By Janet Wight
St. Anthony Park resident Allie Rykken is a watercolor artist who captures serene scenes in nature — including ski trails, trees and water — in addition to iconic spots in the Twin Cities.
Rykken grew up in Como Park. A whimsical art teacher in middle school sparked her blossoming interest in art, Allie recalled. After taking an Advanced Placement art class at Minnehaha Academy, Rykken pursued an art degree at the University of Minnesota.
Although Allie loved the experience, she was not sure what she wanted to do after she completed her degree.
Eventually, Rykken took a position at The Loppet Foundation where she has worked for the past 14 years, sharing her passions for art and the outdoors with program participants of all ages.
However, after putting her own art on the back burner for several years, Rykken thought she might regret not including more art in her life. She connected with other artists to learn how they incorporate art into their everyday lives.
At that point, Allie decided to intentionally set aside and devote small bits of time to her own creative journey whenever possible.
After participating in the Art in Bayfront Park festival in Duluth last August, Rykken realized she thoroughly enjoyed being part of an art community.
Rykken displays and offers her work at art fairs and through diapersforrosemary.etsy.com, her Etsy shop. She also sells paintings of ski trails at FinnSisu, a Nordic ski shop in Lauderdale.
Additionally, Allie’s greeting cards are available at The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Regional Park in Minneapolis. Prints sell for $20 to $75 while original works range from $150 to $1,000.
Rykken admitted she is her own worst critic.
“It is so tempting to want to be really good at something before you share it,” she reflected. “Everyone has higher standards for themselves than they need to.”
Satisfaction comes from finishing a piece despite having a lot of doubt along the way, she said.
“In a fast-paced, somewhat negative world, feeling like I can slowly create something positive and beautiful brings me a lot of joy and peace,” she said. Rykken added that it allows her to share these beautiful places with other people, which is an important component of her work.
Rykken and her husband Kevin have two children (Rosemary, 8, and Bennett, 4) along with a cat named Buddy. She enjoys participating in challenging outdoor pursuits including trail running, cross-country skiing and long-distance canoe racing.
Janet Wight is a regular freelance writer for the Bugle.
