Superior Sunset by Mike Wiggins, Jr
Greetings from the North Shore, where the quiet thought at the back of all of our minds right now is “Winter Awaits!” (Thank you, Sandra Stephens, for that word image.)
Meanwhile, a good friend, who is a landscaper, was working in a garden earlier this week, and at about noon, she felt something change. She stood up and looked around, her senses alert. She noticed that a co-worker had stopped working too, and was standing quietly. They looked at each other for a moment. “Summer is over,” she said to her co-worker. The other woman nodded, “I was thinking the same thing myself.”
Fall dropped that afternoon. It plopped itself down in that garden in the middle of the day. Warm and sunny turned into chilly and damp, and it had staying power.
So, Welcome, Fall! Welcome apple cider, wool socks, and a crackling fire in the grate. Winter, you can wait awhile.
We definitely give a nod to the changing seasons for the next two weeks, too, with fall festivals, book signings, art shows, and MEA weekend activities.
First up this week is Art Night at Joy and Company. This week, participants will explore the different types of watercolor papers and the effects you can get with each.
How to use watercolor papers is the topic for this week’s Art Night.
The session is open to all and free, with a suggested donation. Art Night is held from 4-6 pm on Thursdays. All welcome.
Also on Thursday, Lydia “Nibs” Noble, author of “365 Lessons: A Year in Early Recovery” will be at The Big Lake from 4-6 pm to celebrate Sober October month and sign her book.
Sober October, NA Happy Hour and a book signing will be held at The Big Lake from 4-6 pm Thursday.
The shop will also have samples of Lady Superior Bottle Shop NA drinks for tasting. Open to all.
The Grand Marais Farmer’s Market will have an End-of-the-Season Celebration from 4:30-6 pm in the parking lot of the Community Center on Thursday.
The Grand Marais Farmer’s Market will have an End-of-the-Season Celebration from 4:30-6 pm Thursday.
Look for a great selection of locally grown produce, breads and baked goods, Fall apples, a cider press, lawn games for the kids, and live music. Everyone is invited to this fun celebration.
On Friday, join glass artist Jeri Person at Joy and Company and learn how to make a glass spinner.
Learn to make a glass spinner at Joy and Company.
The class is held from 10 am to 2 pm on the second Friday of the month. Reservations are not required, but a call beforehand is advised. Call 218-387-1004. Open to all, but children must be accompanied by an adult. The cost is $25.
The monthly Culture Crawl, sponsored by the Cook County Historical Society will be held from 4-6 pm on Friday, Oct. 13 at the Historical Society’s Museum and at the Johnson Heritage Post.
A Culture Crawl at the Johnson Heritage Post and the Cook County Historical Society Museum will be held from 5-7 pm Friday.
Participants pick up a passport at either place, visit both, and redeem the passport with a free beverage at the Gunflint Tavern. It’s a great chance to see art as well as historical exhibits about Cook County. Free. All invited.
In Duluth, plein air painter Arna Rennan will have an opening reception at the Nordic Center, 23 N. Lake Ave., for her exhibit: Seven Summers: Paintings from Bøverdalen. The opening reception is from 5-8 pm.
Skjermbilde, oil, by Arna Rennan, is one of the paintings that will be in her exhibit.
This exhibit represents the places and stories that made a lasting impression on Rennan as a painter and as a person. It illustrates why half of the population from this valley immigrated to the Midwest, the gulf between the wealthy and the poor farmers, and how nature inspired folklore. This exhibit travels on to the Vesterheim Museum on Nov. 18 and runs through Memorial Weekend 2024. For more information, go to the website: www.arnarennan.com.
Rennan will also give a special presentation of stories and songs from the region on Oct. 28 from 1-3 pm at the Nordic Center. The suggested donation for the event is $10.
On Saturday, the Cook County Market opens in the parking lot of The Hub at 10 am. This arts and crafts market features a wide variety of work by local residents.
Paintings and balms by Melanie and Peter of 2 Birds Healing are one of the features of the Cook County Market.
Look for paintings, weaving, knitwear, leatherwork, pottery, jewelry, rock art, and more. Open to all. The Market closes at 2 pm. The last market for the 2023 season is next week during MEA weekend.
Also on Saturday, the Lutsen Township Fall Festival will be held from 1-4 pm at the Lutsen Town Hall.
The Lutsen Township Fall Festival is on Saturday at the Lutsen Town Hall.
It’s a potluck and everyone is invited to bring a side dish to share. Hot dogs, brats, and beverages will be provided. The community is invited.
In Grand Marais, join the Historical Alliance of Cook County for an afternoon of storytelling from Cook County’s back roads, from 2 – 4 pm at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.
Storytelling from the back roads of Cook County will be held at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts from 2-4 pm Saturday.
A storyteller representing each of the four organizations in the Alliance will share tales from “off the beaten path” throughout the county. The four organizations in the Alliance are the Schroeder Area Historical Society, the Tofte Historical Society, the Cook County Historical Society and the Gunflint Trail Historical Society. To learn more about the Historical Alliance of Cook County, click here.
With winter just around the corner, the Cook County Local Energy Project has organized a special information day for county residents this weekend.
The Clean Energy Community Event will be held at the Cook County Community Center on Sunday, from 1-4 pm.
The Clean Energy Community Event is Oct. 15 from 1-4 pm at the Community Center.
Participants will spend the afternoon learning and discovering the limitless potential of clean energy solutions. There will be a presentation about the various discounts and programs available for energy efficiency upgrades for your home, business, or nonprofit. Take the energy tour to see how local organizations and residents have switched to clean energy technologies by utilizing new federal rebates, tax credits, and programs to save money on upfront costs in the long term. Free, but prior registration is requested. To find out more and register, click here.
On Monday, Oct. 16, auditions for the holiday play, Ken Ludwig’s, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, will be held for high school students and adults at the ACA at 6:30 pm.
Auditions for the Christmas play have been set.
Auditions for students in Grades 3-8 will be held at 3:30 pm on Monday, Oct. 23 at the ACA.
On Wednesday, Oct. 18, the Grand Marais Art Colony will hold an Open House in the Clay Studio from noon to 6 pm to introduce a new studio access program for local artists working in clay.
The Art Colony will hold an Open House in the Clay Studio on Oct. 18 from noon to 6 pm.
The open house will be a time to tour the studio, meet the new ceramics studio manager, and learn about the studio access programs, including the punch card system and the ceramics cohort. Free. Open to all.
Also on Wednesday, the Grand Marais Public Library will present “Exploring Graphic Memoir with Lynn Von Sien“ at 6 pm. Von Sien will discuss the rich and diverse history of Graphic Memoir in this workshop as well as offer hands-on experience.
The Graphic Memoir, a workshop at the Grand Marais Public Library, is set for Oct. 18 at 6 pm.
Von Sein, a Minnesota writer and artist and a 2023 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, will facilitate the workshop.
Attendees will take away knowledge of the genre’s elements, as well as Take & Create exercises and resources to explore the craft further. This free hour-long program is suitable for patrons ages 12 and up. Extra Take & Create exercises will be available at the library. The public is invited.
Exhibits:
The exhibit, Grand Marais Plein Air, continues at the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery through Oct, 15.
The exhibit, Grand Marais Plein Air, is currently on view at the Johnson Heritage Post.
This is really a great show showcasing plein air painting and the beauty of Cook County at the same time. More than 30 pein air painters spread across the county over a one week period, painting what they saw, and their work is gathered together in three rooms at the Johnson Heritage Post. It’s truly an amazing exhibit and highly recommended. The gallery is open from 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Sunday. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
There are two more weeks to see the exhibit Muse, which is on view at Studio 21 through Oct. 21.
The Muse 12×12 exhibit continues at Studio 21 through Oct.21. Photo courtesy of the Grand Marais Art Colony.
Studio 21 is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. Free.
The Lake Superior Watercolor Society is exhibiting work at the Cedar Coffee Company in Two Harbors through the end of the month.
Daybreak, watercolor, by Sue Rauschenfels is one of the pieces on view at the Cedar Coffee Company this month.
The Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth is exhibiting a retrospective of work by Jonathan Thunder.
Jonathan Thunder’s son approaches one of his dad’s paintings at the Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth during its installation. The exhibit continues through December.
Upcoming:
North Shore photographer Christian Dalbec will be at Sivertson Gallery to give a presentation and talk about his work next weekend.
Photographer Christian Dalbec will give a presentation at Sivertson Gallery on Oct. 21.
Dalbec will give his presentation from 1-3 pm on Saturday, October 21. The public is invited.
The Moose Madness Family Festival is Oct.21-22 and promises lots of activities, games, contests, a little goofiness, and more.
Murray the Moose always makes appearances at Moose Madness. It is Oct. 20-21 this year. Click here for more info.
The Moose is Loose in Grand Marais during the annual Moose Madness Family Festival. This annual event is the ultimate family-focused celebration of all things moose. Enjoy the outdoors and learn a few facts about our celebrated mascot along the way with activities, scavenger hunts, quizzes, and more. Here’s the link to the schedule of events.
The Duluth Art Institute will hold its annual fundraising gala on Oct 26.
The Duluth Art Institute will hold The Garden of the Surreal Gala Oct. 26.
Entitled “The Garden of the Surreal,” the gala will feature dinner and dancing, on-site artist experiences, and more. To find out more, click here.
Halloween is just around the corner and this year The Evening Stars will play for a costume party at Up Yonder on Oct. 28.
The Evening Stars will play for a Halloween costume party at Up Yonder on Oct. 28.
The party starts at 9 pm. Costumes encouraged.
The North Shore Readers and Writers Festival is Nov. 1-4 this year. This popular festival is a biennial event that locates, celebrates, and fosters the literary arts and engagement with the written word.
The North Shore Readers and Writers Festival is Nov. 1-4. Click here to learn more.
The festival features classes, panel discussions, special events, and author readings. Festival authors include Brenda Child, Rebecca Foust, Lisa Golden Schroeder, Carolyn Holbrook, Danny Klecko, David Mura, Mona Susan Power, Michael Torres and Kate St. Vincent Vogl. To find out more, click here.
A new retrospective of Hazel Belvo’s work entitled: Hazel Belvo: For Love opens at the Minnesota Museum of American Art on Nov. 4.
The exhibit “Hazel Belvo: For Love” opens at the Minnesota Museum of American Art on Nov. 4.
This is a career retrospective that honors Belvo’s lifelong work and dedication as an artist through a focus on her deep relationships, her strong sense of place, and her feminist worldview. Belvo is a significant American artist, art educator, and feminist leader. From delicate drawings to monumental paintings, Belvo’s work honors intimate moments of love and connection, as well as nature and spirituality. Born in Ohio, Belvo worked in New York and on the East Coast before coming to Minnesota, where she has now lived, taught, worked, and loved for many years. The exhibit continues through May 24, 2024.
Artists at Work:
Go Easy, print, by Nan Onkka. She is the Artist of the Month at the Johnson Heritage Post.
Getting Ready for Cold Weather by Mary Beams.
Inktober Day 6-8 by Bryan Hansel.
Fused glass window by Tony Rau.
Menogyn Pines, watercolor, by Sandra Maxwell.
Online Findings:
The 19th annual online cup sale organized by t the Charlie Cummings Gallery in Florida continues through Nov. 2. This popular sale features cups from more than 200 nationally recognized artists who submit 5 cups each, showcasing the wide variety of concepts and styles in ceramics.
Here are a few examples of the cups in the online sale. Click here to see more.
The title of the sale is “Cup: The Intimate Object XIX. ”
A new mural has been completed in Grand Marais, this one by Duluth artist Paul LaJeunesse. It is located on the north side of the Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply building.
Paul LaJeunesse works on his mural on Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply.
Listen to and/or read the interview with the artist here.
Online Music:
Live Music:
Thursday, Oct 12:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
Friday, Oct 13:
- Live Music, Mogul’s Grille & Tap Room, 7:30-9 pm
- Live Music, Bluefin Grill, 8-10 pm
Sunday, Oct 15:
- Fred Anderson with Ben Obinger, Mogul’s Grille & Tap Room, 10-12 pm
- Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille & Tap Room, 5-7 pm
- Open Mic Hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 5-8 pm
Tuesday, Oct 17:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
Thursday, Oct 19:
- SonOfMel, Cascade Restaurant and Pub, 6-8 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- North Shore Swing Band, Up Yonder, 7-9 pm
Friday, Oct 20:
- Buffalo Galaxy, Up Yonder, 9-11:55 pm
Sunday, Oct 22:
- Jon Miller & Will Effertz, Up Yonder, 1-3 pm
- Open Mic Hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 7-9 pm
Photographs:
Here’s a selection of photographs we found this week.
Wildlife:
Moose Calling by Paul Sundberg.
Migrating Sandhill Cranes Fly High by Jim Boyd.
Meet the Sea Sheep, a tiny ocean slug. Photo courtesy of Ocean Life.
Dancing with the Cranes by John Heino.
Is there a moose here? Moose calling brings in the wolves by Paul Sundberg.
Potpourri:
Chard Bounty from Creaking Tree Farm. This is the last week for the Grand Marais Farmer’s Market this season.
Cats and boxes, dogs and big sticks by Sandra Updyke.
Sweep marks and clean up. Most of the pieces for North House Folk School’s new Welcome Center are cut. Photo by Tom Healy.
Steady as she goes by Staci Drouillard.
Driving across the Navaho Nation by John Gregor.
Landscapes, Skyscapes, Leafscapes & Waterscapes:
Clean Sweep by Christian Dalbec.
Sometimes there just aren’t words by Lane Pelovsky.
A Two Harbors Sunset by Matthew Pastick.
Silver Hills Provincial Park, Ontario, by David Welch.
Fall leaf-speak by Sally Nankivell.
A foggy blue and orange sunrise over Lake Superior by Bryan Hansel.
The colors were fantastic this year by Travis Novitsky.
An offshore breeze on Lake Superior by Lin Salisbury.
Minnesota Flatlands by Bryan Hansel.
Walk About Lake Agnes by Andy Keith.
The Power of the Gaze by Jamie Rabold. The American Spirit leaving the Duluth Harbor.
Last blooms of Fall by Chuck Olsen.
Walk About Lake Agnes III by Andy Keith.
Lights on the Gunflint Trail by Mathias Mullin.
Shroomin’ on the way to the blind by Jamie Rabold.
Autumn yellows by David Johnson.
Fog Magic by Mathias Mullin.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Note: We’d love to have your support. You can make a one-time contribution or decide to become an ArtScene sustainer with an automatic donation each month in the amount that is affordable for you. Just click on the button below. And Thank You!
And here’s a shout-out to the people who helped make this blog possible: Jeremy Lopez, Live Music Schedule, proofreading and technical advice; Yvonne Mills, stellar proofreading and Kari Carter, photo captions and research.
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