Mid-July and Lake Superior shows off. This photo, looking back toward Artist Point from the lighthouse, was taken by Kristopher Bowman.
Mid-July. Warm temps, blue skies, luscious clouds and wild places to explore. Blueberries will be ripening soon and gardens come into their own.
In town, this is a week when we take a deep breath and get ready for the rest of the summer. The Grand Marais Arts Festival, another smash hit this year, is over, and Fisherman’s Picnic is just three weeks away, so this is a weekend to catch up. There’s music, and plenty of it, and lots of opportunities to watch artists at work. And the galleries and shops are loaded with local and regional art, always a rewarding way to spend a day or two.
There are some cool activities this week, too.
First up is the Arrowhead Sketchers, an open group of artists that was organized this summer and meets every Thursday in various locations around the county to sketch together and then talk about it later.
Neil Sherman crafted this sketch last week.
This week, the Arrowhead Sketchers will meet at the Public Boat Landing in the Rec Park at 5:30 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the group will use the picnic shelter nearby or move to Grandma Ray’s. Participants are invited to sketch or paint in their medium of choice. All are welcome. The session lasts from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
And there will be some exciting demos.
On Friday, Melissa Wickwire will be demonstrating tilemaking at her studio, Wickwire Clayworks, which is located above Betsy Bowen’s Studio, 301 1st Ave. W. in Grand Marais. Her studio is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Melissa Wickwire will demonstrate tilemaking in her studio on Friday.
On Saturday, Mary MacDonald will give weaving demonstrations at Kah-Hee-Tah Gallery from noon to 2 p.m.
Mary MacDonald will be at Kah Nee Tah Gallery on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, Betsy Bowen will demonstrate printmaking in her studio starting at 1 p.m. Bowen has just completed a new print, “Lupines.”
“Lupines” by Betsy Bowen.
Also, Kathy Weinberg will demonstrate oil painting at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Grand Marais Art Colony.
Kathy Weinberg will demonstrate oil painting at the Grand Marais Art Colony on Saturday.
And finally, there will be a bronze pour at 4 p.m. at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen.
A bronze pour will be held at Last Chance Gallery at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
All of the demos scheduled for this weekend are free and open to the public.
There are other fun things happening this weekend too.
On Friday, the new duo, the Red Dirt Girl (Michele Miller and Amymarie Schmidt) will talk about their music and play a few tunes on WTIP’s The Roadhouse. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m. The band will be on-air about 6:15. The Red Dirt Girl play at Cascade Lodge Pub on Sunday. (See below.)
On Saturday morning, the Cook County Farm & Craft Market will run from 9-1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Senior Center. The market features a wide variety of arts and crafts as well as baked goods and produce in season.
If you have ever wondered what it was like living and working in Taconite Harbor, check out the event at the Cross River Heritage Center at 11 a.m. Saturday when taconite workers Bud Buckman, Gary Hansen, Charlie Nelson, Charlie Tice and Steve Quaife talk about their life and work in Taconite Harbor. The panel discussion will be moderated by Barb Livdahl. The event is sponsored by the Schroeder Area Historical Society.
Also this weekend, the North Shore Winery on the Ski Hill Road in Lutsen will hold a grand opening from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Wine tasting, refreshments and music are on the menu. The Plucked Up String Band will play from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday. Black River Revue plays from 2-5 p.m. Sunday. All invited.
And on Tuesday, Hannah Barker Nickolay and Leah Lakey will be guest artist/musicians at the Full Moon Reading by the bonfire at Drury Lane Books starting at 7:30 p.m.
In Two Harbors, the Chalk.A.Lot, the sidewalk chalk art festival, is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday July 16, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Thomas Owens Park and in the streets of Two Harbors.
One of the chalk art pieces from past years.
The public is invited to come watch or try their hand at this ephemeral art. Live music and refreshments, art activities and more are scheduled.
In Duluth, the opening reception for the Duluth plein air competition, Paint du Nord, will be held at the Duluth Art Institute at 5 p.m. Friday, July 15.
Windy Dunes by Laura Frykman.
Duluth painter Laura Frykman participated in the competition. Her work will be exhibited, as will the other participants’.
Upcoming
The Grand Marais Playhouse‘s Summer Theatre Festival opens on Thursday, July 21, with “Arsenic and Old Lace.” It will be performed in repertory with “The Addams Family,” which opens on Friday, July 21. Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday through Aug. 13. Tickets are available at www.tix.com. The Playhouse has a new web site, too. Check it out here.
The Johnson Heritage Post Gallery will host the exhibit “Ceramics in Cook County” featuring work by 16 ceramics artists. The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Friday, July 29.
Ceramic artists in the show include: Maggie Anderson, Nathan Anderson, Tara Block, Elaine Dean, Joan Farnam, John Franz, Jeanne Knight, Bob LaMettry, Dan & Lee Ross, Mike Smieja, Natalie Sobanja, Bob Tamanaha, Kari Tarver, Ann Ward and Melissa Wickwire.
In other art news:
Mary Berg is the featured artist this month at the Grand Marais Art Colony.
Painting by Mary Berg, detail.
Her work is being exhibited in the gallery store, which also features work by a wide variety of Art Colony-member artists. The Art Colony is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The extraordinary exhibit of paintings by Karen Savage Blue continues at the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery through July 24.
“The Spirit Tree” by Karen Savage Blue.
The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.
Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen is featuring new work by potter Nate Saunders.
Nate Saunders has new work at Last Chance Gallery.
Saunders is inspired by the Mingei movement in Japan which embodies the belief that art should be affordable, made by hand, utilitarian and used by many people.
Tim Young is currently working on painting an antique box he found in Red Ridge, Mich.
Box painting by Tim Young.
He currently has work at the the Betsy Bowen Studio, Cascade Vacation Rentals and Harbor House. He also has prints and cards at Sivertson Gallery.
Upstate MN has new work by potter Megan Mitchell as well as JD Jorgenson.
Pottery by Megan Mitchell.
Painter Tim Pearson won Best of Show at the Grand Marais Arts Festival last weekend. He is exhibiting his work at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais.
“A Stormy Future” by Tim Pearson.
Peggy Little has just brought in new yarn bowls to Joy & Co.
Yarn Bowls by Peggy Little.
And Kelly Dupre’s artwork is featured on long- and short-sleeved T-shirts at Great Gifts of Lutsen.
Artwork by Kelly Dupre.
Here’s the music schedule for this week:
Thursday, July 14:
- Pushing Chain, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
- Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
- Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
- Rich Mattson and Germaine Gemberling, Gun Flint Tavern, 9 p.m.
Friday, July 15:
- Ladies Music Club, Voyageur Brewing Co., 6 p.m.
- Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 7:30 p.m.
- Dat Dere Jazz Quartet, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
- Joe Paulik, Music by the Campfire, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7:30 p.m.
- Ginstrings, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
- Pushing Chain, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
Saturday, July 16:
- Pucked Up String Band, North Shore Winery, 2-5 p.m.
- Dennis Archambeau, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
- Shoot from the Hipsters, Sydney’s, 6 p.m.
- J Squared the the Makers, Papa Charlie’s Deck, 6 p.m.
- Jim & Michele Miller, Lutsen Resort Lobby, 7 p.m.
- Pete K, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
- Ginstrings, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
- Dance Party with DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 17:
- Black River Revue Band, North Shore Winery, 2-5 p.m.
- Cooker John, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
- Red Dirt Girl, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 18:
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Bay campfire, 7 p.m.
- Cooker John, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, July 19:
- Hannah Barker Nickolay and Leah Lakey, Full Moon Reading (music) by the campfire, Drury Lane Books, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 20:
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Bay campfire, 7 p.m.
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 5 p.m.
- Gordon Thorne & Bob Bingham, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
Here’s a selection of some of the great photos we found this week:
Let’s start out with some newsy photos.
The huge rains over northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin are having an impact, that’s for sure. Here’s a photo taken of a blown-out culvert on Hwy. 13 in Wisconsin between Ashland and Mellen.
Blow-out in Wisconsin. (Photographer unknown.)
The impact of the torrential rains can be seen from space. Here’s a satellite photo of the sediment runoff into Lake Superior. (Taken from a post from MPR’s Updraft.)
You can clearly see the sediment runoff as light brown along Lake Superior’s eastern shoreline.
We didn’t have those devastating rains here in Cook County, although there were storms.
Storm rolling through by David Johnson.
The storms can be beautiful.
Summer storm over the Spirit Tree.
Misty days in summer have their power, as well.
Summer flowers by Sandra Updyke.
As do beautiful days in the Boundary Waters.
A weekend paddle in canoe country by Thomas Spence.
And sunsets can be gorgeous.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park by Mike Plucker.
Youngsters seem to be thriving as well.
Curious Calves by Nace Hagemann.
And last, but not least, check out these healthy cuties.
Loon Babies by Paul Sundberg.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
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