Hidden in the Rocks Art - Knife River, Minnesota

5842 N Shore Dr, Knife River, MN

Along the old scenic route along Lake Superior's North Shore, south of Knife River, a rustic wooden fence at a turnout doubles as an outdoor art gallery. Ron Dietman displayed sculptures and paintings on the fence by the driveway to his lakeside cabin. Unusual pieces of driftwood inspired sculptures of dinosaurs and monsters. Others became Paul Bunyan-like tall tales of Bigfoot and other North Woods mysteries. Some pieces were for sale, others seemed to be built into the fence itself.

Ron Dietman created the outdoor gallery around 2016 after retiring to the North Shore. Before that he lived near St. Cloud, raised a family and started a business carving granite monuments. In his spare time he enjoyed sketching and painting as well as hunting and fishing. He first brought those interests together by drawing images on wood mushrooms found while tramping through the woods. He painted more conventional scenes of typical northland wildlife as well. His driftwood sculptures and assemblages showcased the grotesque or strangeness of nature, made from bits of odd detritus found hidden in the rocks on the lake shore by those who look for them.

Dietman passed away in early 2024 at age 70.

"Honoring a North Shore artist," Michelle Miller, Northern Wilds Magazine, May 28, 2024

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