In Ely, Minnesota, the edge of the wilderness often feels like the center of the world. Beneath its towering pines and along the quiet shores of its countless lakes, stories unfold—some carved into the bark of junipers, others written in the flight paths of migratory birds. Rachael Pace’s story, however, is told in linocuts, watercolors, and the intricate marks of a daily art practice.
This year, the Northern Lakes Arts Association has named Pace the 2025 recipient of the Creative Spirit of the North Award, an accolade honoring artists who embody the resourceful, resilient, and deeply collaborative ethos of this region. It’s an honor that feels both inevitable and surprising, much like Pace’s own journey back to art.
For Pace, creativity has always been a companion, though at times, a silent one. She recalls early years spent in art classes, wielding pencils and brushes with abandon, only to let other pursuits take precedence. By the time she graduated college, her focus had shifted to wedding and event photography, a craft that married her artistic eye with storytelling. But it was a different kind of story—one written in the wilderness—that would later bring her back to art.
“I started leading wilderness expeditions in Big Bend and Northern Arizona,” she says, her voice carrying the gentle cadence of someone who has spent a lot of time listening—to the wind, the water, and the stories of those around her. “In the backcountry, I didn’t have time or space for much beyond the essentials. But slowly, I found ways to reconnect—with a sketchbook, with my camera, with creativity itself.”
Her wilderness years offered lessons that now shape her artistic process. “When you’re on a long expedition, you learn to push through—weather, exhaustion, discomfort. Art has a similar rhythm. There’s always a messy middle, but you trust the process. You keep going.”
If wilderness taught Pace resilience, it also gave her a lexicon of inspiration. Her art is deeply rooted in place—deserts, forests, and the spaces in between. “The desert feels like home,” she says of Big Bend, where she worked for several years. “Its stark beauty, its openness—it’s grounding.”
The Boundary Waters, where she now lives year-round, required a more deliberate connection. “It didn’t come as naturally,” she admits. “I had to seek out ways to connect. Drawing helped—capturing the details of plants and birds, noticing the subtleties of this place.”
Her work often focuses on those details: the sharp geometry of bunchberry leaves, the delicate curves of migrating herons, the shifting hues of a single tree through the seasons. Each piece invites viewers to pause, to notice, to reconnect.
The Creative Spirit of the North Award, established by the Northern Lakes Arts Association, recognizes artists whose work embodies the vitality of Ely and the North Country. It’s more than a title; it’s an investment in creativity. Recipients receive a year-long studio space, opportunities to teach workshops, and a dedicated showcase at NLAA’s annual Members Gala.
For Pace, the award is both a recognition and a catalyst. “It’s a chance to deepen my practice, but also to explore how art can bring people together,” she says. One project she’s particularly excited about is a community-printed quilt, which will invite participation from across Ely. “It’s about connection—between people, between ideas. That’s what art is for me.”
Pace’s artistic process is marked by a delicate balance between control and surrender. Her mediums—linocut, watercolor, digital drawing—offer different entry points into that tension.
“Printmaking is full of surprises,” she says, describing the moment when a carved block meets ink and paper. “You never know exactly how it’ll turn out. It’s a practice in letting go, which has been important for me as a recovering perfectionist.”
Watercolors, on the other hand, invite playfulness, while digital drawing offers the safety of endless revision. “Each medium teaches me something different,” she explains. “It’s less about what I’m expressing and more about what I’m exploring.”
Ely’s art community has been a powerful force in Pace’s recent growth. Teaching and taking classes at the Ely Folk School, participating in NLAA markets, and showcasing her work at The Meadows have all provided opportunities to share her art and connect with others.
“The support here is incredible,” she says. “It’s motivated me to keep creating—not just for others, but for myself.”
That community spirit is woven into her vision for the future. Alongside her personal projects, Pace is eager to explore themes of interdependence and sustainability, using recycled materials and collaborative processes.
What Pace hopes to inspire in others is simple: presence. “I want my work to help people notice the small details—the beauty of a bird in flight, the changing colors of a bunchberry leaf. Those moments of connection can shift how we see the world.”
As she steps into her role as the Creative Spirit of the North, Rachael Pace is not just creating art—she’s creating opportunities for connection, reflection, and community. And in Ely, where the wilderness whispers its stories, her work feels like a fitting reply.
For updates on Rachael’s projects and the Creative Spirit of the North Award, visit the Northern Lakes Arts Association website. In a place where nature shapes life and art, it’s a story worth following.
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