Falling for Fall, Moose Madness Weekend

Greetings from the North Shore, where we are captivated by the moods of the changing season. Foggy days, glorious sunny days, crunching leaves underfoot, the hint of winter in a gentle breeze — all to the good. This weekend celebrates it all with art shows, art-making opportunities, family events, music, and much more. It is, after all, Moose Madness Weekend in Grand Marais.

For children who like art, the David Hahn Art Days at Studio 21 is a perfect fit.

The free event is held from 10 am to 2 pm on Thursday and Friday and features a selection of art activities for youngsters. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Three art stations will be set up:

• Paint-a-Bowl: Participants will use brush-on glazes to decorate a bowl that will then be glazed and fired at the Art Colony and donated to the Empty Bowl Soup Dinner Fundraiser on Nov. 19.
• Make Your Own Magnet: Create custom refrigerator magnets using collage papers and magazines. Participants will assemble their artwork, adhere their unique design to a magnetic sheet, and then cut out the shape they want.
• Suminagashi: Suminagashi, or “floating ink,” is the process of marbling plain paper with water and ink to transform it into a vibrant and colorful design. It originated in Japan as early as the 12th century. Participants will create their own unique print and learn more about this art form.

Later on Thursday afternoon, Joy and Company will host Art Night. The event, which is from 3:30-5 pm, features a mini-art project using selected art supplies from the shop.

Art Night is free, with a suggested $5 donation. Instruction is provided. Open to all.

The Grand Marais Farmer’s Market will be held from 4:30-6 pm in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center.

This is a great market. Look for summer and fall produce, including tomatoes, squash (winter and summer), cucumbers, apples, and more. Handcrafted artisan breads and bakery goods are also available, as is local maple syrup. Open to all. The weekly market will continue through Oct. 23.

To complete the day, the North Shore Swing Band will play at Up Yonder from 7-9 pm.

This is a great opportunity to listen to upscale jazz favorites played by talented, local musicians. The event is free and open to all. Dancing is encouraged.

On Friday, Moose Madness kicks into high gear with contests, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts activities, a contra dance, a mountain bike race, and more. All the events are family-friendly and free.

One of the most popular events is the Moose Medallion Hunt, along with sales at stores, winning Moose bucks, and a chance to be photographed with Murray the Moose, among other activities. There’s plenty of live music around town, too. See the Live Music schedule, below.

North House Folk School offers a wide variety of free drop-in activities on Friday and Saturday. It will, as well, host a Family Fun Night on Friday with games, s’mores, and a lantern walk.  There will be a contra dance on Saturday night.

To find out more about the activities at North House, click here.

On Friday, Drury Lane Books will host a Meet and Greet with author David LaRochelle and illustrator Colleen Muske, who collaborated on the book, “How to Draw a Tree.”

The pages of “How to Draw a Tree” show a wide array of species, with the name for each tucked into the illustrations, encouraging readers to slow down, appreciate, and learn. Through direct questions and lively examples, longtime children’s book author David LaRochelle invites readers to explore their natural surroundings. Colleen Muske’s whimsical, vibrant illustrations help readers see trees in a new light. The event is open to all.

Glass artist Jeri Person will teach a class on making beautiful objects for the garden and home at Joy and Company from 1-4 pm on Friday and Saturday.

Drop-ins are welcome. For reservations, contact Jeri at  jperson2@boreal.org.

Plein air painter Tim Vahle will host an End-of-Season Reception in his gallery from 5-7 pm on Friday.

Visitors will see Vahle’s newest plein air and studio paintings. He will give a brief presentation at 6 pm. His studio is located at 9 W First Ave. The public is invited.

Saturday events begin at 9 am with the registration for the Moose Madness Mountain Bike Race on Pincushion Mountain. The race is hosted by The Superior Cycling Association (SCA).

This race will showcase the rehabbed trails by Dirt Candy Designs and celebrate a great summer and fall of singletrack riding. The race is free for SCA members and riders under 18. Non-members can participate with a donation. To find out more, click here.

 The Cook County Market, held in the parking lot of The Hub, begins at 10 am and runs to 2 pm. This is the last market of the season for the local vendors.

Look for paintings and pottery, glass, baskets, jewelry, stone lamps, chainsaw sculptures, and more. The market is open to all.

Betsy Bowen will be at Drury Lane Books on Saturday for a Meet and Greet with the latest book she illustrated, “Leaf Town Forever.”

Based on a true story, Leaf Town Forever is the gentle tale of a town created by children with vivid imaginations. The timeless and universal saga, written in haiku, reminds both kids and adults that some dreams are worth protecting. Unfurling over the cycle of seasons, this is the story of an enchanting place full of tenacity and hope, creativity and fun—a connection to the natural world within reach for us all if we unite to make and maintain it.

On Sunday, Howard Hedstrom will lead a historic tour of the Maple Hill Cemetery from 2-3 pm.

Hedstrom is a member of the family that first donated the land where the cemetery and church now stand. The tour will explore the history, heritage, and stories that make Maple Hill Cemetery a notable part of the community.

Participants will walk along paths possibly once walked by David Caribou and his family, and by Scandinavian immigrants whose names are etched across many headstones.  Participants will also hear the stories of those who helped shape Cook County. The tour is free and open to the public.

The Great Gatsby Ballet, a Broadway-style ballet experience from World Ballet Company, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel, is ending its run in Duluth soon.

World Ballet Company’s The Great Gatsby Ballet reimagines F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel live on stage, blending classical ballet technique with immersive, Broadway-style storytelling. Elegant choreography, striking multimedia visuals, period-authentic 1920s costumes, and a jazz-infused original score create a cinematic night of glitz and glam, dance and drama. Whether you’re a longtime ballet lover or it’s your first visit to the theater, prepare for a dazzling journey through one of the most unforgettable stories of the 20th century. For those seeking a night of culture and unforgettable artistry,this is truly the ultimate night at the theater.

Catch the show in Duluth at Symphony Hall at the DECC. For tickets, click here.

On Monday, the Cook County Curling Club will hold a kick-off party at Up Yonder.

The curling ice is currently being laid down for this popular activity in the arena at the Community Center. The party will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

Exhibits:

Days to Remember, a new exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post, opened last week. It features a fascinating collection of paintings by Nelia Harper French & Kurt Schulzetenberg.

 The combined works aim to create a reflection on memory and time, showcasing the artists’ shared goal of expressing the beauty of the world around them.

The gallery is open from 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Saturday and from 1-4 pm Sunday. Free and open to all.

Hazel Belvo’s exhibit, Walking the Croftville Road, continues at Studio 21.

The exhibit features 12 diptychs representing 12 seasons of the year on the Croftville Road. The exhibit continues through Oct. 24.

Studio 21 is also featuring “Muse,” an exhibit of 12-inch x 12-inch works created by members and students at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

The exhibit continues through Oct. 24, which is also the end of the season at Studio 21.

Currently, Studio 21 is open from 10 am to 5 pm Thursday through Saturday. Free.

The Tweed Museum of Art has opened a new exhibit, All Kinds of People.

The exhibit is the first installment in a series of permanent collection rotations that feature works organized within thematic areas.

Drawn from the Tweed’s growing collection of about 11,000 objects, this rotation includes artists from the 17th century to the present day who approach portraiture and the depiction of people through the mediums of drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, photography, and printmaking.

The exhibit continues through January.

At the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the exhibition “José María Velasco: A View of Mexico” celebrates one of the greatest 19th-century landscape painters in the Americas.

Trained at the prestigious Academia de San Carlos, Mexico’s fine arts academy, Velasco became an influential figure in his home country of Mexico, much like his contemporaries Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Church in the United States. His impressive panoramic views of the Valley of Mexico—home of modern-day Mexico City—are painted with exquisite detail, honoring both the country’s rich historical heritage and the rapid modernization it underwent in the late 1800s.

Organized by the National Gallery, London, and MIA, the exhibition showcases paintings from renowned museums in Mexico and the Czech Republic. It offers an unprecedented opportunity for MIA’s audience to view Velasco’s works, as many have seldom been displayed outside their home countries.

The exhibit continues through Jan. 4 and is free.

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is featuring several exhibits, including work by Norval Morrisseau.

The title of the painting, Copper Thunderbird Survival with help from fish spirits,  is drawn from words found on the back of a painting of an Animiki, or Thunderbird. While the gallery says it cannot know if these words are from Morrisseau’s hand, this hint of a title creates space to contemplate cycles of creation and harmony and tension in Anishinaabe cosmology, including eternal relationships among Animikii (Thunderbirds), Mishupishu (the Water Panther), and other beings. In the gallery, these Woodland-style works span various periods in the artist’s life.

As an Indigenous artist working throughout Northwestern Ontario, many people in the community have anecdotes related to Morrisseau and his painting, belying an internationally significant artistic career that spanned from New York to Paris, and beyond. Prominent Thunder Bay lawyer and former city Councillor Kenny Whent (b. 1936 – d. 2024) had an ongoing relationship with Morrisseau characterized by generosity and resilience. Working closely with the Sharon and Ken Whent Joint Family Trust, this exhibition presents personal archival documents as well as works on view for the first time, including a monumental birchbark scroll now in the collection of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, thanks to the generosity of the Whent family.

The exhibit continues until March 1.

Upcoming:

The Minnesota Ballet will perform the ballet, Giselle, at UMD’s Marshall Performing Arts Center in late October.

 Giselle is a captivating ballet that weaves together ethereal beauty and haunting emotion. Set in a mystical world where love, betrayal, and the supernatural collide, the story follows a young woman whose tragic fate leads her into a ghostly realm of vengeful spirits. With its stunning choreography and evocative music, Giselle remains one of the most beloved and enduring works in the classical ballet repertoire. The ballet’s haunting atmosphere and emotional depth, complemented by its breathtaking score, offer an unforgettable journey into a realm where beauty and mystery intertwine, leaving audiences spellbound.

Performances are at 7 pm on Oct. 24 and at 3 pm Oct. 25-26. For tickets, click here.

Call to Artists:

The Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church has put out a call for artists of every age to submit works to the Community Art Show, which opens at the Johnson Heritage Post on Nov. 7. The theme of this year’s show is “Transitions: Navigating Change.”

Now in its 14th year, the Community Art Show sponsored by the Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church again brings creativity and spirituality into public dialogue. This show welcomes works by local artists that explore this year’s theme of “Transitions: Navigating Change.”

Some Questions to consider:

• How might making and also viewing art help us face and safely engage life transitions?
• What role does public art play in providing insight, encouragement, and even challenge during times of societal unrest?
• What holds firm during times of transition?

By Monday, Oct. 20, please send your name and the titles and dimensions of one or two pieces you wish to display at the show to spirit@boreal.org.You will be sent more information about the Johnson Heritage Post Artists’ Agreement and installation details.

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, your piece(s) should be delivered to the Heritage Post for installation. They will be hung on Nov. 6.

On Friday, Nov. 7, the show will open with a reception from 5-7 pm. A moderated Artists’ Panel will be held at 6 pm, where artists/crafters/makers will explore the intersection of creativity and spirituality in their work.

Arts/Crafts shows set for the Hub this fall.

Artists at Work:

 

Online Findings:

Tips about taking care of flowers:

For Armchair Travelers to the North Shore:

 Birding with Sparky in Desolation Canyon:

Online Music:

Photographs:

Here’s a selection of photographs found this week:

Wildlife:

Potpourri:

Landscapes. Skyscapes & Treescapes:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

*New!*

^{Be a DJ on NorthShore ArtScene for a week! Send me links to 4 or 5 songs, preferably YouTube links, to be considered for inclusion in the blog. If you like, name a theme and give us your reasons and feelings for the songs in one sentence. Have fun! Email: joan.farnam@gmail.com}

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