After an all-night vigil, by Heidi Pinkerton.
Greetings from the North Shore where, like many in the north, we were treated to a fantastic display of northern lights last week. The reds and pinks were extraordinary. Kudos to the photographers who shared their photos with us. Many were out there all night to catch some of these images. Thank you!
Here are some examples:
Around 5 am, Dec. 1, near Grand Marais by David Johnson.
Aurora over Gooseberry Falls by Nicholas Narog.
An amazing display by Jamie Rex.
Aurora by Paul Sundberg.
An exquisite moment by Kendall, Shades of the North.
Sometimes when the dogs wake you up late at night, it’s OK, by Anton Moody.
And, to top it off, this week is Dark Sky Festival weekend, with all kinds of activities and events scheduled to celebrate our dark skies.
For example, if you’d like to learn how to paint auroras, stop by Joy and Company on Thursday from 4-6 pm for Art Night, because that’s the topic for this week.
Learn how to paint Northern Lights at Joy and Company’s Art Night on Thursday.
An instructor will be there to give demonstrations and participants can try their hand at painting the aurora. The event is free, with a suggested donation. Open to all.
The Dark Sky Festival itself runs Dec. 7-9 with a variety of activities in different locales during the event.
The Dark Sky Festival is Dec. 7-9.
The festival features night sky walks and telescope viewing, presentations, documentary screenings, book signings, educational opportunities, and family-friendly events. The wide variety of events will be presented at venues around the county, including the Grand Portage Heritage Center, the Johnson Heritage Post, Drury Lane Books and Studio 21 in Grand Marais, Surfside Ballroom in Tofte, and the Gunflint Lodge and Mink Lake on the Gunflint Trail.
Here are a few highlights:
- Presentations by researcher Jessica Heim and Native Skywatchers, an initiative that seeks to remember and revitalize Indigenous star and earth knowledge.
- Presentation and book signing with Grand Portage-based astrophotographer Travis Novitsky. Novitsky released a book titled “Spirits Dancing: The Night Sky, Indigenous Knowledge, and Living Connections to the Cosmos” in November.
- Star Party with the University of Minnesota Duluth Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium
- Guided night sky-walk and telescope viewing opportunities
- Additional presentations by the Superior National Forest, Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center
- For all the details, click here and see below under Exhibits.
There are lots more things to do this weekend, too.
On Thursday night, Care Partners will hold its annual Light Up a Life tree-lighting ceremony at the Johnson Heritage Post starting at 5:30 pm.
Care Partners will hold its annual Light Up a Life Ceremony at 5:30 pm on Thursday at the Johnson Heritage Post.
The Light Up a Life ceremony offers community members the opportunity to remember the life of a loved one during the holiday season. Each donation lights one bulb in memory of one person on our memory tree, which will be located downtown in front of the Johnson Heritage Post. Donation forms are available at area businesses, in the November issue of Northern Wilds, download a donation form here or donate online here.
Also on Thursday, Trivia Night, sponsored by the Cook County Historical Society, will be held at Up Yonder from 7-9 pm.
The Cook County Historical Society Trivia at Up Yonder from 7-9 pm.
On Friday and Saturday, the Borealis Chorale and Orchestra will hold its annual Holiday Concert at Bethelem Lutheran Church. Performances start at 7 pm.
The Borealis Chorale and Orchestra will be in concert at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 pm Friday and Saturday.
This year will feature the debut of a commission by William Beckstrand entitled “All Earth is Hopeful.” After the last few years, the text will be especially pertinent as we look forward to the future. The concerts start at 7 pm. They are free, but a suggested donation of $10 or $20 would be appreciated. Open to all.
Twas the Night Before Christmas, a special production of two plays by Grand Marais Playhouse, will be performed at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 pm Friday and Saturday and at 2 pm Sunday.
Twas the Night Before Christmas plays are set for this weekend at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.
The plays are a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for youth under 18, and $50 for a family bundle. Tickets are available here.
On Saturday, author Paul Bogard will be at Drury Lane Books for a Meet & Greet from 11 am to 12:30 pm.
Author Paul Bogard will be at Drury Lane Books on Saturday.
As part of Cook County’s Dark Sky Festival, Bogard will talk about the significant role deep darkness has played in human life and what we may gain in dimming our artificial lights. “A starry night is one of nature’s most magical wonders. Yet in our artificially lit world, three-quarters of Americans’ eyes never switch to night vision and most of us no longer experience true darkness,” he says.
In his book, The End of Night, Bogard restores our awareness of the spectacularly primal, wildly dark night sky and how it has influenced the human experience across everything from science to art. The public is invited. Copies of his book will be available for signing. He will also give a presentation at Studio 21 at 4 pm on Saturday.
There are two great holiday craft fairs in Cook County this weekend.
The West End Craft & Vendor Show and Bake Sale will be held from 9 am – 1 pm on Saturday at the Schroeder Town Hall.
The West End Craft & Vendor Show and Bake Sale will be on Saturday.
Look for work by local artisans, crafters, as well as small businesses. Open to all. Refreshments will be served.
Also on Saturday, a Holiday Craft Fair will be held at the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino from 10 am to 3 pm.
A Holiday Craft Fair will be at the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.
The fair will feature work from local and indigenous artists. Refreshments will be available. The public is invited.
Betsy Bowen Studio will hold a Holiday Show and a Pop-Up featuring culinary oils crafted by Dawn Drouillard on Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm.
Dawn Drouillard will introduce her new Marcy Green, low-dose, THC-Infused Culinary Finishing Oils at a Pop-Up at Betsy Bowen Studio on Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm.
Drouillard will be showcasing, her THC – infused culinary finishing oils at the event. She will provide samples, nibbles, and bites so that people can see some of the flavor possibilities of this new product. Find out more on her website here. The public is invited.
Exhibits:
Dark Skies, featuring paintings by Sam Zimmerman and Adam Swanson is currently on view at the Johnson Heritage Post.
Waawate Waagosh Northern Lights Fox, acrylic, by Sam Zimmerman, is one of his paintings at the Johnson Heritage Post.
Vision, acrylic on panel, by Adam Swanson, is one of the pieces in the Dark Skies exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post
This exhibit is a great fit for the Dark Sky Festival this weekend. The artists created work following the theme Dark Skies and it’s a fun show to see. It is open through Dec. 15. The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Sunday. Free and open to the public.
There are Dark Sky Festival events scheduled at the Heritage Post this weekend, too, so this exhibit can be seen then.
Friday at the Heritage Post:
- 2-3 pm: “Follow the Seasons, Follow the Stars” with Jim Knutson-Kolodzne of the Native Skywatchers Program
- 3-4 pm; “Skyglow, Satellites and Space Junk: The Transformation of the Night Sky” with Jessica Heim.
Saturday at the Heritage Post:
- 2-3 pm: ” The Dark Sky Designated Areas and Why They Are Important” with Siffy Torkildson.
There are also several events at Gunflint Lodge over the weekend including dinners and star watching tours. Grand Portage is featuring presentations and is screening a documentary as well. To see the schedule, click here.
Back to exhibits:
In Minneapolis, the Museum of Russian Art, 5500 Stevens Ave., is exhibiting work by a modern icon painter, Olga Volchkova.
St. Cattail, acrylic, by Olga Volchkova. The exhibit at the Museum of Russian Art continues through March 24.
The exhibit presents works by Olga Volchkova, who lives in Oregon. Painted in the traditional style of Eastern Orthodox icon-painting, these works are far from being traditional. Volchkova’s icons present familiar vegetables, fruit, herbs, and other plants as divine beings, paying long-overdue tribute to the spiritual dimension as well as the fundamental role plants provide to safeguard life on earth. The exhibit continues through March 24.
Upcoming:
The Wild North, featuring the best of Minnesota’s North Shore by Tofte-based photographer and filmmaker Chuck Olsen will debut on Dec. 15.
Chuck Olsen will open an online photography exhibit here at 7 pm on Dec. 15.
Watch this space, and tune in Friday, Dec. 15, at 7 pm for a livestream photo exhibition “Seasonal Photography in Superior National Forest.”
Artists at Work:
Sam Zimmerman is one of the artists selected to design a Utility Cabinet Box Wrap. His will be installed in West Duluth.
North House Folk School, ink and watercolor sketch, by Bryan Hansel.
Today’s light and color studies by Mary Beams.
Coho Cafe, acrylic, 2002 by Tim Young. It is hanging at the entrance to the café in Tofte.
Self-portrait, oil, by Neil Sherman.
Online Findings:
Travis Novitsky talks about his book, “Spirits Dancing,” and what northern lights mean to him. Listen here.
The challenge of preserving and archiving information for all eternity … selected TED Talk interviews. One hour. Listen to it here.
Add info you’d like to save “for eternity” here.
Community Conversation: Agency and Authenticity in Works of Fiction
A panel discussion at the North Shore Readers and Writers Festival in November was recorded. Seated from the left are David Mura, Staci Lola Drouillard, Carol Miller, and Michael Torres.
A group of writers at the North Shore Readers and Writers Festival last month explored the question, “Who can best tell the story of people of color in works of fiction?” The panel was moderated by Staci Lola Drouillard. Listen to it here.
Online Music:
Live Music:
Thursday, Dec 7:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
Friday, Dec 8:
- Annual Borealis Chorale & Orchestra Concert, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 7 pm
Saturday, Dec 9:
- Annual Borealis Chorale & Orchestra Concert, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 7 pm
Tuesday, Dec 12:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Open Mic Hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 6-9 pm
Thursday, Dec 14:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
Photographs:
Here’s a selection from the photographs we found this week:
Wildlife:
The meeting by David Johnson.
One of two. I watched them, and they watched me by Dee Simula.
Eastern Screech Owl by Jeff Grotte.
Fishing on Lake Superior by Josh Romaker.
Clapping wings, courtesy of Wildlife Encounters.
An owl often creates a snow angel when it hunts in the snow. Courtesy of starworldlab.
Potpourri:
Tom Healy, Peter Henrikson, Andrew Albertson, and Carter Gjevre put the final cap on the North House Welcome Center with a pine bough to thank the trees that provided the timber for the building, a tradition in timber framing.
Unconditional love by Annette Block-Valdivia.
My handsome happy cat by Sierra Parsons.
Bentleyville in Duluth by Nancy Lindberg.
Northern lights ala maple by Jennifer Schulz.
When it snows by Jay DeCoux.
Skyscapes, Icescapes, Waterscapes & Landscapes:
The Erieborg at sunrise by Stephanie Irwin.
Chester’s Old Leather and Mahogany by Judy Gray.
I’m always excited when Jack Frost visits our windows with his artistic flair by Roxanne Distad.
Ice and air by Andy Keith.
Soft hues before snow by Judy Gray.
Friday sunset by David Johnson.
First blues of December by Jan Swart.
A rocky sunset by Joe Polecheck.
Sunset Skies by Nancy Thompson.
The View by Hayes Scriven.
On fire by Lin Salisbury.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Note: We did a lot of research for this week’s issue of NorthShore ArtScene. We hope you enjoyed it. If you’d like to show your support, please click on the icon below. Your contributions to this creative project are so appreciated. Thank you.
Here are the people who helped make this blog possible: Jeremy Lopez, Live Music Schedule, proofreading and technical advice; Yvonne Mills, proofreading and Kari Carter, photo captions and research. Thank you!
And a special Thank You! goes out to Visit Cook County. Its website and Events Calendar are great and provide us and the community and its visitors with the connections and information we need to thrive. Thank you.
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