Greetings from the North Shore, where our spectacular Fall Color Gala is well underway.
The maple forests are at full color right now, with the aspens soon to follow. So, if you have made plans to visit the North Shore for a color tour, now’s the time.
There’s lots of other eye candy this weekend, to0. Just as the forests show off what they’ve accomplished this year, so do North Shore artists. The Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour opens this weekend in Cook County, with more than 40 artists represented in galleries and studios throughout the county. And the Lake County art tour, Lake Superior 20/20 will be held this weekend, as well.
To top it off, plein air painters from across the region participated in the Grand Marais Plein Air Competition this year, and their spectacular work is on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.
So let’s get started on the weekend.
First up is an online experience as the Grand Marais Art Colony hosts Kathryn Savage as its Instagram Takeover Artist on Thursday and Friday.

Writer Kathryn Savage is the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Instagram Takeover Artist on Thursday and Friday.
Savage is a hybrid writer whose debut lyric essay collection, “Groundglass,” is forthcoming from Coffee House Press. She teaches creative writing and composition at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), in the Augsburg University low-residency MFA program, and at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She’ll be teaching a NonFest class called Elements of Creative NonFiction and Memoir, Nov.6 – 7. To see what she is posting on Instagram, click here.
On Friday, the Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour begins, with studios and galleries around the county opening at 10 a.m. For the next 10 days, Sept. 24 through Oct. 3, participating studios/galleres will be open from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. each day. Many of the studios include guest artists as well as work by the hosts, making it a cornucopia of North Shore art.
Here are just a few examples of what you will see; More next week.

Andy Ness is exhibiting at Studio 21, the Art Colony’s new building on Highway 61. He will be joined by three potters: Adrea Beres, Kari Carter and Ann Ward.

Cedars on the River, woodcut print by Betsy Bowen. Sculptor Ron Piercy is a guest at her studio and will be working on a sculpture in front of the studio during the tour.

“The Flowage,” oil, by Neil Sherman. His studio is in Colville. This painting is currently on view at the Johnson Heritage Post as part of the Grand Marais Plein Air Exhibit. It won an Exceptional Merit Award. During the Fall Studio Tour, he often hangs his paintings on the outside walls of his cabin.

Through the Narrows, fused glass, by Nancy Seaton. Seaton’s studio is at Hungry Jack Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail. Her husband, Dave Seaton, is a luthier, and is exhibiting his guitars at the site as well. Potter Joan Farnam is the guest artist.
These are just a few examples of what you can find on the Fall Studio Tour. For maps and lots more info on the studios and participating artists, click here.
Also this week, Grand Marais Plein Air 2021 opened at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday with work by more than 60 artists. It is a great show and highly recommended.
The Grand Prize for The Best Body of Work went to Krystal Brown.

Krystal Brown won the Best Body of Work award at Grand Marais Plein Air this year. David Gilsvik was the juror.
The exhibit was a partnership between the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota and the Cook County Historical Society. It will be on exhibit through Oct. 10 at the Heritage Center. To find out more about the exhibit and the awards, click here.
Also this weekend, the Lake Superior 20/20 Tour will be held in a number of studios and galleries throughout Cook County.

An example of the some of the artists participating the the Lake Superior 20/20 Tour this year. It will be held on Friday and Saturday this week. The studios are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more info, maps and more, click here.
Also this week:
The Local Food Market is held in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursdays. It will continue through Oct. 14. This week, looks for lots of local produce, eggs, artisan breads and more.
And the Cook County Market, which is held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the Senior Center, features a wide variety of arts and crafts.

The Cook County Market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the Senior Center on Saturday.
Upcoming:

Richard Gruchalla and Carrin Rosetti will be at Sivertson Gallery for their annual “Do You Raku” event on Oct. 2. Stay tuned.
Artists at Work:

Brazilian-Mexican artist Fefe Talavera strings together elaborate masks that fuse ancient mythologies and contemporary urban culture. See more of her masks and read about her work here.

Theodore Kefalopoulos is a fine art landscape photographer. Read about his work and see more images here.
Online Music:
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Live Music:
Thursday, Sept. 23:
- Kenna Rose, Gunflint Tavern, 5 p.m.
- Michelle Miller, Harbor Park, 5 p.m.
- Kilborn Quartet, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub. 6 p.m.
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 24:
- Kenna Rose, WTIP Radio, The Roadhouse, 6:10-6:55 p.m.
- Brotherhood of Birds, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25:
- Boyd Bump Blomberg, Cook Couty Market, 10L30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Joe Paulik, Harbor Park, noon to 3 p.m.
- Boyd Bump Blomberg, Harbor Park, 4-7 p.m.
- Briand Morrison, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6 p.m.
- Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concerts, 7 p.m., rural Gand Marais, Call for details: 612-789-2255, Streaming facebook.com/michaelmonroemusic,
- Flywheel, Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, 7:30 p.m.
- Brotherhood of Birds, Gunflint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
Photographs:
We found lots of interesting photographs today. Here’s a selection. First, wildlife:

Who is peeking at me? by David Johnson.
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Wet and covered in pine needles by David Johnson.
A Not-So-Wildscape:
A Mushroomscape:
Landscapes, Skyscapes, Waterscapes:

September sunrise on the stones by John Heino.

The brightest of reds by David Johnson.

A beautiful fall afternoon by David Johnson.

A nice night for a light show by David Johnson.

Full Harvest Moon by Paul Sundberg.

The colors have arrived by Don Davison.

A full-moon evening by David Johnson.
Have a great weekend, everyone! Enjoy fall and stay safe!
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