North Shore Arts Scene

Katie Mumm took this photo at East Bearskin lake at sunrise.

This weekend is totally stuffed with things to do and see. which is so great. Here’s what to look forward to:

On Thursday, there’s lots of live music featured in venues across the county, including Gordon Thorne, Sonofmel, Joe Paulik and the Plucked Up String Band. (See the music schedule, below.)

Friday starts out with an art opportunity at the Grand Marais Art Colony with a Paint-A-Tile session in the Ceramics Studio. Participants will learn about colorful Majolica glazes and have a chance to use them to paint their own designs on two tiles. The tiles will be fired on Friday night and be ready for pickup on Sunday morning.

A Paint-A-Tile workshop will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 1 p.m. Friday. These tiles were painted by a workshop last year.

To register for the workshop, call 387-2737. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Joy & Co. is holding “Try Days” from 4-7 p.m. on Fridays during the summer. The event invites participants to come in and use examples from their great collection of art supplies to make art. All invited. Free.

A little later on Friday night, the Duluth band, Paper Parlor, will be on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday to talk about their music and play a few songs. The band is expected on the show around 5:45 p.m. They will play at Wunderbar at 8 p.m.

Also on Friday night, Donna Bruni will give an Artist Talk entitled “Artist Process and Finding Your Way” from 7-8:30 p.m. at Cook County Higher Education.

“Abstraction” by Donna Bruni. She will give an Artist Talk on Friday.

The event is sponsored by the Grand Marais Art Colony and co-hosted with Cook County Higher Education. Bruni will discuss structure, fluidity, and stages of creating art — preparation, incubation, illumination, and implementation—in this conversation about the artist’s process. The public is invited. Goodwill donations are welcome.

There are two great art openings on Friday night, too, and both exhibits will continue through the month of June.

The Johnson Heritage Post will hold the  opening reception for “Calling,” a show featuring the paintings of Minnesota artist Alexa Carson. Carson’s paintings invoke the call of the wilderness– the call of the chickadee, the loon, the wolf. We are being called back to our natural spaces to reconnect with wildlife, and to reclaim our role as nature’s stewards.

One of Alexa Carson’s paintings in her exhibit, Calling, at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The exhibit continues through June 30.

Carson’s exhibit kicks of the Heritage Post’s summer schedule. The Heritage Post will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will also be open from 1-4 p.m. on Sundays. The Heritage Post will be closed on Tuesdays.

Tettegouche State Park is mounting a new exhibit for June as well, featuring the work of watercolorist Susan Wright.

“Canoe in Waiting” by Susan Wright is one of the paintings in the new exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post. The exhibit opens Friday.

The exhibit is in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park. The opening reception is from 7-8:30 p.m. on Friday, June 7.

On Saturday, consider putting on your time-travel suit so you can see and do everything.

The Cook County Market opens the day at 9 a.m. in the Senior Center parking lot in Grand Marais. The market features local arts and crafts, including fiber art, woodwork, sculpture, glass and pottery, to name a few. There’s also a massage station, fresh eggs and treats, as well as face painting for kids.

Cilla Walford paints a little flower on a customer’s cheek at the Cook County Market last Saturday. She offers this service every Saturday.

The Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Also on Saturday, merchants on First Street in Grand Marais will host the first Grand Marais Block Party of the season from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Block Party is on 1st Street in downtown Grand Marais all day Saturday.

The block party features live music (see the schedule below), food and fun, as well as a chance to explore all the great businesses on that street.

And there’s more! Take a Kid Fishing, sponsored by the DNR, the Cook County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Forest Service, will offer a day of fishing for kids from 9 a.m. to noon at Mink Lake Beach. Lunch and water will be provided. Children from 5-12, accompanied by an adult. are welcome. For more info and directions, click here.

Further up the Trail, the Boundary Waters Expo will be held at Bearskin Lodge all day on Saturday and Sunday, June 8-9.

The Boundary Water Expo will be held at Bearskin Lodge on Saturday and Sunday.

This is a family friendly hands-on event that features speakers, exhibitors and activities for everyone. There will be a number of speakers, including photographer Nace Hagemann, as well as exhibitors, demonstrations and more.

Saturday events continue!

Author Lara Palmquist will offer a free writer’s workshop at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday. The workshop is titled: “Writing As Excavation.” This is an immersive workshop and includes writing exercises and more. Participants can register here. Or call 218-387-2737.

Also on Saturday, author  J.J. Ollman will be signing copies of his book, “The Devil’s Kettle” at the Lake Superior Trading Post from 1-3 p.m.

Author J.J. Ollman will sign his book, “The Devil’s Kettle” at the Lake Superior Trading Post on Saturday.

There’s another book event on Saturday, too. Lorna Landvik will be at Drury Lane Books from 7-8:30 p.m. to talk about her latest book, writing and more. Landvik is a great public speaker and is really fun to listen to. Her latest book is entitled: “Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes.)”

Author Lorna Landvik will be at Drury Lane Books at 7 p.m. on Saturday to talk about her latest book.

All invited. Free.

And, Cascade Lodge on Hwy. 61, will hold a Paint & Sip session from 3-5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Participants will learn how to paint a beautiful landscape during the session. The event is put on by the Cheerful Hearts Paint Studio. For more info and to register, click here.

There are also three music events on Saturday, plus lots of live music in local venues.

The North Shore Music Association will present “The Barley Jacks” in concert at the Schoroeder Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.

The Barley Jacks will be in concert at the Schroeder Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

This high-energy band is definitely worth seeing. Tickets available at the door.

Also, if you’re a Mozart fan, consider attending “The Wolfgang: Music of the ’80s (Mozart in the 1780s, that is), at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The WolfGang, a Twin Cities quintet of 18th century instrumental virtuosi, will perform Mozart’s “Great” Symphony #40 in G Minor and several other “80s” musical wonders from Mozart’s last decade.

The Wolfgang will perform Mozart at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Saturday.

And finally, the North Shore Community Swing Band will play at The Wunderbar on Saturday night starting at 7 p.m.

The North Shore Community Swing Band will be at The Wunderbar on Saturday night.

And, to make your choices for Saturday even more difficult, consider this. Anishinaabe and Dakota writers will be signing and selling copies of their latest books from 4-6 p.m. at the Dr. Robert Powless Center in Duluth, 202 W. 2nd St, The event will be from 4-6 p.m. and features authors Thomas Peacock, Linda Legarde Grove, Sharon Shucik, Teresa Peterson and illustrator Jordan Rodger.

On Sunday, there will be a Shrimp Boil and Bake Sale Fundraiser for the Gunflint Trail Historical Society and Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center at the Seagull Lake Community Center from 4-6 p.m. All welcome.

On Monday, the Grand Marais Public Library will launch Crafternoons, a special activity Mondays through Thursdays from 2-4 p.m. through Aug. 8. There will be different craft activities taught during these sessions.

The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s “Findings Jewelry Symposium” starts on Tuesday June 11 and runs through Saturday, June 15. The event features workshops, artist talks, demonstrations and more. Of particular interest — the Group Trunk Show, which features work by the symposium’s participants. The trunk show is from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. The public is invited. Stay tuned.

And on Wednesday, Joan Crosby will be at the Grand Marais Public Library from 2-3 p.m. where she will discuss her new book, “Tucker Lake Chronicles.”

At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Tedd McDonah will hold a jewelry making demonstration at the Grand Marais Art Colony entitled “Patterning Mokume-gane.”

A demonstration of making mokume-gane will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony on Wednesday.

Attendees will see first-hand see his common practices/techniques and the tools he typically uses to achieve twisted patterns with diffusion-bonded mokume billets.Participants are encouraged to register in advance, however, drop-ins are welcome. Note that space is limited. Call 387-2737 for more info.

And lastly, the West End Market, which is held in the parking lot of the Mountain Inn on Ski Hill Road will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. The market features locally made crafts, vegetables in season and more.

 Exhibits:

 The Grand Portage Lodge and Casino has installed the sculptural work of artist Donovan Dahman.

Wall sculpture by Donovan Dahmen. The artist is exhibiting his work at the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino.

Dahmen was inspired at a young age by his great uncle and famous artist, George Morrison, whom he used to work for doing odd jobs in Morrison’s studio, and making wooden frames for his uncle’s artwork.

Opportunities:

Carol Harris has crafted a beautiful quilt as a fundraiser for Care Partners. The quilt can be seen at Drury Lane Books.

Carol Harris’ quilt is on display at Drury Lane Books. The raffle drawing for the quilt will be Aug. 25.

Raffle tickets for the quilt can be purchased at Care Partners, Java Moose and Drury Lane Books. The raffle drawing will be Aug. 25.

The Grand Marais Art Colony is holding a Fire Sale, featuring lots of beautiful art books, pottery, miscellaneous studio supplies and more. Visit the Art Colony to see what they’re offering.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is offering scholarships for individuals from ARAC’s seven-county region to attend the 2019 Rural Arts and Culture Summit in Grand Rapids on Oct. 3-5. Organized by Springboard for the Arts and co-sponsored by ARAC, the Summit is a practitioner-driven gathering that celebrates and expands the field of rural arts-based community development by providing a space for learning, relationship building and celebration about the role of art and creativity in building strong, healthy and resilient rural communities. For more information, visit www.ruralartsandculturesummit.com.

For more information about ARAC and the programs and grants it offers, click on the image below.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, June 6:

• Live Music at Moguls Grille, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Sonofmel, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.

Friday, June 7:

• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Paper Parlor, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 8:

• Grand Marais Block Party, 3 bands, Downtown Grand Maris, all day DJ Beavstar, 9 a.m. to noon, Rod & Caribou, 12:30-2 p.m., Portage Band, 2:30-4 p.m.
• The Morning Kings, Voyageur Brewing Co, noon
• Mary Bue, Wunderbar, 3 p.m.
• One Less Guest, Voyageur, 4 p.m.
• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Lutsen, 7 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• The Barley Jacks, Schroeder Town Hall, 7:30 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 9:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 11:

• Patio Series with Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.

Photographs:

 We found lots of interesting photographs this week.

Let’s start with the sun, which makes all things possible.

Sun halo by Sierra Parsons.

And spring flowers, since ’tis the season.

Large-flowered trillium by Paul Sundberg.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit by David Johnson.

Ostrich ferns by Glenn Blaszkiewicz.

Spring Greens by Sarah Jorgenson.

And some wildlife shots:

“I’ll keep a lookout” by Dan Nilsen.

Cedar Waxwing… a couple of weeks late, but here at last by Gerry Sibell.

Mama bear and cubs by Karen Hunnicutt.

A little bull moose taking an evening stroll by Thomas Spence.

A storm:

Wall clouds near Rochester, MN by David Paal.

A photographer with a handful:

Jeffrey Doty with his hands full by Charles Howard Smith.

Waterfalls:

Waterfall wonderland by Samantha Lindberg.

And this.. not technically a waterfall, but falling water for sure:

The perfect wave by Christian Dalbec.

A few other water photographs:

Abstract Dock Reflections by Roxanne Distad.

Crescent Moonrise Over Hollow Rock by Ken Harmon

The North Shore by Ben Schleicher.

And these great Milky Way shots:

Airglow at Wolf Lake by Sam Brueggeman.

Horse Nebula over Island Lake by Jim Schnortz.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(NorthShore ArtScene makes a concerted effort every week to bring you a  guide to the arts and entertainment events on the North Shore, and, of course, finds beautiful photographs for you to enjoy. Please support this effort by clicking on the button below. Thank you!)

Rock, roots and flow by John Heino.

Busy, busy, busy – with the weather finally warming up and Memorial Day behind us, that’s what it feels like on the North Shore these days.

Here in Grand Marais, we kick off the weekend with the Northern Landscapes Festival at North House Folk School, May 31-June 2.  The festival features more than a dozen field-focused courses that form the backbone of the event, with evening presentations to round it out.  Offerings include everything from lichens in the Northwoods to a boreal birding workshop, wildlife tracking with remote camera photography and birding by ear, to name a few. To find out more and register, call 387-9762 or visit www.northhouse.org.

And new this year, the Minnesota Raptor Center will be on campus to give classes during the festival, a presentation at 7 p.m. on Saturday and then a live raptor event for families on Sunday, June 2 at 10 a.m.

Learn all about raptors in Minnesota at North House this weekend. Evening presentation on at 7 p.m. Saturday night, and live raptor event at 10 a.m. Sunday morning

On Friday at 7 p.m. at North House, wildlife photographer Ryan Pannesi will share stories of close encounters and offer a glimpse into the secretive lives of our wild furred and winged counterparts.

Also on Friday night, Joy & Co. will host “Try” Days, which offers the public a chance to try making art from their wide array of art supplies. The event is free and is held from 4-7 p.m.

And the band, The Ginstrings, will be in the WTIP studios on Friday night during the airing of The Roadhouse, to talk about their music and play a few songs. They’re always a fun group. The show airs from 5-7 p.m.

This is the last Friday of the month, and the Downtown Duluth Arts Collective has gone all out to organize the monthly Duluth Arts Walk. The event includes gallery openings, open studios, live music and more in a walkable event from 5-8 p.m.

The Downtown Duluth Arts Walk will be this Friday from 5-8 p.m.

To get a taste of all the activities, click here.

Also, the Duluth Superior Film Festival will be held this weekend, with screenings at the newly restored Norshore Theatre, Zeitgeist and other venues. There are a wide variety of films offer this year. Check out the trailer below.

 For the complete schedule of this 5-day film festival, click here.

Saturday starts out with the Cook County Market, which is held in the Senior Center Parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Cook County Market is held in the Senior Center parking lot on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through MEA weekend.

The market features arts and crafts from a variety of local vendors, including clothing, glass, pottery, woodwork and more as well as roasted nuts, and, if we are lucky, rhubarb treats.

Also on Saturday, plein air painter Greg Lecker, who is exhibiting his work at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sunday, will be giving plein air painting demonstrations at the gallery from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Plein air painter Greg Lecker will give painting demos at the Johnson Heritage Post from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

On Saturday night, Michaela Brevig of The Raptor Center, will give a presentation on Raptors of the Midwest at North House Folk School at 7 p.m. She will share images, range maps, and audio recordings to introduce many types of these amazing birds seen throughout the region, with a special emphasis on the species that can be seen on the North Shore. All invited.

On Sunday, the raptor programs at North House Folk School continue with a special Family Program from 10 a.m. to noon. The program will include an eagle, hawk, falcon, and owl. Open to all.

If you’re in the Twin Cities this weekend, consider attending the St. Anthony Park Arts Festival in St, Paul on Saturday. This is the 50th anniversary of the arts festival, and brings together outstanding artists from throughout the region for the one-day festival.

Last year, Dan and Lee Ross of Hovland won Best of Show. They will be at the festival again this year.

A kiln-load of \ is ready for firing at Dan and Lee Ross’ studio in Hovland. The artists won Best of Show last year at the St. Anthony Park Arts Festival. They will be there again this year.

The Park is located at 2245 Como Ave. in St. Paul. The arts festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Painting by Pat Corrigan.

Corrigan paints in a way that she describes as “pulling the light out from the darkness.” In this talk she will introduce you to some of her favorite and influential artists who do the same. The Artist Talk is co-hosted with Cook County Higher Education.. Stay tuned for details next month.

On Wednesday, June 5, the West End Market will be held from 4-6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Mountain Inn on Ski Hill Road in Lutsen. All welcome.

Exhibits:

This the last weekend to see Greg Lecker’s Plein Air exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post. It closes on Sunday.

“Morning Mist” by Greg Lecker.

Lecker has a variety of work in this show, including small and larger works. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

In Two Harbors, the Two Harbors Art Center, 516 South Ave. in historic downtown, is open for the season. It is home to the Voyageur Artists and the Two Harbors Wood Carvers.

The Two Harbors Art Center, at  516 South Ave. in downtown Two Harbors. is open for the season.

The Arts Center is open Fridays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays: 12 noon to 3 pm. All welcome.

In Duluth, an exhibit exploring popular culture has opened at the Duluth Art Institute. Entitled “Popular Opinions: A Cultural Discussion” the exhibit features a variety of works addressing this theme.

Martin Nelson’s “Wonderland” is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.

 The exhibit has already been installed, and an opening reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4.

At the Tweed Museum of Art on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth, a group of three-dimensional works from the Tweed’s collection is on exhibit.

One of the three-dimensional works currently on exhibit at the Tweed Museum of Art.

 In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is opening an exhibit of work by local high school students entitled “Fresh Perspectives.

Some of the pieces in the “Fresh Perspectives” exhibit at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

And the Baggage Building Arts Centre in Thunder Bay is exhibiting new work by member artists.

This fiber art piece by Leona McEwan is at the Baggage Building Arts Centre.

Upcoming:

 The 1st Avenue Block Party of the season will be held on 1st Avenue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Stay tuned.

Author Lorna Landvik will read from her new novel, “Chronicles of a Radical Hag (With Recipes)” at Drury Lane Books at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8.

The dynamic band, The Barley Jacks will be performing at the Schroeder Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. The concert is sponsored by the North Shore Music Association.

And, heads-up, the Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Festival will be held at North House Folk School June 21-23. There are lots of fun things going on over the weekend. To find out more, see www.northhouse.org. Volunteers are always welcome. Call 387-9762 for more info.

Kudos:

 Timothy Cochrane won the Nonfiction Award at the Northeast Minnesota Book Awards recently for his book,  “Gichi Bitobig, Grand Marais: Early Accounts of the Anishinaabeg and the North Shore Fur Trade.”

Author Timothy Cochrane won the Northeast Minnesota Book Award in NonFiction for “Gichi Bitobig.”

The book was published by the University of Minnesota Press.

Nancy Seaton painted several paddles for the new Watercraft Exhibit Building at Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center.

Nancy Seaton painted a number of paddles for the watercraft exhibit at Chik-Wauk.

Photographer Travis Novitsky was recently featured in a story in the Star Tribune.

Travisi Novitsky was featured in a story in the Star Tribune recently.

 To read the story and see the photos, click here.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council announced winners of grants in several categories recently. Here’s a listing of artists who won in Cook County.

Career Development Grant:

• Bryan Hansel, Grand Marais, Cook, $3,000:
  Funding will support a solo photography exhibit at Cedar Coffee Company and Spokengear in Two Harbors, Minnesota. The exhibit will hang from September 1, 2019, to October 31, 2019.

Arts Learning Grant:

• Greg Mueller, Lutsen, Cook, $2,440
  Grant funding will support the North Shore Community Pour, an interactive, learning experience in cast metal sculpture for 2019 Grand Marais Arts Festival attendees. Participants will create sand molds and watch as they are filled with molten aluminum which, when cooled will create a piece that they can take home,

Artist Access Grant:

• Joe Paulik, Grand Marais, Cook, $1,000
  Funding will support the recording of twelve songs with producer Al Oikari.
• Roxann Berglund, Grand Portage, Cook, $1,000
  Funding will be used to create a three-song demo of original compositions that will be used to gain feedback from other musicians and to promote the artist.

For more information about the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, its programs and grants, click on the image below.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for the week:

Thursday, May 30:

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

Friday, May 31:

• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Grandma Ray’s, 7 p.m.
• Ginstrings, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 1:

• Common Ground, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 2:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 5:

• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Photographs:

We found lots of photographs this week. Let’s start with some great bird photos taken by John Heino.

Juvenile Bald Eagle. “You wanna piece of this?” by John Heino.

Eye-to-eye Sanderling by John Heino.

Yellow warbler, Salon Springs by John Heino.

As the Crow flies, by John Heino.

We found some other great bird photos, too.

Male Hooded Merganser by Gerry Sibell.

Wood duck by Paul Sundberg.

Here’s a fascinating one.

Weasel “riding” a woodpecker by Martin LeMay. LeMay said that the woodpecker won, landing and throwing off the weasel.

And here’s another predator/prey shot.

It’s what’s for breakfast by Jodi Gierok.

And then this awesome photograph.

Bald Eagle by Steve Biro of the Canadian Raptor Conservancy. Apparently Steve was sitting on the Eagle’s favorite perch. When the photographer stepped off, the Eagle immediately flew over landed on it.

Spring is a renewal of bird life on the North Shore. It’s also a renewal of plant life. Here are a few great photos of this.

“Spring starts from the ground” by Kjersti Vick.

These colors are rocking Duluth by Matthew Pastick.

Spring Beauties by Ilena Berg.

“Spring greens” by Matthew Pastick.

Waterfalls continue.

Grand Portage Falls by Michael Reid.

And then, the iconic North Shore photographs.

One if by land by Bill Donovan.

“They still exist!”by Eric Sherman.

Fishermen and a Canal Park sunrise bu Jan Swart.

Storm light by Ann Bowman.

Here are some under and over views of the Lift Bridge in Duluth.

Under the Lift Bridge by Dustin Lavigne.

Living in the clouds by Kevin Jacobsen.

Milky Way and Lake Superior.

Between Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock by Curt Brown.

And finally, this …

Floating in the Sky: In honor of Janet Johnson. The best example of genuine Minnesota kindness and avid lover of the Northern woods, lakes and the North Shore. Unknown photographer.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

(If you’d like to help support NorthShore ArtScene, you can donate below. And Thank You!)

Spring has sprung by Roxanne Distad.

Grand Marais will be jumping this weekend. The Memorial Day Weekend has always been the kick-off for the summer season in this small North Shore community, but this year, they’ve pulled out all the stops.

Art Along the Lake Spring Gallery Tour is this weekend in Cook County.

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour starts on Thursday and continues through Monday, and features everything from gallery openings. demonstrations, artist talks and hands-on activities in many media and at many venues.

Click here for the complete schedule.

First off, on Thursday, May 23, there will be stone drilling demonstrations at Yellow Bird Fine Art all day, starting at 10 a.m. The gallery will hold a variety of demonstrations over the weekend, too, including oil painting demonstrations starting at noon on Friday and Saturday. There will also be jewelry making demonstrations and more.

The gallery has a number of new artists exhibiting this year, including Scott Murphy, a Duluth artist who works primarily in realistic surrealism. It’s always fascinating work.

“Runaway Bride” by Scott Murphy.

Yellowbird Fine Art will hold the Season’s Opening Reception from 4-6 p.m. on Friday. All invited.

The Big Lake, just down the street from Yellow Bird Fine Art, will feature a number of demonstrations over the weekend, including a a sustainable clothing pop-up starting at 11 a.m. on Friday. Anna Hess will give a painting demonstration starting at 11 a.m on Saturday, and Sunday.

Anna Hess will give painting demonstrations at the Big Lake on Friday and Saturday.

Betsy Bowen will be demonstrating woodblock printmaking at her studio all weekend. The studio gallery features a number of local and regional artists, including new batik work by Nedra Nichols.

Great Blue Heron, batik, by Nedra Nichols.

Sivertson Gallery in downtown Grand Marais will also feature new work, including photographs by Christian Dalbec, a new artist in the gallery.

Sivertson Gallery is featuring Lake Superior photographs by Christian Dalbec.

And Greg Lecker, a plein air painter whose work is on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post, will be giving live plein air demonstrations throughout the weekend, as well as giving an artist talk at a reception at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“Forever Drifting,” by Greg Lecker. He did this painting in Grand Marais recently.

And Joy & Company is featuring a chance to explore art with a wide variety of art supplies at the shop over the weekend. All invited. Free.

In rural Grand Marais, on County Road 44, the Art of the Elements Gallery will be exhibiting work by a number of local and regional artists as well as holding a number of  demonstrations over the weekend, including a stained glass demonstration at 10 a.m. on Friday, a Shou Sugi Ban, the Japanese Art of Charred Cider, demo with Paul Bondhus at  1-3 p.m., and a forging iron demonstration with Steve Frykman on Saturday. Artists featured at the gallery include Hazel Belvo, Marsha Cushmore, Martye Allen, Natalie Sobanja, Brittany Foster, Barbara MeierHusby, Dorothea Diver, Paul Bondhus, Kirsten Ross, Laurie Toth, Sharon & Steve Frykman.

Resurrection: Roots by Hazel Belvo is at the Art of the Elements Gallery in rural Grand Marais.

Also this weekend, potter Lenore Lampi will have a Studio Clearance Sale this weekend at Mile Marker 92 on Highway 61 in Lutsen.

Mug by Lenore Lampi.

She will be there with a wide variety of pottery Friday through Sunday.

A new gallery and jewelry shop that has opened in Lutsen will have a Grand Opening on Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jeweler of the North Shore & JNS Gallery features a wide selection of handmade jewelry as well as work by local artists. There will be metal piercing demonstrations on Friday and Saturday.

Also, the Cross River Heritage Center will open for the season on Friday, May 23. The Heritage Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The special exhibit this year is “Electrifying Cook County” and features displays, photographs and story boards telling how electricity was brought to the North Shore. It starts with home generators and takes you through decades of innovation, driven by the imagination and ambition of local entrepreneurs. The center also features on-going displays as well as work by local artists.

The Cross River Heritage Center opens for the season on Friday, and includes work by local artists. Pictured are watercolors by David Hahn and photographs by Kathy Gray Anderson.

Up the Gunflint Trail, the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center opens for the season on Saturday.

The Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, located on the Gunflint Trail, opens for the season this weekend.

This year’s exhibit tells the story of Tommy Banks and Billy Needhamn. Banks, a bootlegger  Banks, a bootlegger and gangster from Minneapolis was active during the days of prohibition. Needham lived on Bearskin and Hungry Jack Lake and became known for his diamond willow lodge furniture and hand drawn maps.The two men became friends on the shores of Hungry Jack Lake. The exhibit features newspaper articles, photographs and artifacts from the Banks’ life and his cabin caretake, Needham.

There’s lots more happening in Grand Marais this weekend, too.

At 1 p.m. Friday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will hold “Paint-A-Tile,” a workshop that offers participants the chance to paint tiles using colorful glazes and have them fired in time for Sunday pick-up.

A Paint-A-Tile workshop will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 1 p.m. Friday.

The cost of the workshop is $25. To register, call 387-2737 or email info@grandmaraisartcolony.com

On Friday night Rich Mattson and the Northstars. who are performing this weekend, will talk about their music and play a few songs on WTIP The Roadhouse. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

And the Cook County Market opens for the season in the Senior Center Parking lot on Saturday.

The Cook County Market opens for the season on Saturday in the parking lot of the Senior Center.

The market features a number of new vendors as well as old favorites and will be held from 9 am. to 1 p.m. All invited.

On Saturday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host two Make-A-Bowl for the Empty Bowl Fundraiser sessions in the clay studio. They will be held at 11 a.m. and at 1 p.m. In each session, participants will learn to throw a bowl and handbuild a bowl, which will be donated to the EmptyBowls fundraiser next fall. To register and for more information, call 387-2737 or info@grandmaraisartcolony.org.

On Saturday night, a special concert celebrating the role of horns in the history of jazz, entitled “Sky Blue with Horns,” will be performed aat the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m.

Sky Blue with Horns will be performed at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The concert, sponsored by the North Shore Music Association, will feature trumpet soloist Tom Pfotenhauer (veteran jazz teacher, UMD Dept. of Music & Jazz Studies Program), backed by local players Eric Anderson on trombone, Erik Hahn on sax and flute, and the Sky Blue Jazz Ensemble led by Mike DeBevec.

The talents of these remarkable musicians will be showcased in self-composed horn arrangements and original compositions by Pfotenhauer and DeBevec, as well as favorite jazz standards and jazz/pop fusion tunes (Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chuck Mangione), with six vocalists rounding out the ensemble.

Tickets are $15 for adults, and $5 for youth ages 18 and under) will be sold at the event only, starting one-half hour before show time.

And on Sunday, the Art Colony will host Community Ink: Screenprinting in the Art Colony’s print studio. Participants can screen print their own T-shirt, tote or apron with their choice of ink and one of several Art Colony designs. The drop-in fee is $20. The event will be held from 1″30-3:30 p.m. All invited.

Also on Sunday, the Lake Superior Trading Post will host Cary J Griffith, author of “Gunflint Burning: Fire in the Boundary Waters” at a booksigning at the store at 2 p.m. Sunday. All invited.

Cary Griffith, author of ‘”Gunflint Burning” will be at the Lake Superior Trading Post for a booksigning on Sunday at 2 p.m.

And on Monday, Betsy Bowen will continue her woodblock printing demonstrations at her studio gallery from 2-4 p.m. All invited.

If you’re going to be in Duluth on Sunday, we have to recommend that you show up at the Amazing Grace Cafe in Canal Park to watch and listen to the 23rd annual Battle of the Jug Bands.

The Battle of the Jug Bands will be held at Amazing Grace in Duluth on Sunday.

The music will be from 1-6 p.m. and there’s no telling how many bands will show up. It’s always a great time.

In Duluth, “Intersections,” the Tweed Museum of Art’s exhibit featuring works by Native American artists in their collection, continues.

Robette Before Horses Stickland’s “Creation Story” is at the Tweed Museum of Art.

Upcoming:

The Findings Jewelry Symposium will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony June 11-15 and features workshops, artist talks, presentations and a group Trunk Show, which is open to the public.

The Findings Jewelry Symposium is June 11-15 at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

Findings is a biennial event hosted in partnership with the Minnesota Jewelry Arts Guild. Classes and sessions are open to anyone with an interest in the jewelry arts and are geared toward all levels.

Not interested in taking a class but love jewelry? Come to the Saturday evening group trunk show to check out the work and wear something home! The Trunk Show is from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. For more info, click here and/or call 218-387-2737.

And, last, but not least, the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council offers a wide variety of services to artists and arts organizations, including workshops and grants. For more info, click on the image below.

 Music:

Here’s the music for the week:

Thursday May 23;

• Live Music at Mogul’s, 4 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.

Friday, May 24:

• Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Rox ‘n’ Soul, Wunderear, 7 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Rich Mattson & The Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• The Fish Heads, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 25:

• Matt & Laurel, Voyageur Brewing Co., 11 a.m.
• Brothers in Arms,  Voyageur Brewing, 2 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Wunderbar at 7 p.m.
• Micheal Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m., rural Grand Marais, www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Sky Blue With Horns, 7 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church
• Tommy Wotruba, Skyport Lodge, 7 p.m.
• Rich Mattson & The Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 26:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 28:

• Jim & Michele Miller, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 29:

• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Here is a selection of photos we found this week. First, colors for a dreary day.

Rainbow Sherbet tulip by Roxanne Distad.

And now, wildlife and wild plants.

Fiddleheads by Les Conrad.

A perfect catch by Eric Saunders.

White-throated Sparrow by Jon Wood.

Pileated Woodpecker family by Paul Sundberg.

Wild waves:

Lake Superior Surfer by Matthew Pastick.

Big lake, big waves by Jeffrey Doty.

Wild sky:

Spirit Dance by John Heino.

And a waterfall …

Gooseberry, Upper Falls by Paul Sundberg.

And then, calm …

Saganaga morning by Jo Ann Krause.

And calmer …

Morning magic in canoe country by Thomas Spence.

And calmest:

Mystical Forest by Roxanne Distad.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Have you thought about supporting NorthShore ArtScene? It’s easy to do. Click on the icon below, and Thank You!)

The Northern Lights were flashing and glowing in the night sky earlier this week. Justin Vrba took this beauty.

We’re only a weekend away from Memorial Day and things are beginning to hop in Cook County.

First up are readings and book signings by Joan Crosby, who has just published a new book about her 13 months on Tucker Lake.

Joan Crosby will speak about her new book at the Wunderbar from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday and at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Crosby will be at the Wunderbar from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, May 16 and a Drury Lane Books on Saturday, May 18 at 7 p.m. Crosby’s book is a memoir of the 13 months she and her husband, Dick, spent in a remote cabin on the Gunflint Trail 50 years ago. At Drury Lane Books, she will discuss her writing process as well as sign copies of her book. All invited.

Also this weekend, leatherworker Beth Dow, who is the current instructor-in-residence at North House Folk School,  will be conducting live craft demonstrations around town this weekend. She will be at the Cook County Senior Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday and at the Grand Marais Public Library from 10:30-2 p.m on Saturday.The public is invited to come and learn more about the craft as well as watch her work.

On Friday, nationally recognized potter Ellen Shankin will give an Artist Talk at Cook County Higher Education at 7 p.m.

Pitcher by Ellen Shankin. Shankin will give a presentation at Cook County Higher Education at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Shankin, who has exhibited all over the United States as well as internationally, will talk about her work and what inspires her about clay. She has been a studio potter since 1977 and is a past recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Visual Arts Fellowship Grant. Her pottery explores line, balance, and tension. At the event, she will also have examples of her work on exhibit. The Artist Talk is hosted by the Grand Marais Art Colony. All invited. Free.

For the artist gardeners in the community, the greatly anticipated GES Annual Plant Sale and Pancake Breakfast will be held this Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Great Expectations School. The school is located on the corner of East 5th Street and the New Gunflint Trail. Everything from annuals, vegetables, herbs and perennials will be available. All welcome.

And next Wednesday, May 22, will be the launch of the West End Market at Mountain Inn on the Lutsen Mountains Road. The market will feature artwork, crafts, snacks and locally grown produce and will be held in the parking lot at the Mountain Inn every Wednesday from 4-6:30 p.m. through September.

Exhibits:

There’s a lot of art to see on the North Shore, this weekend and next. Here’s a selection:

First up is Greg Lecker’s Plein Air Exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

“Departure,” a plein air painting by Greg Lecker is currently on view at the Johnson Heritage Post.

Besides a wide variety of paintings focused on Lake Superior and the North Shore, Lecker also has fine art reproduction cards of his work.

Fine art reproduction cards by Greg Lecker are available at the Johnson Heritage Post.

There’s another exhibit at the Heritage Post as well. Kathy Weinberg is the Artist of the Month and she is showing a collection of flower paintings.

Rose O’Sharon by Kathy Weinberg, is one of a selection of her works currently on view at the Johnson Heritage Post.

At Yellow Bird Fine Art, Linda Ricklefs Baudry has brought in new work.

Surrender, Be Still n\by Linda Ricklefs Baudry is on exhibit at Yellow Bird Fine Art.

The gallery will feature a variety of new work over the Memorial Day weekend. Stay tuned.

Liz Sivertson has brought in new work to Sivertson Gallery, too, including this painting, entitled “She Wolf.”

She Wolf, by Liz Sivertson.

And the Betsy Bowen Gallery is featuring the work of Charlotte Durie.

Charlotte Durie’s “Japanese Lake” is at Betsy Bowen’s Gallery. Durie is being featured at the gallery this month.

In Duluth, the Duluth Art Institute has just opened a new exhibit entitled “Strata,” a study of textures and designs by regional artists.

Natalie Salminen Rude’s “Human Flourishing, Are We Paying Attention, Extermination” is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.

The Tweed Museum of Art is continuing a number of exhibits, including “Intersections,” pieces from the museum’s collection of Native American artists.

Carl Gawboy’s Untitled (Lake Superior Storm) is one of the paintings in the Tweed’s exhibit, “Intersections.”

In Thunder Bay, The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is playing host to “Fragile,” an exhibition on loan from Bravo Art in Ottawa.

“Fragile” is currently on exhibit at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

 The exhibit features the work of six contemporary Francophone artists who explore the concept and experience of their Francophone heritage in relation to family identity.

And, at the Baggage Building Arts Centre at Prince Arthur’s Landing in Thunder Bay, a new spring exhibition has opened.

“Ballerina” by Paul Bentz.

 Upcoming:

Next weekend, look for the Spring Gallery Tour, a jazz concert, all kinds of art demonstrations in various venues around the county, from pottery to plein air painting, hands-on opportunities, new work in all the galleries, a grand opening and more.

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour is May 23-27.

Here’s the link to all the events. And stay tuned for more details next week.

There are several things going on at the Grand Marais Art Colony, too, including a Paint-A-Tile workshop on Friday, May 24 and Make-A-Bowl for Empty Bowl sessions on Saturday, May 25.

A Paint-A-Tile workshop will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony on May 24from 1-2:30. The tiles will be fired and ready to be picked up on Sunday, May 26.

To register for either of these opportunities, call 387-2737.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council offers a variety of different grants and learning opportunities for artists. To learn more, click on the icon below.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, May 16:

• Live music at Mogul‘s, 4 p.m.
• Jon Kallberg, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Roxanne Berglund, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Gun Flint Tavren, 6 p.m.

Friday, May 17:

• Jim McGowan, Voyageur Brewing Co, 8 p.m.
• HeatBox, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18:

• Charlie Roth, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• SmokeHouse, Grand Portage Lodge, 7 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 19:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 21:

• Eric Frost, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 22:

• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

 Photographs:

Here are some of the photos we found this week:

An indigo bunting stopped by Thomas Spence‘s yard a few days ago.

Another unusual sighting: A Cross Fox. This fellow was out for a stroll on the Gunflint Trail recently. Photo by Thomas McAleer.

Several photographers posted “Mama” shots over the Mother’s Day weekend. Here are a few.

Hummingbird and young by Paul Sundberg.

Great Blue Heron and its mate and nestlings by Paul Sundberg.

Loon and chick by Paul Sundberg.

And here are a few others we found:

‘Tis the Season by Alison Gimpel.

“Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms” by John Heino.

We found other wildlife photos, too.

The Gathering by Ron Williams.

Photo session with a moose by Butch Gates.

“Blackbird Fly” by John Heino.

We found some lovely landscapes, too.

Two Island, Cedar Ice Out by Bryan Hansel.

Late Night Reflections by Charles Howard Smith.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Thank you  for supporting NorthShore ArtScene this year! It’s been great. And if you’d like to contribute to this blog, click on the icon below for more info.)

Willows make a nice snack by Katie Mumm.

The weather isn’t exactly calling out Spring this week, but that doesn’t mean the season on the North Shore is slow to start. On the contrary — there are lots of intriguing things happening this weekend.

We kick off the week with the opening of “Luminous,” a dance extravaganza by the YMCA Dance Group.

This annual event is always exciting, featuring inspiring dances and costumes as well as creative lighting and music, not to mention enthusiastic performances by all.

The YMCA Dance Recital, “Luminous” runs for three nights this week at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.  Performances are from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, and 7-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

More than 100 local dancers ranging in age from 3 to 70 will perform dance routines in ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop this weekend at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. Dancers have been learning choreography under the instruction of Breanna Roy, Christine Curtis, and Lesli Higgins over the past several months and will be putting on a show for the community.

Dance instructors Lesli Higgins, Breanna Roy and Christine Curtis have been working with dancers all winter to  prepare for  the recital.

The show features ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop pieces. It also includes solos from the instructors as well as outgoing seniors, Andrea Larsen, Claire LaVigne, and Robin Henrikson. The theme for this year is “Luminous” and the songs and costumes have a “light” theme. This popular community event has sold out the past several years, so get your tickets early. Tickets are  $12 adults, $6.50 youth and can be purchased at www.tix.com or at the door.

On Friday, the Johnson Heritage Post opens a new exhibit featuring the plein air paintings of Greg Lecker. Lecker’s work centers on the theme of water, the Northwoods and Lake Superior.

Point of Land by Greg Lecker is one of the paintings that will be in the exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post that opens on Friday.

The opening reception for Lecker’s exhibit will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 10. All invited. Refreshments will be served. The exhibit continues through June 2. Note: Lecker will give painting demonstrations over Memorial Day Weekend at the Heritage Post. Stay tuned.

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

Also on Friday, the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council will host the 21st annual Arrowhead Arts Awards at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids starting at 5:30 p.m.

The annual Arrowhead Arts Awards will be held at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids on Friday, May 10.

Glass sculptor Michael Tonder will receive the 2019 George Morrison Artist Award and Katie Marshall, director of the MacRostie Art Center, will receive the Maddie Simons Arts Advocate Award at the event. All invited. Refreshments will be served.

To find out more about the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, click on the image below:

This weekend, jazz guitarist Sam Miltich will give a number of presentations and a concert in Grand Marais, thanks to the partnership of the North Shore Music Association and North Shore Health. The series is entitled “The Improvised Life: Exploring Intersections of Mental Health & Creativity through Jazz” and will feature presentations and a concert.

Jazz guitarist Sam Miltich will be in Grand Marais this weekend, giving presentations on mental health and music, as well as playing a concert a Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Saturday night.

Miltich will begin his series with a Music Process Workshop at the Grand Marais Public Library at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. He will discuss and demonstrate guitar techniques, talk about his daily practice and how music has played a large role in his mental health recovery. The session is open to the public and free of charge.

On Saturday night, Miltich and his quartet will perform an evening concert at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 general admission. All invited.

And on Sunday, Miltich will give a talk at the North Shore Health Multipurpose Room at 2 p.m. He will highlight his experience with schizophrenia, as well as the experiences of other accomplished musicians who achieved great personal and professional success while living with mental illness (such as famed jazz pianist Thelonious Monk). Open to the public and free of charge.

Here’s a video of Miltich talking about his music:

Sunday is Mother’s Day, and many restaurants are offering special menus for the day. If you’d like to bike to your much, the Fireweed Bike Co-op is holding a Ride for Brunch at Naniboujou along the beautiful shores of Lake Superior. All invited. To register, call 387-2186 by May 10.

Also on Sunday, Beth Dow, a leatherworker who is the instructor in residence at North House Folk School this month, will be holding a number of open houses, classes and demonstrations during her residency.

Leatherworker Beth Dow is the instructor in residence at North Houses Folk School this month.

She starts her residency by hosting her first open studio from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at North House. For more information on other opportunities, click here.

And if you’re going to be in Duluth, don’t miss the 8th annual “Run Smelt Run Puppet Parade and Smelt Party” that starts near the Lift Bridge at 3:30 p.m.

The 8th annual Run Smelt Run Puppet Parade and Smelt Party is in Duluth on Sunday. Pictured is the puppet, the Smelt Queen, who leads the parade.

This is a totally crazy time with people dressed in silver, mini puppet shows and music and lots of laughter. The Brass Messengers from Minneapolis lead the parade from the Lift Bridge on the Lake Walk to the Zeitgeist Cafe, where there’s a smelt fry and party. The parade starts at 3:30 p.m. Here’s a video of last year’s event:

Run Smelt Run from Patrick Knight on Vimeo.

And, for those beer lovers out there, Voyageur Brewing will hold a workshop, Craft Beer 101, on Monday from 6-8 p.m. Learn the basics of beer, including how it’s made, the different styles, ingredients and more. Cost of class is $10 and is limited to 25 people. Participants will sample beer, receive a free pint glass and more. Advance registration required. To register, call 218-387-3163 or email casey@voyageurbrewing.com

And on Wednesday, Betsy Bowen’s Gallery opens for the season featuring paintings by Charlotte Durie from Wales.

Drifter’sEscape by Charlotte Durie. The artist will have her work on exhibit at Betsy Bowen’s Studio when it opens for the season on Wednesday.

The work includes mixed-media landscapes inspired by Charlotte’s annual visits to her family cabin near Lutsen. All invited. The gallery is open daily from 11-5 p.m. throughout the season.

Exhibits:

The Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park is featuring work by Cheryle Gannaway.

“Planning a Forest,” by Cheryle Gannaway, is one of the pieces on exhibit at Tettegouche State Park.

The exhibit continues through the end of May.

And last, but not least, this is the weekend for the 27th annual St. Croix Pottery Tour, May 10-12.

The 27th annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour is this weekend.

The Tour is nationally recognized as a gathering of exceptional potters offering an exciting array of handmade ceramics. The work ranges from everyday functional to decorative. This year is shaping up to be truly spectacular and will feature 63 potters from 17 States and England exhibiting in seven different studios. Choose a few studios you want to visit or go to all seven for the full experience. Refreshments are served at each studio, and, note, potters are often excellent cooks.  For more info, maps, etc., click here.

Upcoming: 

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour is from May 23-27 this year, featuring a lots of things to do and see over the entire weekend.

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour is May 23-27 this year.

Participating galleries are featuring new work by their artists and there will be lots of demonstrations as well as opportunities to participate in hands-on activities, too. Check out the events listing here.

Opportunities:

Give your art a bike ride this year and participate in 2019 Project Bike with Dana Sikkila.

Dana Sikkila has put out a call to artists to participate in her bike tour.

For the past four years creative leader Dana Sikkila has set out on a one of a kind art/bike tour, advocating for the important point that every artist has skills and creative ideas to help grow and sustain our communities, So far, she has biked 2,500 summer miles connecting with Minnesota artists living in communities ranging from the rural to large cities, learning what motivates her fellow Minnesotans to create art. She transports the art in a cart behind her bike and then holds an exhibit in Mankato. A film crew also participates in the tour, and the video will be part of the exhibit. She is starting this year’s tour in Grand Marais, and is interested in finding artists who would like to participate. To find out more and apply, click here.

Artist News:

Kathy Fox Weinberg from Lutsen is the North Shore Artists League featured Artist of the Month for May at the Johnson Heritage Post.

Painting by Kathy Weinberg.

To launch Spring, she has curated a floral exhibit of her oil paintings, “If Flowers Could Talk.”  Her work will be featured at the Johnson Heritage Post through the month of May.

Music:

Here’s the music for the week:

Thursday, May 9:

• Mogul’s Grille, Live Music, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Luminous: YMCA Dance Performance, 6 p.m. ACA
• Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 10:

• Matthew Griswald, Voyageur Brewing Col, 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Luminous: YMCA Dance Performance, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• One Way Traffic, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 11:

• Luminous: YMCA Dance Performance, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Tim Fast, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• One Way Traffic, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Chris Koza Band, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.

Sunday May 12:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Ian Alexy, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 14:

• JohnRuss, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.

Photographs:

Here are a few of the photos we found this week. Let’s start with wildlife:

Ruffed Grouse by Paul Sundberg.

Ready for Spring by John Heino.

One day, Dad, I will be as big and wise as you by Chris Artist.

Sandhill Flyby by John Heino.

A coyote teases a young grizzly in Yellowstone by Keith Crowley.

The Great Blue escape by John Heino

Blue Fog at Split Rock by Matthew Pastick.

Being in the right place at the right time by Bill Donovan.

Heavy fog blankets the Temperance River Valley by Thomas Spence.

Nina Moose Lake by Layne Kennedy.

Love the changing seasons by Barbara Lokken.

Misty fog at sunrise on the Gunflint Trail by John Heino.

Water Weaving, Miller Creek, Duluth by Gregory A. Israelson.

And last, this one by Layne Kennedy:

The luck of a duck by Layne Kennedy.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

If you’d like to help support NorthShore ArtScene, click on the icon below for more info.

Our April Snowstorm by David Johnson.

True, true. We got lots of snow April 29. Up to 15 inches at Sawbill Outfitters and other spots over the hill.  It’s mostly melted near Lake Superior, but there’s still a fair amount in other places. Discouraging, but not overwhelming. There are lots of vibrant greens where the snow has melted, and it’s supposed to get warmer this weekend, so spring has to be on the way.

Meanwhile, there are some interesting things going on along the North Shore this weekend, starting with new exhibits opening at Tettegouche State Park and the Cedar Coffee House in Two Harbors. Both exhibits run through May. The openings for each are at 7 p.m. Friday.

First up is an exhibit in the Great Hall at Tettegouche featuring intriguing paintings by Cheryle Gannaway.

“Blown by the Wind” by Cheryle Gannaway is one of the paintings on exhibit in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park.

Gannaway is a Minnesota artist who has exhibited all over the world. Here’s an interview about her life and work. Tettegouche will hold an opening reception for the artist at 7 p.m. Friday, May 3.  All invited. The exhibit continues through May.

And, at the Cedar Coffee House in Two Harbors, Silver Bay artist Lauri E. Olson-Hohman will open a show featuring a new body of work entitled “Rags to Riches.”

Lauri E. Olson-Hohman opens a new show at the Cedar Coffee House on Friday.

The show is full of action and emotion, and features rag dolls, bikes, coffee cups and more. The exhibit at the Coffee House  continues through May.

On Saturday, a Cork & Canvas Painting Party will be held at Gunflint Lodge from  9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On the Rocks Art Studio and Gallery will lead participants on a painting event, supplying all the materials and instruction needed to create their own unique work.

Last year’s “graduates” of the Painting Party at Gunflint Lodge.

Snacks and wine will be provided. For more information and to register, call 218-388-2294 or email info@gunflint.com.

The Grand Marais Art Colony will offer the public a chance to learn Suminagashi, the ancient Japanese technique to create marbling designs on paper with water and ink.

Learn the ancient Japanese art of Suminigashi at the Grand Marais Art Colony on Saturday.

The workshop, which will be held from 1-3 p.m. in the Print Studio, will be taught by Penny Ortmann and Nancy Haarmeyer. Cost is $20. To register, contact the Art Colony 387-2737 or email info@grandmaraisartcolony.org.

Also on Saturday, the North Shore Winery will hold a Pop-up event with Lori Franklin’s Sparkly Heart Studio. The pop-up will be from 1-5 p.m. For more info on Sparkly Heart, click here. The public is invited to drop by Saturday afternoon and enjoy her work.

And, at 4 p.m. Saturday, a presentation on Fur Trade Artifacts will be held at the Johnson Heritage Post. The artifacts come from the Taraldson Collection.

Lee Johnson, a Superior National Forest archaeologist, will give a presentation on Fur Trade Artifacts at 4 p.m. at the Johnson Heritage Post.

Lee Johnson, an archaeologist with the National Forest Service, will give a presentation about the large collection of historic and pre-historic artifacts found along the Voyageurs Highway. All invited. Free.

And on Tuesday, join Duluth poet Bart Sutter and his brother, musician Ross Sutter, for a presentation entitled “Sons and Daughters of the Northern Lights” at the Grand Marais Public Library.

Ross Sutter and Bart Sutter will present “Sons & Daughters of the Northern Lights’ at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the Grand Marais Public Library.

The program features music and stories, poetry and song that explores the experience of Scandinavian immigrants, their ancestors, and their descendants.  For more than 30 years, The Sutter Brothers have performed shows that integrate Bart’s original writing with Ross’ versions of traditional Scandinavian and American songs and tunes.

Ross Sutter plays guitar, button accordion, mountain dulcimer, and Irish drum but is best known for his rich baritone voice. and has performed for A Prairie Home Companion and the Winnipeg Folk Festival, among hundreds of other venues.

Bart Sutter, who has written nine books, is the only author to win the Minnesota Book Award in three different categories—poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. He has also written for public radio and has had four plays produced. He won the George Morrison Artist Award for his contribution to the arts in northeastern Minnesota, and was named the first Poet Laureate of Duluth in 2008.

And in Duluth, Ken Bloom, the artistic director of the Tweed Museum of Art, will give a presentation on The Concept of Time/Space in Photography, in conjunction with an on-going exhibit there.

Ken Bloom will give a presentation on time and space in photography at the Tweed Museum of Art on Tuesday.

The presentation will be from 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday.

 Exhibits:

 This is the last weekend to see the North Shore Artists League exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

“Floating in the Forest,” by Tim Young.

Rep weave table runner by Julie Arthur.

The exhibit features work by artists in all media, who have recently formed the Artists League. It’s a great show and highly recommended. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Member Show opened in the Founders Hall last week to accolades. This is a highly eclectic exhibit featuring a wide variety of work by member artists.

Owl plate by Karin Holman and covered jars by Natalie Sobanja.

Paintings by Roger Neilson. At top, “Peek a Boo,” below, “Looking for Camp.”

The Art Colony is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

And, for another art treat, check out the exhibit of Betsy Bowen’s work in the lobby area at the Cook County Courthouse. A number of framed prints from her popular book, “Tracks,” are on display, as is a panorama painting entitled “Homage to a Small Town.” See detail, below.

“Homage to a Small Town” (detail,) by Betsy Bowen. The work is at the Cook County Courthouse.

 Upcoming:

The YMCA Dancers will present its annual recital at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts May 9-11. The title of this year’s recital is “Luminous,” and will feature inspiring choreography, beautiful costumes and entertaining music in what has always been a great show. All ages perform and all ages are encouraged to attend. The dances will include jazz, hip hop, ballet and tap. Tickets are available at www.tix.com. Tickets are $12 adults, $5 students.

The 21st Arrowhead Artist Awards will be held at the MacRostie Arts Center in Grand Rapids at 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 10. Sponsored by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, the event will honor glass sculptor Mike Tonder, who will receive the George Morrison Artist Award, and Katie Marshall, director of the MacRostie Art Center, with the Maddie Simons Advocate Award.

One of Mike Tonder’s glass sculptures. He will receive the George Morrison Award next week in Grand Rapids.

All are invited to the award ceremony. A reception will follow.

To learn more about the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council and what it does to promote and support the arts in the Arrowhead Region, click on the image below.

Also next weekend, jazz musician Sam Miltich will give presentations entitled “The Improvised Life: Exploring Intersections of Mental Health & Creativity through Jazz.” On Saturday, May 11, he lead a music/process workshop at the Grand Marais Public Library at 2;30 p.m. He will discuss and demonstrate guitar techniques, and talk about his daily practice and how music has played a large role in his mental health recovery. That night, he will be in concert at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Tickets for the concert are $15. The presentation at the library is free.

Miltich will also give a talk at the North Shore Health’s Multipurpose room on Sunday, May 12 at 2 p.m. The public is invited.

Opportunities:

Potter needed as Empty Bowl Assistant: The Art Colony will be accepting applications for an Empty Bowls Assistant to support a series of Make-a-Bowl sessions this season. This position is geared toward potters who want to build upon their teaching experience and who have an interest in community initiatives. Learn more and apply here.

Radio Interview: Local illustrator Betsy Bowen partnered with author Phyllis Root on a new children’s book that tells the story of a lucky error that preserved 144 acres of old-growth red and white pine in Minnesota.

Betsy spoke with Roadhouse host Dave Tersteg about “The Lost Forest”and how she came to be the illustrator for it. To listen, click here.

Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, May 2:

• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Live Music at Moguls Grille, 6 p.m.
• Jim Miller, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 3:

• Joe Paulik, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Common Ground, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Southpaws, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 4:

• Eric Frost, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Wunderdogs, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 5:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Tuesday May 7:

• Gordon Thorne, Bluefin Grille, 6 p.m.

Photographs:

And yes, we have lots of snow photos, but let’s start with wildlife:

Newbies. Fox kits by Amy Louhela. She jokes that the fox clown is on the left, the joker is on the right.

Loonies are back! by David Johnson.

White pelicans, hanging out just outside of Duluth by Alison Gimpel.

We found the moose by Dustin Lavigne.

Bear tracks in spring. Photo by Michael Furtman.

A hoodie! By Matt Herberg.

Not wildlife, but a wild photo by Layne Kennedy. He calls it Dogpatch, Arkansas.

And we found some other interesting shots:

The Light by John Heino.

There She Is by Christian Dalbec.

Surf’s Up! By Paul Scinocca.

Lots of snow equals lots of fodder for our waterfalls.

The waterfalls are raging at Gooseberry by Bryan Hansel.

Cascade River State Park by Paul Sundberg.

Close-up: Middle Falls at Gooseberry State Park by Derek Montgomery.

And we found some great sunrises this week:

Sunrise at Hollow Rock by Riley Leblanc.

Sunrise in Two Harbors by Jan Swart.

And now, for the snow shots:

Just when you though winter was over, this happened, by Bryan Hansel.

Up to 15 inches, Sawbill Canoe Outfitters.

Living inside a snow globe by Judi Barsness.

Lutsen Mountains, 5 p.m., April 29.

“Good morning from here.” Hungry Jack Outfitters, April 29. Photo by Nancy Seaton.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Help support this blog and keep it alive and healthy by donating today. Click on the icon below for more info.

The falls on the Cascade in spring by Bryan Hansel.

Greetings to all on a lovely spring week in April. This weekend there are art openings everywhere, including in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. In Cook County, look for a booksigning, interesting interviews and talks, and, of course, art.

First up this Thursday, is an interview on WTIP Community Radio with Lin Salisbury, who will talk with Minnesota author Karen Babine on Salisbury’s monthly program, Superior Reads.

Minnesota author Karen Babine will talk about her latest books and writing on WTIP Community Radio at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Babine’s first book, “Water and What We Know: Following the Roots of a Northern Life” (University of Minnesota Press, 2015) won the 2016 Minnesota Book Award for creative nonfiction and was a Finalist for the Midwest Book Award and Finalist for the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award. She has also written “All the Wild Hungers.” Tune in to 90.7 FM on Thursday night for an in-depth interview of this award-winning author.

Then, at 8 p.m, Thursday, Cook County guitar-maker, Drew Heinonen, will be featured on WDSE’s Making It Up North, the program that explores artists and entrepreneurs who work in the Arrowhead region. A special “Watch Party” will be held at Voyageur Brewing Co. on Thursday night when the program airs. All invited.

Drew Heinonen will be one of featured artists on WDSE’s Making It Up North on Thursday night.

To get a preview of the program, click here.

On Friday, there will be three art openings featuring artists from Cook County, 250 miles apart.

First up, is the opening reception for the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Member Show, featuring works by member artists. The reception is from 5-7 p.m. on Friday. The exhibit continues through May 5.

The Founders Hall at the Art Colony is filled with an exciting variety of artwork, from sculptures to ceramics, fiber art to paintings. Here are a few examples:

Bird Plate and Loon Vase by Maggie Anderson, porcelain, Art Colony Member Show.

Aerial View, Floating Sphere by Maxine Linehan, acrylic, Art Colony Member Show.

Deep in the Shadows Now by Cameron Norman, fish print, Art Colony Member Show.

Refreshments will be served.

At the reception, participants are invited to join a special appreciation activity with Josie Lewis, a Grand Marais native and artist. Josie will lead participants through a process of ‘painting’ their own cards by dipping them into floating ink. The activity is free to members, $10 to non-members.

The Art Colony’s Annual Meeting will precede the opening of the exhibit, with a look back at last year’s activities and what can be expected in the future. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. Sheila Smith, executive director of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, will talk about the Legacy Amendment and how it has impacted the arts in Minnesota and Cook County in the last 10 years.

And, 250 miles away, in St. Paul,  the Minnesota State Arts Board will also be celebrating the Legacy Amendment, which is in its 10th year of supporting the arts and artists throughout Minnesota with grants, programs and art projects, thanks to support from the voters of Minnesota.

To mark this anniversary, the Minnesota State Arts Board organized an exhibit, “A Creative Investment: A Visual Arts Showcase,” featuring artwork from organizations and artists around the state. Three Cook County artists who work at the Grand Marais Art Colony have works in the Minneapolis show: Natalie Sobanja, Nancy Seaton and Mary Bebie.

Little Spirit Tree #3 by Natalie Sobanja.

Irridescent Fused Glass by Mary Bebie

Loon by Nancy Seaton.

The opening of the exhibit is being held in conjunction with the St. Paul Art Crawl this weekend, but will continue through the end of the summer. The Minnesota State Arts Board is located at 400 Sibley St., Suite 200 in St. Paul.

And, just to stay in the Twin Cities for a minute, Hovland ceramic sculptors and printmakers, Dan and Lee Ross, will open an exhibit of new work at the Groveland Art Gallery, 25 Groveland Terrace in Minneapolis from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday. The exhibit is entitled “The Hill That Walked Away.” 

The Hill That Walked Away by Dan & Lee Ross.

In a press release, the gallery said the concept for the show began with Dan and Lee discussing animals as landscapes.

“What makes an animal different from a landscape?” they were asked. “Animals move,” they said. Hence the title for their current show and the poem:

            The Hill That Walked Away

The hill that walked away
The mountain that stayed still
The storm that passed
The relationship that endured.

The opening reception for the show of the Ross’ new work at the Groveland runs concurrently with “Chain of Lakes” by Justin Terlecki. Both shows continue through June 1.

Back in Cook County, Saturday will be a busy day with lots of different events.

The North Shore Winery will hold a Paint & Sip at the winery from noon to 3 p.m. The event includes instruction and all the materials to make a painting, as well as a glass of wine or cider to sip during its creation. The cost is $45. For more information and to register, Cost: $45. For more information and to register, call (218) 481-9280 or email info@northshorewinery.us.

Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day and Drury Lane Books is offering a surprise book with every purchase. Then, at 5 p.m., Grand Marais printmaker and illustrator Betsy Bowen and author Phyllis Root will be at the bookstore to talk about their last book, “The Lost Forest” and sign copies.

Betsy Bowen and Phyllis Root will be at Drury Lane Books to talk about their latest book at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Also on Saturday, Voyageur Brewing will celebrate National Tell a Story Day from 4-6 p.m. The public is invited to come in and share a story and/or tell a story to an appreciative audience. Local authors Mary Ellen Ashcroft, Amy Schmidt and Amanda Hand will be featured. All invited.

Also at Voyageur’s, Sheila Smith, executive director of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and Barbara LaMotte, associate director of Philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy, will speak about how the Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment of 2008 has impacted arts and culture and the outdoors in Minnesota generally and on the North Shore specifically. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and everyone is invited.

On Monday, Fond du Lac artist Karen Savage will be one of the featured speakers at the Tweed Museum of Art during its “Intersections” Native Artists Panel. Savage is one of the artists whose work is included in the “Intersections” exhibit at the Tweed.

Blue Otter in Red Water (detail) by Karen Savage, one of the works in the “Intersections” exhibit at the Tweed.

 Exhibits:

The North Shore Artists League continues its exhibit of work by member artists at the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery. The exhibit includes a variety of mediums including paintings, photographs, ceramics, woodworking and fiber art as well as glass.

3 Pears by Bonnie Gay Hedstrom, stained glass, Johnson Heritage Post.

The exhibit continues through May 5. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

The Prøve Gallery in Duluth has a new exhibit entitled “Honestly Tho.” It continues through May 12. The gallery is located at 21 N. Lake Ave.

The Prøve Collective Art Gallery is currently exhibiting “Honestly Tho.”

Upcoming:

The Cedar Coffee Company in Two Harbors will hold an opening reception for an exhibit of new paintings by Lauri E Olson-Hohman from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 3. The series is called “From Rags to Riches.”

The Cupcake Runner by Lauri E Olson-Hohman. Olson-Hohman opens an exhibit at the Cedar Coffee Company May 3.

FYI

The North Shore Arts League will hold its May meeting at the Johnson Heritage Post on Tuesday, May 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All artists are invited.

And here’s welcome news for the fall:

WTIP Community Radio has announced the lineup for the 12th annual Radio Waves Music Festival. The festival will be held at Sweetheart Bluff in the Rec Park Sept. 6-8.  Twenty-five acts will take the stage at this year’s festival, including six new to the festival, including the Joshua J Schmidt Band and acoustic-Ska duo Woodblind. The weekend will also feature performances by local, regional and national favorites, including: The Carpenter Ants from Charleston, West Virginia (gospel-soul), Pushing Chain (roots-Americana), Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers (hillbilly country), Cherry Dirt (Americana with a twist), Lake Effect (folk), and the students and teachers of the Grand Marais Music Collaborative (variety). To see the complete schedule, click here.

Mike Tonder and Katie Marshall win the 2019 Arrowhead Arts Awards.

A creator of glass sculptures that invoke the beauty of nature, and the director of the MacRostie Art Center are the winners of the 2019 Arrowhead Arts Awards from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council. Sculptor Michael Tonder will receive the 2019 George Morrison Artist Award, and MacRostie Art Center executive director, Katie Marshall, will receive the 2019 Maddie Simons Arts Advocate Award.

They will be celebrated and receive their awards at a ceremony on Friday, May 10, at 5:30 p.m. at the MacRostie Art Center at 405 1st Ave NW, in Grand Rapids. The public is invited.

The awards are presented by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, whose mission is to facilitate and encourage local arts development.

The George Morrison Artist Award is named after internationally acclaimed visual artist George Morrison (1919-2000), who was an important member of the second generation of American abstract expressionist artists. The award is given to the artist who has made significant contributions to art in Minnesota.

The Maddie Simons Arts Advocate Award is named for Madeline Simons, the first volunteer chair of the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council Board. A long-time resident of Grand Marais, she owned a dance studio, helped start the Grand Marais Playhouse, the Lutsen Art Fair (now the Grand Marais Arts Festival) and Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. The award is given to the individual who has made significant contributions to support art and artists in his/her community.

For more information about ARAC’s programs and grants for artists and arts organizations, click on the image below.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, April 25:

• Live Music at Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Jon Kallberg, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, April 26:

• Nate Weiler, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 27:

• Briand Morrison, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Songs of Life & Nature: A Bluegrass Concert with Dick Kimmel, Gun Flint Loge, 7:30 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Colleen Myre and Tony Peterson, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 28:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Colleen Myre and Ton Peterson, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, May 1:

• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Here’s a selection of photos we found this week. First, wildlife:

A turkey vulture and the full moon by Dustin Lavigne.

Wood Duck by Caron Gray.

Bald eagle passing by Sierra Parsons.

Great Gray in the mist by Matt Herberg.

And here’s a luscious fantasy… a photoshopped image of the earth nestled in clouds. purportedly photographed by the Hubble telescope. Not true. Beautiful, though.

 

Here’s something real… colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Fire in the sky by Mike Wiggins.

Patiently waiting for summer by Jeffrey Doty.

And a moon rise.

“Won’t you dance and sing with me until the sun comes in?” She said, “Yes.” by Christian Dalbec.

A beautiful full moon and a little bit of sunset by Roxanne Distad.

And water:

Some beauties from Duluth:

Calm water and a beautiful night behind the Aquarium by Tim Mlodozyniec.

Half spring in Duluth–receding ice on Lake Superior by Ken Harmon.

And finally, this one.

“Watching the phone rise” by Bryan Hansel.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Help support this blog and keep it alive and healthy by donating today. Click on the icon below for more info.

Gates of the Arrival: Sunrise through ice from the 3-day storm by Christian Dalbec.

Everything is pretty settled down on the North Shore until Earth Day on Saturday, when there is a Community beach clean-up, an Open Studio Artist Talk at the Grand Marais Art Colony, and the Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop in Duluth.

There’s also an exciting new exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post  and a great selection of live music, including the Freestyle Masters Weekend at Cascade Lodge. Here are the details.

The Freestyle Masters Weekend starts on Friday night at Cascade Lodge with Gordon Thorne, Randy Sabien and Phil Heywood. playing and talking about their music.

The Freestyle Masters Weekend is this weekend at Cascade Lodge and Restaurant.

On Saturday, there will be music workshops all day, culminating in a concert with Phil Heywood at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. For more information and to register for the workshops, contact Gordon Thorne at Oman-4@live.com or call 218-353-7308.

The Earth Day Community Clean Up is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and everyone is invited to come down and clean the harbor beaches for any amount of time. Meet in Harbor Park to sign up and get gloves and bags. Prizes will be awarded for the most discarded cigarettes collected, the most amount of trash collected and the team that traveled the farthest.

The Earth Day Clean Up in Grand Marais starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

The are activities for kids, too. (Here’s the art part) Cook County Soil and Water will hold a coloring contest, and there will be. fish print art activity, too. Then, from 1-3 p.m., Voyageur Brewing Co. will have a free cup of soup and a beverage available for all beach cleaners. At 3 p.m., Dr. John Green will give an Earth Day Talk about the Great Ice Age and our Minnesota Landscapes.

The Earth Day event will cap off with the screening of Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” at 4:30 p.m. at the Grand Marais Public Library. Check out the trailer below:

Also on tap or Saturday,  the Grand Marais Art Colony will hold an Open Studio with Artist-in-Residence Dana de Ano, who has been working in the Founders Hall during her residency here. The talk/demonstration will be from 1-3 p.m.

Artist-in-residence Dana De Ano will give an Artist Talk at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 1-3 p.m. Saturday.

The Chicago-based artist will discuss the work she has done while here as well as her Town and Country series of paired and single landscape drawings. All invited. Free.

In Duluth, the Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop will feature new work in a number of galleries in Duluth, including painting, pottery, photography, fiber art and more as well as hands-on activities and demonstrations. Here are just a few examples of what you can see:

Joseph Nease Gallery is featuring work by Finnish artist Sirpa Sarkijarvi. This painting is entitled “Transcription 45.”

Siiviis Gallery in Duluth is featuring work by a number of local and regional artists for the Gallery Hop, including this print by Rick Allen of Kenspeckle Letter Press entitled “Lake Superior Stars.’

Duluth Pottery is open for the Gallery Hop featuring the work of Karin Kraemer..

For a complete listing of all participating galleries and a map, click here.

Here in Grand Marais, the North Shore Artists League exhibit continues at the Johnson Heritage Post, featuring a wonderful variety of artwork by members of the newly formed organization.

“Tree Hugger” by Kathy Fox Weinberg is one of the paintings in the North Shore Artists League exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

This wooden bowl by Howard Hedstrom and jar by Natalie Sobanja are also in the Artists League show.

One of the paintings in the North Shore Artists League exhibit at the Heritage Post.

Also, an exhibit of George Morrison’s poster art is on exhibit at the North Shore Winery in Lutsen as well as the Cedar Coffee Company in Two Harbors.

“Red Rock Variation” by George Morrison.

WTIP Community Radio has posted a fascinating interview about George Morrison’s life and work entitled “Closing the Circle: Artist George Morrison.” The radio feature was produced by the Cook County Historical Society in  collaboration with WTIP and the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Fund. Check out the interview here.

And, at the Tweed Museum of Art, “Intersections,” works by Native American artists, continues.

“A Beautiful Hero” by Jim Denomie is one of the works in the Intersetions exhibit at the Tweed Museum of Art.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is featuring three new exhibits: the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School Student Exhibition, Fragile, featuring the work of six contemporary Francophone artists, who explore the concept and experience of their Francophone heritage in relation to family identity in Ontario, and #nofilterneeded, which highlights a significant moment in Indigenous art history – the foundation of the Native Indian/Inuit Photographers’ Association (NIIPA).They felt that, for far too long, Indigenous peoples had been portrayed through someone else’s lens, and that it was time they took control of the image in order to contest and demystify stereotypical representations of Indigenous peoples.

#nofilterneeded, an exhibit by indigenous photographers, is on view at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

 Upcoming:

The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Member Show and Sale opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 26. The show will continue in the Founders Hall through May 5 and features a wide variety of artwork from member artists.

The Grand Marais Art Colony Member Show opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 26.

Members are invited to join in for a special appreciation event with artist and Grand Marais native, Josie Lewis. Lewis will lead participants through a process of “painting” their own cards by dipping them into floating ink. Non-members are also welcomed to participate for only $10 per person.

The annual meeting of the Art Colony will be held at 4 p.m. At the reception, Sheila Smith, director of the Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, will talk about the 19th anniversary of the Legacy Amendment and what arts advocacy means in Minnesota.

Food as Art: Food writer Joy Summers will give a presentation at Cook County Higher Education from 11:30 – 1p.m. on Monday, April 29. The title of her presentation is:”Escoffier to James Beard; Julia Child to Anthony Bourdain: The Modern State of Cooking.” She will talk about he rise of food as art, hospitality as entertainment through the advent of the celebrity chef and what the future looks for the culinary world. Tickets are $30. A light lunch is included. Scholarships are available. For more information, see www.highed@northshorecampus.org or call 2180387-3411 to register.

Of Interest:

 Have you read that Duluth (and the North Shore) and Buffalo, N.Y are being touted as the places to be to escape global warming? Check out the video below.

Here’s the link to the story:  

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council has a number of programs and grants for artists in the Arrowhead Region. Click on the link below for more information.

Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, April 18:

• Roxann Berglund, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne and Chris Gillis, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, April 19:

• Rod & Caribou, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.
• Fingerstyle Masters Weekend, Cascade Lodge Pub, Gordon Thorne, Phil Heywood and Randy Sabien, 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 20:

• Soul Shack, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Fingerstyle Masters Weekend, Cascade Lodge, Phil Heywood, Randy Sabien, Gordon Thorne, 7:30 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 21:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Boyd Blomberg, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, April 22:

• Jim Miller, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 23:

• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Photographs:

This week is the week to see lots of storm shots, as photographers got out in that nasty nor’easter and took lot of great photos. First, though, lets look at the wildlife shots we found this week:

A green-winged teal pair arrived in the Grand Marais Harbor this week.

Ring-necked duck by Kirk Schleife.

Not photographed here, but an interesting wildlife shot nevertheless.

This walrus fell asleep on the hatch of a submarine, forcing the crew to use an emergency hatch to get out. Photo courtesy of The Planet Today.

Here’s a lovely photograph of a wave by Christian Dalbec. A metal print of the work can be found at Sivertson Gallery.

Superior Speaks by Christian Dalbec.

And now, for some storm photographs.

Superior’s Fury by Travis Novitsky.

Lake Superior was kicking up a heck of a lather yesterday by David Johnson.

She woke up practicing for larger waves tonight by Hella Buchheim.

Jan Swart catches a Lake Superior wave hitting a beach in Duluth on April 10.

Rockin’ and rollin’ by Travis Novitsky.

Crazy Waves on Lake Superior this afternoon (April 11) by Brian Peterson.

Brian Peterson took a video of these waves crashing on shore. Click here to see.

And then, the storm was over.

Calm after the storm by Debbie Lien Benedict.

But we did find some documentation of the frustration some felt over the never-ending winter.

Angry Robin. (Unable to find an attribution, but worth a look any way.)

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

FYI: Help support this blog and keep it alive and healthy by donating today. Click on the icon below for more info.

We are starting out with two photos this week. We could see both this week. First, a stormy Lake Superior by Mike Chrun.

April Storm, 2018 by Mike Chrun.

And then a beauteous sunrise by Christian Dalbec, taken earlier this week.

The perfect shot by Christian Dalbec.

We could see both this week. The winter storm making its way up the North Shore on Wednesday night is expected to deliver at least 6 inches of snow and winds gusting to 50 mph. Then,on Friday and through the weekend, the storm ends and temps will reach 40 degrees. Bets are that we’ll see both situations between now and Sunday. Cheers to April!

Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, the JNS Gallery in Lutsen will hold an Artist’s Open House from 6-8 p.m. at the gallery.

JNS Gallery in Lutsen will hold an Artists Open House from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday.

The gallery is looking for new artwork and artists in its gallery. Artists who might be interested in exhibiting at the gallery are invited to the open house to see what JNS is all about. Artists are also invited to bring a sample of their work for consideration. Light refreshments will be served.

This weekend is a great time to celebrate local art and artists, too, as the newly-formed North Shore Artists League opens its first exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The League, which was formed in January, is a group of 51 artists from Lake County to Thunder Bay providing networking, information, skill-sharing, community support and social gatherings to member artists.  Meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month at Johnson Heritage Post and are open to all artists. For more information, contact Maxene Linehan at maxl@boreal.org or 218-475-2726.

The North Shore Artists League opens an exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday, April 12, with a reception from 5-7 p.m.

League members work in sculpture, fiber arts, wood, pottery, painting, metal, jewelry, drawing, print making, mixed media, glass and writings, and will be well-represented in the show.

The show opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 12. Refreshments will be served. The exhibit continues through May 5. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and from 1-4 p.m. on Sundays.

On Saturday, Papa Charlie’s will feature a number of bands playing for free during its Mountain Meltdown Festival. The bands will perform outdoors during the day, weather permitting. For the schedule, see Music, below.

Also on Saturday, Voyageur Brewing Co. will hold a Scrabble Tournament from 2-5 p.m. Everyone is invited to participate. To register, click here. Registrations are also being accepted at the Brewing Co.

And nationally recognized solo guitar artist Micheal Gulezian will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Saturday night.

Michael Gulezian will be in concert at the ACA on Saturday night at 7 p.m Catch him talking about his music and playing a few tunes on WTIP’s The Roadhouse around 6 p.m. on Friday night.

Over the past three decades, Michael Gulezian has established himself as one of the most significant solo acoustic instrumental guitarists of our time. Raising the aesthetic of contemporary acoustic guitar to a higher level with each new album, Gulezian has been named as a primary musical influence by artists as diverse as Michael Hedges, Willy Porter, and Henry Kaiser. Here’s a video of Gulezian in concert.

The concert, sponsored by the North Shore Music Association, starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 adults, $10 youth and can be purchased at the door. To get a preview, listen to WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday night. He’ll be talking about his music and playing a few songs. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

And, for those who like looking at the stars, Sugarloaf Point will hold “Astronomy Night” at 7 p.m. at Sugarloaf. Participants will learn about the stars and the universe during a presentation, and then go outdoors to look at the moon and stars. Cold weather gear recommended. Sugarloaf is located at 9096 Hwy, 61 in Schroeder. All invited.

 Exhibits: 

 Tettegouche State Park continues its exhibit of photographs by Jeff Lundeen.

Palisades Park, photograph by Jeff Lundeen, one of many in a new exhibit at Tettegouches State Park.

The exhibit in the Great Hall at the park continues through April.

In Two Harbors, the Cedar Coffee Company is featuring artwork by members of the Voyageur Art Club. The Art Club is based in Two Harbors.

The Vaoyageur Art Club is exhibiting work at a Spring Exhibit at the Cedar Coffee Company this month.

This is the last weekend to see the Arrowhead Regional Biennial exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute. The juried exhibit celebrates a dynamic range of artwork produced in the upper Midwest and is open to artists residing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, and Ontario, Canada.

One of the pieces currently on exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute.

 The Tweed Museum of Art has a number of on-going exhibits, including senior shows by art students at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

One of the pieces in Hanna Monson’s Senior Exhibition at the Tweed. The miniature is part of her work: The House at the End of the Road.

In Thunder Bay, the Baggage Building Arts Centre at Prince Arthur’s Landing has opened its Spring Exhibition featuring a wide variety of work by local artists.

The Spring Exhibition has opened at the Baggage Building Arts Centre in Thunder Bay.

And the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is exhibiting work by students at the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School.

Students at Franklin Cromarty School are exhibiting work at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

 Upcoming: 

 WTIP Community Radio and Gordon Thorne will present the 10th Fingerstyle Masters Weekend at Cascade Lodge April 19-20. The workshop will feature master guitarist Phil Heywood, violinist Randy Sabien and guitarist Gordon Thorne. There will be a pub music session on Friday, music workshops and a concert on Saturday. For more info, email Thorne at oman4@live.com or call 218-353-7308.

Duluth will feature the Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop next weekend, April 20, featuring multiple locations of art exhibits, receptions are more. Stay tuned for details next week.

The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Member Show & Sale opens with a reception at the Art Colony at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26.

And the Findings Jewelry Symposium, organized by the Art Colony, will be held at the Art Colony June 11-15.

The Findings Jewelry Symposium will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony June 11-15.

This year’s artists include Anna Johnson, Bill Kennealy, Becky McDonah, Tedd McDonah, Danny Saathoff and George Sawyer. To learn more and register for workshops, click here.

And illustrator Betsy Bowen and author Phyllis Root will be at Drury Lane Books from 5-6 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, to read from and sign their latest children’s book, “The Lost Forest.”

Grand Marais artist, Betsy Bowen, joins actor Phyllis Root to read from their latest book, “The Lost Forest” at Drury Lane Books April 27. Photo by Mark Tessier.

Opportunities:

North House Folk School is hiring! The Folk School is currently taking applications for a full-time Communications and Marketing Manager and a part-time Front Office Manager. For more info and to apply, click here.

 Call for Artists:

 North Shore Health has put out a call for artists to have 4-month exhibitions in their lobby, registration area, etc.| Due April 12. Learn more here.

Outdoor Painters of Minnesota has opened Registration for Plein Air Grand Marais 2019. | DUE April 23. Learn more and apply here.

The Minnesota State Arts Board 2020 Artist Initiative Grant is Due April 26. Grants can range from $2,000 to $10,000. Learn more and apply here.

 Artist News:

The cast list for the upcoming Summer Theatre Festival in Grand Marais have been announced. Plays are in repertory and runThursdays through Sundays, starting July 18 and running through August 11.

The plays that will be featured this year: “The Marvelous Wonderettes”  with Karen Blackburn,Tina Hegg, Diane Stoddard and Karina Roth and “A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” with Diane Blanchette and Braidy Powers. The musicians are Max Bichel, Mike DeBevec, Thomas Stamps, Mike Roth and Russ Viton.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (ARAC) is currently accepting applications from individuals wishing to serve on its Board. Current openings on the ARAC board for the upcoming term starting July 1, 2019, are Student Liaison member, a representative from Aitkin County, and an At-Large member, who can be from anywhere in the seven-county area served by ARAC. Click on the logo below to learn more.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for the week:

Thursday, April 11:

• Live Music at Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Poplar River Pub, 6-8 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, April 12:

• Billy Johnson, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 [m.
• Briand Morrison & Roxann Berglund, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Jim & Michele Miller, Lusten Resort Lobby, 8 p.m.
• Frogleg, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 13:

• Mountain Meltdown,  Papa Charlie’s, Free. 11 a.m. Gordon Thorne & the Wildcats; 1 p.m., Plucked Up String Band; 2:30 p.m. Galactic Cowboy Orchestra; 4 p.m. Bug Dope
• Michael Gulezian, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• White Iron Band, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 14:

• Brand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Mountain Meltdown, Papa Charlie’s, Free. 11:30 p.m., J Square & the Makers: 1 p.m., Pushing Chain: 2:30 p.m. Cook County’s Most Wanted: 4 p.m. Spruce Roots
• Brotherless Arms (Jim Miller & Drew Heinon), Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, April 16:

• Pete Kavanaugh, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

So, we found some great photos this week. Here’s a selection:

First, wildlife:

The robins are singing in Duluth by Jeffery Doty.

Timber wolf, up close and personal by David Johnson.

Not exactly wildlife, but wild, maybe …

George listrup jumps into Lake Superior, April 5, by Brandon Olmscheid.

And, here’s a NOAA satellite photo of the last ice of the season on Lake Superior.

Last ice on Lake Superior, April 4, 2019.

Here’s another “iced” Lake Superior.

Paddle board on ice like Lake Superior by Christian Dalbec.

Waterfalls and running water:

This morning, we woke up to a little magic by Susanne Von Schroeder.

High Falls at Grand Portage by Boone Deschampe.

Glorious Cascade by John Gruber.

Gooseberry Falls by Donald Jay Olson.

Jan Swart catches a Lake Superior wave hitting aa beach in Duluth on April 10.

And finally, this beauty.

A foggy day at Split Rock by Matthew Pastick.

And this:

When the winds sweep across Lake Superior onto the shore and the snow and ice slowly melt into spring, magical things can happen by Roxanne Distad.

And last, but not least: 5 or six cubs? What do you think?

Photo courtesy Michael Saint.

Have a great weekend, everyone!