Artist - Bickey Bender

Step One - Video Interview


August 25th

In late August, I visited Bickey Bender in her studio on Stony Lake, just outside Park Rapids, Minnesota. We sat down for a conversation about her artistic practice, the influence of our region, her inspirations, and what lies ahead in her creative journey. This first step in the Heartland Portraits process allows me to truly get to know each artist—insight that directly informs the studio visits and portrait sessions that follow.

Bickey brings decades of experience as both an artist and educator. She taught art in Bismarck, North Dakota, as well as in Fargo Public and Catholic elementary schools. She was a member of Gallery 4 in Fargo for 21 years, co-founded the Blank Canvas Gallery in Park Rapids, and is currently a member of Studio 176. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Bickey for over ten years, and her generosity, knowledge, and encouragement have had a lasting impact—not only on me, but on countless others in our creative community.

Bickey describes her work this way:

“My work reflects my fascination with the simple pleasures of everyday life. A bird, an old building, a texture—all conjure for me the joy inherent in the basic things of our world. And while exotic locales may appear in my canvases from time to time, it’s the richness of my modest childhood in rural North Dakota that ultimately informs my work.”

Her rural North Dakota upbringing sparked a lifelong appreciation for the prairie and a deep need to create. While watercolor and handmade paper remain central to her practice, Bickey also works with acrylics, photography, and mixed media—often incorporating her own handmade paper directly into painted surfaces and architectural forms.

Bickey embodies both artistry and mentorship, making her an invaluable voice within the Heartland Arts community and a natural presence in this portrait series.

Step Two - Studio Visit

October 6th

After a few reschedules, I returned to Bickey’s studio in October to document her at work in the space where her ideas take form. The studio visit is a pivotal moment in the Heartland Portraits process. This is where observation replaces conversation, and where the rhythm of an artist’s daily practice begins to reveal itself.

A portrait is never just an image of a person. It is a negotiation between the person behind the camera and the person in front of it. Documentary portraiture gently disrupts this balance. It resists the idea of a photographer solely defining how a subject should be seen and instead asks for collaboration, presence, and trust. It also invites reflection on how portraiture has historically been used—not only to celebrate individuals, but to frame, define, and at times control them.

In the studio, those hierarchies begin to dissolve. Unlike traditional portraiture, which can idealize or polish, documentary portraiture allows people to exist within their own environments—surrounded by the tools, textures, and spaces that shape their creative lives. There is no attempt to airbrush reality. What matters is authenticity. The gestures are familiar, the movements unforced, the surroundings lived in.

Black and white photo series showing various workbenches and workshop spaces with tools and equipment.
A black and white portrait of an artist wearing glasses and a dark jacket while standing at a workbench.
A person works at a cluttered desk in a dimly lit workshop with light streaming through windows in black and white.
A black and white photo shows a person working at a desk with papers and documents spread across it.
A panoramic view of a cluttered workshop interior with tools, equipment and storage shelves in black and white.
Close-up black and white photo of hands writing on paper with a pen or pencil.
A series of black and white photographs showing someone in glasses working intently on detailed paperwork at a desk.
A woodworking workshop with various tools and equipment arranged along the walls and workbenches.
Black and white image showing someone working at a table with art supplies and tools spread out in a studio space.
A series of black and white photographs showing someone working at a desk with papers and documents.
A person stands in a cozy cabin workshop surrounded by books and crafting supplies.
A series of black and white photographs showing a rustic garden setting with trees, fences, and outdoor structures.

STEP Thee - Studio Portraits


December 19th

The studio portrait session is where everything comes together. After the conversations and the time spent observing an artist at work, this final step becomes less about photographing a profession and more about photographing a person. This is where the artist becomes the art.

While a studio offers control—over light, space, and distraction, I use it as a place of focus rather than performance. By removing the noise of the outside world, the session allows space for something quieter and more personal to emerge. What I’m looking for isn’t polish or perfection, but character. Energy. Light. The subtle expressions that reveal how someone carries themselves when they are simply allowed to be present.

Each artist arrives with a lifetime of experiences that can’t be staged. My role is not to impose a version of who they are, but to respond to what they bring into the room. Sometimes that presence is soft and reflective. Other times it is bold, restless, or playful. The studio becomes a shared space where trust has already been built, allowing the portrait to feel less like a performance and more like recognition.

In this final step, the portrait is no longer about documenting process or environment. It is about essence. A moment of stillness where the artist is seen not through their work, but through themselves—honored, illuminated, and fully present.

Dramatic black and white profile portrait of a person in glasses and suit holding up an object against dark background.
Dramatic black and white portrait profile series showing an elderly figure in a dark turtleneck against a black background.
A dramatic black and white photo series shows someone sipping from a white coffee cup in moody lighting.
Black and white portrait of someone wearing glasses and a black sweater with white accent against dark background.
Black and white portrait of an elderly person in glasses and black turtleneck with hand thoughtfully posed near face.
Black and white portrait series showing joyful expressions and laughter against dark background.

Heartland Portraits By Jeremy Simonson


Jeremy Simonson is a fiscal year 2025 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.


Heartland Portraits—a photographic project that documents the lives, stories, and creative spaces of culture bearers and artisans in the Heartland Lakes region of Minnesota.


Through interviews, documentary photography, and portraiture, this project celebrates the rich cultural heritage of our community while challenging me to grow as both photographer and storyteller. Having been shaped by the creative spirit of this region myself, I’m excited to shine a light on the artists who make this place truly special.

A row of colorful organizational logos including arts, water, and environmental groups from Minnesota.