The artist behind the 2025 MPR State Fair tote bag

What do the Stone Arch Bridge, Split Rock Lighthouse and Paul Bunyan have in common? They’re all iconic Minnesota landmarks, and they’re all featured on this year’s Minnesota Public Radio tote bag.

Each year, MPR picks a local artist to design an MPR tote bag to be given to thousands of members at the Minnesota State Fair in exchange for donations. Minneapolis resident Katelyn Clemons was selected from over 80 artists to create the bag’s 2025 design.

Katelyn Clemons poses in her art studio in July 2025.

Courtesy of Nayelie Avalos

“My main inspiration was trying to capture the essence of what it feels like to be outside in the summer in Minnesota. It just feels lively, it feels colorful, it feels exciting and full of adventure,” said the artist and designer. “I wanted to keep the colors really bright and punchy.”

Clemons grew up in the Chicago area and moved to Minnesota four years ago. She said that when she arrived in Minnesota, what struck her was the state’s vibrant outdoors.

“So whether it be a maker's market, an art market, outdoor yoga … there really is such a culture of being outside and enjoying that, and I love that,” she said. “Even when it’s cold, people are still getting outside.”

She heard about the opportunity to design the bag from a fellow designer she met in a group chat for designers based in the Twin Cities. After she was chosen, Clemons started thinking of designs for the bag.

Her idea to do four vignettes came from seeing comic-book-like images on Pinterest. She said she liked the idea of zooming in and capturing multiple little moments from across Minnesota.

“I felt like it almost brought in an opportunity for some visual storytelling … maybe all of these moments are happening at the same time around the state,” she said.

The four panels highlight scenes from across Minnesota: the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, a loon (the state bird), the statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in Bemidji and Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors.

Clemons said the biggest challenge was picking the right colors. She cycled through around ten different color palettes before settling on the current color scheme. Her favorite part was seeing the design come to life from a thumbnail sketch to a full-fledged piece.

The tote bag with Clemons’ design is available online at support.mpr.org and in person at the MPR booth at the Minnesota State Fair, which is Aug. 21 through Sept. 1, for a $10 one-time donation or a $3 monthly donation to MPR.