It’s good to be home. Photograph by Bryan Hansel.
Greetings from the North Shore where we celebrate the opening of the summer season this weekend, but we also honor our heroes and family on this holiday, too, which brings us all together.
We’re also honoring water today. After months of drought, the North Shore finally got a real rain, up to 2.8 inches in Hovland, so look forward to spectacular waterfalls this weekend, too.
Meanwhile, artmaking continues.
This week, participants in Art Night at Joy and Company will learn about basic wire wrapping. The techniques are simple and once learned, can be applied in a wide variety of creative ways.
Learn how to wire wrap at Art Night at Joy and Company this week.
Bring your own rock, or you can buy a rock from the shop. Thursday activities and art demonstrations are from 3:30-5 pm. Open to all. It is free, with a suggested $5 donation.
To launch the 2024 summer season, Visit Cook County will hold an Open House on Thursday from 3-6 pm at the Visitor Information Center.
Visit Cook County will hold an Open House at the Visitor Information Center on Thursday.
The public will have the opportunity to meet the Visit Cook County team. Refreshments will be served. Open to all.
Also on Thursday, there will be a Full Moon Reading by the bonfire at Drury Lane Books. The event is held just behind the shop on the beach side.
A Full Moon Reading will be held at Drury Lane Books on Thursday from 6-8 pm.
There are no limits to the topics shared; fishing and hiking poems, rants and heated slams, philosophical musings, saccharine love poems, shadow work and gothic prose, a touching moment from a novel, a silly gut-busting kids’ story- all is welcome.
Bookseller Cynthia will be leading this reading.
When possible, local and regional poets will be given the lead and the remaining portion will be open mic. If you have an interest in leading a reading, or specific questions, contact Cynthia here.
On Friday, the Summer Exhibition at the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Studio 21 opens. The exhibit, entitled Embodying the North Shore, features an extraordinary selection of works by local artists collected by Gene and Bonnie Martz over many years. The works were donated by their estate for this exhibition.
The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Summer Exhibition opens on Friday, May 24, with a reception from 5-6 pm. (Loon by Dan and Lee Ross.)
Gene Martz earned a three-year diploma in commercial art from the Minneapolis School of Art in 1950 and went on to earn both a BFA and an M.Ed in art education at the University of Minnesota. Tremendous supporters of the Art Colony, Gene and Bonnie built a second home in the area in 1978, and Gene taught several classes at the Art Colony, including one in Umbria and one in Italy.
If you know the North Shore arts scene, you will be familiar with the art in the exhibit. They are artists who are so intricately laced with the Arrowhead region, a geographic point where human experience and consciousness take on material and spatial form.
Look for work by:
- Betsy Bowen
- Jim Brandenburg
- Dave Gilsvik
- Keith Havens
- Gene Martz
- Dan & Lee Ross
- Elaine Sivertson
- Howard Sivertson
- Jan Sivertson
- Liz Sivertson
The opening reception is from 5-6 pm Friday. The exhibit continues through Aug. 31.
Also on Friday night, the Johnson Heritage Post is opening a new exhibit entitled “Between Earth and Sky” with works by Kim Gordon.
Between Earth and Sky, a new exhibit featuring work by Kim Gordon opens at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday with a reception from 5-7 pm.
Using dynamic landscapes to connect with the world, Gordon contrasts classical oil paintings with a unique batik style, presenting a must-see collection.
The opening reception is from 5-7 pm Friday. The exhibit continues through June 16.
Also on Friday, there will be a Grand Opening Celebration for the Harbortown Goods and Lady Superior Bottle Shop and Tasting Room, which are located next to The Big Lake.
The Lady Superior Bottle Shop and Harbortown Goods will hold a Grand Opening Celebration on Friday and Saturday.
The grand opening on Friday and Saturday is from 10 am – 8 pm and is open to all. Non-alcoholic beverages will be served all day at Lady Superior Bottle Shop, with flights in the evening from 5 – 8 pm. The public is invited.
On Saturday, the summer season for the Cook County Market kicks off at 10 am in the parking lot of The Hub. This is a great venue for local artists and artisans who exhibit everything from pottery to paintings, leatherwork to clothing, jewelry, and more from 10 am to 2 pm every Saturday through MEA weekend.
The Cook County Market opens in the Hub parking lot at 10 am Saturday, May 25.
Here are a few examples of what you will find at the market:
Hanging vessel with glass by Terry Lord-Lewis. She is one of the vendors at the Cook County Market, which opens for the season on Saturday.
North Road Knits is one of the booths at the Cook County Market this year.
Natural dyed scarves and clothing by Misha Martin. She is one of the vendors at the Cook County Market.
Water Between by Jayne Richards. She is one of the artists showing at the market.
There are 20 vendors exhibiting at the market this year. There’s live music as well. Open to all.
Also on Saturday, the 2nd annual Herring Fest will be held at The Fisherman’s Daughter at Dockside from 11 am to 4 pm.
The Fisherman’s Daughter will host Herring Fest from 11 am to 4 pm May 25.
Look for contests, artwork, live music, and lots of herring, Open to all. This is always a fun event.
The Children’s Story Hour with Kevin Kager begins for the season on Saturday at 11 am outside Drury Lane Books.
Children’s Story Hour with Kevin Kager is at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 11 am.
Kager reads great stories to children every Saturday at the shop throughout the summer season. Free and open to all.
Tours of the historic Chippewa Church will be held from noon to 2 pm on Saturday.
Chippewa City Church Tours will be held on Saturday. Photo by Bruce Barsness.
Historic Cook County invites the public to tour St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, known locally as the Chippewa City Church every summer weekend, Friday through Sunday, from noon to 2 pm. Free.
Located on the outskirts of Grand Marais, just east of town, Chippewa City Church is one of the last physical remnants of a once vibrant community. The structure is a beautiful reminder of a thriving village that was home to more than 100 families in the 1880s and 1890s. Famous artist George Morrison was born and raised here. The descendants of Chippewa City residents continue to honor their heritage and support the Historical Society in sharing the story of this village.
The Cook County Historical Society is also sponsoring Harbor History Tours, which are held during the summer from 1-2 pm.
The Harbor History Tour will be held on Saturday from 1-2 pm.
The tour starts at the Society’s building on Broadway and is open to all. Free.
For those who love to bike, Le Grand du Nord Gravel Cycling Classic will be held on Saturday.
Le Grand du Nord Gravel Cycling Classic will be held on Saturday. The start is at Voyageur’s Brewing and Hwy 61. For more information, click here.
Le Grand du Nord is one of the most spectacular gravel courses in the United States. Beginning in downtown Grand Marais, at Voyageur’s Brewing Co., riders will quickly leave the shores of Lake Superior as they head into the Sawtooth Range. The first few miles for all routes are paved as you leave town and get set for each course.
There are three races to choose from: a 110-mile race, a 54-mile race, and a 26-mile race. To register and learn more about the race, click here.
On Saturday at 6 pm, Drury Lane Books will hold an Author Talk with Dianna Hunter.
Dianna Hunter will read from her latest book, Clouded Waters, at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 6 pm.
In the era of disinformation and fractured understanding, the novel’s protagonist seeks truth, family, and community. As she balances identities—widowed lover of women, mother, daughter, publisher of a multi-generational, small-town newspaper, and aware inhabitant of this endangered planet—SB Ellingson’s story provides plenty of fodder for questions and comments.
Clouded Waters (Holy Cow! Press 2023) is prize-winning author Dianna Hunter’s first novel. Her memoir, Wild Mares: My Lesbian Back-to-the-Land Life (University of Minnesota Press 2018), and nonfiction book, Breaking Hard Ground: Stories of the Minnesota Farm Advocates (Holy Cow! Press 1990), were both finalists for the Minnesota Book Award. A former farmer and retired teacher of writing and women’s studies, she currently writes, gardens, and forages in the rocky green spaces of Duluth.
The event is free, open to the public, and mobility aid accessible.
On Monday, May 27, Grand Marais Ecstactic Dance with hold a Leaf-Out Dance at the Log Building at the Community Center at 7 pm.
Grand Marais Ecstatic Dance will hold a Leaf-Out Dance on Monday. May 27 at 7 pm at the Log Building.
Participants are invited to participate in the dance, which encourages people to dance in any way that feels good to their bodies, respecting others’ boundaries quietly, with no words. A gathering circle is at 7 pm, followed by dancing at 7:15 pm for an hour. For more details, click here. Free.
On Tuesday, May 28, the Summer Solstice Pageant Puppet Workshops begin with a Kick-Off Party from 6 – 8 pm at the Cook County Community Center.
The Solstice Pageant Puppet Workshops begin. See the schedule below for times.
Workshops continue at the Community Center May 29 – Jun 18. The workshops will be held Tuesday through Friday, 3 – 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am – 1 pm and 3 – 8 pm. There be no workshops on Mondays. Open to every age group, although children under 10 should be accompanied by a parent. No experience is necessary.
For questions, email info@goodharborhillplayers.org
Exhibits:
The Grand Marais Art Colony’s Gallery Store, located at Studio 21 in downtown Grand Marais, opens for the season on Saturday, May 25.
This summer, individual artists from the Arrowhead region will each exhibit for a month during the summer. June’s exhibitor is Sarah Seidelmann from Duluth. The title of her show is “Making Love Visible.”
Never Forget All The Good Things You Have Done, acrylic, by Sarah Seidelmann.
An opening reception for her exhibit will be held at 1 pm June 1. The public is invited.
The Gallery Store is also exhibiting work by Jennifer Murphy. Anna Orbovich, Kim Wetzal, Tom Maakestad, Mary Brodbeck, Jean McGee, Adrea Beres, Julie Arthur and Sarah Nelson.
The Gallery store is open Thursday – Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Betsy Bowen’s Studio Gallery is open for the season. She is featuring a collection of her new paintings of birch trees in every season. They will be featured in her 2025 calendar.
The theme of Betsy Bowen’s 2025 calendar is Birches In All Seasons. The original paintings are currently on exhibit at her studio gallery.
Northern Lights by Carol DeSain is on view at Betsy Bowen’s Gallery..
The gallery also features new work by several artists including Stephan Hoglund jewelry, original paintings by Gary Olson from Finland, pottery by local and regional potters, including Jeanne Knight, and more.
Jeanne Knight has new pottery at Betsy Bowen’s gallery.
The gallery is open daily from 11 am to 4 pm.
This is the last week to see Lee and Dan Ross’ monoprint exhibit at the Groveland Art Gallery in Minneapolis. The exhibit is entitled “Breakwall,” and features work inspired by their frequent walks along the Grand Marais breakwall this winter.
Fledgling, monoprint by Lee and Dan Ross. Their show at the Groveland Gallery closes on May 25.
Opportunities:
The Cook County Market is looking for artists who would like to do pop-up sales occasionally during the summer season if there is space available at the market. They must live in Cook County and make their own art. To apply, email ccfarmandcraft@gmail.com for more information.
Also, North Shore Health is accepting applications from artists who wish to exhibit in its space.
Call for artists to submit work to exhibit at North Shore Health.
Both 2-D and 3-D work can be displayed. For more information, contact Todd Ford at 218-387-3508 or email at Todd.Ford@northshorehealthgm.org. The pieces can be for sale. NSH does not charge a commission. The deadline to submit for this round of exhibits is May 31.
Upcoming:
North House Folk School will screen the film, “A Sea Change for Lake Superior” on Friday, May 31 at 7 pm.
The film asks: What does the warming of the greatest of the Great Lakes mean for its natural systems? What does it mean for the lake’s legacy as being famously cold, clear, and clean?
These questions are at the heart of this public television documentary co-production between Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education and PBS North.
See the trailer here:
The film is free.
On Saturday, June 1, The Grand Marais Art Colony will hold an Artist Talk and Open Studio with its 2024 Juried Artists in Residence – Amanda Hamilton and Robyn Moore from 10 am – 1 pm at Studio 21.
Artwork by Robyn Moore. She is one of the 2024 juried artists in residence at the Art Colony who will give a presentation on June 1.
The event is free and open to the public.
Also on June 1, North House Folk School will host April McCormick of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa for her presentation Izhi-Ganawendadnamang Nibi, Manoomin (How We Care for the Water and Wild Rice).
April McCormick of the Grand Portage Band will give a presentation about water and wild rice at North House on June 1.
The event will be held at 7 pm in North House Folk School’s Blue Building. Free and open to all.
Artists At Work:
Art Students at ISD 166 gave a pop-up exhibition at Studio 21 last week featuring a selection from their portfolios for this year. Here are two examples from the young artists who participated. Mila Horak is the art teacher at ISD 166.
Sculpture by Wren Ferry, one of the ISD 166 students who had a show at Studio 21 last week.
Painting by Genevieve Silence, one of the ISD 166 art students who had a pop-up show at Studio 21 last week.
Here are some of the other artworks we found this week as well:
Summer on Kadunce River, oil, by Neil Sherman.
New deck furniture just in time for the season’s first thunderstorm by Mary Beams.
Talulla, oil, by Scott Murphy.
In the Moment, kiln-worked glass by Sharon Frykman.
Morning Tulips by Layne Kennedy.
Turned Bowl by Lou Pignolet.
Online Music:
Live Music:
Thursday, May 23:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 6-9 pm
Friday, May 24:
- Frequency Rising, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 7-11 pm
- Pete Kavanaugh, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Saturday, May 25:
- Ginger Bones, Cook County Market (Senior Center Parking Lot), 10 am
- Medicine River, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 7-10 pm
Sunday, May 26:
- Joe Paulik, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 6-9 pm
Monday, May 27:
- Bruce Bednarchuk, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Tuesday, May 28:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Open Stage, Up Yonder, 6-9 pm
Wedneday, May 29:
- Gordon Thorne, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Thursday, May 30:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 6-9 pm
- Open Old Time Appalachian Music Jam, Community Center, 7-9:30 pm
Friday, May 31:
- Jim Miller, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Saturday, June 1:
- Zahir Orest, Cook County Market (Senior Center Parking Lot), 10 am
Sunday, June 2:
- Ginger Bones, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
Photographs:
Here are some of the images we found this week:
Wildlife:
Turkey Vultures in Tofte by Chuck Olsen.
Black-and-white Warbler, male, by Michael Furtman.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, male, by Michael Furtman.
Nashville Warbler, male, by Michael Furtman.
Clay-colored Sparrow by Michael Furtman.
Black-throated Green Warbler, male, by Michael Furtman.
Common Yellowthroat Warbler by Michael Furtman.
A successful pounce by Lori Sparkly Franklin.
Blue Bunting, male, by Michael Furtman.
A Wood Duck Family by Dennis Chick.
Potpourri:
Trillium Season by Karen Sunderman.
Morel Harvest in Wisconsin by John Jacobson.
Bird’s Eye Primroses growing on shore by Lee Ross.
Landscapes, Skyscapes, Waterscapes and Rockscapes:
The North arm of Burnside Lake by David Grinstead.
An Early Spring Moment by Jim Boyd.
Whoa by Bryan Hansel.
Clouds trying to decide what to do by Sierra Parsons.
Birch catkins, May 17 by David Grinstead.
The High Falls by Jay DeCoux.
The Big Lake is in one of her good moods, by Trish Francis.
A lightning show over our lake by Roxanne Distad
A Cloud Conversation by Mike Wiggins, Jr.
Have a great weekend, everyone! Happy Memorial Day!
Note: If you enjoyed NorthShore ArtScene this week, please consider contributing. We value your support and depend on it to keep providing art news, music, and photographs to you every week. Thank you!
We also want to acknowledge our friends who helped make this issue possible, including Jeremy Lopez (the Live Music Schedule, tech support, and music suggestions), Yvonne Mills (proofreading), and Kari Carter (caption editing and research.) WTIP’s Phil Oswald recommended some music selections as did Peter Clissold. Thank you all.
{ 0 comments… add one }