two different scenes.
It was something unlike what Berg, who is on the board of the Nelson County Arts Council, had ever seen before.
“It must have fallen from somewhere when we were moving the building,” Berg said. “It’s pretty primitive. It’s kind of unusual.”
Contributed.
The paintings, along with around 70 other pieces, will be up for auction at the NCAC “Art Redux” auction later this month in order to raise money for the Nelson County Arts Council.
With different signatures attributing unknown artists, one side has a boat crashing into rough waves while the other shares a scenic setting of a coastline house backdropped by the moon reflecting off the water.
Berg called out the uniqueness of each painting being done directly onto a surface that does not appear to be canvas.
“We did a little googling about it, and we really didn’t come up with any information,” she said. “I have no idea if it was a local person that gave it to the people that lived here or if they bought it from someone.”
When found, the painting was originally covered in dirt and did not even appear to be a painting until it was cleaned.
“They were just so dirty and cobwebby. We just thought it was scrap wood, and then my husband pressed into the dirt a little bit and saw there was something under there,” Berg said.
The house the painting was found in was built in 1917 and has had a few owners before Berg and her husband. Berg is curious to see the amount of interest the painting may bring at the auction, and also hopes someone might come forward with more information about the works and their creators.
“It’ll just be fun to see what happens. We’re hoping that (the auction) does well so that we can do it again,” she said.
The money earned from the auction will go right back to the Nelson County Arts Council. Berg said the money would go a long way toward keeping up with the building.
NCAC president Barry Sundeen has seen the painting and says its origin may be from “around the turn of the century.” The oil that was used on it appears to be much older than the oil that would be used today.
There will be no minimums at the auction, taking place Sunday, Sept. 28.
“Typically, at the auction we have in the spring … those pieces go for a fairly decent price. Meaning you can get some nice artwork for not a lot of money,” Sundeen said.
This will be the first “redux” auction the NCAC will be doing. Previous donors who have already purchased artwork will be donating the pieces back to the auction in order for them to find new homes.
Several pieces are by local artists and other artists who have participated in NCAC activities.
The “Art for Life” presentation and auction will take place Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Pekin Auditorium, and a viewing will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26 and 27. More information available at
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Digital Content Producer and Sports Reporter at the Grand Forks Herald since December of 2020. Maxwell can be contacted at mmarko@gfherald.com.
