10/03/2026
Remembering Gordon Borsvold
CCCAC Coté Exhibition Gallery
October 8-31, 2026
Opening reception: Thursday, October 8th
6-7:30pm
The paintings in this exhibit are representative of the more than one hundred works on paper, cardboard, Masonite, foam board, and ceiling tiles that Gordon Borsvold left in his studio/home when he departed this world in August of 2024.
Gordon Borsvold grew up in Detroit, served in the Army stateside, and later studied at the Meinzinger Art School and the Society of Arts and Crafts. He worked with several design firms in the Detroit area before moving to the Copper Country in the 1960s.
Having worked in graphic and architectural design in his younger days, Borsvold made his living for about thirty years as a production potter, churning out beautiful functional ware while working construction jobs and teaching art in the community on the side.
His passion for recycling and a DIY ethic was reflected in his idiosyncratic additions and improvements to his living space and in the bristling forest of found-object sculptures that adorned and surrounded his dwelling. He had a keen eye for repurposing items of all shapes and sizes, from farm implements to Barbie dolls, into sculptures which reflected his design aesthetic as well as his wacky sense of humor.
The only people to see Borsvold’s work before this exhibit were those who visited him at home. He never sold and rarely gave away any paintings or sculptures, insisting that the works were never in final form. What he always said was, “Everything here is temporary!”
A selection of the works in this exhibition will remain in the CCCAC’s permanent collection. The remaining will be sold, with proceeds benefiting the CCCAC. The Arts Center would like to thank John Collier and Sharon Hilberer for championing this exhibition to honor Gordon.
Join us for the opening reception of “Remembering Gordon Borsvold” on Thursday, October 8 from 6-7:30pm.
📷 Gordon photo courtesy of Brendan Keenan & Teri Gray
