Sea smoke over the harbor by Paul Sundberg.
Greetings from the North Shore, where there is light in the sky at 6:30 a.m., even though it’s -15F outside, (-30F up the Trail) and that’s hopeful. It’s also been sunny, with lots of beautiful sea smoke over the Big Lake, plus, there’s crunchy snow underfoot. Blessings.
Indoors, Fiber February continues at North House Folk School with a variety of classes and workshops as well as weekly, free online Lunch & Learns. This week, “Norwegian Knitting in Time and Distance with Annemor Sundbø” is the presentation.
Annemor Sundbø, the “sweater detective,” will be featured on North House Folk School’s Lunch & Learn webinar this week with her research into the most familiar and well-loved Norwegian knitwear. To register, click here.
Author Annemor Sundbø, the “sweater detective,” will share stories from her research into the most familiar and well-loved Norwegian knitwear. For more than 25 years, Annemor has unraveled the history of knitting, following the thread all the way back to the very oldest tales, which feature a mix of cultural history, memory, myth and hypotheses. She will discuss her books Koftearven and Spelsau og Samspill, live from the Setesdalsmuseum , which features her exhibition. Free. To register, click here.
Also, starting on Thursday, Neil Sherman will be featured as the Takeover Artist on the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Instagram page.
Plein air artist Neil Sherman will be the Instagram Takeover Artist on the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Instagram page on Thursday and Friday.
Neil will talk about his art and show us a few tricks. He will be featured on Thursday and Friday.
Also on Friday, Cryote (Josh Schmidt) will be a virtual guest on WTIP’s The Roadhouse where he will talk about his music and play a few songs. The program, which airs from 5-7 p.m., will also feature author, Beth Probst, who will talk about her new book, “It Could be Worse: A girlfriend’s guide for runners who detest running.”
There are a few on-going online events worth noting, too.
The Gunflint Trail Historical Society’s fundraiser, Sweethearts Fun for ’21, continues through Feb. 17.
One of the items up for auction in the Gunflint Trail Historial Society is a 3-day completely outfitted canoe trip. The auction includes a variety of items, including artwork, experiences and more.
The online auction features a wide variety of goods and services. Check it out here.
And this is Hygge Festival week in Cook County. Covid-19 has changed how it is celebrated this year, but there are still ways to celebrate the warmth of community. It continues through Valentine’s Day. Check out the options here.
Opportunities:
The Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church has put out a call to artists of any age to participate in its 12 annual exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post. The theme this year is “From Darkness to Light.” The exhibit opens March 5 and runs through March 28. There are two drop-off dates for artwork: Monday, March 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, March 3 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Contact JHP gallery manager, Liz Davis, at johnsonheritagepostgallery@gmail.com if special arrangements are needed.
Exhibits:
A Potluck of Art, an exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post, continues through the end of the month. The exhibit features a wide variety of work from gallery shop exhibitors as well as members of the Northwoods Fiber Guild and the North Shore Artists League.
Linda Blaine Otis is featuring a wide variety of beaded works at the Potluck of Art exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.
The North Shore Artists League has put up a special page of affordable works for Valentine’s Day on its web site.
“Stormy Heart,” acrylic, by Marti Mullen, is one of the paintings in the North Shore Artists League’s Valentine Shop.
Studio 21, the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s downtown building, is featuring a new sculpture exhibit in its windows entitled “A Gathering of Ghosts” by John Books. There are six pieces in the show, including “Hungry Ghost,” below.
Hungry Ghost by John Books. The sculpture is in a window at Studio 21.
Books’ artist statement reads, in part,
ghosts surround us:
recent or long dead family, ancestors whom we honor with remembrance.
A flame burns for old loves and lives unlived. Also there, the ghosts of ideas,
philosophies and religions which float untethered and unnoticed through the world,
a swirling mist . Feelings, loves, hates.
The background noise of existence.
Online Exhibits:
The Duluth Art Institute is closed until April, but it has posted its current exhibits online, including a new exhibit of work by the Art Institute potters.
“Marked,” earthenware clay, by Robin Murphy, is one of the works in the pottery exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute.
To find out more about the show, click here. And click here to see more works.
The Art Institute also crafted a video about the clay studio, and the artists who work there.
Quilt artist Blair Treuer is one of the artists included in a national juried show entitled “Figure It Out,” featuring artworks and photographs of the human figure.
One of Blair Treuer quilts is included in a national exhibit.
To view the complete exhibit, which is fascinating, click here.
Artists at Work:
Paula Gustafson has created illustrations for “Incomplete Ignorance at Play: Poetic Musings on the Origin and Destiny of Human Life by Scott Gustafson, her brother. Here is one:
The emergence of philosophy by Paula Gustafson.
Other work we found this week:
A drawing from my 100-day project by Kim Dayton.
Hand-pulled intaglio prints by Ron Piercy.
Here are some artists working from a far… in distance and in time.
A macrame installation in Bali. “Sunset” by Agnes Hansella.
Detail of the macrame work .
From the distance of time. These Venetian artists were working in the mid-15th century and their beads were traded as far as Alaska.
These Venetian glass beads, crafted in the mid-15th century, were recently found in Alaska.
To read about the beads and how they got there, click here.
Music:
We just have one music video this week:
Photographs:
We found some great photos this week. First, some domestic favorites.
Goat love by Vicki Biggs-Anderson.
Guess who likes fresh snow by Layne Kennedy.
And then real wildlife:
Fox looks healthy by Mike Carlson.
A reminder to cut the strings on your masks before tossing it.
Cut the strings before throwing out by Peter James Nugest.
Lynx snoozing by Chris Artist.
Here’s a peoplescape.
There are times when it’s impossible trying to explain life up at 46 degrees North by Layne Kennedy.
Interiorscapes:
Hope by Mary Beams.
Beeswax on a hot forged hook by David Steckelberg.
Landscapes, Icescapes, Skyscapes and Waterscapes
Superior (Wis.) lighthouse by Nathan Klok.
Winter sun by Mark Tessier.
Let night’s sunset over the Great Lake by Mary Amerman.
Ready for launch at Brighton Beach by Gary Schmies.
Open water steam towers by David Steckelberg.
Like a candle in the wind by Roxanne Distad.
Lake Superior making ice by Anna Buslke.
So cold but beautiful by Cecila Chmelik
A view from swimming in the lake by Alisa Berns.
Surfing Lake Superior by Lisa A Jacquares.
Ice shards by Paul Sundberg.
A chilly winter day by Susanne Von Schroeder.
Sunset in Grand Marais by Travis Novitsky.
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