Kay Ornberg Painter

Kay Ornberg, originally from Fargo, graduated from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. obtaining a fine arts degree in Art, English and Education. Her husband, Paul Ornberg, and she taught in two other states before moving back to Fargo. With a young family she focused on the watercolor media studying with many famous watercolor artists while finding her own style.

After many years of exhibiting in National juried shows, winning many awards, one of which was first place in the 65th Annual Exhibition of the National Watercolor Society in California, she earned signature letters from the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor West and Midwest Watercolor Society, now known as the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, with Master distinction. National Watercolor Oklahoma, Kentucky Watercolor Society and San Diego Watercolor International also accepted and awarded her work. Galleries in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., Chicago, Rapid City, SD, Madison, WI and Fargo were showing her art.

In 1991 she started working with a new media, fiber, and was affiliated with the American Craft Council, Baltimore and Minnesota Craft Council, St. Paul. She exhibited from California to New York doing art festivals, indoor and out, retail and wholesale, with her line of pieced cotton, handmade women’s clothing called Kay Louise. In 2001, she and her husband moved to Rollag, Minnesota. Because of the change in her surroundings, photography is another media she is pursuing.

After restoring a simple wood granary on the property Kay opened the Gallery in the Granary, which is open summer weekends. During the fall of 2006 Kay also opened a new gallery in downtown Fargo called ART CONNECTION. On display are her paintings, photographs and Kay Louise clothing all in one space.