Minnesota

The mission of Good Graces Paper Co. is just as multilayered as its name. First, the designs are crafted to speak to other Black women, giving them a place to express their anger and exhaustion while finding a way to maintain hope and healing. For those outside of the immediate audience, the designs seek to challenge– to spark curiosity and conversations that will lead people to learn more about the issues and histories of which they are uninformed. But even that isn’t the entire story:  “I have some designs that are just pretty!” laughs Melanie. 

It’s Grace's artistic eye and attention to detail that allow her to transform her experiences outdoors into stunning hand-illustrated stickers, wrapping paper, and notebooks for her company Little Rocks Design. Whether as inconspicuous as a mushroom or as magnificent as Lake Superior, which Grace can see from her window in Duluth, anything can become a sticker to commemorate the environment of Minnesota in particular and the Midwest in general.

The Chisholms have committed to regenerative farming practices, eliminating the herbicide glyphosate, cultivating heritage grains, and milling those same grains on their farm. Since they got the call asking if they wanted to plant some extra einkorn, an ancient grain often called “the original wheat,” their soil, and their farm has transformed. 

Through her recipe blog Land of 10,000 Recipes, instructional cooking videos on social media, and as a Guest Chef on Twin Cities Live, Jenna Gorman shares her love of food and cooking together. 

“I started seeing images as shapes. Looking at a photograph as a whole and then wondering what else it could be by ripping it apart is an exciting way to approach art,” reflects Nate Reiman of Minneapolis’s 4iphoto. “Rebuilding those ripped apart images opens up visual worlds that question what we see.” 

“At its heart, Rolling Forks Vineyards is still about the same thing it was from the beginning: bringing people together around Minnesota wine, beautiful surroundings, and memorable experiences,” shares Melanie. “From the vineyard rows to the finished bottle, it’s a tangible result of patience, craftsmanship, and the seasons.”