Wild Ice & Movies

Greetings from the North Shore, where we welcome 2024 with hope. Currently, there are only a few sprinklings of snow along the shore, but the cold temps and moisture have created a winter wonderland of rime ice.

And, the lack of snow means frozen lakes are perfect for wild ice skating.

 

We would certainly love to get a nice heavy snowfall, however, to make the winter of 2024 complete.

Meanwhile, our winter activities continue.

First up is Art Night at Joy and Company. This event allows the public to play with the large selection of art supplies the shop carries with different themes each week. This week, the topic will be painting northern lights.

Learn techniques to paint the aurora borealis with a step-by-step tutorial. Thursday night activities and art demonstrations are from 3:30-5 pm. Free, with a suggested donation. Open to the public.

Thursday is also Trivia Night at Up Yonder.

Sponsored by the Cook County Historical Society, Trivia Night features questions about Cook County history as well as questions on other topics. Open to all. Free, with prizes.

The Norpine Fat Bike Classic is still on this year, even though there is no snow. Instead, race organizers have scoped a new route and invite all who love to fat bike in winter to the race.

This year the Norpine Fat Bike Classic will take on a criterium format. The distances are a little shorter, the climbing is a little higher, and the terrain is stunning. In short, a great ride. The race will be held Jan. 5-7 and starts and ends at Cascade Lodge. To find out more and register, click here. 

The Grand Marais Public Library Friday Night Reels winter film program starts this Friday with the screening of the film, The Fall.

Friday Night Reels is a unique film series showing weekly on Fridays at 6 pm through March 8. The library’s film committee has selected 10 independent and foreign films to inspire thoughtful discussion after each.
Most of the films are for adult audiences and may not be suitable for viewers under 18. For foreign films, the series will display English subtitles, instead of dubbing. Weather cancellations will appear on the library website.

No sign-up is required to attend, but seating is limited. The doors will open at 5:30 pm. The library’s sponsor and community partner, the Library Friends of Cook County, will provide light snacks and beverages. Non-alcoholic beverages with lids are welcome.

Arctic explorer Pascale Marceau will give a presentation at North House Folk School on Friday, Jan. 5 at 7 pm.

Her presentation, entitled  “Arctic Awe,” will be about her expedition through Canada’s High Arctic.

She describes her journey as “a 7-week ski journey where the goal was simply to be; erasing competitiveness and falling in sync with nature. From polar bear encounters, crevassed glaciers, and breaking through thin ice… we had no choice but to accept and find ease in otherwise difficult things.  Discovering how adaptable and resilient we humans truly are and rethinking how we see the world and our place within it.”

Her presentation is free. Open to the public.

On Saturday, White Pine Lodge on the Gunflint Trail will hold a No Snow White Pine Music Show featuring the music of Eli Bentley and more. 

Look for live music from 2-4 pm outdoors by the bonfire, plus ice skating, weather permitting. There will be a Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race Trivia game at 4:30 pm, followed by more live music indoors starting at 5:30 pm. The lodge specializes in tasty pizza, too. The public is invited.

North House Folk School will begin its Tuesday winter Community Craft Night on Jan. 9 from 6-8 pm.

Community Craft Night is an opportunity for people to get together at North House and work on a personal project. The event is open to all and runs from 6 to 8 pm on Tuesdays through Feb. 27. On most nights, there will also be a demo hosted by artisans from the Artisan Development Program. Open to all. Free.

If you’re going to be in Duluth Tuesday evening, drop by The Duluth Art Institute for a reception honoring the late John Steffl and his retrospective exhibit there, which closes Jan.14. The reception is from 5-7 pm.

John Steffl’s breadth of support for the local art community ran as deep and wide as his scope as an artist. He served and advocated for artists as an educator, an administrator, a mentor, and a curator. He created work steeped in beauty, yet aimed with a purpose, from political commentary to subtle humor to, perhaps most importantly, his relationships with art itself and the Great Unknown. Steffl in Steffl showcases work pivotal in John’s career, including large-scale paintings, rarely-seen ceramics, and his celebrated peony photographs.

Gather to celebrate the creative career of John Steffl in the DAI gallery that bears his name while enjoying appetizers and a cash bar. Much of the work on view will be available for purchase, including select work that may be taken home immediately following the reception.

Exhibits:

The exhibit of Jayne Richards, “Spirit of Place,” continues at the Johnson Heritage Post.

 The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 4 pm Wednesdays through Sundays. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Free.

At the Tweed Museum of Art, Everything and Nothing, an exhibit of work by the staff and faculty at UMD’s Department of Art and Design continues.

The exhibit features work in a variety of media. It will be on display through Feb 11.

In Our Hands: Native Photography, 1890 to Now is currently on exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

Presenting over 150 photographs of, by, and for Indigenous people, “In Our Hands” welcomes all to see through the lens held by Native photographers. Works by First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Native American photographers are represented in this exhibit, which closes on Jan. 14. To read more and see the photographs, click here.

Upcoming:

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery will present the first-ever Beading Symposium in northern Ontario. Join us for a vibrant 3-day gathering of beadwork experts and enthusiasts, from Feb. 8-10 in Thunder Bay.

Anikoobijiganag: Thunder Bay Beading Symposium is a public event that coincides with Radical Stitch, one of the largest beadwork exhibitions ever, celebrating contemporary works by Indigenous bead artists of North America, on view until March 3.

This 3-day event celebrates the joy of beading. The word Anikoobijiganag speaks of creating new links and connections. This gathering is designed for you to have fun, learn new skills, level up knowledge and techniques, and relax while connecting with professional beaders, artists, curators, as well as other makers. This event highlights the rich talent of beading and craft practices in our region. All workshops are Indigenous-led and everyone is welcome to register. All skill levels are welcome. Tickets are $250. For more info, click here. 

Opportunities:

The Coho Cafe in Tofte is looking for artists to exhibit 2-D work in the restaurant. Contact Tessa at Tessa@bluefinbay.com for more information.

Disappointments:

John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon Cancelled Due to Lack of Snow

Less than four weeks before the anticipated annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon started, the board of directors made the tough call to cancel the event due to a lack of snow.

“The decision was made to just go with the cancellation this year,” said Mike Keyport, board of director’s president. “So a little heartbreaking for me.”

Listen to the rest of the interview on WTIP Community Radio here.

Artists at Work:

Online Findings:

The Gifts of North House Folk School by Jim Boyd

Read Jim Boyd’s story here. 

Robert Frost recites “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening”

Jacob Knolls, the Lobster Man

Online Music:

Live Music:

Thursday, Jan 4:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm

Friday, Jan 5:

• Jim Miller, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
• Southpaws Duo (Al Oikari and Steve Johnson), Bluefin Grille 8-10 pm

Saturday, Jan 6:

• Eli Bentley, White Pine Pub at White Pine Lodge, 5:30-7:30 pm
• New Salty Dog and Rich Mattson & The Northstars, Both Bands at Up Yonder, 7-11 pm

Sunday, Jan 7:

• Briand Morrison, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 10 – noon

Tuesday, Jan 9:

• Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
• Open Mic Hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 6-9 pm

Thursday, Jan 11:

• John Gruber, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm

Friday, Jan 12:

• Pat Eliasen, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm

Saturday, Jan 13:

• Katieoke (Katie/Karaoke) with Katie Slanga, Up Yonder, 9-11:59 pm

Sunday, Jan 14:

• Briand Morrison, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 10 – noon

Photographs:

Here is a selection of what we found this week:

Wildlife:

Potpourri:

Walking Around Grand Marais on Jan. 1:

Landscapes, Skyscapes, Icescapes & Riverscapes:

Have a great week, everyone!

Celebrate the New Year by donating to NorthShore ArtScene! We so appreciate your support. Just click on the icon below: And Thank you!

These 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!