Summer in Grand Marais by David Johnson. The Hjordis is accepting reservations through September. Click here for more information.
Greetings from the North Shore as we enjoy the last days of summer with friends, family, and our gardens, which are blooming like crazy and finally producing food for our tables.
But Fall is on the way, no doubt about it. I heard cicadas call the other evening, and an Old Wive’s Tale says that the first frost will be 30 days after you hear that sound.
Other signs of Fall?
Fireweed blooms are at the top of the stem.
Fireweed blooms show that Fall isn’t far away.
Mountain Ash berries are turning orange. It looks like it could be a good harvest this year for the Robins and Cedar Waxwings.
Here’s a new one I heard today–lots of Mountain Ash berries in the Fall are a sign of a snowy winter ahead. That’s interesting because that’s what the Farmer’s Almanac and NOAA are predicting. So tune up your snowblowers and oil your shovels.
Meanwhile, we’re reveling in these beautiful late summer days, and art-making continues.
This is a busy weekend, with a wide variety of activities and opportunities.
First up is Art Night at Joy & Company from 3:30-5 pm on Thursday.
It is White Box Art Night at Joy and Company on Thursday.
Participants will receive a white box filled with a selection of art supplies and be invited to try them out. The event is free with a $5 suggested donation. Open to all.
Also on Thursday, the Grand Marais Farmer’s Market will be held in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 pm.
Look for lots of vegetables at the Grand Marais Farmer’s Market this week. Pictured are veggies from Creaking Tree Farm.
Surfside will host a session of Paint & Sips, an opportunity to learn how to create a painting of the North Shore and have a few sips of wine at the same time.
Joe Gendeck will be the instructor for Surfside’s Paint & Sips on Thursday.
The class will be held in the Surfside Ballroom at Waves of Superior Café from 5-7 pm. All supplies, including acrylic paints and a complimentary flight of wine tastings (with more available for purchase), are provided.
For more information and to register, click here.
On Friday, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center will hold its weekly guided nature hike.
Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center holds a weekly guided nature hike every Friday during the summer season.
The nature hike is from 2-3 pm with Emma Adams, who will talk about the flora and fauna on the Nature Center’s trails. Free, family-friendly, and open to all.
John Schroeder Day will be held in three locations in Schroeder during this event, which is held from 10 am to 10 pm on Saturday.
John Schroeder Day will be celebrated on Saturday at the Cross River Heritage Center in Schroeder, the Schroeder Town Hall, and Temperance Traders.
There are lots of activities during John Schroeder Day.
Events include presentations, an arts and crafts show, a walking history tour, beer tasting, live music, and dancing. The North Shore Swing Band will play from 1-4 pm in the Schroeder Town Hall. The Southpaws play from 7-10 pm.
Saturday is also Cook County Market day in the parking lot of The Hub.
Natural dyed scarves and clothing by Misha Martin. She is one of the vendors at the Cook County Market.
The market runs from 10 am to 2 pm and features a variety of work by local artists and artisans. Look for pottery and paintings, jewelry, glasswork, handmade balms and lotions, knitted items, hand-dyed scarves and garments, leatherwork, and more. Open to all.
Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center will host Ozzie Reif, who will give a presentation about the natural fiber gear he is using in the wilderness.
Ozzie Reif will give a presentation at Chik-Wauk from 2-3 pm on Saturday.
In today’s age of consumerism, it can be easy to stop by an outdoor store and buy the “latest and greatest” gear. But for most of human history, people have not had that sort of access. Ozzie is hiking the Kekekabic and Border Route Trails using gear that he has made using largely non-synthetic materials, to view the Wilderness through a different lens. He will talk about and show his gear during the presentation. Free and open to all.
Also on Saturday, Tofte Township will hold a party in Tofte Park from 4-8 pm.
There will be a Party in the Park in Tofte on Saturday.
The community gathering will feature live music, catered food, and more. Open to all.
And on Saturday evening, best-selling author William Kent Krueger will give an Author Talk at Drury Lane Books from 6-7:30 pm.
William Kent Krueger will give an Author Talk at Drury Lane Books on Saturday.
Spirit Crossing is William Kent Krueger’s latest in the Cork O’Connor mystery series.
Born to a family of nomads at heart, William Kent Krueger (he goes by Kent) lived in 10 different houses in eight different cities in six different states before graduating from high school. He briefly attended Stanford University but was forced to leave as a result of his radical activities protesting the Vietnam War. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves.
His Author Talk is free. A book signing will follow. The public is invited.
On Sunday, Chris Steele will give a presentation about Russell Blankenburg at the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center from 2-3 pm.
Chris Steele will give a presentation about Russell Blankenburg at Chik-Wauk on Sunday.
The title of his presentation is Russell Blankenburg: Prospector, Businessman and Friend. Open to all. Free.
On Monday, join an Ecstatic Dance session in the Log Building at the Community Center.
An Ecstatic Dance entitled The Dog Days of Summer will be held at the Log Building on Monday starting at 7 pm.
The event starts at 7 pm and is open to the public.
What is Ecstatic Dance? It is an intentional, judgment-free space for freeform movement without words, writes Jeremy Lopez. It’s also an invitation to embodiment, fun, healing, flow, and play. Warm up is at 7 pm followed by a short opening circle. Dancing begins at 7:35 or so and continues to the closing circle around 8:30 pm. Free. For more information. click here.
On Wednesday, the First Congregational Church will hold a Sing-Along at 6 pm.
A Sing-Along will be held at the First Congregational Church on Aug. 28.
The event is free and open to the public.
Exhibits:
The Johnson Heritage Post has opened a new exhibit entitled Northwoods Quilts featuring work by fiber artist Beret Borson Nelson.
Gorgeous and so North Shore. This is one of the quilts by Beret Borson Nelson on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sept. 8. Photograph by Roxanne Distad.
This collection of handcrafted quilts celebrates the many things that make northern forests unique, from the birds that soar overhead to the rocks that pebble our rivers. Borson Nelson lives and works in Duluth where she creates her quilts and teaches classes. For more info, click here.
The gallery exhibition runs Aug. 17 – Sept. 8 alongside the permanent Anna C. Johnson Collection and gift shop.
The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Saturday and from 1-4 pm Sunday. Free.
Grand Marais Art Colony’s Gallery Store is featuring the fiber art of Natalija Walbridge through Aug. 31.
Wood Duck, appliqué, by Natalija Walbridge, is one of her works currently on exhibit in the Art Colony’s Gallery Store.
Walbridge is a fiber artist who works in her home studio on Park Point. In 2014 she established a business making canvas bags with hand-printed art under the name Dock 5. She has recently returned to her roots as a fine artist to create a series of large-scale fabric appliqués that are inspired by the local ecosystem and the importance of biodiversity. Her exuberant use of color gives the viewer a sense of joy, similar to experiencing the wonder of nature. Her dedication to her craft is evident in every stitch of her work. The exhibit is free and open to all.
Also, the Art Colony’s summer exhibition, Embodying the North Shore, is on view at Studio 21 through Aug. 31.
Untitled by Keith Havens is one of the pieces in the exhibit.
Thanks to the Gene and Bonnie Martz estate, the Grand Marais Art Colony has been gifted the artworks on exhibit crafted by well-known North Shore artists. They are all on sale. For more information, contact the Art Colony at 218-387-2737 or email registrar@grandmaraisartcolony.org
Tettegouche State Park is exhibiting paintings by watercolor artist Emily Donovan in the Great Hall this month.
Windswept 2, watercolor, by Emily Donovan. She is exhibiting her work at Tettegouche State Park.
Donovan is inspired by the North Shore in all its moods. She creates works with paints she mixes herself.
Opportunities:
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council has two grants that are open for applications. The deadline to apply is Sept. 15.
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council has opened two grants.
The grants are:
The Artist Equity Grant: The Individual Artist Equity grant provides up to $4,000 to individual artists who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, People with Disabilities, people over 65, military veterans, and/or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Agender, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2+). Historically, these people and their voices have been unheard. ARAC seeks to raise these voices up.
Operating Support Grant: Operating Support is intended for overall arts organization operations, continuing or expanding programming, and arts activities. This program offers annual operating support of up to $15,000 for nonprofit arts organizations located in the Arrowhead region of Minnesota.
ARAC is also supporting the Emerging Leader Program: This program is a strategic leadership development program for individuals in our underserved communities in the Arrowhead region, who are committed to the advancement of the arts. This opportunity comes with a $4,000 stipend plus $1,000 for education/training during the program.
For more information about all these programs and grants, click here.
Upcoming:
WTIP’s Radio Waves Music Festival will be Sept. 6-8 under the Big Tent at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Recreation Park.
The Radio Waves Music Festival is Sept 6-8.
The festival is a celebration of local music and community on the North Shore. Look for lots of great live music by local and regional artists, food trucks, and more. Tickets are $20/day for adults and $50 for the entire weekend. Click here to learn more and stay tuned.
The artists of the North Shore Artists League accepted an invitation from the White Bear Center for the Arts to feature their work in the Ford Gallery at the center.
Northern Lights by Deb Birkeland. It is one of the works at the upcoming North Shore Artists League exhibit at White Bear Lake.
The multi-media show, Fire, Earth, Air, and Water, features the works of 24 artists representing the beauty and diversity of the North Shore. The opening reception for the exhibit will be Sept. 10. The exhibit continues through Oct. 18. Stay tuned.
Unplugged, North House Folk School’s biggest party of the year is Sept. 19-21 this year under the Big Top on campus.
North House Folk School’s Unplugged is Sept. 19-21 this year.
Two incredible nights of music featuring the Great Lake Swimmers along with long-time friends Dusty Heart are scheduled on Thursday and Friday.
On Saturday, there will be, a family concert with the Roe Family Singers, a kids clogging workshop & early morning ice cream from Superior Creamery, as well as an unforgettable evening celebrating the community of North House hosted by Chef Scott Graden of the New Scenic Cafe is set for Saturday.
North House will also dedicate its new Welcome Center during the weekend.
For tickets and more information, click here.
Artists At Work:
Covered jar by Duluth potter, Bob DeArmond.
Monotype print by Diana Hatchitt.
Tor Torkildson is working on a novel about a struggling writer who discovers the journals of John Fulton, the only North American to become a full matador in Spain. It is a story of living one’s passion and re-inventing life when it has gone stale. The story takes place in Barrio San Miguel in Jerez, Spain.
Untitled by Mary Beams.
Out the Poet’s Window, acrylic, by Nancy Ortenstone.
Self-portrait with my son Miskwa in 1987, graphite. Illustration by Robert Desjarlait.
Rainbow Light by Layne Kennedy.
Time Immemorial, acrylic, by Adam Swanson.
Getting ready to hang my show in London, by Charlotte Durie.
Mugs by Megan Jorgenson. She is one of the artists who will be in the Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour which starts Sept 27.
Alison Aune will exhibit her work at the Nordic Center in Duluth next month.
Tortoise & Hare Vol 2, acrylic, by Jonathan Thunder.
Don’t fence me in, watercolor, by Kim Dayton.
Adventure Painting by Neil Sherman.
Online Findings:
Bears are going through the trash in Grand Marais. A poor berry crop could be the reason. Listen to an interview with the DNR here. Photo courtesy of MN Department of Natural Resources.
This is a map of the electric car charging stations in Chicago in 1916. Imagine how things would be if we went with electric cars instead of gas cars, says Bryan Hansel, who posted the photo of the map. The map is from Electric Vehicles Magazine Volume IX, Chicago, August 1916, published by Electricity Magazine Corporation. It is kept in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.
Another Sparky Stensaas adventure
Online Music:
Live Music:
Thursday, August 22:
- Bump Blomberg, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 6-9 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6:30-8:30 pm
Friday, August 23:
- Bump Bloomberg, Birch Terrace Supper Club, 5-8 pm
- Billy Johnson, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 7-9 pm
- Jim Miller, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
- Lost Marbles Society, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 8-11:59 pm
Saturday, August 24:
- Briand Morrison, Cook County Saturday Market (Senior Center Parking Lot), 10 am
- Kenna Rose, Gunflint Tavern Raven’s Nest, 2-4 pm
- North Shore Swing Band, Schroeder Town Hall, 2-4 pm
- Jim Miller, Birch Terrace Supper Club, 4-7 pm
- Adam Moe, Bluefin Bay behind Bluefin Grille campfire on the beach, 6-9 pm
- Pat Eliasen, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 7-9 pm
- Southpaws, Schroeder Town Hall, 7-10 pm
- Lost Marbles Society, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 8-11:59 pm
Sunday, August 25:
- Medicine River, Gunflint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Unity DJ Yard Party, Up Yonder, 2-8 pm
- Billy Johnson, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
Monday, August 26:
- Pete Kavanaugh, Gunflint Tavern Raven’s Nest, 7-10 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Tuesday, August 27:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 5-7 pm
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Bay behind Bluefin Grille campfire on the beach, 6-9 pm
- Open Stage, Up Yonder, 6-9 pm
Wednesday, August 28:
- Joe Paulik, Gunflint Tavern Raven’s Nest, 6-9 pm
- Community Sing-Along, First Congregational Church, 6 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Thursday, August 29:
- Bump Blomberg, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 6-9 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6:30-8:30 pm
Friday, August 30:
- MYsterious WAYs, Birch Terrace Supper Club, 5-8 pm
- Jim Miller, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 7-9 pm
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
- Frequency Rising, Gunflint Tavern Raven’s Nest, 7-11 pm
- The Brothers Burn Mountain, Up Yonder, 8:30-10:30 pm
Saturday, August 31:
- Joe Paulik, Cook County Saturday Market (Senior Center Parking Lot), 10 – 2 pm
- Emma Tweeten, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 4-6 pm
- Kevin Buck, Birch Terrace Supper Club, 5-8 pm
- Adam Moe, Bluefin Bay behind Bluefin Grille campfire on the beach, 6-9 pm
- Bump Bloomberg, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 7-9 pm
- Preston Gunderson, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 7-9 pm
Sunday, September 1:
- Medicine River, Gunflint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Tres Osos, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
- Pete Kavanaugh, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 5-7 pm
- Summoning Circle with Lady O’Fluv, Hovland Town Hall, 7 pm
Photographs:
Here’s a selection of photographs we found this week:
Wildlife:
Dragonfly by Chuck Olsen.
Small but busy by Sandra Updyke.
Pileated Woodpecker silhouette by Nancy Dumas.
Curious Kitty, photo by Sparky Stensaas.
A beautiful shelter. Photographer unknown.
Is it moving yet? Photo by thegoldenbros.
Lunch by Gore Scavanger.
Hmmm What’s that? by Ritalee Waters.
Don’t pay any attention to what that dumb sheep is doing by Jonathan Ouaaret-Gave.
Gardenscapes:
Milkweed abounds by Trish Francis.
Late Summer Beauty by Beth Drost.
Day fire in the pollinator garden by Cathy Quinn.
Summer Basil by Jesse Furo Pearson.
Potpourri:
Yogi the Bear got angry last night that our garbage can was empty. Photo by Larry Dean.
Charlie Parr: Stage Lights and Sunsets by Tom Healy.
Look what I found Photo by Paul Sundberg.
Landscapes, Moonscapes, Wavescapes and Cloudscapes:
Once in a blue moon, fishing trip. Super blue moon from last night by David Johnson.
Big Lake Fetch by Mike Wiggins, jr.
Magnetic Rock on Sept. 16, 2018, by Tom Fiero.
There are numerous destinations calling me back… to Iceland, for example. Photo by Layne Kennedy.
A Lake Superior sunset, 20 years ago by Bryan Hansel.
Wavelength by Christian Dalbec.
Happy Tuesday morning by Roxanne Distad.
Blue Hour by Cathy Quinn.
Morning Focus by Christian Dalbec.
Forest light by Ilena Hansel.
Gentle moves by Jay Decoux.
My shadow selfie with full moon by Chuck Olsen.
The Wave by Phillip Thurston.
Lake Superior Sunrise by Chuck Olsen.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
`It would be great to hear from you this week! To donate, just click on the icon below. And thank you for your contribution. It will make a big difference … financially, for sure, but just knowing that you enjoy NorthShore ArtScene and want to support it is important. Thank you!
Here’s a big Thank You to Jeremy Lopez, Live Music schedule, tech advice; Yvonne Mills, proofreading; and Kari Carter, photo captions, for their support in putting out this week’s issue. And Thank You to Visit Cook County for its outstanding Events Calendar.
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