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First Snows & Moose Madness

First Snow. Road to Elbow Lake. Photograph by Layne Kennedy.

First Snow. Road to Elbow Lake. Photograph by Layne Kennedy.

Greetings! and welcome to the first snows of winter that have kissed the land. Expected and unexpected, one might say.

Just to do a brief weather history — at this time last year, Thomas Spence recorded this:

One year ago today (Oct. 14) we were waking up to snow by Thomas Spence.

One year ago today (Oct. 14) we were waking up to snow by Thomas Spence.

And here is what it looked like in Duluth two years ago this week.

Duluth, Oct. 10, 2018. Duluth News Tribune.

Duluth, Oct. 10, 2018. Published in the Duluth News Tribune.

So, yes, we don’t expect 70 degrees for Moose Madness Weekend here in Grand Marais. Covid-19 has made the event even more complicated this year, but, as always, the “Moosey spirit” continues with special activities for families, both in-person and online, throughout the community.

Moose Madness Weekend is on.

Moose Madness Weekend is on.

For avid fans, the Moose Medallion Hunt is on! Sponsored by the Grand Marais State Bank, the medallion will be secreted somewhere in downtown Grand Marais and clues will be posted online, instead of being  picked up at the Visit Cook County headquarters. Moose Central (the Visit Cook County headquarters) will be closed this weekend to protect the health and safety of participants. However, clues are still in play and can be found in two places: the VisitCookCounty web page and the VisitCookCounty Facebook page. The clues will be released at 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday and will continue to be released throughout the weekend until the medallion is found.  Good luck to everyone! A cash prize of $100 goes to the winner.

North House Folk School will be open and will feature a number of drop-in classes  and activities for families as well as “take-out” craft projects and online projects. Craftspeople will also be demonstrating this weekend.

North House Folk School will offer classes for families, including woodworking projects, Luke making a birdhouse.

North House Folk School will offer classes for families, including woodworking projects, like making a birdhouse. The activities will be either outdoors or inside, with windows open. Masks on, and probably coats, too!

North House is also organizing a Moose Madness Family Instagram Challenge to create a moose with almost anything and then post a photo on its Instagram page. A random drawing will award prizes and gift certificates to the winners. For more information about the weekend at North House, click here.  Other weekend events include surprise bags for kids at the Cook County Coop and an art supply sale under the orange tent at Joy & Co., to list a few.

Also this weekend, weather permitting, the 2nd annual Grand Marais Apple Festival will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring apple picking at four orchards, cider-making at Great Expectations School, caramel apple demos and sale at the Gunflint Mercantile and an Apple Farm Stand and winter vegetable sale in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center in the afternoon.

The 2nd annual Grand Marais Apple Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 and includes apple farm tours and picking, apple cider-making,  presentations and more. Open to all. Click here for more information.

The 2nd annual Grand Marais Apple Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 and includes apple farm tours and picking, apple cider-making, presentations and more. Open to all. Click here for more information.

For more information about the Apple Festival and all the activities planned for this weekend, click here.

Art is alive and well on the North Shore, as we all know, and this weekend, the Johnson Heritage Post celebrates that with an exhibit by Grand Marais photographer David R. Johnson. The exhibit is entitled “Cook County Through My Eyes: Vol. II.”

One of the photographs in David R. Johnson's exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post: Cook County Through My Eyes, Vol. II," opens at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday.

One of the photographs in David R. Johnson’s exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post: “Cook County Through My Eyes, Vol. I.” The exhibit  opens on Friday.

The exhibit features a great selection of David Johnson‘s photographs taken in all seasons. The Heritage Post is open from 1-4 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, with Covid protocols in place including masking, hand sanitizing and social distancing. You may also schedule a viewing of the exhibit here.

Also on Saturday, the two craft markets in town, the Cook County Market and the Maker’s Market, will be open, weather permitting. The Cook County Market is held in the parking lot of The Hub and is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Maker’s Market is located next to the Beaver House and is open Thursday through Sundays.

In Duluth, the Duluth Art Institute, located in The Depot in downtown Duluth, presents two new exhibits this weekend.’ “Reflections,” two large-scale wearings by Kristen Kaas. The pieces are located in the Depot entrance.

"Reflections," by Kristen Kaas is on exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute.

“Reflections,” by Kristen Kaas is on exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute.

The Art Institute is also featuring a temporary installation of artwork for sale. Instead of waiting for an exhibit to end, art lovers can bring their choices home right away, making for a lively and changing exhibit. Artists currently represented include: Shaun Chosa, Michael Dahmen, Sue Rauschenfels, Alyssa Swanson, and Blair Treuer.

The Tweed Museum of Art on the UMD campus is currently closed to the public, but it posts artwork regularly on its Facebook page.

Sarah M Brokke, "Her Wild Life is Coming Back (II), is one of the pieces currently on view online at the Tweed Museum of Art.

Sarah M Brokke, “Her Wild Life is Coming Back (II), is one of the pieces currently on view online at the Tweed Museum of Art.

Artists at Work:

Here’s a selection of pieces we found this week:

"Balanced," rock sculpture by Peter Juhl.

“Balanced,” rock sculpture by Peter Juhl.

 

"Sanctuary" by Charlotte Drury.

“Sanctuary” by Charlotte Drury.

 

Max Linehan has her work at Betsy Bowen's Gallery. This is "Woven Spheres," a paper collage.

Maxene Linehan has her work at Betsy Bowen’s Gallery. This is “Woven Spheres,” a paper collage.

 

Cool Stream by Paul Gustafson.

Cool Stream by Paula Gustafson.

 

Bead painting by Shannon Crossbear.

Bead painting by Shannon Crossbear.

 

"Water," by Betsy Bowen, from her Letter "W" series on the Apostle Islands.

“Water,” by Betsy Bowen, from her Letter “W” series on the Apostle Islands.

 Opportunities:

Applications for the The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council’s $2,000 Emergency Working Artist Grant are currently open. The deadline to apply is Oct. 30. The grant provides $2,000 for working artists to do a work of art in the next six months and sustain themselves during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information and to apply, click here. 

The Grand Marais Art Colony is offering an opportunity for artists to have their work photographed by Jess Oullis Smith, a professional photographer.  Art Colony members can schedule a session for Nov. 17. Cost is $55. For more information and to register, click here.

The Art Colony is also offering a number of virtual classes and workshops. To find out more, click here.

Virtual Music:

Michael Lipton of The Carpenter Ants will be interviewed on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday. The Carpenter Ants have a new album out, “Tearin’  Down the House.”

carppenter ants tearin' down the house

Lipton will talk what it was like making an album during the pandemic and play a few cuts from the new work.

The Carpenter Ants recorded a new album during the pandemic. Check out their Facebook page to see clips.

The Carpenter Ants recorded a new album during the pandemic. Check out their Facebook page to hear clips.

The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m, with the featured musician usually starting about 6:20 p.m.

And here’s some more gospel we found this week– The Eagle Rock Singers.

 Live Music:

Thursday, Oct. 15:

  • Eric Frost, Date Night at the Winery, 6 p.m., Reservations required. Reservations are required. Reserve here  or call at (218) 481-9280.

Friday Oct. 16:

  • Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, visit www.michaelmonroemusic.com for more info.

Saturday, Oct, 17:

  • Boyd Bump Blomberg, Cook County Market, 10:30 a.m., weather permitting.

Photographs:

Here’s a collection of photographs we found this week.

First, let’s start with flowers and leaves.

A fall collage by Shannon Crossbear.

A fall collage by Shannon Crossbear.

 

Bouquet on a cool fall day by Maryl Skinner.

Bouquet on a cool fall day by Maryl Skinner.

 

Bowl of Fall by Layne Kennedy.

Bowl of Fall by Layne Kennedy.

And this wildlife explanation. It’s a Facebook link. Hope you can see it.

Casey Anderson explains what really was happening in the mountain lion video that went viral recently.

Casey Anderson explains what really was happening in the mountain lion video that went viral recently. Here’s the link.

From the air:

Grand Marais sunset. Photographer unknown.

Grand Marais sunrise. Photographer unknown.

 

Split Rock Lighthouse-- from a drone by Christian Dalbec.

Split Rock Lighthouse– from a drone by Christian Dalbec.

And landscapes, skyscapes, treescapes, waterscapes and more:

View down the hill from the cabin by Sandra Updike.

View down the hill from the cabin by Sandra Updike.

 

When the leaves fall, the clouds take over by Kristofer Bowman.

When the leaves fall, the clouds take over by Kristofer Bowman.

 

Pine needles by Layne Kennedy.

Pine needles by Layne Kennedy.

 

Fall reflections by Dennis Chick.

Fall reflections by Dennis Chick.

 

Savanna Portage State Park by Paul Sundberg.

Savanna Portage State Park by Paul Sundberg.

 

View of the Pigeon River from 270 Lookout by Jennifer Schulz.

View of the Pigeon River from 270 Lookout by Jennifer Schulz.

 

Eerie October at the lake by Don Davison.

Eerie October at the lake by Don Davison.

 

Spruce and "lollipops" by Jim Boyd.

Spruce and a”lollipop” by Jim Boyd.

 

Good night, friends by Kristofer Bowman.

Good night, friends by Kristofer Bowman.

 

The woods in fall by Jonas Heinzerling,

The woods in fall by Jonas Heinzerling,

 

It rained by Joan Farnam.

It rained!  by Joan Farnam.

 

Road trip by Christian Dalbec.

Road trip by Christian Dalbec.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Stay safe.

Did you enjoy NorthShore ArtScene this week? Consider making a donation to this volunteer effort. It’s easy. Just click on the button below. And Thank You!

 

 

 

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