Falls Community Arts Exchange: Making Clay Creatures with Sonja Madsen and the Creation Shop

Alignment is something many people seek in their lives, and New London-based artist Sonja Madsen sculpted her own alignment during a month-long art residency in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. With a degree in metalsmithing and sculpture, a talent for casting bronze, and a passion for creating otherworldly creatures through various materials, it made sense that Madsen was matched with the Creation Shop and its owner/artist Blayze Buseth for the Falls Community Arts Exchange, an art residency hosted by the nonprofit, Springboard for the Arts. “Blayze and I felt super aligned,” Madsen shared. “The way that we create—even though we work in different mediums—we’re both very centered on creating these sort of whimsy tales through creatures that aren’t quite human—learning and sharing so much about the human experience, though.”

Buseth hoped that Madsen would be able to “experience the community through the Creation Shop,” and shortly after Madsen’s arrival in September, 2024, Buseth handed over the keys to the Creation Shop. Inside, Madsen was equipped with a designated space where she could work and create. Buseth taught her about ceramics and wheel-throwing, and the two artists traded tips and techniques. By the end of the month, Madsen had created over 80 new pieces. Madsen also witnessed the realities of running a studio, which she noted is “not for the faint of heart,” and saw firsthand how Buseth builds community through the Creation Shop. “It’s a chance for an artist to see how another artist is trying to make a living by bringing the arts to their community,” Buseth said about the residency.

While doing her sculpting work, Madsen was able to tune into Buseth’s many community workshops, and eventually taught her own. Toward the end of her residency, Madsen guided two youth classes. The students created hand-sculpted pinch pots, designed to hold different items such as rocks, Pokémon cards, cherries, and more. The kids also created their own unique creature—a trinket guardian—to protect the trinkets in their pinch pot. Madsen’s goal was for the kids to branch out of the norm, to think outside the box and let their imaginations run wild. “Because kids just have so many ideas and there aren’t enough outlets for kids to be creative.” Inspired by Madsen’s classes, Buseth hopes to offer more workshops led by guest artists in the future, noting that it’s a “chance for the community to have something new and exciting to look toward.”

Not only did the students learn something from Madsen’s workshops, but Madsen also learned something about herself. She has prior experience in teaching, but she shared that “being able to lead a class in art through the Community Arts Exchange felt really aligned and validating.” The experience solidified her dreams of becoming a professor, and she is now attending graduate school.

When Madsen wasn’t sculpting, teaching, or observing during her time in Fergus Falls, she was most likely playing trivia. “In love with how many trivia nights Fergus Falls has,” she laughed. She went to coffee shops, walked along the river, attended the farmers market, and participated in community festivals. “There is so much charm and coziness all throughout the town,” she said, and she is already planning a return visit.

“I think that you can engage and connect with people so much better through art than, really, almost any other means.”

Overall, Madsen explained that the arts, and programs such as the Falls Community Arts Exchange, are essential for healthy communities. “The value I personally get out of making art is just so grounding in my life,” she said. “There is nothing else I could be doing that makes me feel as centered, or focused, or calm and clear-minded. It’s so centering and grounding. And I think that that’s something so many people need in their lives. And whether that’s from the perspective of making art or just partaking in art and witnessing art, it’s something so critical for people to interact with. I think that you can engage and connect with people so much better through art than, really, almost any other means.”

All photography by Brittanni Smith.

The Falls Community Arts Exchange invites artists to experience and engage with the vibrant arts community in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and connect with Springboard’s work and advocacy in rural creative community development. Learn more at https://springboardforthearts.org/programs/falls-arts-exchange.