North Shore Arts Scene

Fall colors are peaking in Cook County this weekend, with an emphasis on gorgeous yellows and oranges. Check out our photo collection this week for all the details.

Meanwhile, fall events continue on the North Shore.

First up, Thursday is the final day of the Local Food Market for the season. The market features locally grown vegetables, wood-fired artisan breads, fresh flowers, snacks and more.

The market is held from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lot at the Cook County Community Center. If it’s raining, the market will be held in the 4-H Log Building.

There’s lots happening on Friday including the opening reception for a new exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post as well as a concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.

“Wild Wonder,” an exhibit by artists Deb Kirkeeide and Kristen Palm opens at the Johnson Heritage Post with a reception from 5-7 p.m.

Both are Minnesota artists. Deb Kirkeeide paints in oil, and is inspired by nature, especially birds. Kristen Palm paints large abstract acrylic landscapes, inspired by the Northwoods. The reception on Friday is open to all. The exhibit continues through Nov. 3. Fall Hours: 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 tap for Friday is a performance by renowned musician and humanitarian Samite Mulondo entitled “Lessons of Humanity: What My Grandfather Taught Me”  at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. The solo show features his stories, music, and visuals illustrating the resilience of the human spirit and the fundamental truth that “We are all the same.”

Taught traditional flute as a child by his grandfather in Uganda, Samite Mulondo went on to study western flute and is now known internationally as an acclaimed flutist and humanitarian.

Below is a video of him performing “Resiliance.”

Samite has released 10 internationally distributed CDs and has scored and appeared in films including “Song of the Refugee,” a documentary of his life (PBS, 1998), and “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai,” featuring Samite’s original score (PBS, 2009). In 2002, Samite founded Musicians for World Harmony, an organization that enables global musicians to promote peace, understanding, and harmony among people.

Tickets are $15 adults, $5 youth. They can be purchased online at www.aca.tix.com or at the door.

On the Gunflint Trail on Friday night, David Battistel, a Canadian history teacher and instructional leader from Thunder Bay, Ontario, will give a talk entitled “Gunflint & Lake Superior Railroad: Logging the Boundary Waters” at 5:30 p.m. at the Cross River Lodge. Battistel has been researching and writing about the history of the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway for years, as well as the associated ventures of mining for silver and iron ore as well as logging. The Cross River Lodge is 46 miles up the Gunflint Trail off of County Road. 46. All invited.

Also on Friday night, the band, Easy Riders, will be guests on WTIP’s The Roadhouse where they will talk about their music and play a few songs. The program airs from 5-7 p.m.

The Cook County Market, which features arts and crafts by local vendors, is cancelled this Saturday, Oct. 12. The last market of the season will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 in the Senior Center parking lot.

There’s lots of live music on Saturday, though. (See the Music Schedule below.)

On Sunday, the first sessions of Make-A-Bowl for Empty Bowls begin.

Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger and was created by The Imagine Render Group almost 30 years ago. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. The money raised is donated to organizations working to end hunger and food insecurity in their area.

Here in Cook County, the Empty Bowls fundraiser will be held Nov. 14 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Grand Marais with seatings for lunch and dinner.

For the event, community participants as well as local potters and school students make a variety of handmade bowls which are available at the fundraiser.  The sessions to make the bowls will be held in the clay studio at the Grand Marais Art Colony on Sunday and Monday, Oct. 13-14 and Oct. 20-21. Instruction is provided!  Call the Art Colony at 387-2737 for more information and to sign up.

Also on Sunday, Drury Lane Books will hold a Full Moon Reading around the campfire overlooking Lake Superior with poet Ruth Pszwaro.

Pszwaro will read her poetry from the chapbook, “Liminal Space,” as well as more recent writings. If the weather is poor, the reading will be held inside. Open to all. Free.

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Naniboujou Lodge will host an Afternoon Tea Fundraiser entitled “God Save the Queens: A Reprise,” featuring guest speaker Karen Halbersleben.

Halbersleben will discuss how six women have been crowned Queen Regnant of England since 1066, ruling for a combined 198 years of turmoil and triumph. She will consider how their gender influenced their years on the throne and seek to understand what is unique about a nation that sings with pride “God Save the Queen.”

The event, which is a fundraiser for Cook County Higher Education,  also features a silent auction, as well as a traditional British tea. This is a semi-formal event, so participants are encouraged to wear hats. There is also a collection of hats for rent. Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. To register, click here.

 Exhibits:

Betsy Bowen’s exhibit, “Rare Works from the Archives” continues at the Betsy Bowen Gallery & Studios, 301 1st Ave. W.

The gallery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 20.

Tom McCann has installed a series of his landscape paintings in the courtyard of the Cook County Courthouse.

The paintings will be on exhibit for three months. The public is invited to see them.

In Duluth, indigenous artists Pat Kruse and Rabett Before Horses Stickland are exhibiting paintings and birchbark creations at the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center, 202 W. 2nd St.

The opening reception will be held Oct. 11 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.. The exhibit continues through the end of October.

The Tweed Museum of Art is exhibiting a series of works collected by the Russian Museum of Art entitled “Art in Conflict,” featuring artists working in Russia during the Soviet Era.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is currently exhibiting “Their Breath in Beads,” a series of bead works by 10 regional artists.

Upcoming:

Moose Madness weekend is next weekend in Grand Marais with activities, fun and games for every age. Activities range from the athletic to the artistic during the entire weekend, including the ever-popular Moose Medallion Hunt.

The Moose News & Tribune, which can be found inserted into the Northern Wilds magazine, as well as at  local venues, includes all the details of events over the weekend.

For more details click here.

The First annual Grand Marais Apple Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on  Saturday, Oct. 19.

The all-day event includes apple orchard tours, apple picking, cider pressing demonstrations, an apple stand market as well as a variety of presentations at the Cook County Community Center. For more information and schedule of events, click here.

Opportunities:

 Volunteers are needed for the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Readers & Writers Festival Nov.7-10. There are a wide variety of positions available. For more information and to sign up, click here, or call the Art Colony at 387-2737.

Music:

 Thursday, Oct. 9:

• Terry Valdiva & Friends, Wunderbar, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Easy Riders, Grandma Ray’s, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 11:

• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Fred Anderson, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Samite–Lessons of Humanity: What My Grandfather Taught Me, Samite Mulondo, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Easy Riders, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 12:

• Gene Lafond & Amy Grillo, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m., www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Easy Riders, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 13:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Andrew Huber, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

 Photographs:

We found lots of interesting photos this week.  Let’s start with wildlife, featuring photographs taken by local and regional photographers outside the county.

 

And with all the rains, photographers found fantastic waterfalls.

 

 

 

One Northern Lights photograph:

A river stream:

Two Split Rock Lighthouse photographs:

 

Lake Superior:

 

 

 

And fall colors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, Grand Marais.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

This is the final week of the Art Along  the Lake: Fall Studio Tour in Cook County with studios and galleries open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day through Sunday, Oct. 6.

This year, there are more than 20 participating studios/galleries with more than 50 artists represented. Look for ceramics, prints, woodturning and woodcraft, paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel and beads, glass, woodcuts, fiber art and more.

The 10-day event also offers a wide variety of demonstrations, hands-on activities and presentations every day. For example, this Saturday, there will be demonstrations of silver jewelry scrollwork, printing, throwing on a pottery wheel, weaving, wood turning, laser welding, jewelry making, dry-point printmaking, woodcut printing, watercolor painting, raku firing, a cast bronze pour, And that’s only on Saturday! To see the complete schedule of events, maps, participating artists and more,  click here,

The county is hopping with lots of other things to do this week as well.

First up is the Thursday Local Food Market, which is in its final weeks, closing Oct. 17. But, as anyone who gardens in Cook County knows, now is the time to get those tomatoes and most other vegetables.

Look for everything from broccoli to peppers, beans to garlic, as well as artisan sourdough breads, fresh flowers and more. The Market is held from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Cook County Community Center parking lot, in the 4-H Log Building if there is inclement weather.

Also on Thursday, Lin Salisbury will be interviewing two Minnesota authors on her monthly program on WTIP Community Radio, “Superior Reads.” She will interview William Kent Krueger about his new book “This Tender Land”  in the first half of the show, which begins at 7 p.m. In the second half of the program, Salisbury will interview Geoff Herback who will be part of the Grand Marais Art Colony’s North Shore Readers and Writers Festival, happening Nov. 7 – 10.

On Friday, a new exhibit opens at Tettegouche State Park featuring the photography of Benjamin Olson.

The opening reception will be held in the Great Hall at Tettegouche from 7-8:30 p.m. Olson’s photographs will be on exhibit through Oct. 30.

Saturday will be busy.

It starts out with the vendors at the Cook County Market, who set up their tents in the parking lot of the Senior Center by 9 a.m.. The Market features a wide variety of arts and crafts, including pottery, woodworking, Lake Superior stones, fused glass, weaving and more. The Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All welcome.

At Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, Duluth raku artists Richard Gruchalla and Carrin Rosetti, will set up a raku kiln and a tea-bowl glazing area to welcome the public to their annual fall event: Do You Raku? We Do!  Participants can purchase a tea bowl for $20, glaze it themselves, and then watch it being fired in the raku kiln.

The raku event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All pieces will be fired by 5:30 p.m. and can be taken home. No registration is necessary. All welcome.

Also on Saturday, herbalist Gigi Stafne, will be at the Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center from 1-2:30 to give a presentation and plant walk entitled “Boreal Botanicals: Medicinal Trees, Plants and Fungi of the North Shore.” Participants will have the opportunity to explore the woods for some of the medicinals, guided by Stafne. The event is free.

The herbalist is the Instructor in Residence at North House Folk School this month and will be active in the community in a variety of events. To see her complete schedule, click here.

On Saturday night, Drury Lane Books will host poet Sharon Chmielarz for a Writer’s Salon at 5 p.m. at the bookstore.

Sharon will read from her new poetry collection, “The J Horoscope: Poems,” take questions from the audience, and sign books.

Exhibits:

 This is the last weekend to see the Plein Air Grand Marais 2019 exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post. More than 70 local and regional plein air painters spent a week painting Cook County, and their work is pretty spectacular. More than 300 paintings were hung for the show.

The exhibit continues through Sunday, Oct. 6 and is highly recommended.

In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art has opened a new exhibit entitled Art in Conflict, and features Russian artists working during the Soviet-era.

The Tweed will host an opening reception for the exhibit on Oct. 10.

Lizzard’s Gallery in Duluth has a new selection of Scott Murphy paintings, including “Tornado,” below.

Kudos:

Staci Drouillard’s long-awaited book, “Walking the Old Road: A People’s History of Chippewa City and the Grand Marais Anishinaabe,” will be released Dec. 5.

The book, which was published by the University of Minnesota Press, will be officially launched at Drury Lane Books Dec. 5. Stay tuned.

 Music:

 Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, Oct. 3:

• Terry V’s Patio Party, Wunderb ar, 5 p.m.
• Lazy Lightning 420, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Wintery, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4:

• Don Juan Trio, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Bug Lite, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 5:

• Billy Johnson, North Shore Winery, 3 p.m.
• Common Ground, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• O’Green, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Gene Lafond & Amy Grillo, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Sheri O’Meara, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Bug Lite, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Dance Party with DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 pm

Sunday, Oct. 6:

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

Monday, Oct. 7:

• Billy Johnson, Voyageur Brewing Co., 5 p.m.

Photographs:

 Here are a few of the photographs we found this week:

We found beautiful photographs of fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then these beauties:

 

 

And finally, this homage to the Boundary Waters.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

The North Shore color show is at its peak this weekend, a suitable Hooray! for the opening of the Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour.

The tour, which features open studios in 22 home studios and galleries along Hwy 61 and the Gunflint Trail, runs from Friday, Sept. 26 through Sunday, Oct. 6. All studios will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and will feature new work, guest artists, demonstrations, refreshments and a chance to meet with and talk to the artists.

The studio stops include: Jason Trebs, Schroeder, potter, Mary Jane Huggins, Tall Tale Shop; Tofte, fiber, Greg Mueller, Lutsen, sculpture; Steve Hahn,  JNS Gallery, Lutsen; Maggie Anderson, Clay Phoenix Ceramics, Lutsen; Kathy Weinberg, KFox Studio, Lutsen; Sharon and Steve Frykman, Art of the Elements gallery, rural Grand Marais,

In Grand Marais, visit North House Folk School; Grand Marais Art Colony; Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery; Yellow Bird Fine Art; Betsy Bowen Studio; The Big Lake; Upstate MN; Joy & Co. and Sivertson Gallery.

  Nancy Hemstad Seaton, glass. studio at Hungry Jack Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail.

In Hovland, Jo Wood, beadpainting; Neil Sherman, plein air painter; Dan & Lee Ross, ceramics, monoprints, glass and Lou Pignolet, turned wooden bowls.

It’s impossible to show images of what everyone is making, but here’s a short selection. Look for more next week.

 

Betsy Bowen has been digging into her archives and is exhibiting the cream of the crop during the Fall Studio Tour. She is calling it “Rare Works from the Archives” or “Rare Treasures” and it features a variety pack of woodcuts, drawings and more. The opening reception for the exhibit is from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26 at the studio, 301 1st Ave. W. in Grand Marais All invited. Refreshments will be served. The show will continue through October.

A few other highlights of the Fall Studio Tour:

 

 

 

There’s a lot more information about all the studios and events during the 10-day tour on the VisitCookCounty web site. Click here to see maps, daily demonstration schedules and more.  And stay tuned for more photos next week.

Also this weekend, Voyageur Brewing Co. is holding Oktoberfest, featuring two bands, Polkarioty and the Singing Slovenes as well as games, contests, a special Oktoberfest beer and more. The event honors fall but also is a fundraiser fo the Cook County Community Fund, which supports local non-profits. To find out more and see the schedule of events, click here.

Saturday kicks off at the Cook County Market, featuring a variety of local artists and artisans in booths in the Senior Center parking lot.

Work includes weaving, woodwork, Lake Superior rocks, pottery, fiber art and more.

Also on Saturday, Lunafest, the traveling film festival, first brought to Cook County by the Violence Prevention Center in 2011, featuring short films made by women, for all who care about the universal issues. These short dramas, comedies, and documentaries will tug at your heartstrings, make you smile, make you think and at the same time support the services and programs of the Violence Prevention Center.

The films will be screened at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28.When: Saturday, Sept. 28. Tickets at the door: $20 adults, $10 students. For more information, call the Violence Prevention Center at 387-1262.

The Grand Marais Public Library will hold two public events next week. On Monday, Sept. 30,, author Allen Eskens will give a prevention entitled “I’m not supposed to be here: my implausible journey to becoming a writer” at 1 p.m. On Wednesday, the 321 Art Studio will present a free workshop on Autumn Landscape Painting at 10:30 a.m. Open to adults and older children. For more info, call the library at 387-1140.

Exhibits:

The spectacular Grand Marais Plein Air 2019 continues at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery through Oct. 6. In all, 75 juried painters painted Lake Superior and Cook County over a week’s period, and their work is highlighted in this great exhibit.

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

In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art has just opened a new exhibit entitled “Art in Conflict,” an exhibition from the Russian Museum of Art featuring works by artists during the Soviet era.

Upcoming:

Here’s a fall event everyone looks forward to: Sivertson Gallery‘s “Do You Raku? We Do …” featuring Duluth raku artists Richard Gruchalla and Carrin Rosetti. The duo offers the public a chance to glaze a tea bowl and then watch it being fired in a raku kiln set up behind the gallery. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5.

Registrations are still being taken for the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s North Shore Readers and Writer’s Festival,  Nov. 7-10. For more info about the classes, events and workshops, click here.

Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this weekend:

Thursday, Sept. 26:

• Polkarioty, Voyageur Brewing, 5 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, music by the campfire, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27:

• Polkarioty, Voyageur Brewing,  5 p.m.
• Portage Band, Grandma Ray’s. 6 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m., www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Colleen Myhre, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 28:

• The Singing Slovenes, Voyageur Brewing Co., 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert., rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m.
• www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Tim Fast, Lutsen Resort, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Christopher David Hanson Band, Grandma Ray’s. 8 p.m.
• Colleen Myhre, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 29:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• The Singing Slovenes, Voyageur Brewing, 1 p.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, 6 p.m. Wunderbar
• Bug Dope, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 30:

• Matthew Griswold, Voyageur Brewing, 5 p.m.

Photographs:

 Need it be said that we found lots of fall color photographs this week? But we also found beautiful mushroom photographs. It’s been very wet this fall, and the mushrooms are definitely taking advantage of the moisture. Take a look:

 

 

A mushroom breakfast?

Tommy Gee saw the “fried egg mushroom,” above and posted this:

Duluth photographer Bruce Ojard was stunned to see pheasants trotting around his yard in Duluth. There were three: a male and two females. Here’s one of the images he captured.

The rut has started in the Northwoods, and moose can be seen.

Photographers Paul Sundberg and Travis Novitsky went out together to call in bulls and take photos on a foggy morning recently. They had good luck and both write about the encounters on their blogs as well as exhibit the photos they took that day. See Paul Sundberg’s here, and Travis Novitsky’s here.

 

 

 

 

We found a variety of fall color photographs this week:

 

 

 

 

And here are some wonderful landscapes.

 

 

And finally, this beauty:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The color season in Cook County is starting. The maple trees are showing off their spectacular reds, and oranges and yellows are rampant as well. Meteorologists say we’re going to have a great year for colors, and so far, they’re absolutely right. FYI: Maps of the best roads and trails to enjoy fall colors can be found at the VisitCook County office in Grand Marais,

The town itself has its fair share of maple trees and streets and yards will all be decked out in fall colors this week. There’s lots to do as well.

First up is the Try-It Wood-Fired Baking sessions at North House Folk School. There are two sessions on Thursday, Sept. 19: 1-3 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. These are the last sessions of the Try-It Wood-Fire Baking series for the season. Participants will get to bake a Carta di Musica and a focaccia, while learning about the history and science of bread baking. The cost is $20/person or $30 for an adult/child pair.  Minimum age: 8 with adult. Call for reservations at 387-9762.

Also on Thursday, the Local Food Market continues in the parking lot at the Cook County Community Center. If it is raining, the market will be held in  the 4-H Log Building.

It runs from 4:30-6 p.m. This week, look for tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, broccoli, kale, chard, onions, potatoes and more. Melinda Spinler will be doing a demo on horseradish. All invited.

Also on Thursday, the Writer’s Guild, open to everyone who writes anything, will be held at the Wunderbar from 6-7:30 p.m. Open to all. Participants are asked to bring notebooks. Free.

On Friday, Voyageur Brewing Co. is holding a Star Party to celebrate Cook County’s dark skies. There will be night-sky films, starry jazz by Pippi Ardennia and telescopes on the deck. The party is from 7-9 p.m.

Saturday leads off with the Cook County Market, featuring work by local artists and artisans in booths set up in the Senior Center parking lot. Look for pottery and weaving, glass ornaments, woodworking, jewelry, herbals and more.

The Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and continues each Saturday through MEA weekend, weather permitting.

Also this weekend, North House is holding a series of Luffarslöjd classes starting on Friday. Luffarslöjd is an old-world craft that is part of the tradition of making beautiful and useful objects for everyday use from simple things. Farmers always had bits of wire hanging around, and hobos traveling across the country offered to make things in exchange for food or permission to spend the night in the barn. Leftover bits of wire were used to make items like whisks, trivets, or egg baskets, as well as more decorative items like candleholders or birds.

Students in the workshops will learn how to make some of these things. Call North House at 387-9762 to register and for more information.

On the Gunflint Trail, Gunflint Lodge is offering fall color trail rides this weekend. Call 388-2294 for more info. Also, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center is hosting ecologist Chel Anderson, who will give a presentation on Beavers and the Ecosystem at 2 p.m.

And here’s a great event: William Kent Krueger will be at Drury Lane Books on Saturday for a Writer’s Salon at 5 p.m.

He will talk about his latest book, “This Tender Land,” as well as read from it and discuss writing. All invited. Free.

On Wednesday, Compas teaching artists Siama Matuzungidi and Dallas Johnson will give a presentation about the Congo, with stories and music, at the Grand Marais Public Library.

The presentation begins at 6 p.m. All invited. Free.

And Oktoberfest begins on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at Voyageur Brewing Co. and runs through Sunday with lots of music, games, tournaments and more. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Cook County Community Fund, which supports local non-profits.

The band Polkarioty performs Wednesday through Friday with the Singing Slovenes scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Click here for more info on what games will be played when.

Upcoming:

Betsy Bowen’s new show, “Rare Treasures” opens with a reception at the Betsy Bowen Gallery & Studios, 301 1st Ave. W. from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. The exhibit features an incredible collection of her work from her personal archives.

Her gallery is one of the stops on the Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour that begins Sept. 27.

The Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour is the highlight of the fall color season, and begins on Friday, Sept. 27, and runs through Oct. 6. This 10-day studio tour features open houses and receptions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in artist studios up and down Hwy. 61 and in Grand Marais, as well as a studio on the Gunflint Trail.

The Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour, features 22 studios and galleries up and down Hwy. 61, and one up the Gunflint Trail from Sept. 27 through Oct. 6.

Look for everything from pottery to weaving, fused glass to mono prints, bead paintings, hand-made jewelry, wood carving and woodturning, plein air paintings and more. In short, it’s a cornucopia of art. The nice thing about the tour is that it lasts for 10 days, giving everyone plenty of time to experience and explore the artwork in Cook County and meet the artists here. Many of the studios and galleries will have special demonstrations and events, too. Check out all the events and locations here.

Here are a few examples: Look for more next week.

 

 

 

 

 

That is just a sampling of what’s on display during the Fall Studio Tour. Stay tuned for more photos next week. And check out VisitCookCounty for all the latest info on the tour.

Also. Jerry Riach, a printmaker who lives in Little Marais, which is near the Cook County line, will host an open studio during the Fall Studio Tour. His studio is located at Mailbox # 6452 at Milepost 65 in Little Marais. Riach’s work includes woodblocks, etchings, drypoints and collagraphs. He will do demonstrations on request.

His studio will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 through Oct. 6.

Exhibits:

For an extraordinary taste of the flavors in Cook County, visit the Johnson Heritage Post this week as it exhibits the work of 75 artists who participated in Grand Marais Plein Air this month. The exhibit opened to accolades Sept. 13 and continues through Oct. 6. Plein Air artist Bob Upton won the Grand Prize, but it was sold and whisked out of the gallery before we could get a photo of it. Since the artists are allowed to submit more than one painting, here’s a great example of the work Upton did during the week-long plein air event.

The plein air painters painted outdoors, and competed in a number of specific events, like the Quick Paint on Artist’s Point (complete a painting in two hours) and the Night Paint. Neil Sherman, who is one of the participating artists in the Fall Studio Tour, took second place in the Night Paint with this beauty.

 The exhibit at the Heritage Post continues through Oct. 6. The gallery is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 1-4 p.m. Sundays.

In Duluth, the Duluth Art Institute held a gala opening for three new exhibits this week. The exhibits include “Jean: The inspiration behind the Birkenstein Arts Movement,” “Minnesota Black Fine Art Show” and “Claudia Faith: Family.”

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery announced that this is the final week to see its exhibit of Northwest Coast masks.

Lunafest 2019, a traveling film festival celebrating, showcasing and championing women in film, will be presented at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Friday, Sept. 28. The film festival is a fundraiser for the Violence Prevention Center and begins at 7 p.m. Tickets sold at the door are $20 for adults & $10 for students. Stay tuned for details.

The 29th annual Bluegrass Masters Weekend, sponsored by the North Shore Music Association, will be held Nov. 1-3 at Lutsen Resort. This year, the weekend is focused on the fiddle and will feature workshops with master fiddler Dan Kelly and a concert by Michael & Jennifer McClain & the Banjocats. For more info, visit www.northshoremusicassociation.com and stay tuned for details.

And last, but not least, the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s North Shore Readers and Writers Festival is Nov. 7-10  this year.

The festival features a great selection of speakers, workshops, writers and books. Classes are filling fast.  For more info, click here.

Music:

Thursday, Sept. 19:

• Terry V’s Patio Party, Wunderbar, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
• Kilborn Quartet, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 20:

•  Pippi Ardennia, jazz, Voyageur Brewing, 7 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 21:

• Pete K, Cascade Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 22:

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

Monday, Sept. 23:

• Billy Johnson, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 25:

• Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.
• Polkarioty, Voyageur Brewing, 5 p.m.
• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.

Photographs:

 We found a lot of photographs this week. Here’s a selection:

First, wildlife:

 

 

 

 

 

And here are some plant photographs:

 

 

And fall colors:

 

 

 

 

Here’s a beautiful waterfall:

And fog:

 

And sunsets:

 

Of waves and walls:

And finally, this amazing photograph by Keith Crowley.

Have a good time this weekend, everyone!

If you enjoyed the blog this week, please consider donating to keep this volunteer effort alive and well. You can donate through PayPal with your credit card by clicking on the icon below, or mail a check to NorthShore ArtScene, P.O. Box 1232, Grand Marais, MN, 55604. And Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s lots to do in Grand Marais this week.

Let’s start with the Quick Paint at Artist’s Point from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday. The event is one of many during this year’s Plein Air Grand Marais, and it is also a public favorite. More than 75 artists will be set up on Artist’s Point on Thursday afternoon to paint a canvas in two hours, from 3-5 p.m. The public is definitely invited to come and see them work, and even ask a question or two. If the weather is nasty, call the Johnson Heritage Post at 387-2314.

Plein air artists have been out all week painting Cook County for the annual Plein Air Grand Marais Competition and Exhibition. The competition, which is organized by the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota and sponsored by the Johnson Heritage Post, has featured a number of different mini-workshops this week, as well as opportunities to paint at specific locations in the county.

All will be revealed at the opening reception at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday from 5-8 p.m.  Plein air painter Joshua Cunningham is the juror this year.

A wide variety of prizes and awards will be given out this year including $1,000 for 1st place in the main category. A number of prizes and/or awards will also be given to special category paintings, too, including the best painting of the golf course, the best painting up the Gunflint Trail, the best painting of an historic place, to name a few. The public is invited to attend this exciting opening. The Heritage Post exhibit continues through Oct. 6.  For more info about the event, click here.

Also on Thursday afternoon, the Local Food Market, which features fresh locally grown vegetables and fruit, as well as artisan breads, fresh flowers and more will be held at the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 p.m. If it is raining, the market will be held indoors in the 4-H Building.

This weeks demonstration: How to make great dill pickles in a few minutes, without turning on your stove. The demo is at 5 p.m.

On Thursday night, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host “The Water Cycle: Artists Panel Discussion” at 7 p.m. at Cook County Higher Education. Four artists: Moira Bateman, fiber artist; Annie Hejny, painter;  Moheb Soliman, poet and performance artist and Nick Wroblewski, woodblock printmaker, have been working in the Art Colony studios for a week. exploring the concept of water and life on the shores of Lake Superior. They have also been looking at the nature of water and how it inspires, informs and challenges artistic endeavors.

The panel discussion is open to the public. All invited. It starts at 7 p.m.

On Friday, just to be clear, the Plein Air Grand Marais exhibit opens at the Johnson Heritage Post from 6-8 p.m.

Also on Friday night, the Detroit Lakes band Rootz Within will be guests on WTIP’s The Roadhouse, which airs from 5-7 p.m. They will talk about their music and play a few songs. The Rootz Within play at the Gun Flint Tavern this weekend.

This is also the weekend of Unplugged XVIII at North House Folk School. The event, which is Sept. 13-14 this year, features a great line-up of musicians for the concert on Saturday night, the Points North online auction, lots of great classes, as well as the Folk Artisan Marketplace.

Woodworker Anders Lindberg of Gothenburg, Sweden is the international featured instructor this year and will teach two classes as well as give a demonstration on green woodworking on Saturday. A number of North House instructors will also give presentation about their craft. And there will be lots of music:  A community sing, jam sessions, a mini-course on singing in a choir with an opportunity to perform on-stage on Saturday and Kevin Kling, the host at Unplugged, will teach a storytelling class. Click here for more info.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the Folk Artisan Marketplace where crafters will display and sell their work. Baskets, felted goods, carved bowls, wooden spoons, jewelry, leather goods, and more will be on exhibit. The Marketplace is open on Friday and Saturday.

But the high point of the Unplugged event is the concert on Saturday night. This year,  the Rev. Robert B. Jones Sr. is a special guest. Hailing from Detroit, Rev. Jones is an award-winning multi-instrumental blues and roots musician and inspirational storyteller, as well as being a 2018 Kresge Arts Fellow.

Here’s a video of him playing a great song.

Other performers at the concert include Prudence Johnson, Simone Perrin, Claudia Schmidt, Dane Stauffer, Marc Anderson, Dan Chouinard and Bradley Greenwald. Kevin Kling is host and storyteller.

Tickets to the concert are still available. Click here to purchase.

Besides all the activities on the North House campus, there are lots of other events in Grand Marais on Saturday as well.

At 9 a.m. on Saturday, the Cook County Market opens in the parking lot at the Senior Center.

The Market features a wide variety of arts and crafts from local artists. It closes at 1 p.m.

Jim Ringquist of Times2Design is holding a Fine Art and Photography Sale this weekend at his studio/residence, 813 W 5th St., in Grand Marais. He will have many framed panoramics, photographs, oil paintings and original wildlife silkscreens.

For more information and times, call (218) 387-2234,

At 2:30 p.m., the Grand Marais Public Library will welcome four award-winning authors to talk about their books and writing in the Moving Words Series,  The authors have all been recognized  by the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library and many have won at least one Minnesota Book Award for their work. The authors include: Cary Griffith, “Gunflint Burning: Fire in the Boundary Waters;” Ed Bok Lee, “Mitochondrial Night”; Wendy Webb, “The Daughters of the Lake” and Mary Wingerd, “North Country.”

Exhibits:

 Plein Air Grand Marais opens at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday and continues through Oct. 6. More than 70 plein air painters participated in the event this year, and the gallery will be full of wonderful paintings of the North Shore.

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

Painter Keith Thompson continues the exhibit of his paintings in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park.

In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art continues its exhibit of sculptures in its collection.

AK Dayton has opened a new exhibit of her paintings at the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth.

The exhibit is in the Lynch Art Gallery at the Aquarium and continuesthrough Jan. 12.

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery in Thunder Bay is opening a new exhibit this weekend entitled “Unfold Time: The Art of Leo Yerxa, A Retrospective.”

Yerxa is an award-wining artist, poet and writer a member of Couchiching First Nation. The exhibition brings together his writings with his art and continues through Dec. 1.

Below is an animated short featuring the Yerxa’s artwork. It is subtitled in Anishinaabe.

Upcoming:

The Grand Marais Art Colony will hold “Raise the Roof Fundraiser” at the Schmidt Artist Lofts Community Room in St. Paul from 5-7:30 p.m. on Sept. 19.

Funds raised through this event will directly support crucial repairs along with rehabilitating space for artists to work. For more information, click here.

Only three weeks until the start of Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour. The tour, featuring open studios and galleries throughout Cook County, runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 6. In all, there are 22 home studios and 55 artists on the tour.

The studios are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include a wide variety of artwork including painting, woodcuts, pottery, sculpture, fiber art, woodcarving and wood turning, bead painting, glass and more. There are lots of art activities around the county during the tour, too. For more info, click here. And stay tuned for details.

Art News:

 Three episodes from WDSE’s Making It Up North series have been nominated for the Upper Midwest Regional Emmys: The craft district episode in Duluth’s Our Lincoln Park, the Lyric Opera of the North special and our lake-inspired show with Christian Dalbec, New Scenic Café and The Lake + Co.

Dalbec, a photographer who lives in Two Harbors, has his work at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. Here is the Making It episode about his lake photography. Definitely worth a watch. Kudos to WDSE, producer Karen Sunderman and videographer Steve Ash.

 Music:

Here’s the live music schedule for this week:

Thursday, Sept. 12:

• Terry V’s Patio Party, Wunderbar, 5 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music on the Beach, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 13:

• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Jef Cierniak, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Rootz Within, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 14:

• Music Sing Along, Music on the Commons, North House Folk School, 10 a.m.
• Tom Knutson, Cook County Market, Senior Center parking lot, 11 a.m.
• Jon Kalberg, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Unplugged concert, North House Folk School, 7 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Rootz Within, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Dance Party with DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 15:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 16:

• Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 18:

• Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.
• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.

Photographs:

We found some great images this week. Here’s a selection:

First, a few wildlife shots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And some plant photos:

 

 

 

 

Here are some beauteous landscapes:

 

 

 

And then this cutie:

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

If you enjoyed the blog this week, please consider donating to keep this volunteer effort alive and well. You can donate through PayPal with your credit card by clicking on the icon below, or mail a check to NorthShore ArtScene, P.O. Box 1232, Grand Marais, MN, 55604. And Thanks!

The sounds of fall will reverberate through the Grand Marais Recreation Park this weekend as the 12th annual Radio Waves Music Festival gets under way at Sweetheart’s Bluff. Also this weekend, look for spinning and dying demos at North House Folk School, two markets (the Local Food Market and the Cook County Market),  the start of Plein Air Grand Marais and lots of great art to see and experience on the North Shore.

We start the week with spinning/dying demos at North House Folk School featuring Tasha Miller Griffith.

Miller Griffith will demonstrate spinning fiber as well as techniques of dyeing it every day through Sunday. On Saturday, she will teach a mini-course at 10 a.m. Participants will have a chance to try out spinning and then dip their new yarn in indigo dye, and watch as it chances from green to a beautiful blue. To register for the class, call 387-9762. There is a $5 materials fee. The minimum age is 8 with an adult. All welcome.

Also on Thursday, the Local Food Market continues at the Cook County Community Center parking lot with lots of fresh produce grown in Cook County, including tomatoes and peppers!

There are food demos at 5 p.m. each week, too. This week, artisan baker Trevor Huggins will discuss wood-fired bread baking.

On Friday, Plein Air Grand Marais begins, featuring a week of painting and mini-workshops for plein air painters from around the region. Sponsored by the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota and the Johnson Heritage Post, the 16-year-old tradition welcomes painters of all ages and abilities to paint anywhere in Cook County. The results will be showcased at the Johnson Heritage Post with an exhibit and opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13.  Joshua Cunningham is the juror this year.

There are a number of different painting mini-workshops scheduled for this year, too, featuring some of the award-winning painters from previous years. To find out more, click here.

One of the most popular events is the Quick Paint, which will be held on Artist’s Point on Thursday, Sept. 12,  from 3-5 p.m. The public is encouraged to get out and watch the painters at work. A few years ago, Karen Sunderman of WDSE’s The Playlist came up for the Quick Paint one year and made an Emmy-award- winning video. They called it “Plein Air Brushoff.” Here are snippets. Check it out:

The award ceremonies will be held at the Johnson Heritage Post at the opening reception on Friday, Sept. 13. First place prize is $1,000.

And this is the Friday when the the 12th annual Radio Waves Music Festival opens at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Rec Park. The festival is a production of WTIP Community Radio. This beautiful outdoor venue features a Big Tent with two stages and a wooden floor for dancing, a children’s activities tent as well as food vendors and on-site camping.

There are 26 acts this year, with many favorites, like the Carpenter Ants, returning, as well as several new bands. It’s also a great community get-together. Tickets are $20 for the entire weekend, $10 per day, and this year, they can be purchased online here.

We have included the schedule of music in our Music section, but to learn more about Radio Waves, see photos, etc., click here.

Also in WTIP news, Nashville fiddler and actress Caitlin Nicol-Thomas will be a guest on The Roadhouse, which airs from 5-7 p.m. on Friday.

Caitlin will talk about her music and life in Nashville as well as play a few songs.

Also on Friday, there will be an opening reception at Tettegouche State Park at 7 p.m. for an exhibit of work by Keith Thompson.

Thompson’s work will be on exhibit in the Great Hall at Tettegouche through September.

On Saturday, the Cook County Market, featuring work by artists and artisans in Cook County, opens at the Senior Center parking lot at 9 a.m.

The market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Open to all.

Photographer Bryan Hansel has opened an exhibit of his work at the Cedar Coffee House in Two Harbors. The exhibit continues through October.

If you’re going to be in Duluth on Saturday, consider a stop at the Tweed Museum of Art in the afternoon. Bill Shipley will be leading a tour through the sculpture exhibition, “Asymmetry: Three-Dimensional Works from the Tweed Collection.”

Shipley will be leading a tour of the exhibition from 2-3 p.m. All welcome. Free.

In Grand Marais Art Colony news, four artists will be welcomed to the Art Colony next week to explore the concept of water and life on the shore of Lake Superior. The artists are Moira Bateman, Annie Hejny, Moheb Soliman, and Nick Wroblewski. The artists will talk their work during a panel discussion at Cook County Higher Education from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12. All welcome. Stay tuned.

Exhibits:

This is the last weekend to see the Circle Tour Exhibit by painter Douglas Ross at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The exhibit closes on Sunday.

Upcoming:

 Next weekend, look forward to North House Folk School‘s Uplugged and Birch Bark Bash, Sept. 13-14.

Friday night will feature the Birch Bark Bash fundraising celebration with a dinner that explores the northern landscape provided by chefs Judi Barsness and Scott Graden, followed by our guest speaker, Carol Sauvion of PBS’ Craft in America.

On Saturday, there is a great line-up of activities, demonstrations, coursework and more including the Folk Artisan Marketplace, Speaker Series, Points North Auction, workshops and more.

The Saturday night concert features  Detroit-based roots & blues musician and 2018 Kresge Arts Fellow Reverend Robert Jones , as well as Claudia Schmidt, Prudence Johnson, Dan Chouinard, Marc Anderson, Simone Perrin, Dane Stauffer, and Bradley Greenwald. The host and storyteller for the evening is Kevin Kling. For more info and tickets, click here.

Art News:

 Potter Natalie Sobanja is the Artist of the Month at the Johnson Heritage Post.

A new window display has been installed at the front entrance of the YMCA in Grand Marais, featuring artwork by Linda Ricklefs Baudry and photographs by Tim Young.

The Northwoods Fiber Guild is exhibiting members’ work at the Angry Trout Cafe this summer.

 Barbara Meirhusby is a new painter at the Art of the Elements gallery in rural Grand Marais.

The Art of the Elements gallery is at 306 County Rd 44 in Grand Marais. Call 218-387-1949 or more info or see www.frykmanart.com

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council has a number of new grant opportunities for artists. Check it out by clicking on the icon below.

Music:

Here’s the music schedule for the week:

Thursday, Sept. 4:

• Terry V’s Patio Party, Wunderbar, 5 p.m.
• Roxann Berglund, Cascade Lodge Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music around the Campfire, Lutsen Resort,6:30 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Vessel, Gun Flint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 6:

12th annual Radio Waves Music Festival

• North Shore Community Band, 4 p.m.
• North Country Fair, 5:10 p.m.
• Fish Heads, 6:50 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, 7:50 p.m.
• Wunderdogs, 8:50 p.m.

Other Venues:

• Yellow Bellied SapSuckers, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Caitlin Thomas with Al Oikari & Friends, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Rich Mattson & the Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7:

Radio Waves Music Festival, Sweetheart’s Bluff, GM Rec Park

• Curry Family Band, 10 a.m.
• Upjumped Trouble, 10:50 a.m.
• SVEA, 11:40 a.m.
• Sky Blue Jazz with Horns, 12:30 p.m.
• Sam Miltich Trio & Briand Morrison, 2:30 p.m.
• Yellow Bellied SapSuckers, 3:40 p.m.
• Carpenter Ants, 4:40 p.m.
• Singleton Street, 5:50 p.m.
• Gentleman’s Anti-Temperance League, 6:50 p.m.
• Dlutkowskis, 7:50 p.m.
• Joshua J Schmidt Band, 8:50 p.m.

Other Venues:

• Tom Knutson, Cook County Market, downtown Grand Marias
• Briand Morrison. Lutsen, 7 p.m.
• Vessel, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Caitlin Thomas with Al Oikari & Friends, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Rich Mattson & the Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 8:

Radio Waves Music Festival, Sweetheart’s Bluff, GM Rec Park

• Carpenter Ants Gospel Show, 10 a.m.
• Lake Effect, 11:30 a.m.
• Joe Paulik Band, 12:20 p.m.
• Fred Anderson, 1:20 p.m.
• Grand Marais Music Collaborative, 2:10 p.m.
• Cherry Dirt, 3:20 p.m.
• Woodblind, 4:20 p.m.

 Other Venues:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille & Tap Room, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Bug Dope, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

 

Monday, Sept. 9:

• Jim McGowan, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Carpenter Ants, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 11

• Patio Series with Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille, 4 p.m.

Photographs:

We found some great photographs this week. Here’s a selection:

Let’s start out with this cutie:

Here’s an interesting shot by Sandra Updyke.

 

Mushroom season!

The Northern Lights were flickering across the northern tier states recently. Here are some of the beauties we found.

 

 

And we also found some great North Shore scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Is NorthShore ArtScene an essential part of your reading every week? If so, please consider making a donation today to help support this volunteer effort. Just click on the icon below to make your donation. Thank You!

Labor Day Weekend is coming up, but not to worry … it won’t feel too much like Fall on the North Shore. Instead, we’ll have balmy, beautiful weather. perfect for all kinds of activities, indoors and out.

There’s lots of great music this week, too. Check out the music schedule below.

First up are the Thursday events at North House Folk School. This week, weaver Anna Ruhland will be demonstrating how to weave a tapestry from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

And, on Saturday, she’ll teach a mini-class on the basics of tapestry weaving using the beauty of Lake Superior and the Northwoods as inspiration. Participants will take home a North Shore woven coaster or small wall hanging. The class is from 10 a.m. to noone, There’s small materials fee. To register, call North House at 387-9762. The minimum age for the workshop is 13.

Also on Thursday, North House holds two sessions of Try It: Wood-Fired Baking. To find out more and to register, call 387-9762.

And the Local Food Market continues in the parking lot at the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursday.

This year the Local Food Market has been featuring demonstrations every week. This week, Melinda Spinler will talk about horseradish, how to grow it, prepare it and enjoy it.

On Friday, there’s a lot of action in downtown Duluth as it holds its monthly Downtown Arts Walk starting at 5 p.m. This is the first year anniversary of the popular event. The walk includes stops in artist’s studios, galleries and other venues, including live music. Of particular interest is the opening reception for a new exhibit at the Joseph Nease Gallery, 23 W. 1st St.

The gallery is featuring a solo exhibition by Albuquerque artist Heidi Pollard. The exhibit is entitled “Heaven and Other Realms” and features her drawings, paintings and sculpture. The opening reception is from 5-8 p.m. Also, this is the last week of Matthew Kluber’s exhibit, “Friday I’m in Love” at the gallery.

Saturday opens with the Cook County Market, featuring a variety of art and craft by local artisans. The market is held in the Senior Center parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

.There are a couple of options for Saturday night: a concert with the bluegrass band, Monroe Crossing or a square dance with live music and caller from North Carolina.

Monroe Crossing has visited Grand Marais before, and is popular for its electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals. Their airtight harmonies, razor sharp arrangements, and on-stage rapport make them audience favorites. They will perform at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. on Saturday Tickets are $25 adults, $15 youth and $3 children. They can be purchased at the door. Here’s a video of the group.

Also on Saturday night, there will be a Community Square Dance with Over and Under, a band from Finland, and Jenny Monroe, a caller from Asheville, N.C.

The square dance is free but donations of snacks, drinks and gas money for the band/caller are much appreciated. For more information  call 612-961-4691.

On Sunday, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center will hold an Old-Fashion Pie Social and Bake Sale with music by the North Shore Community Swing Band.

Everyone is invited. It continues all day. All proceeds from the bake sale will help with the daily operational costs of the museum and nature center. Chik-Wauk is open through MEA weekend, Oct. 20.

On Wednesday, Olympian Cindy Nelson will give a presentation at Lutsen Moutains Summit Chalet from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for Cook County Higher Education. The itinerary includes a ride on the Gondola, appetizers and a cash bar, a presentation by Karen Blackburn, executive director of Higher Ed, and then a presentation by Nelson.

A career impeded by injuries, Nelson was not deterred and learned to overcome fear and face the challenges of international competition. Her spectacular career is highlighted by four Olympic and four World Championship team berths, where she won three World Championship medals and one Olympic medal. Cindy held top seed ranking in all three of the Alpine disciplines during her 14-year career and was considered Americas’s finest combined skier of the modern era. Nelson also, became the first American to win a World Cup DH, the first skier to win a World Cup Super GS and the first woman to hold the position of Chief of Course for a major Alpine competition.

Pre-purchased tickets are $50, $60 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online here or by calling Higher Ed at 387-3411.

Exhibits:

The Lake Superior Circle Tour, a series of plein air paintings by Douglas Ross, continues at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sept. 8.

The paintings include landscapes, Lake Superior-scapes as well as paintings of the Northwoods. The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Monday, and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Free.

Betsy Bowen is opening a new exhibit at her studio gallery on Sunday, Sept. 1, entitled “Rare Treasures from the Archives.” The exhibit will include some of her favorite prints, drawings and paintings, as well as new work.

The gallery, 301 1st Ave. W.,  is open from 11-5 p.m. daily. A reception to be announced.

This is the last weekend to see the artwork of illustrator/painter Kyle Voigtlander in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park.

The artist has created a fascinating selection of bird paintings with a special twist.  Stay tuned for the next exhibit in this great venue.

The Duluth Art Institute is installing new exhibits, with a gala opening reception set for mid-September. Stayed tuned.

At the Tweed Museum of Art, the exhibition “Asymmetry: Three Dimensional Works from the Tweed Collection” continues. The exhibit includes a multi-media sculpture by Isidro Blasco.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery continues its exhibit of Northwest Coast Masks from their permanent collection.

Upcoming:

The Radio Waves Music Festival is next weekend,. Sept. 6-8. The festival is held at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Recreation Area, rain or shine, with two stages and a wooden dance floor housed under a large tent. There are also food booths and a kids’ tent.

There are a number of new bands this year, and the Carpenter Ants are returning. They’ll play at set on Saturday and a Gospel Show on Sunday morning.

Tickets can be purchased on-line this year, or at the door. For the complete line-up and tickets, click here.

The next week, North House Folk School‘s Unplugged XVIII and Birchbark Bash will be held Sept, 13 & 14. The weekend is packed full of events, music and more.

For all the details, click here.

And, we just had to include this, primarily because of this illustration by Dave Lynas, who was the studio manager in the ceramics studio at the Duluth Art Institute for years. The ceramics studio is holding a fundraiser Sept. 10 at the new brewery, Ursa Minor, 2415 W. Superior St. in Duluth. Participants will be able to purchase handmade mugs, steins, jugs or cups crafted by local potters. Lynas, who worked for years as a commercial illustrator before becoming a potter, created a few illustrations for the event. based on 14th Century pub-goers. Here’s one. Enjoy!

. Tickets can be purchased at Ursa Minor, 2415 W. Superior St. or click here for tickets

The Grand Marais Playhouse will hold auditions for “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m. for grades 3-8 and at 6:30 p.m. for grades 9-adult. Young auditioners will be asked to sing a short song, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or “Happy Birthday.” or ensemble roles come prepared to sing a short segment of any song that demonstrates your vocal range. Please ensure lyrics are appropriate for general audiences and are age appropriate.

For questions or comments, contact Sue Hennessy at sue@grandmaraisplayhouse.com

Gallery News

A new gallery has opened in Tofte featuring local and regional artists. Lake View Gallery is located at 7181 W. Hwy 61 in Tofte, between the Tofte General Store and Bluefin Bay Resort. Launched by Katharine Skibbe, the gallery features work by Skibbe as well as Kathy Reeves, Kim Knutson, Maggie Anderson as well as regional artists.

The shop is currently open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday or by appointment through October.

Opportunities:

North Shore Health is announcing its 4th Call for Artists to display in the lobby, registration area and hallways in a four-month exhibit. In the last year, they have exhibited work by Lisa Kosmo, Joel Lewis, Keith Morris, Jim Ringquist, Lynn Anderson and Ade Toftey.  The art can be original paintings, photography, fiber art, mosaics and mixed media. Submissions should be received by Sept. 20. Decisions regarding the selected artists will be made by Sept. 25. The installation of the art will be completed by Sept. 30. For more info, check the website at www.northshorehealthgm.org.  Questions? Contat Kimber L. Wraalstad at  kimber.wraalstad@northshorehealthgm.org

The Minneapolis Institute of Art is again opening its doors to every artist in Minnesota with its Once-in-a-Decade Open Call Show. The institute will hang  and/or display every artwork submitted, as long as the work doesn’t exceed one cubic foot in size.

The previous iteration of the MIA series, “Foot in the Door 4,” took place in 2010 and attracted over 100,000 visitors. The original exhibition series began in 1980, with 740 artists from the state submitting works. The number of participants has steadily risen over the years, and in 2010, over 4,800 artists had pieces in the show.

More information on the submission process for “Foot in the Door 5” will be announced on the museum’s website in January, and submissions will be accepted in spring 2020. Stay tuned.

Artist News:

Nace Hagemann is currently exhibiting his photographs at the Mountain Inn in Lutsen. One of the most popular photographs, called “Grandpa’s Bull,” has a touching story with it, which was narrated on the Mountain Inn blog recently.

The Story of Grandpa’s Bull

“One of his best images ever currently resides in our pantry area.  It’s called Grandpa’s Bull, and it often wows guests as they pass by. It has an incredible story…. When the hunt for the Minnesota Moose began again a few years ago, Nace was struggling to find the Moose in places he had come to know them well, and became concerned that he may not see them again. One day he received news from back home that his Grandfather had passed away. Sad that he couldn’t make the drive home, he took to the woods, his most favorite place to be. As he shared this story with us he spoke of making a bit of a heavenly request of his Grandfather in that moment, mentioning how worried he was that he may never see a Moose again. In that very moment he was wishing that his Grandfather could help him see a Moose again one last time,  a giant bull Moose came walking out of the woods towards him, and happened to stay with him for quite some time. He was able to be so close to him for so long that the image he captured is SO clear you can see the reflection of he and his truck in it’s eye.”

Here’s the link to the blog: https://www.mountaininnmn.com/new-blog/2019/8/15/local-art-at-mountain-inn

Hagemann’s work is featured in a number of locations at the Inn. Check it out.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for the week:

Thursday, Aug. 29:

• Terry V’s Patio Party, Wunderbar, 5 p.m.
• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 30:

• The Cruisers, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• The Federales, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7 p.m.
• 4-Shore, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug.31:

• North County Fair, Cascade Lodge Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• The Federales, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Common Ground, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m., reservations at www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Monroe Crossing in Concert, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Gene Lafond & Amy Grillo, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Common Ground, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• The Cruisers, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Square Dance– Over and Under with Caller Jenny Monroe, 4-H Cabin, Community Center, 8 p.m.
• Dance Party with DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 1:

• Briand Morrison. Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• John Gruber & Friends, Music by the Lake, Skyport Lodge, 4 p.m.
•  Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
•  The Federales, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 2:

• Matt and Laurel, Voyageur Brewing, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 4:

• Patio Series with Timmy Haus, Wunderbar, 4 p.m.
• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Photographs:

So let’s start with wildlife shots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a few from the plant world.

 

 

 

 

 

And here are a few landscapes:

 

 

 

 

 

And this: a special for this weekend: Enjoy!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An August on the North Shore is really something to experience, and this year it’s been exceptional. Balmy breezes, warm sunny days, the peace of summer –  all are well-evident this year.

And then, of course, we’re into fall with two music festivals back-to-back (the Radio Waves Music Festival and Unplugged XVIII) and then a great selection of art tours. Lots happening.

Meanwhile, this week …

We start out with wet felting demonstrations by Elise Kyllo at North House Folk School Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And on Saturday, Kyllo will teach a mini-workshop on how to make a wet- and needle-felted finger puppet.

This workshop is open to everyone over the age of 8 and will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. To register, call North House at 387-9762, There is a small materials fee.

Also. on Thursday, the Local Food Market will be held in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center. This week look for all kinds of garden produce including kohlrabi, kale, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, zucchini, cucumbers, herbs, fresh flowers and more.

The food demo is at 5 p.m.  and will feature Chef Christina of Rebel Girls Community Minded Catering, She will demonstrate how to make homemade herbed ricotta cheese. A tasting table is included.

On Friday, North House Folk School  will present “Try It: Timber Framing.” Participants will learn how to put up and then take down a small timber-frame structure. The workshop will be from 10 a.m. to noon. Free. To register, call North House at 387-9762.

Also on Friday, the last Paint-A-Tile workshop of the season will be held in the ceramics studio at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

Participants will learn about Majolica glazes and then have a chance to paint two tiles with their own designs. The tiles will be fired and ready for pick-up on Sunday. Cost is $25. For more information and to register, call the Art Colony 387-2737.

WTIP’s The Roadhouse welcomes a new band to its studio during the program on Friday from 5-7 p.m.  danG ol’ Tri’olE, which will play at the Gun Flint Tavern on Friday night, will talk about their music and play a few songs.

And then, Ray Bonneville,  who plays blues-influenced, New Orleans-inspired songs,  will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Bonneville strips his bluesy Americana to its essentials, steeps it in the humid grooves of the South, and creates a poetry of hard living and deep feeling. Rich guitar and harmonica, spare and spunky rhythms, and Bonneville’s deep, evocative voice combine to give this “song-and-groove man” his unmistakable sound. He has released nine albums, won Canada’s Juno Award as well as other prestigious awards, and earned an enthusiastic following in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Here’s one of his songs:

The concert is brought to us by the North Shore Music Association. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at tix.com and at the door.

On Saturday morning, the Cook County Market opens at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Senior Center. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is held every Saturday, weather permitting, through MEA weekend.

The market features a variety of arts and crafts including glass, fiber art, pottery, woodworking, semi-precious stones, jewelry, clothing and more. All invited.

And on Saturday evening, author and illustrator Rachel Awes will be at Joy & Company to sign her latest book from 5-7 p.m. Refreshments will be catered by Rebel Girls. All invited.

On Wednesday, Aug. 28, WTIP Community Radio will be broadcasting from the Minnesota State Fair from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The broadcast can be heard on WTIP at 90.7 FM or by streaming on-line at www.wtip.org. And, if you’re at the State Fair, watched live. There will be guest hosts, lots of great music and interesting conversations. Tune in.

Also on Wednesday, the Opening Celebration of the Felted Forest behind Sawtooth Elementary School will be held from 4-6 p.m. in conjunction with the ISD 166 Open House. The Felted Forest was created and installed by local felters this summer.

The celebration includes hands-on felting activities, refreshments (watermelon), and a walk through the Forest. Free. All invited.

Exhibits:

 The Lake Superior Circle Tour, plein air paintings by Douglas Ross continues at the Johnson Heritage Post through early September. The large-scale paintings depict the beautiful landscapes around Lake Superior.

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

Tettegouche State Park is featuring the artwork of illustrator/painter Kyle Voigtlander in the Great Hall through August.

In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art is exhibiting recent acquisitions, including this piece by ceramicist Robin Murphy.

AICHO Galleries in Duluth has opened a new exhibit. The galleries are located at 202 W. 2nd St. in Duluth.

Gallery News:

Photographer Roxanne Distad has new work at the JNS Gallery in Lutsen.

Yellow Bird Fine Art is exhibiting original prints by George Morrison.

Upcoming:

The 12th annual Radio Waves Music Festival is Sept. 6-8 at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Recreation Area. The festival is held rain or shine with two stages and a wooden dance floor housed under a large tent. There are also food booths and a kids’ tent.

Acts new to Radio Waves this year include North Country Fair, Upjumped Trouble, Singleton Street, Gentleman’s Anti-Temperance League, Joshua J Schmidt Band and Woodblind. A number of favorite bands are returning, including the Carpenter Ants from West Virginia. For the complete line-up, click here.

Tickets are $20 for the weekend, and $10 daily. Free for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased online. Click here.

North House Folk School‘s Unplugged XVIII and Birchbark Bash is the following weekend, Sept, 13 & 14.

Friday night, Sept. 13, will feature the Birch Bark Bash fundraising celebration with a dinner that explores the northern landscape provided by chefs Judi Barsness and Scott Graden, followed by guest speaker, Carol Sauvion of PBS’ Craft in America.

The Saturday night concert, Sept. 14, features special gues Detroit-based roots & blues musician and 2018 Kresge Arts Fellow, the Rev. Robert Jones, and seven featured performers: Claudia Schmidt, Prudence Johnson, Dan Chouinard, Marc Anderson, Simone Perrin, Dane Stauffer, and Bradley Greenwald.

Click here for more info and tickets.

There are a number of art events scheduled for late September and early October on the North Shore, including the Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour.

Stops include home art studios as well as galleries with guest artists. All locations will be open daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a few special Fall Studio Tour events scheduled outside of these hours. Stay tuned for details.

And check out the opportunities for artists through the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council by clicking on the image below.

Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, Aug. 22:

• Joe Paulik, Cascade Lodge, 6 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 23:

• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Cassandra & Elle, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7 p.m.
• Ray Bonneville, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m.
• That Dan’ol Tri’ol, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 24:

• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Birch terrace, 3 p.m.
• Roxann Berglund, Cascade Lodge Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• Jim Miller, Wunder Bar, 7 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Southpaws, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• RichRath Project 3:13-Tribute to REO, Grand Portage, 8 p.m.
• Crazy Chester, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 25:

• Briand Morrison, Moguls Grille, 10 a.m.
• Pushing Chain, Music by the Lake, Skyport, 4 p.m.
• Open Stay with Joe Paulik, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Bug Dope, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 26:

Matthew Griswold, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.

The Lowest Pair, Monday Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 27:

• Campfire Music with Joe Paulik, Bluefin Bay, 7 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 28:

• WTIP Community Radio Live at the Minnesota State Fair, 8-5 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Patio Series at Papa Charlie’s, 4-6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Chris Gillis, Live, on the Deck, Papa Charle’s, 6 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Photographs:

We found lots of great photos this week. Here’s a selection;

First, wildlife:

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a potpourri of beauty:

 

 

 

 

 

Playing with sunrises/sunsets:

 

 

 

And a few North Shore landscapes:

 

 

 

 

And this great shot by Musa Abdel Rahman.

Enjoy the rest of summer everyone!

Whew! The biggest festivals of mid-summer are over, but there’s still plenty to do on the North Shore.

First up, this Thursday, leatherworker Candace LaCosse will be giving shoemaking and leather working demos at North House Folk School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

 

LaCosse will also teach a mini-class at 10 a.m. on Saturday on how to make hand stitch a leather wallet. Register at North House by calling 387-9762. There is a $20 materials fee.

Also at North House on Thursday –“Try It– Baking.” Participants will learn about baking in a wood-fire oven. Call 387-9762 to register. Cost is $20 per person or $30 for adult/child pair. There are two sessions: 1-3 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Also on Thursday, the Local Food Market will be held in the parking lot at the Cook County Community Center.

This week, look for a great variety of veggies, including tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beets. cucumbers, green and yellow beans, zucchini and summer squash, kale and chard. There will also be wood-fired artisan bread and fresh flowers. At 5 p.m., Hella Buchheim will demonstrate how she makes a delicious salsa with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro. All invited.

At 6 p.m. the monthly Writer’s Guild meeting will be held at the Grand Marais Public Library from 6-7:30 p.m. The Guild is “for anyone who writes anything.” All invited. Free.

Also on Thursday night, Voyageur Brewing Co. will host the Dark Sky Caravan, with an indoor slide show of the universe and a chance to see the Perseid Meteor shower and the full moon with telescopes. Free.

The Dark Sky Caravan will be at the Seagull Lake Community Center on Friday and Saturday nights as well. The viewing runs from 6-10:30 p.m.

Drury Lane Books will have a Full Moon Reading  at 7 p.m. Thursday by the bonfire. It will be a Children’s Book Read Aloud.  All invited to bring their favorites to share..

Friday is the start of Book Arts Weekend at the Grand Marais Art Colony.Every class is dedicated to the art and craft of book-making.

There are still openings in some of the classes. For more info, click here and/or call 387-2737.

Also on Friday, as part of the Book Arts Weekend, there will be a Bookbinding Studio Tour with Scott Husby from 6-7 p.m.

Husby has been a conservation bookbinder since the 1970s, and has worked at the Library of Congress, the Folger Shakespeare Library, and the Smithsonian, and also served as the rare books conservator for Princeton University. Participants will have the chance to visit Scott’s hand bookbindery and learn about his more than 40-year career. Scott will showcase the tools, equipment, and materials used in making hand-bound books as well as an assortment of historical bookbinding models. To register, call 387-2737. The deadline to register is Thursday, Aug. 15.

And the Thunderheads will be guests on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday where they will talk about their music and play a few songs. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

Saturday kicks off with the Cook County Market, featuring a wide variety art and crafts by local artisans.

The market is held in the parking lot of the Senior Center and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This week, Tom Knutson will play.

A pop-up art installation by Charles Matson Lume in the new space just purchased by the Grand Marais Art Colony at 21 W. Hwy 61,  is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays through the end of August.   The exhibition, which is a study in light,  shadow and texture, is a response to the Art Colony’s new space, its current condition and potential changes.

The installation is entitled “Which mothers forth mud and mint (for Mark Doty).” The public is invited to see the installation.

The Cook County Historical Society will hold a Harbor History Tour at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The tour begins at the Historical Society’s museum on Broadway. The tour features visible relics of the past and stories of this small harbor and community. The tours last approximately one hour and are weather permitting. Children must be accompanied by an adult. More information at (218)-387-2883. The tours are held every Saturday throughout the summer.

In Thunder Bay, Saturday is Y-Art Sale day on Cooke Street in the downtown Waterfront District.

The event, which is presented by Definitely Superior Art Gallery, is always a lot of fun, and there are art bargains and more to enjoy. This is the 10th year that the Thunder Bay artists’ group, DieActive, has organized the sale. (DieActive is well-known in Thunder Bay for the spectacular graffiti murals members have painted all over town.) This year, the  Y-Art Sale features 70 local artist vendors, live music, a Vintage Clothing and Flea Market curated by Thrifty Kid Vintage as well as food and more. Last year, 1,500 attended.

One of the musical highlights of late summer–Gunflint Woods, Winds, Strings … and a Little Jazz”– will be held at the Gunflint Volunteer Fire Department Hall No. 1 at Poplar Lake, starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

The line-up of musicians is almost a who’s-who in music for Cook County and beyond. They include:  Philis Anderson (oboe); Prof. Anna Nekola (oboe), Sue Anderson (violin); Fred Anderson (guitar); the Borealis Brass Quintet: Eric Anderson (euphonium), Don Grant (trumpet), Dave Coleman (trombone), Alyssa Hedstrom (French horn) and Robert Reed (trumpet); a trumpet trio (Don Grant, Robert Reed, & Paul Dragsten); SVEA: Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux, Erika Ternes, and Yvonne Mills); the Sky Blue Jazz Ensemble: Mike DeBevec (piano), Mike Roth (string bass), Erik Hahn (sax), Thomas Stamps (percussion and vocal), and Karina Roth (vocal); two award-winning high school instrumental soloists: Jack Willis (trumpet solo) & Ashleigh Precord (flute solo) and others.

Tickets ($20 adult, $5 youth 5-18, under 5 is free)  are hard to get for this concert, but there still might be some left. For more info, contact Patsy Coleman at 313-673-6202 or email her at pbcoleman529@gmail.com , Checks and credit cards accepted. All concert proceeds, go the the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department. Additonal contributions  to the fund are encouraged.

Exhibits:

 Plein air painter Douglas Ross has a great exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post. Entitled “Lake Superior Circle Tour,” the exhibit features a selection of paintings he did around Lake Superior.

The exhibit continues through Sept. 8. The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Monday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

In other Heritage Post news, Leah Thomas is the Artist of the Month. Her work, including prints and collages, is featured on a wall in the gallery.

Kyle Voigtlander is the featured artist for the month of August at Tettegouche State Park. The exhibit features his creative paintings of birds using pencil, pen, brush and airbrush on multi-media paper.

The exhibit is in the Great Hall at Tettegouche.

The Tweed Museum of Art is exhibiting a number of new acquisitions, including this lithograph by Roy Lichenstein.

At the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, the exhibition, ‘The Writing on the Wall: Works of Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert, RCA’, continues until to Sept 8.

This exhibit offers commentary on historical issues affecting Indigenous people.

Upcoming:

Bluesman Ray Bonneville will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.

Since leaving his career as a studio and touring blues musician to write and perform his own music, Bonneville has released nine albums, won Canada’s Juno and other prestigious awards, and earned an enthusiastic following in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He is brought to the ACA stage by the North Shore Music Association. Here’s a great video of him performing “I am the Big Easy.”

Tickets are $18. They can be purchased at tix.com or at the door.

Kudos:

Opportunities:

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is looking for new board members. There are four openings for the upcoming term: a student liaison, a representative from Aitken County and two At-Large members who can come from any of the seven counties served the ARAC. For more info, click on the icon below.

 

Music:

Here’s the music schedule for the week:

Thursday, Aug. 15:

• Gordon Thorne, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.
• Andrew Huber, Cascade Lodge Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Kilborn Quartet, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 16:

• The Sprigs, Poplar Haus, 7 p.m.
• Gene Lafond & Amy Grillo, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Thunderheads, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 17:

• Tom Knutson, Cook County Market, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Jim McGowan, Cascade Lodge Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m. see www.michaelmonroemusic.com for more info.
• Gordon Thorne, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• The Fish Heads, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Thunderheads, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 18:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Woodblind, Music by the Lake, Skyport Lodge, 4 p.m.
• Gunflint Woods, Winds, Strings … and a Little Jazz, Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department Hall No. 1, Poplar Lake, 4 p.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Jim McGowan, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 19:

• Jim McGowan, Voyageur Brewing, 5 p.m.
• Moors & McCumber, Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 20:

• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Bluefin Resort, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 21:

• Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.
• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 21:

• Patio Series with Jim McGowan, Mogul’s Grille, 4:30 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music on the Deck with Joe Paulik, Papa Charlie’s, 6 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Photographs:

We were lucky again this week to find some great photographs. Here’s a selection.

 

 

 

 

To see more photographs of the wolf and the bear, click here. 

 

 

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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