Two Moods to start the week:
Pretty wicked-looking storm clouds over Hwy 61 last night by Travis Novitsky.
Orb-weaver spider web by Paul Sundberg.
Greetings from the North Shore, where this weekend we get to explore art and meet the artists on the North Shore from just the other side of Two Harbors to just this side of the Canadian border.
The Two Harbors-based tour, the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio and Art Tour, is only held this weekend, with studios located within a 20-mile radius of Two Harbors.
Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour is this weekend. Look for the sign.
The Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour runs from Friday, Sept. 26, through Sunday, Oct. 5, and features art studios as well as local galleries from Tofte to Grand Portage. The studios are open from 10 am to 5 pm daily during the tour.
The Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour begins this Friday and runs through Oct. 5. Look for the signs. Click here to see an interactive map.
See Exhibits, below, for more information about the tour and images of some of the artwork.
Meanwhile, art-making continues.
First up is Art Night at Joy and Company, which is a weekly event held at the shop from 3:30-5 pm.
Art Night is from 3:30 to 5 pm at Joy and Company on Thursday.
The event offers the public an opportunity to experiment with and make a quick art project with selected art supplies from the shop. The event is free, with a suggested $5 donation.
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 to 6 pm.
Fennel, potatoes, onions, and more are featured at the Farmer’s Market this week. Photo by Kristin Elizabeth.
Drop-in Practice, modern dance classes for all abilities, is back. The classes will be held at the Colvill Town Hall on Thursdays from 6-7:30 pm this fall.
Drop-in Practice is back.
Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just love to jam, the public is invited to come as you are and discover the joy of movement in a welcoming, no-judgment space. Suggested donation is $5-$15, but no one will be turned away. The weekly classes will be held through Dec. 18. The Instructors are Steph Vos, Margaret Johnson, Rachel Clark, and Lenna Stever-Sobanja.
For more information, email DropInPractice@gmail.com.
On Thursday night, WTIP Community Radio hosts Thursday Night Trivia at Up Yonder.
WTIP will host Trivia Night at Up Yonder on Thursday at 6 pm.
The event starts at 6 pm and is free. Prizes. Refreshments are available.
On Friday, the old-time film series, Films on Fridays, will screen The Mark of Zorro (1920, B&W, silent). The film stars Douglas Fairbanks as the defender of commoners against oppressive landowners. While swashbuckling the bad guys, Zorro manages some romance, too. Here’s the trailer:
The film starts at 6 pm at the Cook County Community Center. Free and open to all.
The Muse 12×12 exhibit opens at Studio 21 with a reception on Friday, Sept. 26.
The Muse 12×12 exhibit opens at Studio 21 on Friday.
Celebrate the artwork of Art Colony members in the exhibit, Muse 12×12. All submissions are 12 x 12 inches or fit within 12 cubic inches. All proceeds from the exhibit support the Art Colony mission and programming. Muse 12×12 runs through Saturday, Oct. 18.
Studio 21 is open from 10 am to 5 pm Thursday through Saturday. Free.
Saturday opens with the Cook County Market, which features work by local artists and artisans who set up their tents in the parking lot of The Hub. The market opens at 10 am and runs to 2 pm.
The Cook County Market is held in the parking lot of The Hub from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays.
Look for paintings, pottery, fiber art, glass, and more. This week, Bump Blomberg will play.
Also on Saturday, the annual Grand Marais/Cook County Airport Fly-in/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast will be held from 8 – 11 am at the Grand Marais Airport.
The annual Airport Fly-in is on Saturday.
Sponsored by the Arrowhead Eagles, the local aviation club, the event features food, airplane rides, and more. Pancake breakfast tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for children under 16. All profits go to support the non-profit 501 (c) (3) Eagles organization, whose mission is to support the airport and flying access in the community with an annual aviation scholarship. Contact Rodney Roy, airport manager at (218) 387-3024, airport@boreal.org for information.
Erik Simula, a Finnish-American birchbark canoe builder, wilderness guide, and writer, will give a presentation at Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center at 2 pm Saturday.
Erik Simula to present at Chik-Wauk on Saturday.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, Erik and his dog Kitigan embarked from Grand Portage on a four month, 1,000-mile birchbark canoe voyage encircling the 1854 Ceded Territory, from Lake Superior, Savanna Portage, the Mississippi River, and the Canadian Border. He will tell his unique story of our cultural, historical, mythological, and relational transformation, which is the focus of his forthcoming book, “Arrowhead Journey.”
The presentation is free and open to all.
On Monday, an Ecstatic Dance session will be held in the Log Building at the Community Center starting at 7 pm.
Ecstatic Dance will be held in the 4-H Log Building on Monday.
Ecstatic Dance is an intentional, judgement-free space for free-form movement without words. It is an invitation to embodiment, fun, healing, flow, and play. Open to all. Free. For more information, click here.
Exhibits:
Grand Marais Plein Air, an exhibit of paintings by participants in the plein air competition, is on view at the Johnson Heritage Post through Oct. 5.
The Dawn’s Early Light, oil, by Joan Hudson.
Sugarloaf Birches, oil, by Tom Kutschied.
This is a great show that celebrates the beauty of Cook County and showcases the power and talent of local and regional plein air painters. Highly recommended.
The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 4 pm, Wednesday through Saturday, and from 1-4 pm on Sunday. Free.
Hazel Belvo’s exhibit, Walking the Croftville Road, is currently on view at Studio 21 through Oct. 25.
Two of Hazel Belvo’s diptychs are currently on view at Studio 21: Forsythia with Gray, 2023, above, and August, late Summer 2025, below.
The exhibit features 12 diptychs by Belvo showcasing the seasons on the Croftville Road, just outside Grand Marais. Viewing this exhibit is highly recommended.
Studio 21 is open from 10 am to 4 pm Thursday through Saturday. Free.
This is the last weekend to see watercolor artist Chris Dillon’s exhibit at Tettegouche State Park.
Bunchberry, watercolor, by Chris Dillon, is one of the works on view in the Great Hall at Tettegouche.
The exhibit features a variety of work inspired by the North Woods.
The Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour is a pretty spectacular art tour and has been held on the North Shore for more than 25 years. Look for paintings and pottery, weaving and fiber art, fused glass, bead paintings, prints, jewelry, photographs, sculpture, and more.
Many of the studios also showcase work by other local artists, deepening the art experience for visitors. Plus, of course, you have an opportunity to see the artists’ spaces and learn about their art process.
Here are a few examples of what you’ll find:
aaa Shifting, fused glass by Nancy Seaton. She is exhibiting her work at her studio at Hungry Jack Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail.
February on the Kadunce, oil, by Neil Sherman. His studio is in Colvill.
Bowl, turned burl by Lou Pignolet. His studio is in Hovland.
Go Easy, print, by Nan Onkka. Her studio is in Grand Marais.
Lee’s Surrender In Blues, wool, by Julie Arthur. Her studio is in Tofte.
The Harbor, watercolor, by Britt Malec. She is a guest artist with Adrea Beres.
Blue Jay, acrylic, by Gina Adams. Her studio is in Hovland.
Untitled, collage, Ruth Pszwaro. She is a guest artist with Jim Sannerud.
Plate bowl, stoneware, by Hannah Palma Laky. Her studio is in Colvill.
Untitled, collage, by Maxene Linehan. She is a guest of Sharon and Steve Frykman.
This is just a taste of the art on view in the next 10 days. Look for more photos next week. Meanwhile, click here to learn more.
Upcoming:
The annual Apple Festival in Grand Marais is Oct. 9-12 this year.
The annual Apple festival is Oct 9-12.
The event features everything from an apple pie baking contest, apple picking, a mystery apple tree tour, and presentations. Click here to find out more.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, Bluefin Bay will host the 2nd Annual North Shore Oktoberfest from noon to 6 pm.
The 2nd annual Oktoberfest will be held at Bluefin Bay on Oct. 11.
This free event is open to the public and promises a day filled with German-themed flavors, fall beverages, lively contests, a great selection of local arts and crafts, and family-friendly fun. Stay tuned.
Artists at Work:
The Day Before Mother Nature Combs Her Hair, acrylic, by Kathy Fox Weinberg, has been accepted into an international exhibition.
Sue Rauschenfels is exhibiting at the Cedar Coffee Company in Two Harbors.
Jack Pine and Poplar by Greg Kero, a member of the Group of Seven.
Parus, ink on watercolor paper, by Ralph Keating,
Kelp Forest, blown and sand-carved glass by Preston Singletary. Photo by Russell Johnson.
Magpies Seed the River Platte, mixed media, by Carla Stetson.
Online Findings:
Layne Kennedy made this video a few years ago. It’s worth a second look.
And Sparky Stensaas is back, this time with a birding tour in SE Arizona featuring four species of hummingbirds, mountain warblers, and more.
Native Duluth singer songwriter Rachael Kilgour is playing a concert at the Cook County Community Center Log Cabin on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 pm.
Online Music:
Here are four older videos from The Playlist, featuring local musicians. Karen Sunderman produced The Playlist on PBS North for many years. The last is a composite video by David Grinstead.
Live Music:
Thursday, September 25:
- Bump Blomberg, Gunflint Tavern Rooftop, 5:30-8 pm
- Nick Howl, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6:30-8:30 pm
- Silent Disco Dance Party!, Caribou Highlands Courtyard, 7-10 pm
Friday, September 26:
- Barbara Jean and Mike Lewis, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Pure Honey, Gunflint Tavern Rooftop, 5-7 pm
- Pat Eliasen, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 7-9 pm
- Rachael Kilgour, Community Center Log Cabin, 7:30 pm
- Barbara Jean & Mike Lewis, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
- The Wrong Omar (Joe Shaheen and Bob Groethe), Gunflint Tavern Rooftop, 7-10 pm
- Karaoke, Up Yonder, 9-11:55 pm
Saturday, September 27:
- Bump Blomberg, Cook County Market at the Hub, 10-2 pm
- Mike & Babs, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- The Wrong Omar (Joe Shaheen and Bob Groethe), Gunflint Tavern Rooftop, 7-10 pm
- Inga Entheos, Up Yonder, 8-11 pm
Sunday, September 28:
- Billy Manzic, Gunflint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Sarah Morris, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 5-7 pm
- Scott Schuler (Campfire Guitar Pull), Caribou Highlands Lodge Courtyard, 7 pm
Monday, September 29:
- Pete Kavanaugh, Gunflint Tavern Rooftop, 7-10 pm
Tuesday, September 30:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 5-7 pm
- Briand Morrison, Gunflint Tavern Rooftop, 5-8 pm
- Open Stage hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 6-8 pm
- Community Singing, Log Cabin at the Grand Marais Community Center, 7 pm
Thursday, October 2:
- Joe Paulik, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6:30-8:30 pm
- Silent Disco Dance Party, Caribou Highlands Courtyard, 7-10 pm
Friday, October 3:
- Barbara Jean & Mike Lewis, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Twine, Up Yonder, 7-10 pm
Saturday, October 4:
- Fred Anderson, Cook County Market at the Hub, 10-2 pm
- Tina & Drew, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Twine, Up Yonder, 7-10 pm
Sunday, October 5:
- The Spruce Roots, North Shore Winery, 3:30-6 pm
- Scott Schuler (Campfire Guitar Pull), Caribou Highlands Lodge Courtyard, 7 pm
Photographs:
Here’s a selection of photographs we found this week:
Wildlife:
Early morning traffic control by David Johnson.
A Cross Fox close-up by Chris Artist.
Canada Goose departure in fog, Hartley pond, Duluth, by Sam Cook.
Early morning light in the Superior National Forest by Thomas Spence.
Another beauty caught in the web by Matthew Pastick.
Trumpeter Swans at sunset by Bill Marchel.
What a great tail! Photo by Terry Backlund.
Skunk Snack by Sandra Updyke.
A Night Visitor by Ron Benson.
The south end of a northbound White-tailed Deer buck with its namesake tail framed by its antlers, by Bill Marchel. File photo.
A Least Weasel checks out a stone owl sculpture by Dan Ross. The weasel popped up as Dan prepared to move his stone sculpture to the Ross studio in preparation for the Fall Studio Tour. Photo by Lee Ross.
Potpourri:
Just seemed to be begging to have its portrait done by Gary Arands.
Asters by Don Davison.
Giant zucchini on offer in Ely. Photo by Annie Possis.
The big orange by Nancy Lindberg..
Trend setter by Sally Nankivell.
Red Deliciousness by Deb Bennett.
Mushrooms by Paul Sundberg,
Garden casserole ready for the oven by Mike Carlson.
Honey bunches trailside on Oberg mountain by Gregory Israelson.
Landscapes, Fogscapes, Waterscapes & Treescapes:
Catching the light by Matthew Pastick.
Flaming Maple by Paul Ostrum.
The Wave by Sierra Parsons.
Shine brightly by Chuck Olsen.
Lingering fog over Lake Superior by Carl Anderson.
Here Comes the Fog Again by Matthew Pastick.
Storm clouds over Lake Superior from Palisade Head by Carl Anderson.
Farm Scene in Grand Marais by Layne Kennedy.
Mole Lake, Wis., by Julie Matuszak.
Devil Track sunset by Don Davison.
A peaceful beach on the Apostles by Melissa Dressely.
Wrapping up the summer season at Glensheen Mansion by Karen Sunderman.
A sunset sail by Megan Serneels.
Back Country Road by Paul Sundberg.
Moose Mountain by Paul Sundberg.
My favorite fall photo, by Carl Anderson.
And, to send you off with a little levity — Sam Cook posted the photo below last week. He said he had taken about 11 photos of the leaf, trying to get it just right, when a friendly brown dog wandered over to help him out.
Why is this leaf so interesting? Photo by Sam Cook.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
PS: It wasn’t too difficult to wax enthusiastic about art this week. The Fall Studio Tour should be fantastic this year, and the maples are at full peak.
Meanwhile, we continue to ask for your support to keep NorthShore ArtScene dynamic and a good source of information for you. To contribute, just click on the link below, and thank you!
And here’s a big shout-out to Jeremy Lopez (Live Music schedule, technical advice) and Yvonne Mills (proofreading) for their strong support. Thank you. And Thank You, Visit Cook County, for a great Events Calendar, from which we borrow extensively.
{ 1 comment… add one }
The paintings and photos were particularly beautiful this week. Maybe it’s autumn. Maybe it’s the artists…Love!