Art, William Kent Krueger and WTIP at the State Fair

Crisp, cool early fall temps greeted us this week as summer on the North Shore begins to wind down. There’s lots to do this weekend, though.

North House Folk School will display “Sofia,” 10 works by artist Daniel Hansen, son of Grand Marais residents Mark and Wendy Hansen, in the Blue Building from Thursday, Aug. 27 through Monday, Sept. 7. The exhibit is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. An opening reception and presentation by the artist will be held Thursday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m.

On Friday night, North House will hold an outdoor film screening of “Kharma Bums” at 8:30 p.m. The travel-adventure documentary  follows a 130-mile stand-up paddleboard journey in India, beginning at the Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of humans ever recorded. The screening is free, donations welcome at the door. All invited.

Plein air painter Joi Electa has been teaching the basics of oil painting classes throughout the county this summer. On Thursday, she will teach a class at Joy & Co., formerly The Garage, from 3-6 p.m. She will teach a class from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday at Trail Center on the Gunflint Trail  and at Cascade River State Park (meet at the parking lot off Highway 61) at 3 p.m. on Friday. Fees apply.

At the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery, Susan Frame’s exhibit, Sumi-e Painting, continues through Sept. 13. The exhibit includes a great selection of her work, focused principally on the North Shore. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday and Monday.

This is the last weekend to see the multi-artist exhibit at the Cross River Heritage Center  in Schroeder, featuring paintings by Sandi Pillsbury Gredzens and Charlotte Durie, watercolorist David Hahn and mixed media artist Kim Knutson. A new exhibit by members of the Lake Superior Watercolor Society featuring watercolors of the North Shore opens Tuesday, Sept. 1 with a reception for the artists from 2-4  p.m.  on Sunday Sept. 13.

Woodcut printmaker Betsy Bowen has recently released a small group of artist’s proof bird prints from a series that was created for the 2001 Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center calendar.

Though these prints in their numbered edition have long since sold out, a few artist’s proofs have been pulled from the archives and framed. Artist’s proofs are created in the proofing process at the beginning of the print run of a numbered edition. A number of these prints are currently available at the Betsy Bowen Studio & Galleries, 301 1st Ave. W., in Grand Marais.

The galleries are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Sivertson Gallery has just received the 2016 Cape Dorset calendar with a great selection of prints by Inuit artists.

Saturday kicks off with the Cook County Farm & Craft Market in the parking lot of the Senior Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At 1 p.m., there will be a demo in the glass studio at the Grand Marais Art Colony. All invited. Free.

At 3 p.m. Saturday, award-winning Minnesota mystery writer, William Kent Krueger, will be at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. “A Conversation with Kent Krueger” is a fundraiser for Cook County Higher Education and sponsored by CCHE and Birchbark Books & Gifts. All invited. For tickets, click here or call 387-3411.

Also on Saturday, Kate Fitzgerald will give a Full Moon Reading at Drury Lane Books at 5 p.m. by the bonfire. The event is free.

The Minnesota State Fair opens this weekend and will feature “Radio on a Stick” when WTIP Community Radio broadcasts live from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2 from the State Fair grounds. This is the first time WTIP has had this opportunity. Hosts Bob Carter, Ann Possis, Sherrie Lindskog, Julie Carlson, Sue Maijala and Beth Olson, as well as program director Matthew Brown and station manager Deb Benedict, are scheduled to be on the air. Visit Cook County director, Linda Kratt and her team are providing support and will be on hand to meet and greet fair-goers with information about Cook County.

WTIP will offer special programming, information and entertainment throughout the day, including interviews on the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, Joel Karsten on tending a straw bale garden, how to travel in a mini RV camper, and lots more state fair-related guests and topics. The programming will be aired in Cook County as well. So listen in! Go to www.wtip.org to stream it.

Speaking of WTIP, it’s almost time for the Radio Waves Music Festival sponsored by WTIP and held at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Rec Park Sept. 11-13. More than 30 bands will be performing this year with a lineup for all musical tastes, including rock, classic country, folk, jazz, Americana, alternative country and more. With a large tent for musicians as well as attendees, it’s a rain or shine event.  Tickets are $10 per day, or $20 for the weekend, with children ages 12 and under free. To see the lineup of musicians, click here. And stay tuned for more info on this popular event.

And not to forget, Unplugged XIV is Sept. 17-19, featuring three nights of music, a Craft Artisan Market, workshops and more at North House Folk School. An online auction is held as well, since the event is a fundraiser for the North House endowment fund.

More than 12 musicians will be performing over the three-day event: NPR’s Mountain Stage with Larry Groce Sept. 17 & 18, and the classic Unplugged with Jon Vezner Sept. 19. For tickets and more info, click here.

Upcoming: Registration is now open for the Readers & Writers Festival sponsored by the Grand Marais Art Colony Nov. 5-8. Some of the presenters include: Lorna Landvik, author, Cathy Wurzer, Erin Hart – author, Coffee House Press, Graywolf Press, Milkweed Editions, Minnesota Historical Society Press, and University of Minnesota Press, to name a few. For more info, click here.

Here’s the music lineup for this weekend:

Thursday, Aug. 27:

• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 28:

• Portage Band, American Legion, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, WTIP’s The Roadhouse, 6 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Music by the Campfire,  Eagle Ridge Resort, 7 p.m.
• Dan Newton, accordionist, Bandshell, Thomas Owens Park, 5 p.m.
• Jim & Michele Miller, Voyageur Brewing Co.,, 8 p.m.
• Crazy Chester, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Bluefin Grille, Tofte, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 29:

• Eric Frost & Friends, Voyageur Brewing Co., 3 p.m.
• Billy D & Brenda B, Birch Tree Terrace, 3 p.m.
• Pete Kavanaugh, Music on the Deck at Papa Charlie’s, 6 p.m.
• Don Juan Trio, Sydney’s Rooftop, 6 p.m.
• Jon Kallberg, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Campfire Music, Bluefin Grille, 7 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Crazy Chester, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
• Eric Frost & Friends, Voyageur Brewing Co., 9 p.m.
• Dance Party with DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 30:

• Yvonne Caruthers, Bach for Breakfast, Sydney’s, 7:30 p.m.
• Cook County Jam, Sunday Music on the Mountain, Caribou Highlands, 5 p.m.
• Yvonne Caruthers, Gunflint Lodge, 6:30 p.m.
• Wild Berry Jam, Gun Flint Tavern, 6:30 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 31:

• Southwire, Monday Songwriter Series, Papa Charlie’s, 8:30 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 2:

• WTIP Radio at the State Fair, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 8 p.m.

We found lots of great photos this week. Let’s start with some wildlife shots. The first one is by David Johnson, taken as a bald eagle launches off a rock on the breakwater.

Paul Sundberg took this great photo of a spruce grouse. He says they are quite tame, when you find them.

 

Nace Hagemann posted some great moose photos this week. Take a look:

 

Here’s an interesting sunset shot taken by David Johnson.

The northern lights were jumping on Wednesday night, but no photos had been posted by press time. Here’s one by Heidi Pinkerton taken at Bear Island Lake recently.

Don Davison posted some lovely photos of Grand Marais recently.

Jean Fitz Cochrane posted this fantastic photo on her Facebook page the other day. Do you know where it was taken?

And here’s one of Isle Royale. Do you recognize this beach?

Kathy Gray Anderson caught this beauty on Devil Track Lake recently.

Sandra Updyke took this intriguing shot of Carlson Creek.

And last but not least, here’s a powerful waterfall shot by Don Malcolm.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!