Put On Your Time-Traveling Suit

by Joan Farnam on April 26, 2018

“Sawbill Trail: In the pines last night/this morning” by Thomas Spence.

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

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

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

The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Annual Members Show & Sale opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 27. Here’s an example of some of the works that will be on display.

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

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

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

Amy Demmer is stepping down as executive director of the Grand Marais Art Colony.

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

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

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

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

"Found: 3 Views of Nature" opens at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday.

“Found:Three Views on Nature” opens at the Johnson Heritage Post with a reception on Friday from 5-7 p.m.

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

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

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

“Shrek The Musical Jr.” will be performed at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts this weekend.

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

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

Duluth’s Homegrown Music Festival starts this weekend.

For the schedule and more info, click here.

Exhibits:

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

“We cannot mingle with the splendours we see” by Rheanna Nelson, is one of the pieces in the student exhibition at the Tweed Museum of Art.

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

“Conversation in the Park” by Annie Traquair.

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

thunder bay noel ducharme untitle beaver house, mixed media on canvas 1972

Noel Ducharme, “Untitled (Beaver House,” mixed media on canvas, c. 1972, is one of 40 works in the “By Request: Collective Curation of the Permanent Collection” at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

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

Upcoming:

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

The Grand Marais Kite Festival is next weekend, weather permitting.

Whale and diver kits fly over Harbor Park during a recent Grand Marais Kite Festival. The festival is next weekend, weather permitting.

Stay tuned for details.

Opportunities:

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

Lynn Speaker will present a workshop on marketing and recordkeeping for artists at the Grand Marais Art Colony May 2.

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

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

A Music/interview Treat

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