In her iconic woodcuts of Minnesota life and wildlife, Betsy Bowen conveys a sense of who we are here in the chilly north. Her quiet images show gliding loons, shaggy wolves, changing seasons, sculpted piles of blue-edged snow, ski tracks, warm cabins and canoes perched on rocky shores. Wildlife and the ways we enjoy the wilderness go hand in hand in her work, and Bowen helps perpetuate a regional lore: We are hardy people who thrive in this climate because we are outdoorsy, ingenious and appreciative of its rugged beauty. Wimps we are not.

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