North Shore Arts Scene

Mother’s Day weekend is celebrated in dance, parades and pottery this weekend — so lots to choose from…

First up is the dance recital by the Cook County YMCA Dancers that opens tonight at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 6 p.m. Performances are also at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday night.

Entitled “4 Love,” this highly anticipated spring event stars dancers of every age performing jazz, ballet, tap and multi-media dances in a show that features spectacular lighting and music as well as humor and drama.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or online in advance at aca.tix.com. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students. Get there early, because these shows often sell out.

On Friday, the Grand Marais Public Library will host psychologist and author Tom Glaser, who will present “Choosing Happiness” at 5:30 p.m. Glaser is the author of “Full Heart Living: Conversations with the Happiest People I Know,” an Amazon.com bestseller. The presentation is free. All invited.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, Blacksmith Cody Myers, who has been the resident instructor at North House Folk School for several weeks, will hold an open demonstration night in the Blacksmith Shop at North House. The demonstration will be from 6-9 p.m.

The community is invited to drop-in, talk to Cody, and get a glimpse of what it’s like to forge molten metal into knives and other functional objects. Free. Open to all.

And on Saturday, Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery will host “Painting with Mom,” with artist Pam Fioritto.

Participants will be supplied with painting materials. The class is $30 and is from 3-5 p.m. To register, click here.

There’s a new place to listen to music in Grand Marais, too. The Cove Lobby Bar at Best Western is featuring live music on the weekends. Chris Gillis and Thomas Stamps will perform jazz from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday.

The new fireplace Great Room is open to the public with a bar and food available. No cover charge.

Mother’s Day weekend is always busy in Minnesota. In Duluth, the Duluth Art Institute will hold an opening reception and Artist Talks with Tara Austin and Jon Herrera.

Austin, a painter, is inspired by rosemaling, a traditional form of decorative folk art that originated in the rural valleys of Norway. Herrara is a printmaker who is exploring the collective memory and historical instances of state-sponsored violence and trauma in this show. He was recently the Artist-in Residence at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

The opening reception and Artist Talks will be from 5-7 p.m. All invited.

And on Sunday, the Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe will hold the “Run Smelt Run” parade on the Lakewalk in Duluth starting at 3:30 p.m. This is a lively spectacle, which starts out at the Lift Bridge near the Maritime Museum and continues on the Lakewalk to the Zeitgeist Cafe, where there will be a smelt fry. The Brass Messengers, a brass band from the Twin Cities, will perform as well.

For those who want to learn how to make smelt puppet art, the Duluth Art Institute will hold Smelt Parade workshops at its Lincoln Park location, 2229 W. 2nd Street, over the weekend. For more info, call 218-370-8980. All are welcome to march in the parade–silver costumes preferred!

Exhibits:

The exhibit, “Found: 3 Views on Nature, a Group Exhibition of  Block Prints, Encaustic Paintings, and Mixed-Media Artworks” continues at the Johnson Heritage Post through May 20. Artists include Stanley Leonard (wood block prints), Bethany Kepler (encaustic paintings) and Stephanie Molstre-Kotz (mixed media). This is a must-see show.

The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Monday, and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Photographer Lisa Crayford is exhibiting her work in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park this month.

In Duluth, Ann Klefstad’s exhibit, “carbon,” continues at the Zeitgeist Art Cafe with sculptures, prints and tar paintings, exploring the theme of how burning the carbon that is trapped in coal, oil and tar effects our world.

Also in the Twin Ports, screen printmaker Joel Cooper has a 25-year retrospective on exhibit at the Red Mug Coffee Shop in Superior. Cooper also has work at Lizzard’s Gallery in Duluth.

The retrospective will continue through May. The Red Mug is located at 916 Hammond Ave. in Superior.

And, one of the most spectacular pottery tours in the U.S. is this weekend. The St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour is May 11-13. This year there will be 62 potters from 17 states and England who will be showing at seven host potters’ studios in and around Chisago County.

Studios are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Refreshments are served. For more info and maps, click here.

This is last weekend to see two exhibits at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in Thunder Bay. The Lakehead University Visual Arts Department Major Studio Exhibition and “Honouring Our Stories” close on Sunday.

Opportunities:

 There is still time to apply for the 2019 artist in residence program at the Grand Marais Art Colony. wo concurrent juried residencies are available in 2019, one in the Founders Hall multi-use Studio and one in the Eco-friendly Printmaking Studio. Juried residents are provided with two weeks of independent studio access, lodging, and a weekly stipend. The deadline is May 18. For more info, click here.

Also, the Art Colony is accepting applications for the Executive Director through May 20. For more information and to apply, click here.

The Art Colony will hold a series of workshops for youth this summer, starting in June.

Entitled “Summer Art Space, ” the workshops will be held on Thursdays from June 14 through July 26. To find out more, click here.

The Cook County Courthouse. the Johnson Heritage Post and Tettegouche State Park are all accepting applications for exhibits. For more information about each: Cook County Courthouse,  Johnson Heritage Post . For Tettegouche State Park, email kurt.mead@state.mn.us

Upcoming:

Blues singer Ruthie Foster will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 18. Three-time “Best Blues Album” Grammy nominee has dueted with Bonnie Raitt, performed with the Allman Brothers, and shared the stage with Susan Tedeschi. She’s the recipient of Seven Blues Music Awards, three Austin Music Awards, the Grand Prix du Disque award from the Académie Charles-Cros in France, and a Living Blues Critics’ Award for “Female Blues Artist of the Year.” Listen to her here.

The North Shore Music Association has been working to get Foster here for years. Tickets for this solo show are $15 general admission at www.aca.tix.com (no fees!) and at the door night of show.

Breaking News: The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council has announced the winners of the 2018 Annual Arts Awards. Photographer Craig Blacklock will be awarded the George Morrison Artist Award and WDSE’s Karen Sunderman the Maddie Simons Arts Advocate Award. The award ceremony will be held at WDSE-TV on May 23 from 5-6:30 p.m. For more, click here.

And finally, Lonnie Dupre has a new book out. “Alone at the Top,” chronicles his struggles as he climbs Denali, the highest mountain on the continent.

The book has just been released and is available at Drury Lane Books.

 Music:

Thursday, May 10:

• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• James Moors, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 11:

• Jim Lundorff, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 12:

• Jazz with Chris Gillis and Thomas Stamps, The Cove Lobby Bar at Best Western, 5 p.m.
• Tim Fast, Poplar River Pub, 7 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Lowland Lakers, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• SplinterTones, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 13:

• Open Stage with Joe Paulik, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Boyd Blomberg, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 15:

• Jim & Michelle Miller, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.

Here are some photos we found this week:

First, some wildlife shots.

 

 

 

 

And a few skyscapes, waterscapes and landscapes:

 

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone! Happy Mother’s Day!!

(Donate to NorthShore ArtScene and make our day!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is almost here — certainly the rivers and creeks as well as migrating birds think so. The waterfalls are full and noisy and sightings of  loons and eagles, song sparrows and mourning doves abound. Temps? Not so much, but they should pick up nicely this weekend, just in time for the Grand Marais Kite Festival.

The first annual Grand Marais Kite Festival is this Saturday, featuring professional kite flying demonstrations, a group fly as well as kids’ activities.

Avid kite fliers from the Twin Cities, Mitch Kiel along with his friends Richard Masak and Pam Hodges, will be in downtown Grand Marais demonstrating kites between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday. They will primarily be in the Coast Guard parking lot. And, depending on wind conditions, they may also fly in other locations around downtown Grand Marais.

The kite flying trio: Kiel, Masak, and Hodges are all members of the American Kitefliers Association (AKA) and have been flying kites professionally for many years at kite flying festivals and national conventions across the United States, Canada and overseas in Singapore.

A kids’ kite-making class will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Fireweed Bike Co-op, located near the Coast Guard parking lot, with a group fly to follow.  Kites and kite-making kits will be available through Fireweed as well. Don’t forget to look up this weekend for some air candy.

For eye candy, there are two great exhibits in Grand Marais: the Members Show & Sale at the Grand Marais Art Colony and “Three Views of Nature” at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The Members’ Show  at the Art Colony features a wide range of work by member artists throughout the region. Paintings, woodcut prints, fiber art, ceramics, wood carving and more fill the Founders Hall.

The Art Colony is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

“Found: Three Views of Nature” is an outstanding group art show at the Johnson Heritage Post. Artists include Bethany Kepler, an encaustic painter, Stanley Leonard, a block print artist and photographer, and Stephanie Molstre-Kotz, a mixed media artist.

“Found: Three Views of Nature” continues at the Heritage Post through May 20. The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays, and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, and Wednesday through Saturday, and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Also this weekend, storyteller Rose Arrowsmith-Decoux will tell “Animal Tales of How and Why” at the Grand Marais Public Library starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Other fun things to do this weekend include the Gunflint Green-up Anniversary Potluck at the Seagull Lake Community Center on Saturday. The community is invited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Gunflint Green-Up, which began a year after the Ham Lake Fire. The goal was to help plant new trees and bring greenery back to the section of the Gunflint Trail that had burned. Thousands of trees have been planted in that area. The celebration includes a 3 p.m. Walk in the Woods with  Myra Theimer, U.S. Forest Service,  to check on the trees with a potluck at 5 p.m. Brats are provided. All welcome.

On Saturday night Kevin Kling and Simone Perrin will perform “Finding Your Voice: Stories & Song” at Gunflint Lodge from7-9 p.m.

The evening brings legendary Minnesota story-teller Kevin Kling and songstress Simone Perrin to a legendary Minnesota destination to share stories and song. Kling, best known for his popular commentaries on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” and his storytelling stage shows like “Tales from the Charred Underbelly of the Yule Log,” delivers hilarious, often tender stories.  Tickets are $15 and available at the door.

On Monday, the Grand Marais Playhouse will hold auditions for “Mom’s Gift,” a comedy by Minnesota-born award-winning playwright Phil Olson.  The auditions will be held at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. For more info, email Sue Hennessy at sue@grandmaraisplayhouse.com

Exhibits:

 Tettegouche State Park is featuring waterfall photographs by photographer and author (“Waterfalls of Minnesota”) Lisa Crayford.

An opening reception will be held at the Visitor Center at the park from 7-8:30 p.m. on Friday, May 4. The exhibit continues through the end of the month.

In Duluth, Ann Kleftstad opened an exhibit of her drawings and sculptures at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe this week, entitled “carbon,”  which continues through May.

Klefstad writes: “(It is) a series I am creating from blow-down wood, mostly basswood, taken down by climate-change-created windstorms. These animals are life-sized, carved, then burned. They relate also to a series of animals painted in tar in wood panels. Carbon is the subtext—the carbon released from the ancient forests trapped in coal and oil and tar; the carbon that makes up our bodies and the bodies of other living beings. The carbon is made visible by burning … This carbon-rich substance, made from the bodies of extinct beings, which releases the immense energies of millennia of sunlight when burned, is what is spelling the extinction of our ecosystem.”

The exhibit at the Zeitgeist Cafe continues through the end of May.

At the Lakeside Gallery, 4431 East Superior St. in Duluth, an opening reception for an exhibit of watercolors by Sue Brown Chapin, will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday.

Brown Chapin is the featured artist at the gallery for May.

This is the last weekend to see three exhibits at the Definitely Superior Art Gallery in Thunder Bay: Canadian Contemporary 16, from the collection of Dr. Bob Chaudhuri; “Glitched Memories” a  video installation by Drew Degruyter, the “Erysichthon Film Installation” by Jon Rafman.

The exhibits at DefSup close May 5.

Upcoming:

The YMCA dance groups will present a recital, “Dance Four Love,” at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts May 10. Stay tuned for details.

The Big Lake, the new gallery store in town, will open on Thursday, May 17. Stay tuned.

Opportunities:

 The search for the new executive director of the Grand Marais Art Colony has begun. For more information, click here.

The Cook County Senior Center is organizing a trip to the Minnesota Quilt Show which will be held in St. Cloud in mid-June.  For more information, call the Senior Center at 387-2660 and ask for Kim Nelson.

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, May 3:

• Jon Kallberg, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Hometown CD Release Show, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Boyd Blomberg, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 4:

• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• 4-Shore, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Wunderbar, 9 p.m.

Saturday, May 5:

• Common Ground, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Social Animals Duo, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar. Wunderbar, 9 p.m.

Sunday, May 6:

• Joe Paulik, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

]Tuesday, May 8:

• Gordon Thorne, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Tony Peterson & Dedric Clark, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

We found a potpourri of images for you this week. Let’s start with wildlife.

 

 

And two views of Gooseberry Falls:

 

Other spring river shots:

 

And the rivers run into—

A view from on-high:

An iconic shoreline:

A pretty incredible sunset.

A fantastic find:

Fancy northern lights:

And finally, a series of incredible images by Jan Swart:

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Please consider making a donation to NorthShore ArtScene today. It will help keep this newsletter strong and viable. Thank you!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring has officially sprung on the North Shore this week, with reports of the arrival of robins, mourning doves and song sparrows, to name a few, as well as the first photos of pussy willows. And, with great excitement, we are proud to report that we heard Harley Tofte’s fishing crew heading out of the harbor at 5:30 a.m.  this morning for the first herring catch of the season — the Angry Trout Cafe opens for the season today.

There are lots of fun art happenings this weekend, too, especially on Friday…which is why we’re suggesting that you pull out your time-travelin’ suit from the closet and go for a spin. There are two art openings scheduled for Friday night. One is at the Grand Marais Art Colony. The other is at the Johnson Heritage Post. Both should be great.

First off is the Annual Members Show & Sale at the Grand Marais Art Colony featuring a variety of interesting work by member artists from throughout the region.

Many of the works submitted to the show (each artist can submit two) center around the theme of dialogue and exchange. This includes giving and receiving, or a transfer of ideas, or a discourse where one gives up something for another. The exhibit continues through May 6. The Art Colony is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

The annual Members Meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, before the public reception, and there will be news.

Amy Demmer, who has been executive director at the Art Colony since 2009, is stepping down from her post. She announced her decision at a board meeting April 12.

Demmer assumed the position of executive director of the Art Colony in 2009. At the time she was the only full-time employee. Under her leadership, the 71-year-old Art Colony has grown to become one of the leading arts organizations in the region, offering a wide variety of artists’ services and community education programs, as well as attracting artists and creative seekers from across the United States. She has also been a leader in the community, working with partners to develop a vision for supporting and developing the arts in Cook County.

It is a bittersweet decision, Demmer says. She plans to stay until after the Grand Marais Arts Festival in July.  She was recently interviewed by Joe Frederichs on WTIP Community Radio. You can listen to the interview here.

Information on the position and application procedure is available at www.grandmaraisartcolony.org. (You might want to check out the website anyway. It has been totally redesigned!)

The Johnson Heritage Post opens a new exhibit on Friday as well. Entitled “Found: Three Views on Nature,” the group show features encaustic paintings by Bethany Kepler, block prints and photography by Stanley Leonard, and mixed media work by Stephanie Molstre-Kotz.

The three artists are joining in this exhibition with at least two things in common … an appreciation of nature and the talent to express it. The opening reception will feature spectacular artworks, live music by The Grace Notes, and refreshments.  All invited.

The exhibit runs through May 20. The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and Monday, and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Also this weekend, “Shrek The Musical Jr,” a Youth Community production of the Grand Marais Playhouse, concludes its run with performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.

This is a fun show with lots of great music, fantastic sets and an enthusiastic troupe of actors. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 youth, $1 children under 12. Advance tickets recommended. They are available at www.grandmaraisplayhouse.com.

And, in Duluth, the 20th annual Homegrown Music Festival starts this weekend, with music scheduled at venues all over the the Twin Ports for two weekends.

For the schedule and more info, click here.

Exhibits:

This is the last weekend to see the Annual Student Exhibition at the Tweed Museum of Art. The show features a wide variety of new work by art students at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. It’s a highly acclaimed show.

Also at the Tweed,  the exhibit “Quiet Simplicity” continues.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery will hold an opening reception for the exhibit, “By Request: Collective Curation of the Permanent Collection” at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, April 26.

 

The local curators who chose the works for the exhibition will be at the reception. The exhibit continues through June 3.

 Upcoming:

 The Grand Marais Kite Festival is next weekend, May 4 to 6, offering a chance to see professional kite flyers, make a kite yourself and then fly it over the harbor, depending on the weather.

Stay tuned for details.

Opportunities:

 Lynn Speaker will present a workshop for artists entitled “Marketing and Recordkeeping” at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2.

Marketing is not just about selling, Speaker says. It is a way for artists to communicate their creative principles. This workshop will help you build a marketing plan that aligns with your artistic intent. Through a series of exercises, students will examine how marketing can reflect the purpose behind their work. Good recordkeeping is essential to running a studio, as well. Speaker will overview simple systems for managing income and expenditures, pricing work, setting up a professional studio practice, and tax considerations. The workshop is $15. To register and for more information, call the Art Colony at 387-2737 or click here.

The Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery is now accepting applications for the 2019 – 2021 years. If you are an artist or know a talented artist please pass along this information. Art Exhibitions can also be done in groups, so if you would like to have an exhibition with another artist it is encouraged to apply together. Go to: johnsonheritagepost.org to review the exhibit Application.  The Gallery is also seeking local artists to fill the Gift Shop space. If you are interested in selling in our gift shop please call 218-387-2314 and ask for Liz or email jhp@boreal.org.

A Music/interview Treat

And, for a music treat, check out this Sidetracks interview with Will Moore on WTIP Community Radio with Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles and Deadman Winter, Dave Huckfelt of  The Pines and  Frankie Lee.

Listen to the interview here.

And, for live music opportunities, see the schedule below.

Thursday, April 26:

• James Moors, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Gun Flint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 27:

• Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing co., 4 p.m.
• The Grace Notes, Johnson Heritage Post, 5 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Olive Sings, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Saints of Circumstance, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 28:

• Eric Frost, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Bughouse! Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Saints of Circumstance, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 29:

• Timmy Haus, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, April 30:

• Open Mic Night, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 1:

• Joe Paulik, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

We didn’t find any storm pictures this week. Instead, calm beauty and some beautiful wildlife shots.

First, proof of that spring is really here:

 

 

 

 

And then, a great lynx portrait by David Johnson.

 

Beauties revealed.

 

 

Some skyscapes:

 

 

 

And peaceful landscapes:

 

 

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

(If you had fun with this week’s edition of NorthShore ArtScene, consider making a donation today. Thank You! for your support.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day is coming up this weekend, and with it one of the highlights of the spring art season in Duluth, the Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop. There are art exhibits in Grand Marais this weekend, too, and a great Artist Talk, as well as a Collaborative Beach Clean-Up. Meanwhile, everyone on the North Shore experienced earth, wind and water last weekend as a historic storm lashed the shore with spectacular waves. We found plenty of photos, which will be featured this week.

First up, though, is Shrek the Musical JR., the Annual Community Youth Play that opens at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Friday at 7 p.m.

Shrek The Musical JR.,  is based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and Broadway musical.  It’s a “big, bright, beautiful world” as everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairy-tale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance.  Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek JR. is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family.

Produced by the Grand Marais Playhouse and directed by Sue Hennessy, the play features a cast and crew of 46 youth in grades 3-8. Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 20-22 and April 27-29. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth and $1 for children. Advance tickets are strongly recommended and can be purchased at www.grandmaraisplayhouse.com 

A ways down the road from Cook County, the American Craft Council Show opens at the St. Paul River Centre on Friday, with exhibits continuing through April 22. Local artists Dan and Lee Ross are in the show. They will have stone and ceramic sculptures, monoprints and (new!) glass pieces.

WDSE’s The Playlist crafted a video of the artists at work. Check it out.

Saturday will be a busy day.

The Grand Marais Art Colony will host an Artist Talk and Installation opening entitled “The Spaces Left Behind” at 1 p.m. on Saturday, featuring artist-in-residence Jonathan Herrera.

Herrera will complete his invited residency at the Art Colony by presenting a print-based installation surrounding issues of bodily disappearance and loss of identity. Through a social-political lens, he investigates the spaces left behind by bodies to reveal lived experiences, memory, and trauma, The Artist Talk is free. All invited.

Down at the Grand Marais Harbor, a Collaborative Beach Pick-up starts at 11 a.m., followed by free chili at Voyageur Brewing Co.. at 1 p.m., an Earth Day Rock Talk by Dr. John Green, also at Voyageur and a conservation movie, “A Plastic Ocean,” at the Grand Marais Public Library at 7 p.m. Other art-related Earth Day events, there will be a fish print art activity at the beach pick-up as well as a Cook County Soil and Water coloring contest. All invited to the day’s events. Free.

Gunflint Lodge will hold a “Cork & Canvas Painting Party” from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday featuring instructions on painting an acrylic landscape, lunch, dinner, snacks and wine. For more info and to register, call 218-388-2294.

The City of Duluth goes crazy for art this weekend as the annual Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop gets underway. There will be  special exhibits at a wide variety of venues throughout the day. Here’s a brief selection of what you might see.

A number of places will be open in Lincoln Park during the Gallery Hop, including Duluth Pottery, which just opened in its new location. The pottery/gallery will feature the work of Duluth Pottery’s owner, Karin Kraemer, as well as a selection of other works.

To see a complete selection, with photos, of participating galleries in the Gallery Hop, click here.

Exhibits:

 This is the last weekend to see “Chroma, Creature, Vessel, Vision,” a fabulous art show featuring works by local artists: Joel Lewis, Josie Lewis, Forest Lewis & Corrie Steckelberg, at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Monday, and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Neil Sherman’s plein air paintings are featured in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park this month.

The Voyageur Art Club continues its exhibit at the Cedar Coffee House in Two Harbors.

The Tweed Museum of Art in Duluth is participating in the Gallery Hop. Here is one of the paintings you will see:

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery opened a new exhibit by Lakehead University Visual Arts Department graduate Aaron Veldstra.

Upcoming:

Next weekend, the Johnson Heritage Post will hold an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 27 for “Found: 3 Views on Nature: A Group Exhibition of  Block Prints, Encaustic Paintings, and Mixed-Media Artworks.“

“Found” will include works by block print artist, Stanley Leonard, encaustic painter, Bethany Kepler and mixed-media artist, Stephanie Molstre-Kotz. By the way, the Johnson Heritage Post has a call for artists to exhibit in 2019 and 2020. An application can be found here.

Master blacksmith, Cody Myers will be the resident instructor at North House Folk School , and will teach two workshops while he is here: The Basics of Blacksmithing” for individual students and “Families at the Forge,” for one adult and one child. To sign up, call North House at 218-387-9762. The registration deadline  for Cook County residents is April 25.  Non-residents can register after that date.

Here’s a video of Myers doing his work:

 Artist News:

 The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Member Show is April 27 this year. Members who wish to submit work must do so by noon on Monday, April 23. The Member Show & Sale opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 27. The Annual Meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. For details, click here.

Here’s the music for this week:

Thursday, April 19:

• Pete K, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Jon Cron, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Gun Flint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 20:

• Brothers in Arms, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Frogleg, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 21:

• Gordon Thorne, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Blurry, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Bug Dope, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 22:

Gene LaFond and Amy Grillo, Wunderbar, 11 a.m.

Monday, April 23:

• Open Mic Night, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, April 24:

• JohnRuss (John Gruber & Russ Viton), Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

And now, for the photos. Let’s start with a few wildlife shots:

And now, for some storm shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally…this one!

Have a great weekend, everyone! And keep dry.

(Support NorthShore ArtScene– donate today!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are some pretty amazing things to do and see this weekend on the North Shore, including an art opening, a chance to make a bowl for Empty Bowls, a presentation about buttons, a fantastic film festival, a concert/fundraiser and some great art shows as well as the last performances of “Fences.”  Here are the details:

The Voyageur Art Club, which opened its spring exhibition at the Cedar Coffee Shop (1130 – 11th Street, County Road 26 – just a block north of Super One Grocery Store), will hold an Opening Reception on Thursday, April 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The show it entitled “Petals and Wings” and features a variety of artwork in different media from member artists.

The exhibit is in memory of Jason Wilkes, the son of Arlee Wilkes. Arlee is a longtime member and instructor at the club. Jason was killed in a head-on collision on his way to work as head pastry chef at Grand Superior Lodge.

The “Petals and Wings” exhibit continues through April 30.

On Friday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host the first sessions of the Spring Make-A-Bowl for Empty Bowls in the ceramics studio. Potter Hannah Laky will run the sessions, which are open to all.

The Make-A-Bowl sessions will be held from 4-5 p.m. and 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. on Friday, April 13, and from 1 – 2 p.m. and 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 14. The public is invited to come throw a bowl and handbuild a bowl to donate to the Empty Bowls Fundraiser, which will be held this fall. Registration is required and a small materials fee ($5) is requested. To register, click here.

Also on Friday, the North Shore Community Theater’s blockbuster production of August Wilson’s “Fences” comes to Silver Bay where it will be performed at the William M. Kelley High School Auditorium Friday through Sunday. This is the last weekend that you can see this outstanding play.

“Fences” opened on Broadway in 1986 and won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama plus The Tony Award & Drama Desk Award for Best/Outstanding Play. The 2016 movie starring Denzel Washington & Viola Davis won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film was recently screened at the Grand Marais Public Library. For tickets, visit www.tix.com.

On Saturday, The Northwoods Fiber Guild will host Rebecca Lyon for a presentation about buttons at the Wunderbar.

Lyon will present “A Button Timeline,” and talk about the history of clothing buttons and how they have changed over the years. The Show and Tell is free for members of the Northwoods Fiber Guild. A $5 donation is requested for nonmembers. The presentation will be at 10 a.m. An optional lunch and discussion will follow. Open to the public.

Also on Saturday, the Minnesota Theater Alliance will hold a gathering of Northeast Minnesota theater makers at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts from 7-8:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 14.  The executive director of the Minnesota Fringe Festival will attend, as well. to provide information about participating in the annual event.

Regional Network Meetings are open gatherings where theater folks can get together to connect about what’s happening in the community, and learn about resources and programs the Minnesota Theater Alliance provides to support the statewide theater community. It’s also a chance to listen to the needs and desires of the artists our area. The gathering is free and open to all.

On Sunday, the First Congregational Church will host a Raise the Roof Fundraiser/Concert starting at 3 p.m. The benefit concert will  “Raise the Roof” with jazz and gospel music with Chris Gillis, Thomas Stamps & Friends.  Featured will be the recently renovated, 1915 Mason Hamlin piano, previously owned and played by traditional jazz pianist, band leader and ethnomusicologist, Frank Gillis, Chris’ father.  The piano has been donated to the congregation, who desires to share its beautifully resorted sound with the community.

The benefit concert will raise funds to repair the church roof and other building upgrades to further enable the church to provide meeting space for a wide variety of community groups and programs. A free-will offering will be received. All invited.

Also on Sunday, the North of Superior Film Festival begins in Thunder Bay with a wide variety of films to be screened  April 15 and April 22. The films will be screened at Silvercity, 850 N. May Street. The collection of films this year is truly outstanding, including “Loving Vincent,” a documentary about Vincent Van Gogh crafted from his paintings. Check out the trailer here:

“Loving Vincent” will be screened at 5 p.m. on Sunday (EDT) at Silvercity. Check out the complete schedule of films here.

Exhibits:

 The exhibit, “Chroma, Creature, Vessel, Vision” continues at the Johnson Heritage Post through April 22 and features a wide variety of artwork by the Lewis family: Joel and his children Josie, Forest and Corrie Steckelberg.

 

Neil Sherman has an exhibit of his plein air paintings in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park.

Sherman’s exhibit continues through April.

In Aitkin. the Jacques Art Center, 121 2nd St. NW, the exhibit “The Art of Expressionistic Realism” opens with a reception on Saturday, April 14, from noon to 3 p.m. Artists in the show include Sandi Pillsbury, Gary Guderian, Mary White Kochenderfer and Diane Runberg.

Pillsbury has a number of paintings in the exhibit, including those painted when she visited Europe as well as landscapes of the North Shore. The exhibit continues through May 26.

In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art continues its series “Quiet Simplicity”, a collection of works at the Tweed that fit this theme.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, the Lakehead University Art Department Major Studio Exhibition continues through April 15.

 Upcoming:

The Grand Marais Playhouse will present the community youth production of “Shrek The Musical JR” at the Arrowhead center for the Arts for two weekends: April 20 – 22 and 27-29. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m. and Sunday performances are at 2 p.m. Tickets for adults are $10, Youth $5 and children under 1 $1. Advance tickets are strongly recommended and can be purchased at www.grandmarisplayhouse.com  

Artist-in-Residence Jonathan Herrera will open his installation and give an Artist Talk in the Founders Hall at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21. Stay tuned for details.

In other Art Colony news, the new website has been launched! Check it out here. Besides the modern design, the website also features on-line registration.

The Art Colony Member Show & Sale will be April 25 this year, featuring works in a variety of mediums by members throughout the region.

The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 27. The annual meeting precedes the opening and will be held at 3:30 p.m.

Here’s the music for this week:

Thursday, April 12:

• Maria Nickolay, Voyageur Brewing, 5 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Friday April 13:

• Jim McGowan, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• SplinterTones, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Rich Mattson and the Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 14:

• Briand Morrison, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• SplinterTones, Grandma Rays, 8 p.m.
• Rockabilly, Grand Portage Casino, 8 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Rich Mattson and the Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 15:

• Joe Paulik, Wunderbar, 11 a.m.
• Andrew Huber, Gun Flint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 17:

• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Here are some of the photos we found this week. First, wildlife:

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(If you’d like to support NorthShore ArtScene, you can donate here. Thank you.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s going to be pretty quiet in Cook County this weekend, but maybe that’s good — there’s lots of time to enjoy all the events which are happening.

Look to a fantastic art exhibit that opened last weekend at the Johnson Heritage Post, a plein air painting opening at Tettegouche State Park with an artist’s talk by Neil Sherman on Friday night and a performance and two workshops by a world-class musician from Congo and his quartet, Siama Matuzungidi. And not to forget, this is the Mountain Meltdown Weekend at Lutsen Mountains with 10 different bands. And there are lots of things happening in other communities on the North Shore this weekend as well. Here are the details:

Siama Matuzungidi, a prolific composer and guitarist and native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be in Grand Marais this weekend with his quartet, the World Congo Quartet.

A sought-after studio musician, Siama recorded hundreds of popular songs during the golden era of soukous music in the ‘70s and ‘80s and toured Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. His signature sound and commitment to innovation helped fuel the popularization of soukous (“the sound of happiness”), which is still widely enjoyed on dance floors worldwide. Now a Minnesota resident, Siama brings his feel-good acoustic music, including songs inspired by traditional music from his childhood in rural DR Congo, to US crowds. Here’s a recent PBS special about Siama’s life and music:

While in Grand Marais, Siama will teach two workshops at the Grand Marais Public Library on Friday, April 6:  at 1 pm and 2:30 pm.  The first will be an interactive presentation of word and music at 1 p.m. and a singing workshop at 2:30 p.m. All invited. He will be interviewed on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday night where he and his wife will perform and talk about their music. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

On Saturday night,  Siama will perform in concert with his Congo World Quartet. Featuring Siama, singer Dallas Johnson, global music drummer Tim O’Keefe, and renowned cellist Jacqueline Ultan, the quartet creates a unique fusion by blending a colorful palette of musical influences with Siama’s traditional Congolese music. The result is an uplifting tapestry filled with lush textures and dramatic nuance.

Tickets are $15 adults, $5 youth (18 & under) and can be purchased at www.tix.com or at the door.

Also in Grand Marais this weekend, check out the new show at the Johnson Heritage Post, “Chroma/Creature/Vessel/Vision,” which opened last week.  It really is an extraordinary exhibit of work by a family of artists — Joel Lewis and his grown children Josie, Forest, and Corrie Steckelberg.

 

 

The exhibit will continue through April 22. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

On Friday, Grand Marais plein air artist, Neil Sherman, will open an exhibit of his work in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park with a reception at 7 p.m. He will give a brief Artist Talk about his work. All invited.

Further down the shore, the Voyageur Art Club’s Spring Exhibit continues at the Cedar Coffee House with works in a variety of media by members of the club.

The show will continue through April 20 with a reception scheduled for April 12 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Cedar Coffee Company is located at  1130 11th St.,  just a block north of Super One Grocery Store in Two Harbors.

Also in Two Harbors this weekend, “Fences,” powerful drama by August Wilson, will be performed at the Two Harbors High School April 6-8. The play is a production of Lake Superior Community Theatre, based in Silver Bay. Paul Deaner, artistic director of the theater company.

This is the first time “Fences” has been performed north of the Twin Cities. For tickets, see www.tix.com.

In Duluth, the Lakeside Gallery will hold an opening reception for the “Rooster Invitational” from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday.

More than 20 local artists have contributed work to this show, featuring roosters and chickens. It continues through the month of April. Lakeside Gallery is located at 4431 E. Superior St.

The Tweed Museum of Art continues its collection-based exhibit, “Quiet Simplicity” through May.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery will hold an art opening at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, April 5. Entitled “Strength Through Our Tears: Honoring Our Stories,” the community based art project aims to increase women, police and the community’s understanding of the resiliency and dignity of survivors of sexual violence. The reception is open all.

The exhibit continues through May 13. Other exhibits at the gallery include the Lakehead University Visual Art Deparment Annual Major Studio Exhibition and and the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School Exhibition.

And for a crazy/wonderful art experience, check out Urban Infill: Art in the Core in Thunder Bay on Saturday, April 7, from 7-11 p.m. Fore the event, he entire downtown Waterfront District is transformed into an artistic experience with art exhibits, music, performance and more. Urban Infill, a production of the Definitely Superior Art Gallery, features works by 400 regional, national and international multi-disciplinary artists at 25 downtown locations, including DefSup, commercial art galleries & spaces, artist studios and empty spaces transformed into new art/performance venues.

Start at DefSup, 250 Park Ave., pick up your Art Map and let Performative Tour Guides show you the way … or explore downtown on your own.  If you miss the Gala Opening, the visual art exhibition continues through April 10. For more info on this incredible art experience, click here.

 Upcoming:

 Join the Clay Club! An exciting free program for community youth ages K-12 to learn about creating with clay will begin soon. Clay Club will be held after school in the ISD 166 Art Room from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from grades 6-12 and Wednesdays for grades K-5. Participants will engage with the ceramic process while building connections with others and exploring their own creativity. The focus will be on handbuilding techniques, but there will also be limited opportunities to use the pottery wheel.

The program is led by ceramic artist and educator Melissa Wickwire and co-facilitated by ISD 166 Art Teacher Mila Horak.
Advance registration is required by April 10. Register at the ISD 166 office. Direct any questions to melisawickire@gmail.com.

Make bowls for Empty Bowls: 12 percent of Cook County residents go hungry every month. To address this need, each year the Grand Marais Art Colony makes bowls for the Empty Bowls Dinner and Silent Auction: a community art fundraiser to alleviate local hunger needs. Help support this cause this year by attending the Spring Make-A-Bowl for Empty Bowls, April 13 – 15.

Participants will make one wheel-thrown bowl and one hand-built bowl to donate to the fundraiser. There are several sessions scheduled for April 13-15, but participants must register. For more info, click here.

Here’s the music for this week:

Thursday, April 5:

• Boyd Blomberg, Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Jon Kallberg, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.

Friday, April 6:

• Eric Frost, Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• KutDown, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Frogleg, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 7:

• Mountain Meltdown, Papa Charlie’s:

1. Bug Dope, 4 p.m.
2. Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, 2:30 p.m.
3. Ginstrings, 1 p.m.

• Siama Matuzungidi & Congo World Quartet, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Jim & Michelle Miller, Lutsen Resort, 8 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• White Iron Band, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 8:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m
• TBA, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Mountain Meltdown, Papa Charlie’s, outdoor music

1. Cook County’s Most Wanted, 2:30 p.m.
2. SplinterTones, 1 p.m.
3. Plucked Up String Band, 11:30 a.m.
4. Spruce Roots, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, April 10:

• Eric Frost, Poplar River Pub 6 p.m.
• Tuesday Night Trivia, Grandma Ray’s, 7 p.m.

We found lots of icy shots this week. Here’s a selection:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Consider making a donation of any size to NorthShore ArtScene this week. It’s easy to do and helps support this blog. Click on the icon below, and Thank You!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter week brings the final snowstorm of the season (maybe), a fantastic art opening at the Johnson Heritage Post, breadmaking, a great play opening on the North Shore and a Celtic Concert and Ceilli Dance, to mention a few.

First up is Bread Baking, the final Skill Share of the season at North House Folk School.

Master breadmaker and North House instructor Caleb Mattison will lead the two-hour workshop on beginning breadmaking from 7-9 p.m. North House this Thursday, March 29.

Mattison will demystify the process of baking artisan bread, from discussing basic ingredients to the fundamental steps and recipes. You “knead” not be afraid to bake. The Skill Share is free and open to the public.

On Friday, the Johnson Heritage Post opens the exhibit “Chroma/Creature/Vessel/Vision,” a collection of classical-style paintings, wooden sculptures, resin-ink color bursts and soft sculptures by the talented artists from the Lewis family. Siblings Corrie Steckelberg,  Forest Lewis and Josie Lewis, along with their father, Joel Lewis, will all have pieces in this show. It should be a great art feast.

The opening reception for “Chroma” is from 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 29. Refreshments will be served. On Saturday, Steckelberg and her father, Joel Lewis, will give an Art Tour at 1 p.m. The public is invited to both events. The exhibit continues through April 22.

The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays  from 1-4 p.m. Sundays.

In Two Harbors, the Voyageur Art Club of Two Harbors opens its annual spring exhibit: “Petals and Wings” at the Cedar Coffee Company, 1130  11th St. (Behind the SuperOne grocery store.)  The exhibit includes a variety of work by local artists, including some poetry or Ekphrasis: The written word about a work of art.

The exhibit continues through April 30 with the opening reception from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 12. The Cedar Coffee Company is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed on Easter, April 1.

“Fences,” a powerful drama by August Wilson, opened in Duluth this week, and will be also be performed in Two Harbors and Silver Bay over the next few weekends. The play is a production of Lake Superior Community Theatre, based in Silver Bay.

“Fences” is one of August Wilson’s 10-plays series, “Century Cycle” about the 20th century African-American experience dealing with universal human and specific Black cultural issues and themes. The play opened on Broadway in 1986 and won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama plus The Tony Award & Drama Desk Award for Best/Outstanding Play. The 2016 movie starring Denzel Washington & Viola Davis won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film was recently screened at the Grand Marais Public Library.

According to Paul Deaner, artistic director of the theater company, “This is the first time, to our knowledge, “Fences” will be presented in Minnesota north of the Twin Cities and the first time an  all African-American cast will perform a main-stage play production in Duluth and on the North Shore of Lake Superior.”

To give you a taste of the production, check out this short video produced by WSDE-TV.

The final performance of “Fences” in Duluth is on Thursday, March 29 at Lincoln Park Middle School. Performances in Two Harbors will be April 6, 7 & 8 at Two Harbors High School and in Silver Bay April 13, 14 & 15 at William M. Kelley High School.Tickets can be found at www.tix.com.

On Saturday, the North Shore Music Association, in collaboration with North House Folk School, presents a “Celtic Concert & Ceili Dance” with the Twin Cities Celtic group, BARRA.”

The Celtic Concert starts at 7 p.m. in the red building at North House. The dance starts at 7:45. All ages are welcome. Tickets are $15 adult, $10 youth (18 & under) for sale at event only, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Also on Saturday, Papa Charlie’s will feature Erik Koskinen, The Pines, and Dusty Heart during the Spring Ski Ramble at Lutsen Mountains. The music starts at 8 p.m.

And in Duluth on Monday, artist Eric Dubnicka opens his exhibit, “Transmutation: Art of Growth and Love” at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe.

Dubnicka’s show includes paintings as well as sculptures. The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 2.

The Tweed Museum of Art has opened a new exhibit from their collection entitled “Quiet Simplicity,” which features  tranquil landscapes, seascapes, farmsteads, and portraits that capture men, women and children enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

The exhibit is a romantic stroll through charming vistas of times past.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is featuring two art student exhibits: The Lakehead University Arts Department Annual Major Studio Exhibition and the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School Exhibition.

 Upcoming:

 Siama and his Congo World Quartet will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. April 7. The concert will feature  Siama, singer Dallas Johnson, global music drummer Tim O’Keefe, and renowned cellist Jacqueline Ultan. Siama will also present educational programs at the Grand Marais Public Library that Saturday. Stay tuned.

In Duluth, Adam Swanson will teach a a one-night guided painting class on how to paint a moose at the Duluth Art Institute April 12.

For more information and to register, click here.

Opportunities:

 The Grand Marais Art Colony is hiring a full-time Marketing Manager, who is responsible for all aspects of the marketing, advertising and promotional activities of the organization. Applications are due April 5. For more information and to apply, email info@grandmaraisartcolony. org.

Here’s the music selections for this week:

Thursday, March 29:

• Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Joshua Schmidt, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• DJBeavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, March 30:

• Boyd Blomberg, Mougl’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Matt and Laurel, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Pete K, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Bug Dope (AKA Rod & Al), Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Clearwater Hot Club, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 31:

• Gordon Thorne & Chris Gillis, North Shore Winery, 3 p.m.
• James Moors, Papa Charlie’s, 3:15 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Celtic Ceilli, North House Folk School, 7 p.m.
• Superior Siren, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club, 8:30 p.m.
• Spring Ski Ramble with Erik Koskinen, The Pines, and Dusty Heart , Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 1:

Happy Easter!

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.

Monday, April 2:

• David Huckfelt, Monday Night Songwriters Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 3:

• Gordon Thorne, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 4:

• Briand Morrison with Sam Miltich, Papa Charlie’s, 8 p.m.

Lots of icy vistas and sunrises this week. But let’s start with wildlife.

 

Here are some ice-scapes:

 

 

 

And some sunrises:

 

And finally:

Happy Easter, everyone!

(If you’ve enjoyed reading NorthShore ArtScene this week, please consider making a donation to keep it alive and healthy this year. Thank you!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrations of community and artistic commitment marks this 4th week of March, with community art shows, artist talks, an education fundraiser and a community choir gather, to mention a few.

First up is the EATS  or Enriching Academics Through Sustenance event at ISD 166 on Thursday night. This special taste treat will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at ISD 166, featuring delicious finger foods prepared by Cook County restaurants and venues as well as the culinary classes at the school.

Tickets are $25, and the funds will be used to support projects through the ISD 166 Education Foundation, supporting special projects for teachers that enhance the curriculum. Only 150 tickets will be sold, and there just might be some left. They can be purchased through the school or at Java Moose, the Bluewater Cafe or a school board member. The event will also feature live music and a silent auction.

The Spirit of the Wilderness community art exhibit, “Chaos … Cracks … Creativity” continues at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sunday. The exhibit features a broad selection of work by local artists of every age. It’s a fun show and highly recommended. Here’s a quick selection of some of the works in the exhibit.

The Johnson Heritage Post is open from 1-4 p.m. Thursday and Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The show closes on Sunday.

On Friday, fused glass artist Jeffrey Stenborn, who is an invited artist-in-residence at the Grand Marais Art Colony, will give a demonstration of printing on glass at 10 a.m.  Stenborn teaches glass throughout the United States, including at Bullseye Glass and The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass and received his MFA in glass sculpture from Tulane University.

Pre-registration is requested due to limited space in the glass studio. Call 387-2737 for more info.

On Friday night, WTIP’s the Roadhouse will feature an interview with Karl Jacobs, director of “Cold November”, a coming-of-age film about a young girl’s first deer hunt, shot in northern MN with an all-MN cast. The film popens Friday in Hibbing and Grand Rapids. The Roadhouse will also have the Thunderheads Trio in the studio to talk about their music and play a few songs.

On Saturday, the North Shore Winery will hold a Paint & Sip party at the winery from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The event features Cheers Pablo from Woodbury  to lead its second Paint and Sip party. Chriscell Bedard will be leading the class again this year. No painting experience necessary– just come ready to have some fun. The Winery will provide the canvas, easel, brushes, paints, apron. At the end of the class (2 to 3 hours) each participant will have a great piece of art to take home. The cost is $45, and include a glass or wine or cider. For more information and register, call (218) 481-9280 or email: info@northshorewinery.us.

On Saturday night, Voyageur Brewing will screen, “Saving Snow,” a documentary about how global climate change is impacting winter sports. The screening is free and starts at 7 p.m.

Check out the trailer here.

On Sunday, Bethlehem Lutheran Church will host a “Community Choir Gather: Singing for Joy” at 4 p.m. The event will feature four Cook County choirs. Each choir will share several of their favorite songs. Coffee and treats will follow. All invited.

Exhibits:

 Masterpiece Art, works by students at William Kelly Elementary School, continues in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park.

The show features artwork inspired by master artists through the ages.

At the Zeitgist Cafe in Duluth, Adam Swanson’s exhibit continues through the end of the month.

At the Tweed Museum of Art, the exhibit “Treasures From Home: An Anthology of Gifts from Collectors,” continues with a wide selection of art.

Upcoming:

A new exhibit will open at the Johnson Heritage Post on March 30 with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Entitled “Chroma | Creature | Vessel | Vision,” the family exhibit features work by Josie Lewis, Forest Lewis and Corrie Steckelberg with father Joel Lewis.

Corrie Steckelberg and Joel Lewis will give an tour at the Heritage Post at 1 p.m. on March 31.

Sign up to Make-a-Bowl for Empty Bowls at the Grand Marais Art Colony on Friday and Saturday, April 13-14. There are several sessions each day where participants will throw a bowl on the wheel and make a handbuilt bowl. They will be donated for the Empty Bowls fundraiser, which is held in the the fall. For more information and to register, call 387-2737.

The First Congregational Church will host “Celebrating 100 Years of Shared Community Space” with a benefit concert of jazz and gospel music featuring Chris Gillis, Thomas Stamps and Friends on Sunday, April 15 at 3 p.m. Stay tuned for details.

Hungry Jack Outfitters is teaming up again with plein air artist, Neil Sherman, for a plein air painting trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Sept. 3-6.

For more info, click here.

 Artist News

The Plucked Up String Band has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the final push to make their debut album, “Rooftop to the Floor.”

For more information on this exciting project, click here.

Ron Piercy has moved into his new gallery, Yellowbird Fine Art Gallery, at the corner of Second Street and Highway 61. The gallery’s current hours at 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, Saturday or Sunday, or by chance.

The gallery will hold its Grand Opening over the Memorial Day weekend.

Melissa Wickwire is working on a new series of tiles in her studio.

A photo by Travis Novitsky is featured on the cover of the latest Lake Superior Magazine.

And finally, David Gilsvik has new work at Sivertson Gallery.

Here’s the music for the week:

Thursday, March 22:

• John Russ, Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Maria Nickolay, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, March 23:

• Gordon Thorne, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Voyageur’s Brewing, 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Pete K, Bluefin Grille, 8 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Thunderheads, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Billy Johnson, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 24:

• Billy Johnson, Papa Charlie’s, 3:15 p.m.
• Jon Cron, North Shore Winery, 3-6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m., rural Grand Marais, michaelmonroemusic.com
• Brothers in Arms, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Thunderheads, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• The Suburbs, Papa Charlie’s, 9 p.m.

Sunday, March 25:

• Briand Morrison , Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Joe Paulik, Wunderbar, 11 a.m.
• Black River Revue, Papa Charlie’s, 3:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, March 26:

• Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 8 p.m.
• Phil Heywood, Monday Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8 p.m.
• Joshua Schmidt, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, March 27:

• Open Mic at Papa Charlie’s with Bump Blomberg, 7 p.m.

So…here are some of the photos we found this week:

First, wildlife:

 

 

 

And we found lots of sunsets/sunrises this week:

 

 

 

And here are a few “calming” photos:

 

And a beauteous night photo:

And finally, this one, by Sarah Hamilton.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, St. Patrick’s Day weekend brings lots of Irish music in venues all over the county, the St. Urho’s Festival and Parade in Finland and the Dulutsen: North of North Music Festival at Papa Charlie’s, not to mention great art shows and exhibitions up and down the North Shore.

First up is the new exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post which opened last Friday. Entitled “Chaos…Creativity…Cracks: Spirit of the Wilderness Church,” the exhibit features work by artists in the community of every age. It’s really a fun exhibit, with lots of great work by students at USD 166 as well as emerging and professional artists who live in Cook County.

Here’s a brief sampling of what you can find in this exhibit.

 

 

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The exhibit continues through March 25. The Heritage Post’s winter hours are from 1-4 p.m. Thursday and Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

North House Folk School continues its Skill Share program with a presentation by Marco Good on how to take care of chain saws, a must for people living in the Northwoods. Good is an experienced logger who has been working the woods with his horses for years. He will lead the Skill Share at North House at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Good will talk about everything from the anatomy of a saw and its proper handling to how to sharpen the chain as well as share his wealth of experiences. Note: This will be a demonstration and lecture; participants will NOT be operating chainsaws during this skill share. It’s free. All invited.

Onward to the weekend! On  Friday, the Grand Marais Public Library will present Rangoli Sand Art with Shakun Maheshwari at noon.

 

Rangoli designs are a temporary floor art that people create and redo on a daily basis in India in order to bring good luck and happiness to the home. In the presentation, participants will learn about Indian culture, history, and celebrations through art as well as explore the use of art made from chalk, sand, or rice flour by creating stylized Rangoli designs with flour or colored sand. All invited. Free.

Also on Friday, the skip of the U.S. Olympic Curling Team, John Shuster, will be interviewed on WTIP’s The Roadhouse, and talk about his experiences. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m. on Fridays.

Also on Friday, the Dulutsen: North of North Music Festival begins at Papa Charlie’s, featuring a wide variety of popular musicians and their bands from Duluth.

On Friday, the music starts at 8:30 p.m. with Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank with Ryan Young and Erik Berry of Trampled by Turtles, Superior Sire and Irish American (Teague Alexy & Erik Berry)

On Saturday evening, Alamode, Haley Bonar and The Social Animals will play, with music starting at 8:30 p.m.

Sunday is Family Day for the festival with Two Many Banjos performing from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Monday brings Charlie Parr, a favorite in Duluth and Papa Charlie’s, for a free Singer/Songwriter concert at 8 p.m.

The Grand Marais Art Colony will feature two presentations by its Juried Artists-in-Residence on Saturday. Both are free and open to the public.

At 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, printmaker Gabriella Boros will give an Artist Talk and Demo in the Print Studio.

Gabriella’s woodblock prints touch on a variety of topics, including modern political upheaval and ecological destruction as filtered through the Hebrew book of Isaiah, female empowerment, and botanic healing. Gabriella will present and demonstrate her methodology, from from the ideation through the printing process and also share from her portfolio of work. Free. All invited.

At 2 p.m. on Saturday, Artist-in-Residence David Andree will open his exhibition, “Speculations in Time: Contemporary Approaches to Working from the Landscape” in the Founders Hall and give an Artist Talk about his work.

Andree’s residency focuses on furthering four related bodies of work that explore flux in the landscape: Land Harps, Collaboration Drawings, Color Studies, and Current Castings. Expanding on the traditions of perceptually-based location painting and drawing, David explores intersections with sculpture and digital practices such as sound and video. He will share about his artistic investigations which are thematically focused on the unique sense of time within landscapes and the temporary and fragile nature of existence. The presentation is free. All invited.

In Finland, this weekend is St. Urho’s Day, and they community celebrates with a two-day festival featuring music, food and the ever-popular St. Urho’s Parade. Everyone is invited, especially if they wear purple and green, St. Urho’s colors.

This is always a fun time in the Finland community. There’s the Miss Helmi contest on Friday and a Tug of War over the Baptism River on Saturday, as well as the parade, which will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday. To see the complete schedule of activities, click here.

Exhibits:

 The Masterpiece Art exhibit at Tettegouche State Park continues this month, with works by students at the William Kelley Elementary School. The students, lead by local artists, learned about masterpiece artworks and then did their versions of them.

The exhibit in the Great Hall continues through March.

The Tweed Museum of Art in Duluth has a number of exhibits on display, including “Treasures From Home: An Anthology of Gifts from Collectors” and “Fine. Re/Fine. De/Fine,” the 2018 Biennial Faculty Exhibition for the University of Minnesota Duluth Department of Art & Design.

 

And, at the Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth …

At the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe in Duluth …

At the Thunder Bay Art Museum in Thunder Bay …

Upcoming:

EATS or Enriching Academics Through Sustenance, the annual fundraiser for the Education Foundation at ISD 166 will be held on Thursday, March 22, from 6-7:30 p.m.

Local restaurants, along with the ISD 166 culinary arts students, provide restaurant favorites or their food specialties.  Ticket holders will sample food, as well as take in the festive spirit of the evening while listening to music provided by Jim Lundorff (Sawtooth Elementary teacher) and the high school choir and band students.  Ticket holders also have the opportunity to bid on great silent auction items, which are provided by individuals and members of our Cook County business community. The Education Foundation awards grants for projects and activities that enhance the curriculum at ISD 166. Nearly $119,000 in grants have been provided by this foundation.

Tickets are available for $25 and can be purchased at the PK-12 office, Java Moose or the Blue Water Cafe. Only 150 tickets will be sold, so get yours now.

Community Share:

To celebrate Harbor Park and springtime Grand Marais, the Cook County Historical Society is collecting stories, memories, and anecdotes about the Grand Marais Harbor (Bear Tree Park/Harbor Park) as part of the Harbor Park Sound Garden project, presented by Wavelets Creative.

The SPRING Sound Garden in Harbor Park is a free outdoor sound + performance installation on Sunday, May 27 from noon – 5 p.m. The Sound Garden will combine music, poetry, history, dance, storytelling, sculpture, and visual art into an immersive sensory experience, and will include archival photos and history tours of Harbor Park and the surrounding area. Submit your memories and stories by April 1 to be included in the collection. To submit stories please email: jhp@boreal.org

Here’s the music for the week:

Thursday, March 15:

• Joe Paulik, Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, North Shore Wintery, 6 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Thorne, Gillis, Stamps & Roth, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, March 16:

• Pete K, Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Jim McGowan, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• Alamode, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Jim & Michele Miller, Bluefin Grille, 8 p.m.

Friday, March 16:

• Jim & Michele Miller, Bluefin Grille, 8 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Dulutsen, Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 17:

• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Pub, 3-6 p.m.
• Jim McGowan, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6-8 p.m.
• Chris Gillis, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Blurry Band, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Velvets, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Dulutsen, Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 18:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Aurora Baer, Wunderbar, 11 a.m.
• Two Many Banjos, Papa Charlie’s, 3 p.m.
• Jim & Michele Miller, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, March 19:

• Charlie Parr, Monday Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Bluefin Grille, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, March 20:

• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 6 p.m.
• Open Mic, Papa Charlie’s, 7 p.m.

We found some great photos this week, too. Here’s a sampling:

First, some wildlife shots …

 

 

 

Proof that spring is here:

 

Here’s a fascinating urban shot:

 

And, of course, we found some great landscapes/skyscapes/ice-scapes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, Here is an awesome northern lights shot by Thomas Spence. It was featured on the front page of www.spaceweather.com recently.

Have a great weekend, everyone!