Canvas of Community

Art is hard to miss at Anoka-Ramsey’s Cambridge and Coon Rapids campuses. It appears on the walls, in display cases and throughout the architecture and landscape, creating a sense of place shaped by decades of creativity. 

Visual arts faculty member Rachel Breen, who leads the college’s Art Committee, says the depth of the collection is unusual for a two-year college. “Our space is quite rare,” she says. 

The collection includes pieces in many mediums and styles, some created by artists who shaped or were shaped by the college itself. 

Former faculty member Horace Chope was one of the earliest influencers. His donated works, many by Minnesota artists, remain foundational to the collection’s emphasis on regional voices. 

In 2020, the college added a portrait of civil rights activist and Anoka native Anna Arnold Hedgeman. As the first African American graduate of Hamline University and a national leader, her story is one of local roots and national impact. 

The piece is an example of the committee’s work to grow the collection in ways that represent the college’s student body, according to Breen. 

“We’re working to purchase more figurative art that reflects our community,” she says. “Particularly people of color.”

Through this work, the college continues building a collection where community members can see themselves — and their futures — around every corner of campus.

This feature appeared in the 2025 Anoka-Ramsey Community Newsletter. Visit our newsletter page to read all stories from the issue and see an archive of past issues.