Gales of November on the East Bay by Brian Malloy.
Lighthouse wave on the Grand Marais Harbor by Jill Beim.
Halloween storm rocking the North Shore at Tettegouche, by Matthew Pastick.
Greetings from the North Shore, where the changing seasons never disappoint. This fall has been so long and sweet, enjoyed by all. But this week, the truth came out — the gales of November made their first visit. Here on the shore, Lake Superior always lets us know she’s around, modifying temperatures, but also reminding us of her power. This week was no exception.
For example, three people challenged her by walking on the break wall during the storm. The person in the middle was swept into the harbor by a breaking wave.
Probably not a good idea.
Oops. After the wave. Only two are left on the break wall. The woman who was swept into the harbor was rescued. Both of the photos were taken from the harbor webcam. Bryan Hansel posted the video on his Facebook page. See the video here.
Read the story here . Listen to a TV interview with Chris Carlson, who rescued her from the harbor.
Monday, Nov. 10, is the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and Split Rock Lighthouse will hold a special lighting ceremony to honor the lost sailors.
Split Rock Shines by Hayes Scriven.
Hayes Scriven, the keeper at Split Rock, writes:
“Next Monday, we will once again honor the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald and all sailors who have lost their lives on Lake Superior.
“Watching the beacon of Split Rock Lighthouse sweep across the dark lake is truly humbling — a reminder of the power of this place and the significance of the lives we remember. I’m incredibly honored to play even a small role in such an important tradition.”
The lighting ceremony at Split Rock is sold out, but there is another opportunity to learn more about the ship and honor those who were lost.
Local historian, diver, and lighthouse keeper Jim Shinners will give a presentation at the Grand Marais Public Library on Friday entitled “Shipwrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald.” This is a special 50th anniversary program exploring the story and legacy of the Great Lakes’ most famous shipwreck.
The Edmund Fitzgerald. NOAA photo courtesy of the Grand Marais Public Library.
Shinners brings decades of maritime research and diving experience to this engaging presentation of history, personal stories, and reflection.
The event is free and open to all—no registration required.
This week is the Readers and Writers Festival hosted by the Grand Marais Art Colony. The festival will be held in various locations from Nov. 5-8 and features workshops, presentations, Author Talks, and more.
There are public panel discussions, some with a fee, some free.
On Thursday, Nov. 6, Writing the Wild Shore will be held from 7 – 9 pm at Studio 21. Cost is $15.
Writing the Wild Shore, a panel discussion with Peter Geye, Leif Enger, Marcie Rendon, and Erik Anderson, will be held at Studio 21 at 7 pm.
On Friday, Nov. 7, The Grappling Panel - solving the challenges – will be held from 7-8:30 pm at Studio 21. Cost is $15.
The Grappling Panel with Leif Enger, Anna Farro Henderson, and Jennifer Eli Bowen will be held on Friday.
On Saturday, there will be Author Readings at Studio 21 from 8:30 am to 6 pm, with each reading lasting for 30 minutes. Free.
There will be Author Readings from 8:30 am – 6 pm on Saturday.
And finally, Literary Trivia, hosted by Kelly and Kevin Kager, will be held at the Best Western on Saturday, starting at 7 pm.
Literary Trivia will be held at Best Western on Saturday night.
It will be held at Best Western Superior Suites from 7-9 pm on Saturday. Free, but registration is necessary. Click here to register.
To see the complete schedule of events in the festival, click here.
There are several art events this weekend, too.
The Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery will host the 14th Annual Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church Community Art Show with an opening reception from 5-7 pm on Friday.
The theme of this year’s show is “Transitions: Navigating Change.”
An artist panel featuring Anne Swallow Gillis and local potter Maggie Anderson will begin at 6:00 pm, exploring the relation between the creative process, spirituality, and our human ability to cope with change in our lives.
Here are a few examples of works in the show:
Crossing the Road, acrylic, by Anne Swallow-Gillis,
Raku vessel by Maggie Anderson.
Weaving by Carolyn Schmidt.
All the details, acrylic, by Jayne Richards.
Over 20 high school students’ works related to this theme will also be displayed. The exhibit continues through Nov. 30.
The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 4 pm Thursdays through Saturdays, 1-4 pm Sundays. Free.
Also on Friday, Films on Fridays, free screenings of old-time films at the Cook County Community Center, continues. This week, The Hunchback of Notre Dame from 1923, will be screened. Lon Chaney plays Quasimodo. The film is silent and is black and white.
Here is the trailer:
Refreshments will be available. Open to all. Free. It starts at 6 pm.
In Lake County, the Silver Bay Public Library and Tettegouche State Park will collaborate to bring an “Evening Showcase of Art” featuring works by two of the North Shore’s beloved artists in two exhibition receptions on one night.
Each location curates rotating art exhibitions, with receptions coinciding on the same day for the first time this month. The exhibiting sites are a five-minute drive apart, allowing visitors a mini progressive art crawl, of sorts.
“Paintings by Wayne Pruse” will be on exhibition Nov. 5 – Dec. 31, at the Silver Bay Public Library.
Prairie Thunder II, acrylic, by Wayne Pruse.
Pruse creates photorealistic paintings on the themes of nature, fantasy, and beauty. A native of Silver Bay, he worked in Bismarck, ND, until retiring to Silver Bay in 2021. To see more of his works, click here. www.FineArtAmerica.com.
“Watercolor Landscapes of the North Shore,” with paintings by Sandra Maxwell, is on exhibit in November at the Tettegouche Visitor Center.
An exhibit of watercolors by Sandy Maxwell opens at Tettegouche Nov. 7.
Maxwell is a recent recipient of an Individual Artist Project Grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council. She lives on the North Shore and has been painting for about 15 years.
The reception at the Silver Bay Library is from 5:30-7:30 pm, and the reception at Tettegouche State Park is from 7-8:30 pm. Free. The public is invited.
On Saturday night, Bizhiki, a multidisciplinary performance of contemporary Ojibwe music, storytelling, and culture, will be held at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at 7 pm. The concert is hosted by the North Shore Music Association.
Bizhiki will be at the ACA on Saturday.
Bizhiki offers audiences an intimate, immersive evening of music, storytelling, and multimedia art centered on contemporary Ojibwe culture and lifeways. The performance brings together the powerful vocals and drumming of Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings (Bad River Ojibwe) and Joe Rainey Sr. (Red Lake Ojibwe) with the modern soundscapes of S. Carey—a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist known for his work with Bon Iver and as a solo artist.
In Minneapolis, Luminescence, the acclaimed light & orchestra show, just opened at the Basilica of Saint Mary after a sold-out European run.
Luminesence concerts to be held at the Basilica of St. Mary throughout November. Click here to learn more.
“Decades of art and culture come alive as stone walls turn into living canvases, plunging us deeper into the history of Minneapolis and its people,” according to a press release. For tickets to this “immersive celebration of light, sound, and story, click here.
Exhibits:
The Duluth Art Institute‘s exhibit, the 65th annual Arrowhead Regional Biennial featuring works by artists throughout the Midwest, continues through Dec. 19.
Probable Spirit Line III, acrylic, by Martin DeWitt.
Food Truck, acrylic, by Carolyn Olson.
A World Within, photograph, by Rachel Robinson.
To see all the works in the exhibit, click here.
The Tweed Museum of Art is exhibiting new work by UMD’s Art & Design faculty.
The Tweed Museum of Art is currently exhibiting work by UMD’s Arts & Design faculty.
The exhibition continues through Feb. 27.
Artists at Work:
Lake Superior (2025) by Jef Bourgeau.
Gunflint Trail, oil, by Matt Kania.
Unexpected paint out in Cloquet by Adam Swanson.
Adam Swanson’s plein air painting, finished.
Wildish, at the Dove Block Project in Geneva, by Carla Stetson.
Baskets by Beth Homa-Kraus.
A winter challenge, photo by Felix Thiollier, 1899, posted by Elizabeth Klinck.
Online Findings:
Typhoon Tino or Kalmaegi exploded in strength, as seen from the International Space Station earlier this week. Areas in the Philippines sustained catastrophic flooding, landslides, and deaths when it hit. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Doty.
Meet your Cook County Neighbor: Orvis Lunke
Orvis Lunke. Click here to read about him.
Send your music suggestions to: joan.Farnam@gmail.com
Live Music:
Thursday, November 6:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Jim Miller, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
Saturday, November 8:
- Bizhiki (An evening of Contemporary Ojibwe Music, Storytelling, and Culture), Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 pm
Tuesday, November 11:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 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, November 13:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Jim Miller, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
Friday, November 14:
- Idle Rose, Log Cabin at the Grand Marais Community Center, 7 pm
Saturday, November 15:
- EricKaoke, Karaoke hosted by Erick Steey, Up Yonder, 9-1 am
Photographs:
Here’s what we found this week:
Wildlife:
Ruffed Grouse by Bil Marchel.
Harris’ Sparrow, yard visitor from the Arctic by Michael Furtman.
One of my favorite bat photos by Sandra Updyke.
Moose Family by Paul Sundberg.
Alpacas in Peru by Jennifer Schulz.
Almost wildlife: This is what bliss looks like by Don Davison.
Young Bull Moose by Paul Sundberg.
Dark-eyed Junco by Bill Marchel.
Potpourri:
Headed for Belize, photo by Dave and Amy Freeman.
Oak Leaves in a Gentle Light by Roxanne Distad.
Milkweed pods in fall by Beth Drost.
Tamarack Corner by Paul Sundberg.
Goodbye October. Welcome November by Kristen Elizabeth.
The Nee Gee, aka fish tug, was probably taken at Isle Royale. She is now on display in the Rec Park. Photo courtesy of Dan Helmerson.
The last moments of Autumn in Duluth by Jan Swart.
September oak leaves by Carl Anderson.
Waterscapes, Landscapes & Skyscapes:
It’s a Minnesota thing by David Johnson.
Ah, Fall Oct. 28 by Bryan Hansel.
The sun over the lake and wild rice by Michael Furtman.
Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. It’s going to blow today by Buck Benson. It did. 45 mph guests.
Skim ice by Cathy Quinn.
The calm before the storm by Don Davison.
We’re getting up early by Janice Latz.
Beauty from the West Coast by AmyLeo Barankovich.
Monday sunrise by Samantha Roffers.
Time for Breakfast by David Johnson.
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