Growing up at the edge of a nature preserve in Bloomington, Brigid Baier has always drawn inspiration from her surroundings. As a child, she weaved houses out of buckthorn, filled sketchbooks with daily observations and expressed her bold fashion sense. With parents who worked in military laser and fiber optics research and computer science, Baier was likewise encouraged to develop an appreciation for curiosity and innovation.
Motivated by her desire to help others, she volunteered at a homeless shelter in St. Paul and aspired to combine her compassion with her talents in chemistry in pursuit of a medical degree. But art remained her constant.
“Art is my escape,” she says. “I realized you don’t have to be in STEM to help people. I just hadn’t found my niche yet.”
Baier began her college journey at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she discovered a passion for printmaking — a medium that would soon become integral to her personal and artistic growth. During her freshman year, after the sudden loss of her father to an illness, Baier turned to art to help process her grief. During her healing process, she made the decision to transfer for a fresh start. Drawn to Bemidji State by the reputation of its art programs, Baier is now honing her talents as a graphic and exhibit experience design major.
By her junior year, Baier began an independent study in printmaking, creating a deeply personal show that began with a pizza box painting and has grown into a complex examination of mourning through a multi-colored lens.
“Living in grief has taught me to see beauty in unexpected places,” she said.
Quotidian moments merge with milestones as Baier gives the viewer a peek into her relationships, reflected in stained glass, windows and photographs.
Baier has grown not just as an artist but as a leader. In her junior year, she joined the Digital Corps—a team of student designers tackling faculty and staff projects. Baier now leads the nine- person team under the guidance of professor Eric Carlson, who praises her as “one of the top achieving, most responsible and talented students I have worked with during my four years at BSU.”
Industry professionals have taken notice as well. Following a design internship in New Jersey this past summer, Baier’s graphic work caught the eye of jewelry brand RockLove, which contracted her to create an immersive booth for the biannual expo D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Her work was widely praised on social media for its creativity.
Now, as she looks forward to the future, Baier continues to channel her energy into meaningful projects like co-founding a new club for non-art majors to explore creative expression.
“Brigid Baier embodies the spirit of Bemidji State University,” Carlson said. “She’s a leader, a visionary, and a compassionate creator who is sure to make a lasting impact in her field.”
By Maggie Zebracka