And so it begins by Bryan Hansel.
Greetings from the North Shore, where we all breathed a sigh of relief when winter finally set in and the Big Lake began showing off its winter splendors.
The ice is back! Photo by Andy Keith.
Along the Grand Marais harbor today by David Welch.
Sea Smoke in Grand Marais by Bryan Hansel.
The pillowy softness of ice by David Grinstead.
Those of us living on the shore are pretty happy with -1 F, but on the Gunflint Trail, it’s been -17 F with a strong wind, another world entirely. Either way, winter has arrived!! For trail and ski conditions, click here.
There are all kinds of ways to celebrate this season, including tapping into stillness and creativity and spending time with friends and family.
For a shot at all of them, consider attending Art Night at Joy and Company on Thursdays. The shop invites the community to experiment with and play with a variety of different media and techniques each week. This week, the topic is impasto painting.
Impasto painting is the topic for this week’s Art Night at Joy and Company.
Impasto is a technique where paint is laid on an area of the surface thickly, usually thick enough that the brush or painting-knife strokes are visible. Paint can also be mixed right on the canvas. When dry, impasto provides texture; the paint appears to be coming out of the canvas. Thursday activities and art demonstrations are from 3:30-5 pm, the new hours for winter. Art Night is free, with a $5 suggested donation. Open to all.
Afterward, you can dance the night away at Up Yonder with the North Shore Swing Band, which plays from 7-9 pm.
Third Thursday Jazz Night with the North Shore Swing Band is at Up Yonder from 7-9 pm this week.
The band is well-known for its skill and lively music. Open to all. Free.
The Grand Marais Public Library‘s Friday Night Reels continues this week with the screening of “Fear,” a film about Svetla, a strong-willed widow, who lives alone in a small Bulgarian village close to the Turkish border. She has recently lost her job as a teacher due to the lack of families with young children. One day, while hunting in a forest, she encounters an African refugee, Bamba, who is trying to reach Germany, and will bring about a dramatic turn in her life. Absurd, comic, and tragic situations ensue as she breaks the barriers of loneliness, close-mindedness, and fear of the outsider.
The movie is free and starts at 6 pm. It is rated R.
Here’s the trailer:
On Saturday, Dappled Fern Fibers will hold its weekly Fiber Circle from 10 am to noon.
Dappled Fern Fibers will hold a Fiber Circle from 10 am to noon on Saturday, a weekly event in the winter.
This event is open to all crafters who would like to work on a project with others. No instruction is provided, but hot beverages will be available. The public is invited.
There is open Curling at the Cook County Community Center on Tuesday nights and Wednesday afternoons.
There is Open Curling at the Community Center two times a week.
No experience is necessary. This is a fun, relaxing, and no-pressure curling. Instruction and equipment are provided…all you need is a pair of clean athletic shoes (no dirt or gravel in the treads), comfortable, easy-to-move-in clothing, and a light jacket or sweater (a fleece works well). The first two sessions are free.
Next Thursday, Jan. 25, Drury Lane Books will hold a Full-Moon Reading featuring Carly Puch reading from her new book of poems. The Open Mic portion to follow.
Carly Puch will read her poems at the Full Moon Reading at Drury Lane Books, on Jan. 2
This event is expected to be beachside by the bonfire at Drury Lane but will move indoors if the weather is inclement. Open to all.
Exhibits:
The Johnson Heritage Post is closed this week. A new carpet is being installed.
In Duluth, the 64th Arrowhead Regional Biennial is currently on view at the Tweed Museum of Art. The Arrowhead biennial is a showcase of unique techniques, bold abstracts, and introspective work that offers the viewer something to ponder. Judge Aya Kawaguchi selected 27 artists to curate a striking selection of paintings, prints, sculptures, and drawings.
The 64th Arrowhead Regional Biennial continues at the Tweed Museum of Art through Feb. 3. Pictured from left to right: Anda Tanaka, “Summer Print 1″ (detail); Monica Ihrke, “Wet Meadow” (detail); Juliane Shibata, “Shippo: West” (detail); Laura Ruprecht, “Synchronicity” (detail); Eric Lewiston, “Sketchy App” (detail); Stefanie Kiihn, “Phalen Creek and Trout Brook (Swede Hollow)” (detail); Ralph Hanggi, “BAV 05 T Tumbler” (detail).
The exhibit closes Feb. 3. The museum on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Duluth, is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Free and open to all.
The Duluth Art Institute is featuring a virtual tour of 2024 UMD Emerging Photographers on its web page.
Capturing a moment on one hand, and transcending time on the other, photographers have the power to elevate the ordinary, immortalize moments, and foster connections between objects and viewers. The 2024 University of Minnesota Duluth Emerging Photographers do just that, documenting typically overlooked scenes and methodically framing their subjects. See their work and listen to their comments on their photographs here.
Under My Skin by Ripley Erickson. Listen to him describe what he hopes to convey with this photograph here.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art is exhibiting a series of photographs by Gordon Parks.
American Gothic, an exhibit of photographs by Gordon Parks, is on view at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Entitled “American Gothic: Gordon Parks and Ella Watson,” the exhibit documents the life of Ella Watson, a government worker, across the varied landscapes of her daily life in 1942.
The resulting picture story presents Watson—a custodian, the head of a household, and a deaconess at her church—as a vital figure within the civic sphere. At the same time, this intimate series reveals Parks’s experiences in coming to terms with Washington, DC, the segregated city he once embraced as “the seat of democracy.”
This exhibition brings together nearly 60 photographs from their partnership and draws its title from one of the most celebrated photographs of the 20th century—an iconic portrait of Watson that Parks later titled “American Gothic.” Most importantly, it proposes new grounds for understanding Parks as an artist and activist, highlighting a unique professional collaboration between two Black federal employees at a crucial juncture in United States history.
The exhibit continues through June 23. Listen to a podcast about the show and an interview with Parks here.
Upcoming:
The North Shore Artists League invites artists in the community to participate in the 100-Day Project, an opportunity and a challenge to artists to create for 100 days in their chosen medium.
The 100-Day Project starts on Jan. 29. For more info about the project in Cook County, click here.
The 100-Day Project is a great way to fire up creativity and establish a practice at the same time, the sponsors say. Participants are also encouraged to meet regularly to talk about their progress and projects via Zoom. To find out more, click here. Registration is free. For ideas about how to create a successful project, click here.
Duluth Does Elton John, a fundraiser for the Sacred Heart Music Center in Duluth will be held on Jan. 27.
The Duluth Does Elton John concert will be at the Sacred Heart Music Center on Jan. 27.
More than two dozen Twin Ports musicians will perform the music of British superstar Elton John during this Sacred Heart Music Center fundraiser. Performers scheduled to appear include Misisipi Mike Wolf, Breanne Marie, George Ellsworth, Born Too Late, Darin Bergsven, and more. Each artist will select one song from the Elton John catalog to perform for the tribute concert. All proceeds from the “Duluth Does” concert go to support future Sacred Heart Music Center programming and maintenance of its historic 19th-century former church building. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com. Paper tickets are available at Globe-News in Superior and Zenith Bookstore in West Duluth. Tickets will be available at the door for $20 while supply lasts. Doors open at 6 p.m.; music starts at 7.
The North Shore Artists League will open an exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post on Feb. 2.
Hygge The Warmth of Winter, featuring work by members of the North Shore Artist League, opens at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday.
Look for paintings, sculptures, fiber art, pottery, and more. The opening reception will be from 5-7 pm on Friday, Feb. 2.
Kudos:
Joe Friedrichs’ latest book, Entry Point: Stories of Danger and Death in the Boundary Waters will be out in April.
Joe Friedrichs’ latest book, Last Entry Point, comes out in April.
About the book: Hypothermia, lightning strikes, high winds, medical emergencies, miscalculations—the dangers are real in canoe country. Last Entry Point shares tales of tragedy and near tragedy in the Boundary Waters while offering guidance on how to avoid worst-case scenarios. The book can be pre-ordered from Drury Lane Books here.
Opportunity for Arts Advocates and Artists:
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is touring the state to talk to artists and arts advocates. They will be at North House Folk School on Friday, Jan. 19 from 11 am to noon. All invited.
Representatives from Minnesota Citizens for the Arts will be at North House Folk School on Friday, Jan. 19.
The event is free. To register, click here.
Artists At Work:
Mama’s got a fuse box by Kim Dayton.
Remember, dress in layers. My constant advice. Photo courtesy of Mary Beams.
My J-term project. Painting birch trees for the 2025 calendar. I believe in the future by Betsy Bowen.
Corey and Jeannie, acrylic, by Jan Attridge.
Mt Kenya, 18,100 ft, at sunrise through my safari tent screen window this morning by Layne Kennedy.
Online Music:
Live Music:
Thursday, Jan 18:
- Pete Kavanaugh, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- North Shore Swing Band, Up Yonder, 7-9 pm
Friday, Jan 19:
- Jim Miller, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
Saturday, Jan 20:
- John Kerns, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
Sunday, Jan 21:
- Briand Morrison, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 10 – noon
Monday, Jan 22:
- Southpaws Duo (Al Oikari and Steve Johnson), Bluefin Grille 8-10 pm
Tuesday, Jan 23:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Open Stage, Up Yonder, 6-9 pm
Thursday, Jan 25:
- Billy Johnson, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
Friday, Jan 26:
- Billy Johnson, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
Saturday, Jan 27:
- Chippewa Trail Band, Up Yonder, 7-11 pm
Sunday, Jan 28:
- Briand Morrison, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 10 – noon
Photographs:
Here’s a selection of photographs we found this week:
Wildlife:
Paul Sundberg had a great selection of wildlife we can see in the winter.
Chickadee by Paul Sundberg.
White-tailed Deer by Paul Sundberg
Red Fox by Paul Sundberg.
Great Gray Owl by Paul Sundberg.
Here are some others we found:
Untitled by David Johnson.
Red Fox Out Hunting by David Johnson.
Wild turkeys are here by Chuck Olsen.
Finally in her element by Lou Pignolet.
Focused by Roxanne Distad.
A neighbor Gray wolf by Michael Furtman.
Tofte turkey hiding behind my tree by Thomas Spence.
Found this beaver dam today. There was no pond there when I last visited in 2017 by Travis Novitsky.
Redpolls in the garden by Lori Sparkly Franklin.
My little blondie friend by Mary Lou Williams.
When Winter was Winter by Jeffrey Doty.
Double Trouble by Katie Mumm.
The Couple, courtesy of True Bliss Nature.
Potpourri:
Photo courtesy Jennifer Schulz.
English language is amazing, and confounding, copied from Threads, posted by Jim Boyd.
The second stem from Maryl and Denny’s amaryllis is a delight by Mary Beams.
Yes, winter has arrived by Dee Simula.
Daily practice of gratitude by Michelle Miller.
An orphan finds a new home with Kari Carter.
Landscapes, Waterscapes & Skyscapes:
George Washington Pines by Paul Sundberg.
Sunset at the Grand Marais Harbor by David Johnson.
The Bad River Upper Watershed by Mike Wiggins, Jr.
Pincushion Mountain Overlook by Kim Nelson.
The walk to the High Falls right now by Travis Novitsky.
Sea Smoke is (literally) cool by Lin Salisbury.
Mood by Ron Benson.
Happy Monday by Roxanne Distad.
What a terrific sunset by Teresa Chmelik.
Winter beauty by Sierra Parsons.
The deep cold sucked all the moisture out of the air and flocked the forest by Michael Furtman.
Brrrrrr by Adam Swanson.
Gooseberry State Park in winter by Tina Hegg Raway.
Off Artists Point by Adam Swanson.
Sunburst over Ellingson Island by Roxanne Distad.
Sea smoke, the Manitoulin at anchor and Park Point on a frigid night by Douglas Klein.
George Washington Pines first snowfall by Bryan Hansel.
Secret Access by Christian Dalbec.
I found a perfect pancake by Mathias Mullin.
Sub-zero sea smoke mornings are so pretty by Kjersti Vick.
Sun dog and sun halo at sunrise by Paul Pluskwick.
January grays with a touch of hope by Lin Salisbury.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
I would like to thank everyone for their generous donations to NorthShore ArtScene. It keeps us going, that’s for sure. If you’d like to make a gift, just click on the icon below. And 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
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