Considering the possibilities by Tijhe Fireweed.
Greetings from the North Shore, where the beginning of summer awakened our spirits and the cold, blue waters of Lake Superior deepened that joy.
It is a busy week.
On Thursday, a workshop to make puppets and scenery for the Summer Solstice Pageant will be held at the Cook County Community Center from 3-8 pm. This is one of many community workshops that will be held this month, in preparation for the Summer Solstice Pageant at North House Folk School on June 20.
The Good Harbor Hill Players invite you to join the Summer Solstice Pageant Puppet Making Fun from May 28 to June 14 at the Cook County Community Center. It is open to all, but children must be accompanied by an adult.
Join the puppet-making fun at the Community Center.
Workshop attendees will help with the making and creation of puppets and props for the annual Summer Solstice Pageant at North House Folk School on June 20.
Workshop times at the Community Center are:
- Thursdays & Fridays from 3 – 8 pm.
- Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am – 1 pm and 3 – 8 p.m.
Participation in the pageant is not required to attend the workshops, but all are welcome to participate in the workshops and performance — no prior experience is needed, just a willingness to collaborate, create, and celebrate the season.
Good Harbor Hill Players is a community-based, nonprofit puppet theatre company, performing and celebrating with the Grand Marais community since 1999.
For more information, click here. Questions? Email info@goodharborhillplayers.org
Also on Thursday, the weekly Art Counter Project at Joy and Company will be held.
Make art at Joy and Company on Thursdays from 3-4:30 pm.
This week’s project? Paint a small canvas. Supplies will be provided, as well as some instruction. Open to all. Free, but a $5 donation is appreciated.
Also on Thursday, North House Folk School will screen the film, Source to Sea: A Winter Migration, followed by a Q&A with director Cory Maria Dack.
The film will be screened at 7 pm in the Blue Building. Free.
The event launches the Northern Landscapes Festival at North House with events, presentations, workshops, and hikes from May 29-31.
The Northern Landscapes Festival will be held at North House Folk School, May 29-31.
Discover the local ecology of this dynamic environment during a very special weekend that celebrates our northern landscapes. Students in classes will learn about the language of birds, forage for spring wild edibles, identify mosses and lichens, capture the perfect nature photograph, and be inspired by the magic of seasonal ponds! Special guest scientists, authors, and artists will gather for a public panel on Friday to talk about how seasonal ponds have inspired a powerful creative project, and Saturday evening, dive deep into the wonders of seasonal ponds of the north woods with our visiting ecologists. Make time during the weekend to enjoy a campus-wide display of colorful felt tapestries honoring seasonal ponds by artist Kristen Anderson.
For Course Offerings, click here.
There are two free programs open to the public over the weekend.
They are:
- The Intersection of Art and Science: Refugia, The Seasonal Pond Project Panel presentation with Kristen Anderson, Sue Eggert, Betsy Colburn, Susan Hawkinson, and Loree Miltich, Friday, May 29, 7 pm.
- Seasonal Ponds of the North Woods: Hotspots of Life, presentation by Betsy Colburn and Sue Eggert, Saturday, May 30, 7 pm, in the Blue Building.
On Saturday, the Cook County Market will be open in the parking lot of The Hub at 10 am.
The Cook County Market opens for the season on Saturday. It runs from 10 am to 2 pm.
This is a fun market featuring a wide variety of arts and crafts created by local artists and artisans. Look for baskets, pottery, paintings, clothing, treats, books, jewelry, rock lamps, and more.
Here are a few examples of what you will find at the market:
A Gina Adams’ painting, ” Bird on a Teacup.”
Hand-dyed scarves by Misha Martin.
Author Jennifer Shoals has her books at the market.
Becky Heller makes felted animals.
The market also features live music. This week, Lynden Graham will play. Open to all.
The Muffin Man (Kevin Kager) will hold the first Children’s Story Hour of the season outside Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 11 am.
Kevin Kager, the Muffin Man, hosts Children’s Story Hour at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 11 am. The Story Hour is held every Saturday throughout the summer.
Kager is an actor and a great storyteller. The event is free and open to all.
At 2 pm on Saturday, author Michael Risku will present a comprehensive look at the commercial fishing industry that once defined North Shore communities from Knife River to Grand Portage at the Cook County History Museum.
Following the Fish, a presentation by Michael Risku, will be held at the Historical Society Museum at 2 pm.
Drawing on oral histories and years of research, Risku explores the life of Indigenous fishers and Nordic immigrants, the geography that shaped their trade, and the eventual collapse of the industry. Risku, who was born into a commercial fishing family and holds a Coast Guard captain’s license, is a professor emeritus from the University of the Incarnate Word and resides in Two Harbors.
This event is part of the Cook County Historical Society 2026 Speaker Series.
The Historical Society is sponsoring a Speakers Series this summer.
Also on Saturday, Drury Lane Books will host an Author Talk with Rudi Hargesheimer at 6 pm.
Rudi Hargesheimer will give an Author Talk at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 6 pm.
Rudi will discuss this beautiful new photo-tour book of his favorite Lake Superior hiking trails – not just on the North Shore. He will be present to sign books after the presentation.
The event is free, open to the public, and mobility aid accessible.
And on Sunday, Drury Lane Books will host a Full Moon Poetry Reading by the campfire starting at 6 pm.
There will be a Full Moon poetry reading at Drury Lane Books on Sunday from 6-8 pm.
The poetry reading is open to all. Participants are invited to bring their own work or a favorite poem or two to read.
Also on Sunday, Jennifer Starbright will host a Full Moon Sound Bath at the Log Cabin.
A Full Moon Sound Bath will be held at the Log Cabin on Sunday.
The event is open to the public. Donations are welcome.
Next Thursday, June 4, The Splints will play at Up Yonder for a fundraiser for Care Partners.
The Splints will play a live concert to benefit Care Partners at Up Yonder on June 4.
Care Partners supports community members on the journey of aging and end-of-life. Help support a great cause while enjoying live music from local high-energy dance band The Splints from 6:30 – 9:00 pm.
- Tickets available online at https://carepartnersofcookcounty.org/
- Tickets are also available at the Care Partners office – 615 E. Hwy. 61, Grand Marais.
- Limited availability at the door – $10 suggested donation
- Questions? 218-387-3788
The Splints are a high-octane 6-piece dance band based in Grand Marais.
The Splints.
Noted for their vibrant vocal harmonies, colorful stage presence & strong rhythmic grooves in the style of swing, zydeco, mambo, Celtic, polka, & rock. They are known for crowding the dance floor with legions of enthusiastic dancers. Truly a band with something for everyone. And, they are great to dance to.
Exhibits:
The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s 2026 Summer Exhibition has opened at Studio 21. The show is entitled “Play,” which describes it well. The light-hearted, amusing pieces are fun to see and inspiring, too.
Here are a few examples:
Flowers On The Table, acrylic on wood, by Jose Dominguez.
Park Rapids Sunrise, acrylic and rubber stamp on wood, by Carolyn Swiszcz.
Tree Swing by Aaron Dysart.
Man with circles by Judith Youman.
According to an Art Colony press release, “this is the third year of exploring Art + Embodiment, and the importance of play has emerged as an overarching necessity in both ourselves and our experiences. Play voluntarily pulls us out of the routines of daily life, allowing us to push past boundaries and learn beyond our habitual patterns.
Join us for an exhibition steeped in explorative playfulness, featuring works across myriad artistic mediums by Jose Dominguez, Aaron Dysart, Carolyn Swiszcz, & Judith Youman.”
Also at Studio 21, the Art Colony is featuring an exhibit of work from potters working in the ceramics studio. The exhibit is entitled “A Gang of Green.” It continues through the end of June.
A Gang of Green, Aleka Tomlinson, Jim Sannerud, Catherine Hansen, Lucy Carlson, and Brett Monahan, are exhibiting at Studio 21 through the end of June.
Studio 21 is open from 10 am to 5 pm Thursday through Saturday. Free.
Plein air painter, Logan Hudson, continues his exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.
Widgeon, oil, by Logan Hudson, is one of the paintings on view at the Heritage Post.
Hudson was the grand prize winner at last year’s Grand Marais Plein Air Competition. The exhibit features a variety of plein air landscapes and waterscapes from the North Shore.
The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Saturday, and from 1-4 pm Sunday. Free.
This is the last weekend to see works by digital artist Nicole Birch at Tettegouche State Park.
Hyla on Milkweed by Nicole Birch is one of the pieces on view at Tettegouche State Park this month.
The exhibit is in the Great Hall and open to the public.
The Member Show 2026: We Hold These Truths is currently on view at the Duluth Art Institute. The exhibit continues a wide selection of works by regional artists.
Here are a few examples of what you will see:
Liberty, photo collage, by Ken Bloom.
Minor Metropolitan Areas, mixed media, by Eric Zucola.
Abuse of Power, carbon steel, by Paul Webster.
Click on the QR code below to see the rest of the show.
The exhibition continues through July 10. Free.
Artists at Work:
Betsy Bowen’s 2027 Calendar, The Farm, and the Birds, is now available at her gallery.
Last Dance, oil, by Christine Code.
Fairy Bridge- Berry Head Arch, acrylic on watercolour paper, by Reilly Fitzgerald.
Morning Reward, fused glass, by Nancy Seaton.
Sunday Trees, print, by Nancy Carlson.
Yellow-headed Vulture, ink on watercolor paper, by Ralph Keating.
Lotus Friends, etching on copper plates, painted and printed by Jutta Votteler.
The world turns, acrylic, by Adam Swanson.
Teapot, blown glass, by Richard Marquis..
Hand-carved spoons by Donna Karnuth have arrived at Betsy Bowen’s Studio Gallery.
Raven visits the SFO, blown glass, by Preston Singletary.
Online Findings:
Tortoises transform the Sahara Desert
500 tortoises were transported to the Sahara Desert. See how they transformed it here.
Sparky Stensaas is birding in Florida
Online Music:
Live Music:
Thursday, May 28:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
Friday, May 29:
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
- Elijah Erickson, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Saturday, May 30:
- Lynden Graham, Cook County Market at the Hub, 10-2 pm
- Pat Eliasen, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
- EricKaoke, Karaoke hosted by Erick Stee, Up Yonder, 9-11:59 pm
Sunday, May 31
- Boyd “Bump” Blomberg, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 5-7 pm
Monday, June 1:
- Scott Fraser, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Tuesday, June 2:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Open Stage hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 6-8 pm
- Emma Tweeten, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 6-9 pm
- Community Singing, Log Cabin at the Grand Marais Community Center, 7 pm
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Thursday, June 4:
- The Splints, Up Yonder, 5-8 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
Friday, June 5:
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
- Pete Kavanaugh + Friends, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 8-11 pm
Saturday, June 6:
- Roxann Berglund, Cook County Market at the Hub, 10-2 pm
- Jim Miller, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
Sunday, June 7:
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 5-7 pm
Photographs:
Here’s a selection of photographs we found this week:
Wildlife:
Making the crossing by Voyageur Canoe Outfitters.
Lazuli Bunting by Chuck Olsen.
White-crowned Sparrow by Chris Artist.
Mom and Chick by Paul Ostrum.
Doubles by Paul Ostrum.
Bay-breasted Warbler by Michael Furtman.
Heron taking flight this morning by John Cannell.
Tree Swallow by Alec Johnson.
A visit by a Scarlet Tanager by Becky Heller.
Anyone missing a rooster in Cook County? by Stacey Kelly.
Indigo Bunting by Kathie Swader.
Lots of activity by Chris Artist.
Thunder Chicken, aka Ruffed Grouse by Paul Ostrum.
The amazing Sedge Wren by John Heino.
This fresh bear track was discovered on a gravel road near Ely by Dave and Any Freeman.
Just planted Salvia, and a Painted Lady showed up by Maryl Skinner.
Potpourri
In Boston by Jim Boyd.
A recycling archive- Tara Block posted this from somewhere in India.
The “shortcut” by Richard Ketring.
I drove this at 18 in a snowstorm. My first road trip.
On the map, it looked like a shortcut.
Flowerscapes, Landscapes, Sunscapes & Waterscapes:
Our undisciplined spring garden by Jim Boyd.
Marsh Marigold by Gregory Israelson.
Summer coming with a double rainbow by Chuck Olsen.
The Northwoods Cosmos by Nathan Narog.
The BWCA in spring by Rose Arrowsmith.
So peaceful in Two Harbors by Matthew Pastick.
Early morning by Elizabeth Anderson.
It was foggy this morning on the Namekagon near Seeley by Paul Ostrum.
About an hour ago by Ken Harmon.
Breaking through, Jay Cooke State Park, by Ryan Tischer.
April’s new moon over Lake Superior by Travis Novitsky.
Sunshine on my shoulders by Matthew Pastick.
Just the beginning by Hayes Scriven.
Blue sky over North Shore waterfalls by Ken Harmon.
The Lightning Storm by David Johnson.
Enjoy the weekend, everyone!
PS: Hope you enjoyed NorthShore ArtScene this week! Please consider contributing today. It keeps us going and assures that you will have it in your inbox on Thursday mornings. Just click on the icon below to donate.
Thank you!
A special thank you to Jeremy Lopez and Yvonne Mills for helping with this issue, and to Visit Cook County for its outstanding events calendar.
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