Art in the Watershed: Bridging Science and Interpretation, a Panel Discussion and Reception

Artists, Scientists, and Watershed Leaders Discuss the Hidden Life of Brown’s Creek

Stillwater, MN — A House Unbuilt and the Brown’s Creek Watershed District invite the public to a panel discussion and exhibition reception for The Water Where We Live on March 25 from 6–8 PM at the Washington County Heritage Center.

The exhibition brings together twelve regional artists whose works respond to the ecological stories of Brown’s Creek and the watershed that surrounds it. Through sculpture, installation, painting, and other media, the artists explore the organisms, habitats, and environmental systems that quietly sustain life in the region.

A designated trout stream, Brown’s Creek is more than a place where fish live. For ecologists, a trout stream signals a complex web of life: groundwater-fed cold water, macroinvertebrates that form the base of the food chain, rare aquatic plants, migratory birds, and the delicate balance of species that depend on clean water. 

The Water Where We Live invites viewers to look closely at these often unseen ecologies and consider the role each of us plays in protecting the waters that sustain our communities.

The evening will feature a panel conversation with artists and watershed experts whose work intersects art, ecology, and environmental stewardship.
Panelists include:

Brighton McCormick
A Minneapolis-based sculptor and installation artist whose work combines metal casting, fabrication, and reinterpreted found objects to create immersive environments that explore material, landscape, and transformation.

Wóokiye wiŋ (Katie Jo Bendickson)
A Sisseton Wahpeton Dakhóta language instructor and cultural educator whose work centers Indigenous language, ecological knowledge, and the relationships between land, water, and community.

Mike Majeski
Conservation biologist with over two decades of experience designing and managing stream and ravine restoration projects. His work focuses on wildlife habitat, water quality, and ecological monitoring across the region.

Karen Kill
Watershed Administrator whose career has focused on protecting and restoring water resources in Washington County through science-based watershed management, restoration projects, and collaborative environmental planning.

The discussion will explore how ecological knowledge about species such as trout, macroinvertebrates, migratory birds, and aquatic plants inspired the artworks in the exhibition, while also examining the current state of the watershed and the environmental changes shaping it today. Panelists will consider how creative practice can help translate complex environmental science into experiences that deepen public understanding and care for the waters that sustain our communities.

The panel will be facilitated by Victoria Bradford Styrbicki, artist and director of A House Unbuilt, curator of the exhibition.

Following the discussion, guests are invited to view the exhibition and meet participating artists.

Event Details

The Water Where We Live
Washington County Heritage Center
1862 Greeley Street
Stillwater, MN

Exhibition Dates
January 21, 2026 – January 21, 2027
Tuesday–Saturday, 10 AM–4 PM

Reception and Panel Discussion
March 25, 2026
6–8 PM

Free and open to the public.
About A House Unbuilt and the Art & Water Space

A House Unbuilt works at the intersection of arts, policy, and engagement along the Mississippi & St. Croix River’s watersheds. As a collaborative organization, we work with partners to move people into action around the issues of art, water, and ecology through creative practice. Our Stillwater-based studio and gallery, the Art & Water Space, serves as a site for exhibitions, artist residencies, workshops, and public conversations exploring the relationship between people and place. Learn more at www.ahouseunbuilt.com.
Acknowledgment

The Water Where We Live exhibition and related projects was supported by the Brown’s Creek Watershed District, ArtReach Mobile Art Gallery, Washington County Historical Society, and individual donors and supporters to A House Unbuilt.