Grand Marais Arts Festival Weekend

 The Grand Marais Arts Festival is this weekend, and there’s an incredible variety of things to do and see. The festival, which is brought to us by the Grand Marais Art Colony, is held in downtown Grand Marais, and runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

In all, 80 local and regional artists were juried into this show and will be exhibiting paintings, photographs, jewelry, ceramics, fiber art, woodwork, including woodturned bowls, glass, metal work, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media and more.

There’s plenty of live music scheduled in Harbor Park, too, including a performance by the new band, the Plucked Up String Band, as well as a festival favorite, Michael Monroe, to name a few. They’ll all perform in Harbor Park, as will Storyteller Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux. (See music schedule, below.) WTIP Community Radio will broadcast live from the festival site on Saturday morning, too, interviewing artists and festival organizers.

There are lots of hands-on activities, including screen-printing a T-shirt or tote, creating a clay sculpture or making a print from a fish (gyo-taku). And Mila Horak will be there with her “Imagine the Northwoods: A Community Paint-By-Number Mural Project” offering everybody a chance to paint the mural that will eventually be hung on a wall at Birchbark Books & Gifts.

The Northern Clay Center will bring their Claymobile to the festival on Saturday, and the Clay Center’s potters will demonstrate how to make functional pots. And The Minnesota Center for Book Arts will set up in the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s booth, and offer hands-on activities on both days.

There are lots of demos by the artists, including Betsy Bowen, who brings a small press to make prints.

And the members of the Northwoods Fiber Guild will set up on the lawn in front of the Johnson Heritage Post and demonstrate their skills on Saturday.

The Art Colony Booth is a must-see. David Hahn will be there to paint individual portraits and here, one can find The Clothesline Art Sale, small artwork by local artists hanging from … a clothesline. It’s a fundraiser for the Art Colony and is very popular.

But mostly, the festival is a celebration of art and the people who make it. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy.

Meanwhile, there’s still lots happening in Grand Marais this week.

On Thursday, the Arrowhead Sketchers will meet at 5:30 p.m. outside the Betsy Bowen Studio, 301 First Ave. W. They will sketch in the area until 7 p.m. or so, then come back together to share their sketches. Everyone is welcome. Sketchers should ring whatever supplies and materials they like to work with and join the group as it sketches the summer in Grand Marais. In the event of rain, they will meet at 5:30p.m. at Grandma Ray’s.

On Thursday night, the Red Dirt Girl performs at 7:30 p.m. at the Cascade Lodge Pub.

This is the first gig for the Red Dirt Girl (Michele Miller and Amymarie Schmidt).They play American Roots music, folk, Appalachian, bluegrass and original tunes. All invited to hear the debut of this new group.

Saturday kicks off with Cook County Farm & Craft Market in the Senior Center Parking lot at 9 a.m. The market features lots of locally made arts and crafts as well as baked goods and produce. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

.From 3-6 p.m., the SplinterTones will hold their CD release party on the lawn of the Grand Marais Public Library from 3-6 p.m. All are invited to hear this energetic and talented group of musicians perform.

At 5 p.m., Mary Sharratt, the author of “The Dark Lady’s Mask: A Novel of Shakespeare’s Muse” will read from her book and talk about it at a Writer’s Salon at Drury Lane Books. “The Dark Lady’s Mask” is the story of Aemilia Bassano Lanier (1569–1645), the first professional woman poet in Renaissance England, and her collaboration—and star-crossed love affair—with William Shakespeare, as his Dark Lady.

And, at 7:30 p.m., South Carolina singer/songwriter Jack Williams will perform at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.

Williams is a writer of vivid songs with a strong sense of place and a storyteller in the old Southern tradition. He illustrates each tale with his guitar. Tickets ($17 adults) are available at the door.

On Monday, the Grand Marais Writers Guild meets from 6-7 p.m. at the Cook County Whole Foods Co-op meeting room.

Also, not to forget: the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery is currently exhibiting the extraordinary paintings of Karen Savage Blue.

The exhibit continues through July 24. The Heritage Post is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Cross River Heritage Center is exhibiting acrylic paintings of Bruce Palmer and photography by David Degree and Tom Spence.

And Tettegouche State Park is currently exhibiting work by Marty Harris.

In Thunder Bay, the opening ceremony for the exhibit “Teaching is in the Making: Re(Store)ied Memories of Anishinabeg” will be held at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

In this exhibit, Anishinabekwe artists Celeste Pedri-Spade and Leanna Marshall blend together Anishinabeg photography and traditional regalia. The artists write: “The Teaching is in the Making “ is about restoring and re-story-ing specific familial memories that are integral to Anishinabeg history, identity, and continued survivance.” The exhibit continues through Sept. 4.

In Superior, Wis., the Superior Council for the Arts and the North End Arts Gallery will host an artist reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday for the exhibit “Insects+Variations: Drawn & Painted: With Stories” by Adam Frankiewicz & Amy Wilson.

The North End Arts Gallery is located in the Old Commerce and Trade Building, 1323 Broadway, in Superior. The show continues through Sept. 10. The gallery is open noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Upcoming:

 Chalk.a.lot, the sidewalk chalk festival in Two Harbors, is next weekend, July 15-17 in Thomas Owens Park. Contact Michelle at 218-590-4532 with questions. On-site registration is available, but to ensure you get a spot, register by Thursday, July 14. For more info, click here.

At noon on Saturday, July 16, Mary MacDonald will give a weaving demonstration at Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery in Lutsen from noon to 2 p.m.

The Grand Marais Playhouse Summer Theatre Festival begins July 21, with two plays in repertory: “Arsenic & Old Lace” and “The Adams Family.” For tickets and more info, see www.grandmaraisplayhouse.com.

The Grand Marais Garden Club’s Summer Flower Show will be from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, July 22, at the Cook County Community Center. The theme this year is “Nature’s Symphony.”

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery‘s Garden Tour is July 24. It is a self-guided tour of Thunder Bay gardens. Stay tuned for details.

In other art news:

Maria Nickolay has just released her new CD, “Through the Ashes.” It is available at Birchbark Books & Gifts, Joy & Co., and White Pine North.

Great Gifts of Lutsen is carrying the “official” Angry Trout napkins (two sizes) and aprons with embroidered logo crafted by Heavy Duty Designs.

Dennis Turnquist of Finland has just brought in new birch baskets to the Blue Moose.

Joy & Co. is featuring paintings by Tom McCann, photographs by Nace Hagemann and jewelry by Sarah Reller.

Last Chance Gallery has new work by Twin Cities potter, Guillermo Cuellar.

And here’s the music for the week. (Note: WTIP Community Radio is doing their summer membership drive this week, featuring live music by a number of local musicians under a big tent in the parking lot. Refreshments will be served. Everyone is invited to come enjoy the music and the food.

Thursday, July 7:

• Plucked Up String Band, WTIP, noon
• Andy Keith & Friends, WTIP, 1 p.m.
• The Tea Eye Peas, WTIP, 4 .m.
• Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
• Red Dirt Girl, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 8:

• Michael Monroe, WTIP, noon
• The SplinterTones, WTIP, 4 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, WTIP, 5:15 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• The Wrong Omar, WTIP, 6:15 p.m.
• Blue’s Happy, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.
• The Wrong Omar, Gun Flint Tavern, 9 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday, July 9:

• Eric Frost & Bill Hansen, Harbor Park, 11 a.m.
• Michael Monroe, Harbor Park, 1-3 p.m.
• Frozen Britches, WTIP, 2 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Chris Gillis, Gun Flint Tavern, 2 p.m.
• The SplinterTones, CD Release Party, Grand Marais Public Library Lawn, 3 p.m.
• Billy D, Birch Terrace Deck, 3 p.m.
• Dat Dere Jazz, WTIP, 3 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Harbor Park, 3-5 p.m.
• SplinterTones, Grand Marais Public Library lawn, 3 p.m.
• Cherry Dirt, WTIP, 4 p.m.
• Jim & Michelle Miller, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Chris Gillis, WTIP, 5:15 p.m.
• Jackson and Hannah Nickolay, WTIP, 6 p.m.
• Gabe Holmes, Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m. rural Grand Marais
• Cherry Dirt, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Jack Williams, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m.
• Blue’s Happy, Grandma Rays, 8:30 p.m.
• The Wrong Omar,  Gun Flint Tavern, 9 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 10:

• Gordon Thorne, WTIP, 8 a.m.
• Joe Paulik, Harbor Park, 10:30 a.m.
• Grand Marais Music Collaborative Showcase, Harbor Park, 1-3 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, WTIP, 4 p.m.
• Spruce Roots, Mogul’s Grille and Tap Room, 5 p.m.
• Jim & Michelle Miller, Gun Flint Tavern, 6:30 p.m.

Monday, July 11:

• Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, July 13:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

We found a wide variety of photos this week. Here’s a selection.

Thomas Spence caught this beautful image the other night.

Ilena Berg had a few unexpected companions on her walk the other day,

David Brislance caught this photo of the two chicks that hatched out at Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center recently.

The 4th of July fireworks were great this year.

And here are some beautiful landscapes.

 

 

 

 

And last, but not least, this storm photo by Robin Harvey.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!