When I approached Nita for an interview, she suggested to interview her friend instead. “She rescues tourist in her free time and MPR wanted an interview with her,” was her pitch. Nita’s friend, a petite lady with soft silver hair and bright smile, quickly responded: “Oh no, you need to interview Nita -- she is our local Methuselah.” “Do not listen to her, we are the same age!” Nita’s deep eyes twinkled mirthfully. I liked the mischievous exchange between these two friends. One could tell these two Methuselahs have been together through thick and thin.
I met artist Nita Anderson at her art gallery in Grand Marais during the Fourth of July weekend. I spent the weekend exploring the North Shore. In the spur of the moment I escaped the Cities in search of some solitude. I found it in the breathtaking nature and Nita’s art. When I entered her gallery, I was taken aback by her depiction of the local wilderness. Feeling physically drawn into her paintings, her trees were inviting me to have a quick nap in their shade. Such an alluring proposition. But I chose to talk to Nita instead.
Nita has a charming personality. She makes one feel as if they were old friends instantly. “The older I get, the more thoughtful I am about the message I want to leave behind,” she confessed. Nita wants to spread positivity and show us all the good we have. Nita’s travels help her reflect on life. I could have spent the whole day chatting with Nita about her adventures and at the end of the day still invite her for a glass of wine to continue our conversation -- that is how much I was mesmerized by her stories.
As we peeked into Nita’s garden, we saw her tomcat Jackson lazily sunbathing near the door. “Jackson is from Arkansas. I adopted him… or maybe he adopted me,” Nita laughed. “I was traveling with my RV and forgot to close my window. When I later returned to my RV, there he was waiting for me. We have remained together since,” Nita said with a warm smile. And one could just feel Nita’s big heart opening to us all through her demeanor and her paintings.
If you would like to bring the solitude of the North to your home, hurry up to visit Nita before she takes off on her new RV travel adventure!
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