North Shore Arts Scene

This is a big weekend for studio tours along the North Shore. The Crossing Borders Studio Tour & Sale celebrates its 20th anniversary starting this Friday, Sept. 23 at 10 a.m.,and fans are anticipating a great show. The six host studios in Lake and Cook counties will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 2.

Here is just a tiny sampling of the artwork that you will see.

The studio tour started 20 years ago when potters Dick Cooter and Fritz Lehmberg began talking about creating a studio tour that would allow art lovers to learn about the experience of making art within the environment the creative work takes place. They thought the tour would also help build community among North Shore artists. Their idea was greeted with enthusiasm by area artists and the first tour was held in the fall of 1996.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six studios and nine individual artists participated, and sales managed to just cover expenses. Cooter claimed he was surprised anyone came. But Crossing Borders has continued to grow every year and has become a staple for art lovers to enjoy in the fall.

The host studios are Blue Skies Glassworks and Cooter Pottery and Handweaving in Lake County and Last Chance Fabricating, Betsy Bowen Studio, Lee and Dan Ross and Marcie McIntire in Cook County.

This is the last year for the Crossing Borders Tour, so there will be lots to see. All the artists are onsite, and refreshments are served each day.

For more information about the artists and the tour, as well as maps, see www.crossingbordersstudiotour.com.

There’s another studio tour this weekend, too. The Lake Superior 20/20 Studio Tour features open studios from Two Harbors to Gooseberry Falls. It features glass, ceramics, woodwork, painting, printmaking, jewelry, sculpture, and photography for three days, Sept. 23-25. Artists include by John Gregor, David Gilsvik, Sandi Pillsbury-Gredzens, Gail Rosenquist and Paul Zoldahn, to name a few. For maps and more info, see www.lakesuperior2020.com

And  printmaker Jerry Raich will hold an open studio at his home/studio at 6452 Hwy. 61 from Sept. 23 through Oct. 2.

The studio will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. He will be available for printmaking demos as well. All invited.

Another fun event this weekend is “Behold the Mug!” an exhibit of mugs crafted by local and regional potters in the Midwest to be held concurrently at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais and Siivis in Duluth on Saturday and Sunday.

The handcrafted mugs come in every variety of style and, of course, coffee and treats will be served.

And for another great visual feast, visit the Johnson Heritage Post to see the more than 200 landscapes created by artists during Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Plein Air 2016. The show opened last Friday, and the crowds were lined up outside the door to see it. It’s a pretty amazing show and highly recommended.

Plein Air 2016 continues through Nov. 13. The Heritage Post is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Also this weekend, author Peter Geye will give a presentation at the Grand Marais Public Library on Friday at 6 p.m. about his latest book, “Wintering.”

Geye’s third novel is set on the shores of Lake Superior and follow a father and son’s epic journey into the wilds of the Boundary Waters.  The presentation will include slides of the sources that inspired and informed the writing of this novel, including images of the maps that play a central role in the story, and in the exploration of BWCA. The presentation is free. All welcome.

The Cross River Heritage Center will host Charlotte Durie, who is exhibiting work there, for a demonstration on printmaking and a talk about her family history in Schroeder.

Durie will give her presentation at 11 a.m. All invited.

Also on Saturday, singer/songwriter Ann Reed will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m.

The beloved Minnesota performer has toured Canada and the U.S. from coast to coast, performing at theaters, clubs, and music festivals. She’s appeared on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” ABC’s “Good Morning America,” NPR’s “Morning Edition,” and countless radio stations across the U.S.

In 2007 she wrote and performed “Heroes: A Celebration of Women Who Changed History and Changed Our Lives,” a theatrical presentation produced by Minnesota Public Radio. In a departure from her usual repertoire, she has developed a musical tribute (with Denise Tabet) called “Nothing but Class: The Songs of Dorothy Fields,” honoring the first woman to be inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.

Tickets are $18 adults, $5 youth (18 & under) and are for sale in advance (no fees) at www.tix.com and at the door. The box office opens at 6:30 p.m.

And on Monday, Dave Simonett, the frontman for Trampled by Turtles and Dead Man Winter, will be the featured songwriter at Papa Charlie’s at 8:30 p.m.

Simonett, who has become recognized as one of the Midwest’s most popular musicians, will sing and talk about his music. Free. All invited.

In Thunder Bay, this is the final weekend for the exhibit, “Arthur Shilling: The Final Works” at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

The gallery also features the Thunder Bay Potters’ Guild 40th Anniversary Juried Exhibition with 38 works by 17 of the area’s best potters.

In Duluth, the Duluth Art Institute opens three new exhibitions with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23. The exhibits include: “Rust & Flow: David Asher Everett,” “Fragments/Memory: Adam McCauley,” and “From the Basement: Brent Kustermann.“

Upcoming

 Plein air painter Neil Sherman will exhibit recent and new work outdoors ON his house next weekend. Entitled “Art On the House: An Outdoor Exhibit of Landscape” the paintings will literally be hung on his house at  4194 North Road — unless it rains. Then it will held indoors.

The exhibition will be held on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday Oct. 2, from 12-3 p.m. All welcome.

Drury Lane Books will hold a Writer’s Salon with author Paul Gilk at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. Gilk will talk about his book, “Get Poor Now, Avoid the Rush.” Open to the public.

In Thunder Bay, Definitely Superior Art Gallery will have a gala opening for two new exhibitions from 7-10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30. The exhibit features work by Sarah Link and Riaz Mehmood.

In Other Art News:

Great news! The mural designed by Mila Horak and painted by community members has been installed! Look for it on the alley wall of Birchbark Books & Gifts.

 

 

The Blue Moose has just received new work by the Levandowski Pottery of Dassel, Minn., and birchbark wall-hanging baskets by Dennis Turnquist of Finland.

Ann Patchett’s latest book, “Commonwealth” is at Drury Lane Books. Patchett also wrote Belconto,  and State of Wonder.

Kah Nee Tah Gallery in Lutsen has a new artist. Shaina Ruder of Bovey crafts beach glass copper necklaces and ear rings. She also uses rough-cut amethyst in her pieces.

There will be bronze pour at Last Chance Gallery at 4 p.m. on Saturday. It is open to the public. All invited.

And finally, the Cook County Farm & Craft Market is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Senior Center’s parking lot. The market traditionally runs through MEA weekend. (Unless it snows.) MEA weekend this year is Oct. 22.

There’s lots of great live music this weekend. Here’s the schedule:

 Thursday, Sept. 22:

• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 23:

• Jim McGowan, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 24:

• Pete K, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m., reservations at www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Eric Frost, Lusten Resort, 7 p.m.
• Ann Reed, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m.
• Blueberry JAAM, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Common Ground, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 25:

• Gene LaFond & Amy Grillo, Gunflint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 26:

• Dave Simonett, Monday Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.
• Bug Dope, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 28

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Here is a selection of landscapes from the North Shore.

 

Sunsets have been pretty nice, too.

 

On the opposite spectrum, here are two great monochromes.

 

 

Here are some waves in vibrant technicolor.

Here’s a beauty by Kjersti Vick.

Late afternoon peace…

And then there are moose:

And last, but not least this one by Kathleen Gray-Anderson. She calls it “Anticipate Problems.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This weekend is going to be so much fun. The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Plein Air 2016 continues more public events and concludes with a gala opening at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday night. And, North House Folk School‘s Unplugged XV gets underway on Thursday, drawing in hundreds of people to enjoy live music and northern craft.

There are all kinds of other events, too, including two readings at Drury Lane Books, Artist Talks, a Bronze Pour, a Fireside Chat … and more. Here are the details.

First up is Plein Air 2016, which has brought artists from throughout the region to paint Cook County for a week and then exhibit their work at the Johnson Heritage Post through Nov. 13.

The event, which is organized by the Grand Marais Art Colony, is a highlight of season, and this year, 80 artists have registered for the event.

Tonight, Thursday, is the spectacular Quick Paint on Artists Point from 4-5:30 p.m. Artists bring their easels and paints and set up on various parts of the beautiful tombolo on the east side of the harbor. At 4 p.m. precisely, a horn sounds and they will begin to paint. They must complete their oeuvre by 5:30 p.m., and the public is invited to watch the process. At the end, they bring their canvases to a spot along the point and lean them against the rocks so everyone can see. It’s very cool. Check out this video crafted by WDSE a few years ago to get an idea of how it works. It’s entitled “Plein Air Brush-Off.”

The public events continue. On Friday, Dan Wiemer, the juror for the event, will give a lecture in the Founders Hall at the Art Colony at 11 a.m., which is open to the public. And then, that evening, the tour de force: the Opening Reception at the Johnson Heritage Post from 5-7 p.m. There will be more than 150 paintings there. Each of juried artists gets to display two paintings each, plus their painting from the Quick Paint and the Night Paint, if they participated. It’s an evening of anticipation, celebration and fun as the winners are announced. Refreshments are served.

On Saturday, Hazel Belvo will present “The Art of Seeing” at the Heritage Post. She will lead participants through a guided tour of the exhibit and a discussion on art-viewing  from 11:30-12:30, with a $5 suggested donation. The Open Class Exhibit opens at the Art Colony at noon in the Founders Hall.

And the final event, a Fireside Chat with Dan Wiemer at Sivertson Gallery will be at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Wiemer is a watercolor and acrylic painter and is the past president of the Minnesota Watercolor Society. The Fireside Chat is free and open to the public. All invited. Refreshments will be served.

Meanwhile, at North House Folk School, Unplugged XV, has been launched. The event features a weekend of workshops, demonstrations and lots of music with concerts on Friday and Saturday nights under the Big Top.

On Friday night, join Tom Paxton, Lisa Brokop, Pat Alger, and Gretchen Peters at 7 p.m. for music in the songwriter-round tradition.

The same format will be used on Saturday night, when Don Henry, Amy Speace, Kim Richey, and Jon Vezner perform. Purchase tickets here.

Unplugged XV also offers a wide variety of demonstrations on everything from spoon carving, bead embroidery, birchbark weaving and iron work at the Folk Artisan Marketplace, which will be held on Friday and Saturday. The artisans also display their work, which is for sale.

There are lots of music opportunities, too, with a songwriting class and fingerstyle guitar workshop as well as jam sessions. Unplugged XV also offers a fantastic variety of workshops. Everything from breadbaking to jewelry making, basketry to leaf printing in a steam box will be offered.  There’s also an online auction. Check it out here.

For all the details and register for classes, visit www.northhouse.org.

There’s a lot more happening this weekend, too.

Erin Theresa Watson will give a Full Moon Reading at Drury Lane Books from 7-8 p.m. on Friday.

Watson, who is a published poet, will read selections from some of the most critically acclaimed female poets of the last five years, including Nayyirah Waheed, Ada Limón, Jorie Graham and others. Come enjoy the full moon and treat your ears to something new, Her short collection of poems, “The Smallest Heart Wins the Day,” is available at the bookstore.

On Saturday, author Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux will be featured at the Writer’s Salon at Drury Lane Books at 5 p.m.

Arrowsmith-Decoux is a local author, entrepreneur, artist and co-owner of the Art House Bed and Breakfast in Grand Marais. She will be performing stories from her book, “The Marvelous Imagination of Katie Addams” outside the bookstore at the campfire as well as giving a preview of her next book, which is due out in 2017. Children are especially invited.

Make-A-Bowl for Empty Bowls starts this weekend, with one-hour sessions available on Saturday and Sunday in the ceramic studio at the Grand Marais Art Colony. Everyone is invited to sign-up and make a bowl or two for this fundraiser to help feed the hungry in Cook County. The Empty Bowls Dinner will be Nov. 10 this year.

Instruction is provided at the Make-A-Bowl sessions, and everyone learns how to throw a bowl on the wheel as well as hand-build one. The one-hour sessions are from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. A $5 donation is requested. To sign up, contact the Grand Marais Art Colony at 387-2737 or email programs@grandmaraisartcolony.org.

Also this weekend, Lutsen will hold its Fall Der All, with special events at participating businesses.

Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen, for example, will be participating with  a household yard sale in the sculpture garden and in-store specials on selected paintings, prints, glass, cards, books and clothing. There will be a Bronze Pour open to the public at 4 p.m. as well.

The opening reception is at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) Thursday. All invited.

Also at the gallery, a small sample of the works that will be featured in the  Annual Art Auction Sept. 30 are now on display.

 Upcoming

 The Crossing Borders Studio Tour & Sale starts next weekend, Sept.23, and runs through Oct.2. Studios from Two Harbors to Grand Portage will be featured.

Beside showing their own work, resident artists frequently invite others to participate. In Cook County, Last Chance Gallery will feature work by bronze sculptor Tom Christiansen, as well as  work by fiber artist Sue Stavig and bead painter  Jo Wood. The Betsy Bowen Studio will feature work by Betsy Bowen as well as work by potters JD Jorgensen, Megan Mitchell and Fritz Lehmberg, tile artist Melissa Wickwire and wood turner and artist Jim Sannerud.
Hovland artists Lee and Dan Ross as well as Ojibwe bead artist Marcie McIntire (Grand Portage) will also participate in the tour. The studios are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. This is the 20th anniversary of the studio tour and its last year. So make plans to see it! And stay tuned for details next week. Check out the Crossing Borders website for more info and maps here.

Printmaker Jerry Raich, who lives in Little Marais, will hold an open house during the Crossing Borders Tour featuring his work as well as printmaking demonstrations. His studio is located just off Hwy. 61 at Milepost 65, on the lake side. The fire number is 6452. All welcome.

In other art news:

The all-music weekend continues at WTIP, with the Bughouse and Jim & Michele Miller performing on The Roadhouse. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

Stephan Hoglund is exhibiting his jewelry at Betsy Bowen’s Studio.

Betsy Bowen is creating a new line of work for the Crossing Borders Studio Tour–woodblock fragments from her book, “One North Star.” The woodblocks have been cut and painted by Bowen and will be a variety of sizes.

And, finally,  here’s one for beer lovers: a stainless steel Lake Superior key chain and a beer bottle opener.

Here’s the music line-up for this week.

Thursday, Sept. 15:

• Gordon Thorne, Gunflint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 16:

• Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Unplugged XV, North House Folk School, 7 p.m. with Tom Paxton, Lisa Brokop, Pat Alger, and Gretchen Peters.
• Tree Party, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Country Bug, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.
• Rod & Al, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 17:

• Frozen Britches with Michelle Miller, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• Pete K, Sydney’s Frozen Custard, 6 p.m.
• UnPlugged XV, North House Folk School, 7 p.m. with Don Henry, Amy Speace, Kim Richey, and Jon Vezner
• Gordon Thorne, Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais. 7 p.m., reservations at www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Tree Party, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 18:

• Timmy Haus, Gunflint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 19:

• Open Mic Night, Grandma Ray’s. 6 p.m.
• Teague Alexy, Papa Charlie’s, Monday’s Songwriter Series, 8:30 p.m.
• Boyd Bump Blomberg, Bluefin Bay, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 21:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

We found a potpourri of photos this week. Here’s a selection.

 

 

 

 

Fall has arrived, for sure. Here’s a photo to prove it.

And here’s another.

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re crazy for music and art in September, as well as endless vistas of stupendous fall colors. Reds are just starting to appear on the maples, and we are all looking forward to the first fall music extravaganza this weekend–the Radio Waves Music Festival, Sept. 9-11.

This is the ninth year that WTIP Community Radio has hosted this 3-day event, which is held at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Rec Park. It’s family friendly and community friendly and features a great mix of local and regional music acts.

Festival-goers can look forward to seeing several new bands this year,  as well as  returning favorites. The weekend will feature more than 20 local acts, as well as regional bands, including Dusty Heart, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Bowers & Gillman, Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club, and Rich Mattson and the Northstars.

For this festival, there are two stages under the Big Tent, plus a generous dance floor. And there’s on-site food, a children’s tent and activities, as well as camping. Tickets, available at the gate, are $10 per day or $20 for the whole weekend, and free to children 12 and under.

Radio Waves is always a great community event that kicks off the fall season.

Radio Waves starts at 4 p.m. on Friday with the North Shore Community Band and concludes on Sunday with Angel Hair Rasta taking the stage at 6 p.m.

Here’s the complete music schedule:

Friday

• 4 p.m.  The North Shore Community Swing Band
• 5 p.m.  Frozen Britches
• 5:30 p.m.  Plucked Up String Band
• 6:15 p.m.  Mark Zierath
• 6:30 p.m.  Shoot from the Hipsters
• 7:20 p.m.  Dusty Heart
• 8:30 p.m.  Earth Wind and Todd

Saturday

• 10 a.m.  The Sky Blue Trio
• 
11 a.m.  The Curry Family Band
• 12 p.m.  Briand & Friends

• 1 p.m.    Portage

• 2 p.m.   Shaky Ground

• 2:30 p.m. Bend
• 
3 p.m.   The Fish Heads
• 
4 p.m.   Scotty’s Coast Connection Band

• 5 p.m.   The Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers

• 6 p.m.   Rich Mattson and the Northstars
• 7 p.m.   Sam. Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club
• 8 p.m.   Cook County’s Most Wanted

Sunday

• 10 a.m.  Gospel music featuring Gordon Thorne & friends
• 11 a.m.  Dlutkowskis
• 11:50 a.m.  Jim & Michele Miller

• 12:30 p.m.  Dat Dere Jazz
• 1:20 p.m.    Bowers & Gillman

• 2:10 p.m.    Heck Yeah Holler String Band

• 3 p.m.   Michael Monroe

• 4 p.m.   Oversize Load
• 5 p.m.   Lake Effect

• 6 p.m.   Angel Hair Rasta

See you there!

The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Plein Air 2016 Competition and Exhibition begins on Friday, too, when artists from all over the region will fan out across  Cook County to paint its beauty for the next week. This year, 70 artists have signed up for the event.

There are several organized public events for Plein Air this year,  including a Paint Out at Lutsen Mountains from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10; the Quick Paint at Artist’s Point from 4-5:30  p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15, a Juror Lecture with Dan Wiemer at the Art Colony on Friday, Sept. 16 at 11 a.m. and the Opening Reception for the exhibition at the Johnson Heritage Post from 5-7 p.m. that Friday evening. Weimer will give a Fireside Chat at Sivertson Gallery at 6 p.m. next Saturday, Sept. 17. Stay tuned for details.

Truth be told–there’s a lot happening this weekend.

Dusty Heart will be on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday night to talk about their music and sing a few songs. The show airs from 5-7 p.m. Dusty Heart performs at the Radio Waves Music Festival at 7:20 p.m. on Friday.

At 6 p.m. Friday, The Sutter Brothers, musician Ross Sutter and Duluth poet Bart Sutter, will present “North Country Characters” at the Grand Marais Public Library.

For 30 years, The Sutter Brothers have presented lively programs that emphasize their rural, small-town roots and Scandinavian heritage. In 2014, The Sutter Brothers won a highly competitive Arts Tour Minnesota Grant, which allowed them to take their show statewide. They recently performed in Sweden and have been featured in the film series “Pretty Much 100% Scandinavian.”

Join them in the free program at the library as they present the landscape, critters, and quirky characters of northern Minnesota through songs and stories, poetry and music.

On Saturday, the Cook County Farm & Craft Market starts out the day in the Senior Center parking lot, offering lots of arts and crafts, baked goods and more from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At the Cross River Heritage Center in Schroeder, Trish Hunter will teach a watercolor class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The cost is $45 per person. To register in advance, call the Heritage Center at 218-663-7706.

And at 11 a.m., Dr. Roger MacDonald will sign his latest book, “Babe”  at the Heritage Center.

Dr. MacDonald was a physician in Cook County for years and has penned other books, including “The Country Doctor’s Casebook: Tales from the Northwoods.”

The North Shore Winery, 202 Ski Hill Road in Lutsen, will celebrate the installation of three outdoor sculptures by Tom Christiansen as well as the display of paintings in the facility on Saturday.

The tasting room in the winery will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.. There will be barbecue from 4-7 p.m. with live music from Jon Kallberg on the harp guitar. There will also be a plein air painting demonstration by Kristin Blomberg from 5 – 7 p.m.

And, at 4 p.m., there will be bronze pour at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen. Free. All invited.

And finally, (and not to be missed), Lucie Amundson, author of  “Locally Laid: How We Built a Plucky, Industry Changing Egg Farm from Scratch” will give a presentation at Drury Lane Books at 5 p.m. on Saturday as part of the bookstore’s Writer’s Salon series.

Amundsen will share a multi-media presentation on her farm and stories from her entertaining and thought-provoking book. Come learn about chickens and the egg business! All invited.

This is the last weekend to see the wonderful exhibit of portraits and landscapes by Gene Ritchie Monahan at the Johnson Heritage Post. The retrospective includes more than 70 works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhibit is quite extraordinary. One visitor described it as walking into a room and learning the stories and secrets of a community, but nobody says a word. The Johnson Heritage Post will be open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed next week in preparation for the Plein Air 2016 opening Sept. 16.

On Monday, the Grand Marais Writer’s Guild will meet at the Cook County Whole Foods Co-op at 6 p.m. The writing theme will be “Dialogue.” All writers welcome.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Potter’s Guild opens an exhibition at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery on Friday, with the opening reception at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) Sept. 15.

The Potter’s Guild exhibit includes both functional and sculptural works. It continues through Nov. 6.

The Baggage Building Art Centre at Prince Arthur’s Landing in Thunder Bay is currently showing work by Marilyn A. Boyle.

Upcoming

Unplugged XV: the Northern Harvest, featuring two concerts, workshops, demonstrations and more, will be at North House Folk School next weekend, Sept. 15-18. The Friday concert features Tom Paxton, Lisa Brokopl, Pat Alger and Gretchen Peters with special guest Jonathan Brown. The Saturday concert includes Jon Vezner, Don Henry, Amy Speace and Kim Richey with special guest Jonathan Brown. For tickets and more information, see www.northhouse.org

The Lake Superior 20/20 Studio Art Tour, featuring artists in and around the Two Harbors area will be Sept. 23-25 this year. For more info, click here.

The Crossing Borders Studio Tour & Sale will be Sept 23-Oct. 2. The tour features art studios from just outside Two Harbors to Grand Portage.

This is the last year for Crossing Borders, so don’t miss it! Featured this year: stone sculpture, Ojibwe art work, pottery, weaving, glass, print making, wood turning, metal works, jewelry, bead work, fiber art and leather. For more info and maps, click here.   And stay tuned for details!

In other art news:

The Arrowhead Sketchers have closed up shop for the season. Here’s an example of the sketches they did at their last session at Voyageur’s Brewing Co. in Grand Marais.

But sketchers are invited to keep up the practice at “Life Drawing Lives,” 311 West 4th Ave. at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, hosted by Jeff Niesen.

The Outdoor Painters of Minnesota spent last week painting at Tettegouche State Park. Their paintings are now on exhibit in the Great Hall there.

Here is an interesting display at Betsy Bowen’s Studio Gallery: a combo of an early print of hers and porcelain pottery inspired by the Chinese tradition.

 

Lea DeWit has swirled and blown glass votives at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen.

 

Birchbark Books & Gifts has a big collection of coloring books, including this one of owls.

 

Tom McCann has this painting at Joy and Co. in Grand Marais.

 

Here’s the music schedule this week for venues in Cook County.

Thursday, Sept. 8

• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 9:

• 9th Annual Radio Waves Music Festival, Sweetheart’s Bluff, 4 p.m.-10 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Floydian Slip, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Coast Connection, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 10:

• 9th Radio Waves Music Festival, Sweetheart’s Bluff, 10 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Jim & Michelle Miller, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Billy D., Sydney’s Frozen Custard, 6 p.m.
• Pete K., Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Floydian Slip, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 11:

• 9th Annual Radio Waves Festival,  Sweetheart’s Bluff, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Gunflint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 12:

• Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 14:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

And here is a selection of photos that we found this week:

Northern Lights were a big deal as Earth passed through particle clouds that sparked colorful displays in the sky. Here are a few images.

 

 

 

 

Here’s a peaceful moment.

 

And a waterfall.

And a deer.

And the lighthouse.

And, poignant goodbye to summer.

Enjoy the music this weekend, everyone! And the art, and the performances, and the readings, and the start of Fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September is a glorious month on the North Shore. Fall colors aren’t quite here yet, but the weather is perfect.

The month is also full of great art activities and festivals, as we celebrate the arrival of fall. It’s windup time for some activities, too, as summer comes to an end.

The Arrowhead Sketchers, for example, which have been meeting every Thursday this summer at various locations in the county, will hold their last sketch-out of the season at Voyageur Brewing Co. The artists will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Brewery and sketch in and around the spot until 7 p.m., then gather to share their sketches.

Last week, they met at the turnout for Cascade State Park on Hwy. 61.

Everyone is invited to gather up their sketching gear and meet at the Brewery on Thursday.

BTW: There’s a going-away party for Carolyn Fritz, the Events Coordinator at the Grand Marais Art Colony, at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Brewery.

Everyone is invited to celebrate Carolyn’s years of wonderful service to the Art Colony on the deck at the Brewery. Then stay awhile, and watch the Sketchers at work.

Also on Thursday, the bluegrass band, Monroe Crossing, will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m.

Monroe Crossing plays classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals and has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as in Europe. Alyce’s will be catering the event. Tickets are $25.  For tickets, click here.

Also this weekend, Mike and Julie Bateson return to the ACA in the roles of Ole & Lena. After last years sold-out run, the Playhouse will bring back the duo in another hilarious production.

“Ole & Lena’s 50th Anniversary and Vow Renewal” will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the ACA.  Tickets are $15 adults, $5 under 18. Tickets can be purchased here.

This Friday is First Fridays in Grand Marais, where participating shops and galleries will be open until 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Also on Friday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host glass artist Donna Rice, who will give an Artist Talk at the Founders Hall at the Art Colony from 5-6:30 p.m.

Rice will discuss “Career in Glass: Pivotal Moments and Inspiration.” She is a 2016 recipient of an Artist Initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. She also received a 2016 Central Minnesota Arts Board Career Development grant and a 2015 Central Minnesota Arts Board Emerging Artist award. The Artist Talk is open to the public. Free.

Saturday is launched with the Cook County Farm & Craft Market, which is held in the Senior Center parking lot. The market features a wide variety of arts & crafts, as well as homemade pickles, jams and baked goods. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, Lutsen potter Maggie Anderson will be giving a throwing demo in the ceramics studio at the Grand Marais Art Colony. Free. All invited.

In Tofte, the North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum celebrates its 20th year with a reception from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

At 1 p.m., there will be a memorial tribute to the fishermen who have died, at 1:30 p.m., Dale Tormondsen will tell stories about his father and grandfather, who were commercial fishermen on Lake Superior, and at 2 p.m.,  Arna Rennen sing traditional Norwegian folk songs and fishing songs. All invited.

And there will be a Bronze Pour at Four at Last Chance Gallery on Saturday at 4 p.m. Open to the public.

There are some great art shows this weekend, too.

The “Gene Ritchie Monahan: Retrospective” exhibit continues at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sept. 11. It is, as one critic put it, a “really solid” show. The gallery is loaded with masterful portraits by Monahan, as well as her landscapes, seascapes and other works, 70 paintings in all.

According to an article in the Duluth News-Tribune, Monahan was born in Duluth. She has had her work exhibited at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Walker Art Center and in private collections around the world. She was part of the Greenwich Village art scene in the 1950s, and attended and taught at the National Academy School of Fine Arts. The show was curated by Sonya Davis, former director and chief curator at the Pensacola Museum of Art in Florida.

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. Admission is free.

A new gallery has opened in Grand Marais. Art Works Underground Gallery, 311 W. 4th Ave., is hosted by Jeff Niesen and opened with the “True Blue” show, featuring contemporary works by more than 20 artists. A few of the artists include Neil Sherman, Corrie Steckelberg, Maeri Hedstrom, Jill Levene, Timothy Young, Maryl Skinner, Mila Horak, Tim Pearson, Jim Sannerud and Andrew Beavers.

Niesen plans another exhibit to open Sept. 30 entitled “Blazing Orange.” “What sets you ablaze?” he asks artists to contemplate as they develop their works. Click here to learn more.

And in Thunder Bay, this is the last weekend for “The Teaching is in the Making: RE(Store)ied) Memories of Anishinabeg” at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. The exhibit closes Sept. 4.

To learn more about the exhibit, see this article by Konnie LeMay in Indian Country Today.

Upcoming

 Radio Waves Music Festival, Sept. 9-11, Sweetheart Bluffs in the Grand Marais Rec Park. A great line-up of local and regional musicians play all weekend under a big tent in all genres including rock, folk, jazz, swing and country.

Children’s activities, on-site food and camping. Tickets are $10 per day, $20 for the weekend, free to children 12 and under. Click here for more line-up and schedule.

Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Plein Air 2016, Sept. 9-16: A great event that brings 60 artists from throughout the region to paint the landscapes of the North Shore.

This year, 60 artists will be participating, with lots of activities open to the public. The competition culminates with an exhibition and sale at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday, Sept. 16. Click here for details.

Unplugged XV, Sept. 15-18, North House Folk School. Two-nights of musical performances by nine nationally recognized musicians, a folk artisan marketplace with hands-on mini courses, a private Backstage Bash Fundraising gala, and the Points North Online Auction that is open to the public is featured this year.

For more info about Unplugged, see www.northhouse.org.

The Empty Bowls Dinner & Silent Auction, a fundraiser to alleviate local hunger needs, will be held Thursday, Nov. 10 this year.

To help make bowls to donate to this event while learning the basics of pottery and fused glass, attend one of the public Make-A-Bowl sessions at the Art Colony. They are open to all levels and ages.  Kids 6 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Register early!
Here is the schedule:
Make-a-Bowl: Clay
Sept, 17 – 18 & Oct. 15 – 16 | one-hour sessions
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2:30 pm; Sunday: 11 a.m. – 3 pm
Tuition: $5 | Pre-registration required

Make-a-Bowl: Glass
Oct. 25 & 26 | 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Tuition: $5

Paint-a-Bowl
Oct, 29 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Tuition: $5

In Other Art News:

Painter Dan Wiemer is the juror for the the Art Colony’s Plein Air 2016 this year. He has work at Sivertson Gallery.

Wiemer will present a Fireside Chat at Sivertson Gallery on Sept. 17. He will also be teaching a class at the Art Colony. For more info and to register for the class, see www.grandmaraisartcolony.org or email programs@grandmaraisartcolony.org.

Mike Jansen has completed the murals on the front of the Beaver House which were installed by Yarrow Korf.

 Betsy Bowen will be at the Alphabet House at the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday where she will be making alphabet-themed bookmarks. Plein air painter Neil Sherman will be in the Fine Arts Building at the Fair on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Outdoor Painters of Minnesota will be at Tettegouche State Park, painting from Thursday through Sunday. They will hang their paintings on Sunday. An opening reception will be held from 7-8 p.m. The public is invited.

“Manitou Canyon,” William Kent Krueger’s latest, will be on sale at Drury Lane Books Sept. 6.

Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery has handcarved sauna scoops by Mark Reschke of Mound.

Hana Senty has handmade soaps at Great Gifts in Lutsen.

Last Chance Gallery is featuring handmade zipper bags by Suzy Janse-Vreeling. The bags are lined as well, and include iPad bags.

Here’s the music schedule for this week::

Thursday, Sept. 1:

• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Monroe Crossing, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 2:

• Plucked Up String Band, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7:30 p.m.
• Bughouse, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 3:

• Eric Frost, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• J Squared and the Makers, Papa Charlie’s, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m., reservations at www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Jim & Michele Miller, 7:30 p.m.
• Bughouse! Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 5:

• Scott Fraser, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 7:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

We found all kinds of great photos this week. Here’s a selection:

First, Cedar Roots by Paul Sundberg.

David Johnson caught this amazing sun photo.

He got this northern lights shot  on Wednesday night.

Here’s a fascinating rock formation by Joseph (Joey) Carlson.

 

Here’s another take on rocks.

Here are a few more sunrise shots.

 

 

Nace Hagemann caught this moose in the woods the other day.

Thomas Spence caught this quiet moment.

Here’s a Gunflint Trail beauty.

And beauteous Lake Superior.

And here’s Lake Superior in a more active state.

The Arrowhead was hit by storms over the weekend. Here is the beginning:

And here is the end:

First, the big strike: (Note: David was out there capturing this)

And then this beautiful shot, again by Johnson. He said later that it was his favorite shot of the storm.

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s to the last weekend in August! Perfect weather, art opportunities, art openings, author talks and lots of live music fill this weekend, as we look ahead to an art-packed September.

First up are our trusty Arrowhead Sketchers, who have been meeting every Thursday afternoon this summer at various locations to sketch, draw and paint what they see. Everyone is welcome to join in. This week, they will meet at the Cascade River parking area on the lakeside of Hwy. 61 to sketch the river, Lake Superior or the historic, stone buildings of Cascade Lodge. They will gather at 5:30 p.m. and sketch until 7 p.m. and then come together and share sketches. If it rains, they will meet in the Cascade Lodge Pub & Restaurant. Stay tuned for examples of the sketches next week.

On Friday, Sugarloaf Cove will offer “Rock Painting Insects” from 1-3 p.m. with Sandy Danus and naturalist Margie Menzies. Participants will learn about migrating insects ( who’s a migrator, how far do they migrate, do they actually come back here to Northern Minnesota?) and then paint an insect on a rock.  Bring a smooth, 4-6 inch rockand Danus will provide supplies and step-by-step cheerful instruction. Cost is $12 nonmember, $10. Sugarloaf Cove is located at 9096 Hwy. 61 in Schroeder, near the county line.

On Friday night, the Johnson Heritage Post opens a retrospective exhibition and sale of work by the late Ranier artist and teacher Genevieve “Gene” Ritchie Monahan.  The exhibition features more than 70 painting in oil, and includes North Shore seascapes and landscapes, as well as the impressionistic portraits for which Monahan was best known.

According to an article in the International Falls Journal, “Monahan earned many local, regional and national awards in a career spanning more than 60 years. Her work has been shown at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Walker Art Center, among other venues, and is held in private and corporate collections in the U.S., Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan and New Zealand.”

The exhibit also includes many of her award winning works as well as marine paintings of boats and people along Lake Superior, Staten Island and other locales.

The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Friday. All welcome.  Refreshments will be served. The exhibit continues through Sept. 11.

Also on Friday, Steve Blexrud and the Thunderheads will talk about their music and play afew songs on WTIP’s The Roadhouse, which airs from 5-7 p.m. The musicians perform at the Gun Flint Tavern this weekend.

On Saturday, the Cook County Farm & Craft Market opens the day at 9 a.m. in the Senior Center Parking lot. The market features a wide variety of arts & crafts as well as baked goods and more.

Three authors are coming to town to talk about their books.

At 12:30 p.m., Saturday, author Andrea Thalasinos will speak at the Grand Marais Public Library. She has recently released her third book, “Fly By Night,” set on the North Shore.

Then at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Mary Casanova will present at a Writer’s Salon at Drury Lane Books.  She will talk about her two new books,  “Ice-Out” and “Wake Up, Island.”

And then next Wednesday, author Faith Sullivan, who is teaching a writer’s workshop at the Grand Marais Art Colony, will present at a Writer’s Salon at Drury Lane Books at 4:30 p.m.

There are other cool things to see and do this Saturday, too.

At 1 p.m.,  Kathy Weinberg will give an oil painting demonstration at the Grand Marais Art Colony. Free and open to the public.

And there will be a Bronze Pour at Four at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen. Bronze sculptor Tom Christiansen will be pouring his hummingbird series at 4 p.m. this Saturday. Aug. 27. All welcome.

The Minnesota State Fair starts this week and Cook County will have great representation there.

First up is WTIP Community Radio, which will broadcast from the Fair from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31. “Radio-on-a-Stick” will feature lots of interviews and music throughout the day. This is the second year that WTIP has broadcast at the Fair.

This year, WTIP program director Matthew Brown and station manager Deb Benedict will be there, as well as a number of volunteer hosts, including: Julie Carlson, Sherrie Lindskog, Mike Reeves, Ann Possis, and Bob Carter. WTIP engineer Jeff Nemitz will be on hand to take care of the technical details; and Visit Cook County director Linda Kratt and her team will also be on hand to meet and greet fair-goers with information about Cook County. They will be broadcasting from Ampers booths (#9 and 10), in the Education Building.

During the WTIP radio show, artist Michael Sweere, who exhibits at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, will be interviewed. Sweere, a mosaic artist, created the Minnesota State Fair’s 2016 Commemorative Art piece this year. He crafted it out of colorful cardboard packaging.

The original will be displayed at the Fine Arts Center through Labor Day.  Posters are also available.

Two other local artists will be “working” at the Fair, too. Betsy Bowen and Neil Sherman.

Bowen is a featured author at the Fair and will be interviewed on WTIP during the show at the Fair next Wednesday, Aug. 31. She will be in the Alphabet Forest in Baldwin Park at the fair on Saturday, Sept. 3, demonstrating how to make bookmarks. She is bringing all kinds of printmaking materials with her for kids to use. They’ll be making bookmarks around the theme of ABC, which is the title of her popular children’s book: “Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet.”

“Antler, Bear, Canoe” celebrates its 25th year in print this fall. There will be a big extravaganza celebration at the Betsy Bowen Studio Gallery in Grand Marais Oct. 8. Stay tuned for details.

Also at the Fair, Neil Sherman will be the artist-in-residence in the Fine Arts Building at the fair from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4. He’ll be working on a couple of studio paintings as well as giving Artist Talks.

 Opportunities

 Calling All Potters! Sivertson Gallery has put out a call for local potters (North Shore & Duluth) to consider submitting mugs for the “Behold the Mug” exhibit which will be held at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais and Siivis in Duluth Sept. 24.

Sivertson Gallery director, Abby Toftey writes: “Our aim with this event is to help customers find their “perfect mug” before the big winter chill sets in. Fresh coffee, donuts and cookies have been ordered, now all we need are the exquisite, locally made mugs!”

Show requirements include 8-20 mugs, which will distributed between the two galleries. The mugs must arrive by Monday, Sept. 19. A small bio with a photograph will be included with each potter’s display. To apply, send photographs and prices of your work to abby@sivertson.com.

Upcoming

 The list of upcoming events in September is daunting.  There are lots of fun things to do and see. Here’s what we know so far, and please, stay tuned for details.

Monroe Crossing, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m., Sept. 1. Concert includes appetizers from Alyce’s. Deadline to sign up for appetizers if Friday, Aug 26. To make reservations online, go to tix.com to get your Monroe Crossing tickets and at the end of the sale there will be an additional option to purchase a ticket for the food. Tickets are  $25, $10 for appetizers.

Radio Waves Music Festival, Sept. 9-11, Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Rec Park.  More than 30 musical acts under the Big Tent, on-site food, children’s tent & more. Tickets at the door: $10 per day, $20 weekend.

Plein Air Grand Marais, an outstanding plein air competition, show and sale organized by the Grand Marais Art Colony. Competition is Sept. 9-16, exhibit and sale at the Johnson Heritage Post Sept. 17-Nov. 13. Click here for more info.

Unplugged XV & Unplugged Folk Artisan Marketplace, Sept. 15-18. Concerts, Singer/Songwriter Circles, jamming sessions, public programs and workshops, demonstrations and more. For tickets, click here.

Lake Superior 20/20 Studio Art Tour,  Sept. 23, 24 & 25.  Tour branches out from Two Harbors. For more info, click here.

Crossing Borders Studio Tour & Sale, Sept. 23-Oct. 2, celebrating 20 years along the North Shore. Tour includes art studios along the North Shore from Duluth to Grand Portage. For more info, click here.

In other art news:

 Author Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux, has organized a Grand Marais Writer’s Guild which meets each month in the meeting room at the Cook County Co-op. The next meeting is Monday, Sept. 12 from 6-7:30 p.m. All writers invited. Meanwhile, check out the Guild’s Facebook page where she posts story starter ideas frequently.

Other story starters posted recently include: “They found the box of wooden matches on the workbench in the old shed…” “The old man beckoned from the shadows. “Come here, Jonah. I have something …” and “If she didn’t know better– but she did.”

Gunflint author Tim McDonnell has come out with a new book: “The Contemplative Paddler’s Compansion.” Published by North Star Press, it can be found at Birchbark Books and Gifts.

Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery has just received new antler baskets by

A new gallery has opened in Knife River on the Scenic Highway. It is called 47 Degrees and features a variety of local artists and artisans, including Kelly Dupre.

And finally, here’s a sign of the changing seasons. Sivertson Gallery has just received packets of holiday cards for 2016. The cards include artwork from favorite local and regional artists.

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, Aug. 25:

• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire. Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers, Gunflint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 26;

• Pushing Chain, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7:30 p.m.
• Thunderheads, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Angel Hair Rasta, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.
• Jim Miller, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 27:

• Gene Lafond & Amy Grillo, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Axtel, Papa Charlie’s Deck, 6 p.m.
• Pete K., Sydney’s Frozen Custard, 6 p.m.
• Jim & Michelle Miller, 7 p.m. Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7 p.m.
• Billy Johnson, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Thunderheads, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Bughouse, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 28:

• Billy Johnson Band, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.
• Steve Blexrud, Gunflint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 29:

• Laney Jones and the Spirits, Monday Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 7:30 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Gunflint Tavern, 9 p.m.

Here are some of the photos we found this week.

The Tall Ship Festival was all over the news last weekend. Here’s a great photo of the Spanish galleon, one of the many Tall Ships that visited Duluth.

 

Here’s a study in contrasts.

Peace:

Aggression:

Here’s a peaceful beauty by Paul Sundberg.

And another view of the harbor a little earlier in the evening.

Studies of rocks:

And the iconic rock on the North Shore:

And inland waterways:

 

And finally, this powerful photo of a mother and son.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

It’s a big weekend in Duluth, as the Tall Ships Festival gets underway Thursday and runs through Sunday, with boat parades, tours, sailing opportunities, events, art exhibits and wall-to-wall people. In all, 10 Tall Ships are expected at the festival. Oh, and the world’s largest inflatable duckie will be on hand. For tickets and more info, visit www.tallshipsduluth.com.

Rick Allen and Kenspeckle Press in Duluth have even created  T-shirts for the Tall Ships event: “Not for Navigation.”

YAR! Tall Ships be coming in tomorrow. Our store be open Thursday through Sunday, 11 – 4! Lake Superior “Not for Navigation” t-shirts have been replenished. We be ready!

It will be a quiet weekend in Grand Marais, as everyone settles in to enjoy the last few weeks of August. But there’s plenty to do nevertheless.

First up is the Arrowhead Sketchers, who will meet for their weekly outing this Thursday. This week they will meet indoors and hold a life drawing session at Jeanne Hedstrom’s home, 817 W, 1st St. in Grand Marais, from 5:30-7 p.m. Depending on the number of folks participating, there will be a charge of $5 to $10 to cover the fee of the model. Everyone is welcome. So, bring your favorite medium and reconnect with life drawing.

The Sketchers met at Hedstrom Lumber Co., last week, and came up with these sketches/drawings.

Also on Thursday, Drury Lane Books will hold a Full Moon Reading at 7:30 p.m. with local poet and performer Reed Schmidt. He will read from some of his original poems as well as a selection from his favorite poets. All welcome.

Schmidt studied literature and studio art at the University of Minnesota Morris. He has been a reader, writer, musician, and artist for most of his life—sometimes one more than the other depending on the year. Before settling in Grand Marais just over a year ago, he spent about three years teaching immersion English and kindergarten in South Korea, a brief time repairing violins in Atlanta, and a variety of other odd jobs along the way. You may have seen him recently as Jonathon Brewster in the Grand Marais Playhouse’s rendition of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” The reading is held outside the bookstore by the bonfire.

On Friday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host a Pottery Potluck and Demo with Robert Briscoe and Jason Trebs from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Art Colony.

Expect lively pottery making and conversation as you watch the potters throw organic, loose, and fluid forms on the wheel.

Along with demoing a variety of techniques and methods of making functional pots, the artists will talk about their own artistic work and individual paths. The event will culminate in a potters’ potluck.

There is a $15 suggested donation for this event. Pre-registration is encouraged. Please bring a dish to share if staying for the potluck. For more info, call the Art Colony at 387-2737.

Also on Friday, Pete K will talk about his music and play a few songs on WTIP’s “The Roadhouse,” which airs from 5-7 p. Pete will be on-air around 5:45 p.m.

On Saturday, Cilla Walford will give a watercolor demo at the Art Colony at 1 p.m. All invited.

Also on Saturday, check out the Cook County Farm & Craft Market, which is held in the Senior Center parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Expect to find a wide variety of arts and crafts as well as baked goods, homemade pickles and more.

On Saturday night, a great trio, Harpeth Rising, will perform at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts courtesy of the North Shore Music Association.

Harpeth Rising is named for the Harpeth River in Middle Tennessee. They play “modern progressive bluegrass” or “chamberfolk,” but these titles only touch on their unique sound. The three classically trained musicians produce original music that’s intricately arranged, lyrically rooted in the singer/songwriter tradition, wrapped in three-part vocal harmonies reminiscent of both Appalachia and Medieval Europe, and evocative of the gypsy jazz of Django Reinhardt and the “dawg music” of David Grisman. To hear examples of their music, click here. Tickets are $18 adult, $15 adult/youth pair. Additional youth are free. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at www.tix.com..

Also, this is the last weekend for the show, “Ceramics in Cook County” which is on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

This has been a popular exhibit and is well worth a visit. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday, when the show closes.

Adam Swanson is exhibiting a collection of his work in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park.

Here’s an interesting one. The Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival is Friday through Sunday at the Silver Creek Town Hall, about 11 minutes from Two Harbors. More than 100 ukulele players are expected to attend. There will be workshops, jam sessions, open mics, concerts and more. For the complete schedule and maps, click here.

In Thunder Bay, the exhibit, “Leanna Marshall and Celeste Pedri-Spade: “The Teaching is in The Making”: Re(Store)ied Memories of Anishinabeg” continues at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery through Sept. 4.

In ‘The Teaching is in the Making,” artists Celeste Pedri-Spade and Leanna Marshall blend together Anishinabeg photography and traditional regalia. While these practices may seem to be very different, they are related as both significant material markers of Anishinabe art, story, spirituality, and knowledge. The exhibit is about restoring and re-story-ing specific familial memories that are integral to Anishinabeg history, identity, and continued survival.

The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.(EDT) and Friday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. (EDT). The gallery is closed on Mondays.

In other art news:

 Betsy Bowen was recently named to the 50 Over 50 list, which honors 50 of the most inspiring and accomplished leaders across Minnesota. This is the first year that the 50 over 50 list has been complied to celebrate and recognize Minnesotans who have made significant contributions and achievements in their communities. Bowen was honored as an artist and creative who has contributed significantly to Minnesota’s thriving culture.

Her accomplishments, according to the “50 over 50″ post:

“On the North Shore, 69-year-old Betsy Bowen stands out as even more iconic than her widely recognized woodcuts. That’s because her creativity could fill Lake Superior, and also because of her vocal (and financial) support for the region’s vast array of writers, painters, photographers, performers, and more. She enthusiastically encourages every artist she encounters to “go for it.” In addition to giving birth to her own creative work, Betsy helped establish Good Harbor Hill Players and their ongoing winter and summer solstice pageants, drawing audiences of hundreds to the North House Folk School, in which she is also active. Other involvements over her decades of life in Minnesota include Cook County Whole Foods Coop, Grand Marais Art Colony, and various community projects. And, of course, the conversion of a historic local church into Betsy Bowen Gallery and Studios, with work and display spaces for a variety of local artists that draws art lovers to linger in Grand Marais.”

To see the list of honorees throughout Minnesota, click here.

At Bowen’s Studio and Gallery, Jeanne Knight has brought in new pottery and Ron Piercy has a wide variety of new silver jewelry with local and exotic gemstones.

Watercolorist David Hahn is currently show his work at the Coho Cafe in Tofte.

Jeff Niesen is exhibiting his work at the Angry Trout Cafe.

Also at the Angry Trout, look for the cool coloring book by Corrie Steckelberg. The drawings are charming and totally capture the experience of eating (and working) at the popular North Shore restaurant.

Copies are available at the restaurant.

Drury Lane Books has just received more copies of the new Harry Potter book, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

The book has been reordered a few times already.

Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen will not hold a Bronze Pour at Four this Saturday. In other gallery news, there are new hand-dyed items from Wendy Richardson, including T-shirts, bamboo socks, scarves as well as table and bed linens.

Copies of “The Woman Today” with the cover story about Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux are now available at the Arrowhead Pharmacy. The magazine is free. Check it out.

 

 

 

There’s lots of great music this week, too. Here’s the schedule.

Thursday, Aug. 18:

• Eric Frost, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Red Dirt Girl, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Gun Flint Tavrn, 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 19:

• Plucked Up String Band, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.
• SplinterTones, Grandma Ray’s, 7 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7:30 p.m.
• Pete K, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 20:

• SplinterTones, Bear Tree Park, 1 p.m.
• Jim & Michelle Miller, Sydney’s Deck, 6 p.m.
• 4 Squared and the Makers, Papa Charlie’s, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7 p.m.
• Dat Dere Jazz Quartet, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Music by the Campfire, Bluefin Bay, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m.
• Harpeth Rising, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m.
• Earth, Wind & Todd, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 21:

• Shoot from the Hipsters, Mogul’s Grille, 5:30 p.m.
• Red Dirt Girl, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Here are some of the photos we found this week.

First up, Nace Hagemann caught this wolf family strolling down the road. He said he has never photographed such young wolf pups.

 

For those who have been following the eagles on the DNR Eagle cam, here’s a photo of one of the eaglets that were hatched this spring.

 

And Carol Bowman took this intriguing shot of a loon the other day.

 

Here’s an incredible and very rare shot: Space Lightning. The photo was posted on spaceweather.com this week.

Spaceweather.com wrote:

On Aug. 13th in China, photographer Phebe Pan was photographing the night sky, hoping to catch a Perseid meteor. Instead, he witnessed a spectacular bolt of “space lightning.” Working atop Shi Keng Kong, the highest mountain peak in the Guangdong province, “I was using a fisheye lens to capture as much of the sky as possible,” says Pan. “Suddenly we saw a flash of blue and purple ejected from the top of a nearby thundercloud. It just looked like a tree with branches, and grew up very fast. So awesome!”

Space lightning are gigantic jets which can reach all the way up to the edge of space alongside meteors, noctilucent clouds, and some auroras, according to spaceweather.com.  “This means they are a true space weather phenomenon.”

And here’s a lightning bolt going in the other direction. Paul Sundberg took this beauty.

And here a few beautiful Lake Superior cloudscapes.

 

This photo tells many stories.

And here’s what everyone wants to see coming out of their gardens this summer.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

August festivals continue this weekend with Rendezvous Days & the Celebration Pow-Wow in Grand Portage. The 3-day event (Friday through Sunday) features lots of things to do and see at two different locations: the Grand Portage Monument and the Pow Wow Grounds of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

At the Monument, music, dancing, craft demonstrations, and hands-on workshops as well as games and competitions are held throughout the weekend. Visitors can tour the Stockade and the Heritage Center and visit the Encampment, where more than 100 Rendezvous re-enactors live out their daily lives.

Participants at the Encampment welcome questions to explain activities going on in their camps, and to show you materials and equipment they have on display.

And this year, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the tall ship, the Mist of Avalon, will be moored at the dock, offering tours to the public on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Just down the road a bit is the Pow-Wow Grounds of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Every year, dancers and drums from throughout the region participate in this Celebration Pow-wow. Grand Entries are at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday, with warm-up sessions on Friday night. More than 350 dancers from the U.S. and Canada are expected.

The pow-wow also has a variety of food and arts & crafts vendors in booths circling the grounds.

In all, this is a high point of summer in Cook County.  Highly recommended.

There are lots of other things to do this weekend, too.

On Thursday, the Arrowhead Sketchers return to Hedstrom Lumber Co. for an afternoon of sketching. David Morris, one of the artists who participated last week, said the group, which is open to anyone who likes to draw, decided that the lumber mill is so interesting that they’d like to draw it again.

The group will meet at the mill at 5:30 p.m. The Hedstrom Mill is located on the Gunflint Trail about 5 to 6 miles out of Grand Marais on the right side. The is a great opportunity to sketch at one of Cook County’s iconic, historical locations. Free. All invited.

On Thursday night, “The Addams Family” will be performed at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. The musical, which is getting rave reviews, is part of the Summer Theater Festival put on by the Grand Marais Playhouse. It is performed in repertory with “Arsenic & Old Lace.” This is the last week to see the performances, which are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at the door or at www.tix.com.

If you’re in Duluth, consider a stop at the Tweed Museum of Art to see Vance Gellert’s exhibition “Iron Country,” paintings of the Iron Range.

Gellert will give an Artist Talk from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday entitled “The Stories Behind the Story.” Free and open to the public.

On Friday, Rendezvous Days opens at 9 a.m. at the Grand Portage Monument. On Friday night, Jim McGowan will be a guest on WTIP’s The Roadhouse, talking about his music and playing a few tunes. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

Saturday kicks off with the Cook County Farm & Craft Market, which opens in the Senior Center parking lot at 9 a.m. The market features a wide variety of arts & crafts as well as baked goods. It is open until 1 p.m.

The Cross River Heritage Center in Schroeder will hold a booksigning at 11 a.m. with Peter O’Toole. The author has written a new book entitled “Edwin H. Lundie Five Decades A Journey of Art & Architecture,” which details the life of this successful and popular architect.

At 1 p.m., Anna Hess will give a demo of painting on glass at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

The event is free and everyone is invited.

Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen will hold its weekly “Bronze Pour at Four” at the studio at 4 p.m. The public is invited to watch this magical process.

Then, at 5 p.m., Drury Lane Books will host authors Micheal McConnell and Jack Baker for a Writer’s Salon. They will read from their memoir “The Wedding Heard ‘Round the World: America’s First Gay Marriage.” The public is invited to join in the conversation on gay rights activism through the years.

On Sunday, the “Gunflint Woods, Winds and Strings” benefit concert will be held at the Schaap Mid-Trail Community Center at 4 p.m. This annual concert is an afternoon of vocal and instrumental classical and jazz music to benefit the Gunflint Trail Historical Society and the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department. It will feature a commissioned piece composed by Bill Beckstrand, as well as talented local musicians. For tickets, contact the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center (218-388-9915).  Ticket prices are $20/adult, $5/children to 18.

The Grand Marais Art Colony will hold two pottery events next week.

On Wednesday, Aug. 17, potter Matthew Krousey will give an Artist Talk at the Johnson Heritage Post at 4:30 p.m. The topic will be “Forest, Prairie and Frozen Lakes.”

Krousey’s ceramic vessels and murals have been exhibited locally and internationally, including an exhibition at Sanbao Ceramic Institute in Jingdezhen, China. He is a 2014 Jerome Project Grant recipient. Krousey’s work preserves memories and emotions evoked by the disappearing Minnesota landscape. “This region is being vastly altered by human hands, which is the reason I seek to preserve it upon the durable ceramic surface,” he said. The Artist Talk is open to all.

Then on Friday, Aug. 19, Minnesota potters Bob Briscoe and Jason Trebs will hold a Pottery Demo and Potluck at the Art Colony from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Join the duo for an afternoon of lively pottery making and learn how both potters use the wheel as a tool for making organic, loose, and fluid forms.

Along with demonstrating a variety of throwing techniques and methods, the potters will also talk about their own artistic work and individual paths. The event will culminate in a Potters’ Potluck. (Hint: Functional potters are great cooks!) Everyone invited. Suggested $15 donation. For more info, call the Art Colony at 218-387-2737.

And, for a final note about pottery, the Johnson Heritage Post’s exhibit, “Ceramics in Cook County,” continues, with work by 17 local artists on display.

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

In Thunder Bay, the exhibition, “Arthur Shilling: The Final Works” continues at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery through early September.

Definitely Superior Art Gallery is closed this month through Labor Day, but encourages the public to take the time to explore the gorgeous explosion of street art displayed on 21 city walls in the Waterfront District in downtown Thunder Bay. The latest creations by the Die Active Collective are on Cooke St. For maps, see DefSup’s Facebook page here.

In other art news:

Artwork from Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen is on exhibit at the newly opened North Shore Winery on Ski Hill Road.

Artists whose work is on exhibit includes Misha Martin, Jo Wood, Anna Hess, Kristin Blomberg and Jan Wise. Also, bronze sculptor Tom Christiansen will have three sculptures outside the winery.

Author/actor/musician Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux is featured on the cover of  Woman Today magazine, which is published in Duluth.

Mark Tessier took the photographs which accompany the story, entitled “Grand Marais’ Renaissance Woman.”

Glass artist Mary Bebie has new work at Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery in Lutsen.

Kelly Dupre recently received a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council to help pay for framing her work in preparation for three art shows in Duluth and Superior, Wis. this fall and winter.

Dupre will exhibit at Beaner’s Coffee House and The New Scenic Cafe in September and The Red Mug in Superior in December. Stay tuned for details.

Betsy Bowen’s newest book is out! “One North Star: A Counting Book” is a collaboration between Phyllis Root (author), and Bowen and Beckie Prange (illustrators.) Bowen’s woodcut of a moose is on the cover of the book.

Here are two phases of the illustration. First, Bowen’s actual woodcut.

And the final result:

Woodturner and artist Jim Sannerud recently received a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board to allow him to build a dinner setting inspired by his visit to his ancestors’ farm, “Gardsjord, ”in Rauland, Norway. The setting will consist of a table, seating for eight, and dinnerware for serving, plates, cups, bowls, as well as carved panels. He is working on the project in his studio on the main floor of Betsy Bowen’s Studio & Galleries.

Stay tuned for updates as this project evolves. Sannerud will be at his studio this weekend. He has started a blog to document this project, The first installment came out today. Read it here.

Heidi Sobanja has work at Joy & Co, including this painting, “Suspended.”

Sandi Pillsbury Gredzens just completed a week-long residency at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

Here’s the music schedule for this weekend::

Thursday, Aug. 11:

• Plucked Up String Band, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Maintenance Free, Gunflint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 12:

• Over the Waterfall, Grand Portage Monument Great Hall, 2 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Amy Grillo & Gene Lafond, Sydney’s Deck, 6 p.m.
• Tim Fast, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Music by the Campfire, 7:30 p.m.
• Chris Holm & Mike Munson, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Pete K, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 13

• Billy D, Birch Terrance deck, 3 p.m.
• Over the Waterfall, Grand Portage National Monument Great Hall, 3 p.m.
• Jim & Michelle Miller, Voyageur Brewing Co., 6 p.m.
• J Squared and the Makers, Papa Charlie’s Deck, 6 p.m.
• Dat Dere Jazz, Grandma Ray’s, 7 p.m.
• Music by the Campfire, Bluefin Bay Resort, 7 p.m.
• Pete K, Lutsen Resort lobby, 7 p.m.
• Jim McGowan, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Chris Holm & Mike Munson, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 14:

• Gunflint Woods, Winds & Strings, 4 p.m. Schapp Community Center, Gunflint Trail.
• Spruce Roots, Mogul’s Grille & Tap Room, 5 p.m.
• Evergreen Grass Band, Gunflint Tavern, 9:30 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 15:

• Barefoot Wonder, Monday Night Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s 8:30 p.m.
• Rod & Al, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
• Evergreen Grass Band, Gunflint Tavern, 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 16:

• Timmy Haus, Gunflint Tavern, 8 p.m.

And here are a few of the great photos we found this week:

First up, a perfect summer flower:

A perfect summer evening:

A perfect summer visitor (depending where you are):

A perfect summer flight:

A perfect summer light show:

A perfect summer treat:

A perfect summer reflection:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Marais and the North Shore celebrates its history and connection to Lake Superior this weekend with the 86th annual Fisherman’s Picnic.

Fisherman’s Picnic, put on by the Grand Marais Lions Club, is held in downtown Grand Marais and several other locations in the area.  It starts on Thursday and continues through Sunday with an incredible array of events, contests of every variety, two arts & crafts shows, a giant used-book sale, food, lots of live music in Harbor Park, street dances, a great parade and plenty of time to meet with friends and relatives. There are lots of class reunions this weekend, too, and the floats they make for the Sunday parade are always great.

The Friends of the Library hold a gigantic used-book sale at the Cook County Community Center, too, opening with a Members-Only sale on Thursday and culminating with a bag sale on Saturday. Definitely a must-do for book lovers.

Everybody has their favorite contests, too, and the list is impressive. A loon-calling contest, a fish throwing contest, a rock-throwing contest, log rolling, the Cutest Puppy contest, a tractor pull, a walk-run on Pincushion Mountain, softball and tennis tournaments, a Big Fish contest — the list really does go on and on. Check out the complete schedule here.

And not to forget the famous fishburgers, served up by the volunteers from the Grand Marais Lions and Lionesses. Members sell raffle tickets, too, with a $10,000 Grand Prize.

Everyone is invited to come down and enjoy this heart-of-the-summer celebration in Grand Marais this weekend.  (For the complete music schedule in Harbor Park, see music  below.)

Because the town (and county) is fairly jammed with people from all over the country, other organizations and businesses get involved in activities as well, including the Crazy Daze sales at downtown businesses.

There are demos and activities at arts organizations, too. For example, Cilla Walford will give a watercolor demonstration at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and there’s a Bronze Pour at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen at 4.

And there’s great theater to enjoy. The Grand Marais Playhouse Summer Theater Festival is on-going with two plays in repertory. “Arsenic & Old Lace” will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. “The Addams Family: A Musical” will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The talk on the street is that both plays are outstanding. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at tix.com.

Joy & Co. has a community art project set up in its space as well where people can share a poem or artwork to send out peace to the world.

The Johnson Heritage Post has a great pottery show on this month, too. Entitled “Ceramics in Cook County,” the exhibit features ceramic work by 17 local artists including functional and decorative pottery. One of the exhibitors is Maggie Anderson, who specializes in porcelain and raku pieces.

Anderson is teaching a raku class at the Art Colony from 1-7 p.m. on Friday, and the public is invited to come and observe.

The Johnson Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays, and from 1-5 p.m. Sundays. It is closed Tuesdays.

Sandi Pillsbury-Gredzens, an accomplished painter, art instructor and former board member (and president) of the Grand Marais Art Colony, is doing an independent residency this week in the Founders Hall at the Art Colony. She will hold an Open Studio at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Art Colony and will give a brief talk. Sandi said she is working with images from her travels in Europe on very large canvasses.

There’s a new exhibit at the Cook County Courthouse as well. Jim Ringquist has installed a panoramic photographic exhibit in the lobby entitled “Lake Superior and Cook County Through Panoramic Eyes.”

Also this weekend, The Cross River Heritage Center is holding a Taconite Harbor Reunion on Saturday starting at 1 p.m., with the kick-off event being “Conversations About Living and Growing Up in Taconite Harbor.” The Heritage Center is featuring two historic exhibits this year:  “Boom Town to Ghost Town” and “Lost Resorts.” All invited.

In Thunder Bay, the Baggage Building Art Center at Prince Arthur’s Landing on the shores of Lake Superior, has opened an exhibit entitled “Duluth Youth Art Exhibition.” Duluth and Thunder Bay are Sister Cities.

Upcoming:

 The Grand Portage National Monument Rendezvous Days and Celebration Pow-Wow is next weekend in Grand Portage. It’s a grand event, with more than 100 re-enactors camping out on the Monument, games, demonstrations and more, as well as a three-day pow-wow at the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s pow-wow grounds.

The Tall Ship, The Mist of Avalon, will be in Grand Portage for the Rendezvous.

Stay tuned for details next week.

The Wood, Winds & Strings Concert on the Gunflint Trail is at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14 at Fire Station #1, about 26 miles up the Trail.  A reception follows in the adjacent A. Paul and Carol Schaap Community Center.  The music this year will be a mix of classical, jazz, and a newly composed piece by Bill Beckstrand, commissioned for this concert.  Bill’s piece is in honor of the Schaap’s wedding anniversary; it was commissioned by David and Patricia Coleman. Local musicians will perform. For reservations, call the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center (218-388-9915).  Ticket prices are $20/adult, $5/children to 18.  Children under 5 are have free admittance. Get your tickets now. This concert always sells out.

A Lake Superior cruise through fishermen’s eyes: Join the North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum on Tuesday, Aug. 16 for a cruise along Lake Superior’s shoreline narrated by Walter and Floyd Sve. The Sve family has commercially fished near Split Rock River since 1927.  See the shoreline through a fisherman’s eyes, hear about the hazards and storms, find the few remaining fish houses.  Arrive at the Silver Bay marina at 5 p.m. $50 per person, payable by cash or check. Reservations required; tickets are limited. Email your reservation to info@commercialfishingmuseum.org or call 218-663-7050 and leave a message.

Plein Air Grand Marais, a week-long outdoor painting competition and exhibition, will be held Sept. 9-17 this year.

In the competition, 60 artists paint the inspiring landscapes of Cook County and exhibit their work at the Johnson Heritage Post. The opening reception is Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. The exhibit continues through Nov. 13.

In other art news:

 The Arrowhead Sketchers will meet at Hedstrom Lumber Co., this week. They will meet at 5:30 p.m. this Thursday in the parking lot on the west side of the Hedstrom office building. The Hedstrom Mill is located on the Gunflint Trail about 5 to 6 miles out of Grand Marais.

Free. Participants are invited to bring their sketchbooks and pens/paints/pencils and capture one of Cook County’s iconic, historical locations.

Neil Sherman has two paintings in “Sea to Sea,” a collection of works featuring the mountains, rivers, plains and forests at parks throughout the United States at the Groveland Art Gallery in Minneapolis.

The exhibit opened in June and concludes Aug. 13.

Painter Misha Martin has new work at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen.

Great Gifts of Lutsen is featuring leather ornaments by Darrell Hanson of Duluth, including a standing leather moose.

This week’s music schedule:

Thursday: Aug. 4:

Fisherman’s Picnic in Harbor Park

• Joe Paulik , 1-2:30 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, 3-6 p.m
• Street Dance with Heck Yeah Holler String Band, 7-10 p.m.

Other Music:

• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire. Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Earth, Wind & Todd, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 5
Fisherman’s Picnic in Harbor Park

• Chris Mammenga, 11 a.m.
• Axtell, 1 p.m.
•  Spruce Roots, 3 p.m.
• Street Dance with Plucked Up String Band, 7 p.m.

Other Music:

• Jim McGowan, Cascade River State Park, 4 p.m.
• Shoot from the Hipsters, Sydney’s Frozen Custard, 6 p.m.
• J Squared and the Makers, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 6 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.
• Flyodian Slip, Gun Flint Taern, 8:30 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, August 6:

Fisherman’s Picnic in Harbor Park:

• Michael Monroe, 1 p.m.
• Dat Dere Jazz  3 p.m.
• SplinterTones, Street Dance, 7 p.m.

Other Music:

• Plucked Up String Band, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Billy Johnson, Papa Charlie’s Deck, 6:30 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Bluefin Gay, 7 p.m.
• Mama’s Stolen Horses, Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m., tickets michaelmonroemusic.com
• Flyodian Slip, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 7

Fisherman’s Picnic in Harbor Park

• Lake Effect, noon
• Shriner’s Band, 2 p.m.
• Bagpipers, 2:45

Also:

• Gordon Thorne & Chris Gillis, Gunflint Tavern, 2 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Chris Gillis, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.
• Rod & Al, Gunflint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 8:

• Ben Kyle, Monday Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Bluefin Grille, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 9

• Brothers in Arms, Gunflint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 10:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Here are some of the wonderful photos we found this week:

 

 

 

 

And last, but not least, this perfect shot for Fisherman’s Picnic weekend! Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

The fullness of summer has descended on Cook County, with balmy days, good fishing, wild blueberry feasts and lots of things to do and see.

One of the highlights of the season is the Grand Marais Playhouse‘s Summer Theatre Festival, and this year’s offerings are extra special.

In fact, Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux, the mayor of Grand Marais, has  declared July and August “Go to the Theater Months.”

In the proclamation, the mayor urges “all citizens to join in recognizing the contributions of the Grand Marais Playhouse to our region by attending both of the summer performances for its 45th season.”

The mayor has great advice.

 

We’ve seen “The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy” and, on the basis of that experience, will definitely make a point of going to “Arsenic & Old Lace.”  “The Addams Family” is very funny, and musically and visually exciting. The entire cast is fantastic and includes several talented family groups: the Roths (Mike, Karina and Greta), the Henriksons (Robin, Amy & Jan Healy) and the Bragstads (John and Susan), as well as other talented community members. Mark Abrahamson plays an eccentric and hilarious Gomez Addams, and Karen Blackburn plays his “luscious” wife, Morticia. Soprano Erika Ternes plays Lurch, and clumps around the stage without saying much, except, at the very end, when she walks off the stage singing a perfect E Flat. Need more be said?

“The Addams Family” and “Arsenic & Old Lace” are in repertory Thursdays through Sundays at the Arrowhead Center of the Arts through Aug. 14, so there is plenty of time to catch the performances.  This week, “The Addams Family” is performed at 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. “Arsenic & Old Lace” at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday. For tickets, see www.tix.com.

Also on Thursday, the next gathering of the Arrowhead Sketchers will be at Jeanne Hedstrom’s home, 817 W. 1st Street, Grand Marais, at 5:30 p.m. Bring whatever materials you’d like to sketch/paint with and join the fun. Open to everyone.

And on Friday, a creative exhibit developed by Grand Marais potter Bob LaMettry and Johnson Heritage Post director, Don Davison, opens at the Johnson Heritage Post. Entitled “Ceramics of Cook County,” the show features work by most, if not all, of the potters who live here — 17 in all. The work ranges from functional earthenware and stoneware to sculpture and decorative pieces.

Ceramic artists in the show include: Maggie Anderson, Nathan Anderson, Tara Block, Elaine Dean, Joan Farnam, John Franz, Jeanne Knight, Bob LaMettry, Dan and Lee Ross, Mike Smieja, Natalie Sobanja, Bob Tamanaha, Kari Tarver, Ann Ward,  Melissa Wickwire and Peggy Little.

The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. on Friday. Refreshments will be served, and Dat Dere Jazz will play. All invited.

On Saturday, the Cook County Farm & Craft Market, featuring lots of arts & crafts as well as baked goods (wood-fire artisan breads, for example) and produce in season. The Market is held in the Senior Center parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Also on Saturday, Nancy Haarmeyer and Penny Ortmann will give a demonstration of Suminigashi at 1 p.m. at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

Suminigashi or “floating ink” is the process of marbling plain paper with water and ink to transform it into something vibrant and colorful. The demo is free. All invited.

Then, Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen will hold a “Bronze Pour at Four,” a demonstration of bronze pouring at the studio at 4 p.m. The public is invited to see this exciting artistic process.

In Duluth, a solo exhibit by Martin DeWitt at the atrium at the Zeitgeist Cafe closes on Saturday. DeWitt is a painter who was the director at the Tweed Museum of Art for years.

 

DeWitt will be at the show on Friday evening around 5 p.m. and invites friends to join him.

On Sunday, Native American singer/songwriter Keith Secola will be at the Red Herring Lounge in Duluth at 7 pm. The 4th annual Love Water Not Oil tour is a benefit for Honor the Earth. For more info, click here.

In Wrenshall, just outside the Duluth, the 13th annual Free Range Film Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday featuring a variety of alternative and quirky videos and films. For more info, see www.freerangefilm.com.

Upcoming:

 Fisherman’s Picnic in Grand Marais runs from Wednesday through Sunday next week. The weekend features events, lots of live music, contests, tournaments, food, craft fairs and the Friends of the Library’s annual Used Book Sale. Stay tuned for details next week. For the complete schedule, click here.

In other art news:

 Sivertson Gallery has a wall full of Liz Sivertson acrylic paintings.

Betsy Bowen has just completed a new print.

Bowen and the gallery will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bowen’s book,  “Antler, Bear, Canoe” Oct. 8. Stay tuned.

Painter Sandi Pillsbury-Gredzens will do an independent residency next week at the Grand Marais Art Colony and will host an open studio on Saturday, Aug. 6.

Pete Juhl is one of the artists exhibiting at the Cross River Heritage Center.

Other artists include Kathy Gray-Anderson (photographs), David Hahn (watercolors) and Paula Sundet Wolf (acrylics and pastels.)

The Blue Moose is featuring a new artist, Mark Schnieder of Minneapolis, who uses Lake Superior rocks embedded in sand to create wall hangings.

Marty Harris’ solo exhibit at Tettegouche State Park is up through July 31.

 

Kah Nee Tah Gallery in Lutsen has watercolors by Peggy Thompson.

 

Judy Hurd has a variety of jewelry at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen. She works with Red Creek jasper, agates, jade and silver beads.

Heidi Sobanja has new work at Betsy Bowen’s Studio & Galleries.

And last, but not least, Drury Lane Books has arranged a selection of books addressing particular topics on the end caps of shelves, including one entitled: Books That Have Shaped America, inspired by a PBS program. Titles include “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” “Little Women,” “Silent Spring,” and “Catch 22,”  to name a few. The bookstore has also set up a collection of books about diversity.

Here’s the music for the weekend:

Thursday, July 28:

• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 29:

• Dat Dere Jazz, Johnson Heritage Post, 5-7 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Pete K, Papa Charlie’s Deck, 6 p.m.
• Shoot from the Hipsters, Sydney’s Deck, 6 p.m.
• Bug House, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Crazy Chester, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Jim Miller, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, July 30:

• Eric Frost, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Bluefin Bay, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m. Rural Grand Marais, www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Pushing Chain, Lutsen Lobby, 7 p.m.
• The SplinterTones, Grandma Ray’s, 7 p.m.
• Axtell, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Crazy Chester, Gun Flint TAvern, 8:30 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 31:

• The SplinterTones, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.
• Black River Revue, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 1:

• Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.
• Black River Revue, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 2:

• Joe Paulik, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 3

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

And here is a selection of photographs we found this week.

Nace Hagemann posted this photo on his Facebook page this week. He said he was going through his files and realized he had never posted it last winter. He calls it “Bullseye.”

David Johnson was out shooting bald eagles and caught this eagle catching its dinner.

Kjersti Vick found these emerging mushrooms the other day.

Vick also took this beauty.

We found some interesting images by Christian Dalbec this week. Here’s a selection.

And this one:

And this one:

Here are some quintessential Lake Superior photos.

 

The inland lakes are beautiful, too.

 

And this great capture, by Erin Altemus.

Have a great weekend, everyone!