The Albert Lea Art Center will host gallery exhibits of two artists, James Petersen and Stephen Froiland, starting Tuesday and ending Dec. 27 at the Albert Lea Art Center. In addition to the new gallery exhibits, Art on Broadway is hosting jewelry artists November through December.

An open house for the new gallery exhibits and the jeweler’s reception will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The open house and exhibit is free and the public is cordially invited to attend.

The Art Center is excited to present “Surfaces by James.” James Petersen has always been an artist at heart. He entered his first art show in fifth grade and has been creating ever since. Whether composing music, shaping landscapes or life drawing, he uses his creativity to capture a glimpse of beauty.

His recent work uses the diffusion of color to capture the themes of both nature and the universe in abstract forms. His artistic expression is consistent with and complimentary to his full time work. It involves seeing potential where no one else does and engaging a creative process of transformation both of the human soul and body. Attendees at Tuesday’s open house will have an opportunity to meet Petersen and visit with him about his unique artistic style.

The second featured artist is Stephen Froiland. Son of Kermit and Lavonne Froiland, Froiland grew up on the family farm east of Albert Lea, graduating from high school in 1979 and attended Austin Junior College. He took art classes at the Minnesota River School of Fine Arts in Minneapolis and remained in the metro area where he taught art at the Trinity Christian School. He enjoyed teaching children and did a great deal of tutoring. Froiland loved painting, especially nature, specialized in portraits and the realism type of painting. He also enjoyed photography and astronomy.

Froiland died in 1979 at 45 years of age. He had a debilitating form of Crohn’s disease, a chronic illness which took a fatal turn when cancer set in. Froiland was a young man of many interests with his primary painting medium is oil and acrylic painting.

Froiland was a classical portraiture painter, taking photographs of his subjects dressed in attire for the sitting. That way the subject wouldn’t need to be present for all the sittings. Froiland’s collection also contains landscapes and still lifes. Also included in the exhibit is an arrow head collection from Froiland’s days as a Boy Scout. An unfinished portrait, his easel and pallet will also be on display.

Additional information about this show and other upcoming events may be found at www.thealbertleaartcenter.org. The Albert Lea Art Center is at 224 S. Broadway in Albert Lea. Art center hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Art shop and gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.