“Birch” by Jan Swart.
Whenever summer really arrives on the North Shore, it never fails to amaze — balmy breezes, blue skies with puffy white clouds, Lake Superior, blue and gleaming to the horizon. When that happens, all we can do is say “Yes!” and enjoy. That’s what we have this weekend, so look forward to it.
Plus, there’s a lot going on — from a 3-day music festival in Harbor Park to the start of an international boat race to Thunder Bay, a summer theater festival, a flower show, an artist talk — there is plenty to do.
First up is the Arrowhead Sketchers, an open art group, who will meet at Voyageur’s Brewing from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday. Sketchers may be inspired by the pub architecture, other buildings or harbor views.
The Arrowhead Sketchers met at Artist’s Point last week. Pictured above is Riley Kollman, visiting from Tampa, Fl. He is sketching with his grandmother, Kathy Weinberg.
Anyone can join the The Arrowhead Sketchers for the weekly sessions. Just bring a pencil or paints and sketch pad, and enjoy!
David Morris made this sketch last week from Artist’s Point.
The Grand Marais Playhouse‘s Summer Theater Festival continues, with performances of “The Pajama Game” and “The Game’s Afoot” at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. The plays are in repertory, changing each night. The musical, “The Pajama Game” will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, the comedy “The Game’s Afoot” will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Both plays have had great reviews.
“The Pajama Game” is directed by Sue Hennessy. The cast includes Mark Abrahamson, Karen Blackburn, John Bragstad, Susan Bragstad, Kate Fitzgerald, Hilja Iverson, Thomas Stamps, Louise Reavis and Karina Roth.
The cast of “The Pajama Game” includes, front row, from left, Susan Bradstad, Karina Roth, Hilja Iverson, Louise Reavis, Karen Blackburn and Kate Fitzgerald. Back row from left: Thomas Stamps, John Bragstad and Mark Abrahamson
The cast of “The Game’s Afoot” includes Gary Latz, Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux, Jane Gellner, Jan Healy, Kevin Kager, Sam Seitsema, and Diane Stoddard.
Tickets are $20 adults and $10 Youth under 18. Buy a ticket to both shows and save $5. Tickets are available at the door.
On Friday, the 3-day Stars of the North Music Festival starts in Bear Tree Park at 5 p.m. The Music Festival is a fundraising event to raise money to help young musicians and is free.
Stars of the North Music Festival starts on Friday at 5 p.m. in Bear Tree Park.
The music festival starts in the afternoon on Friday with a mix of local talent both electric and acoustic, carries through the day and early evening on Saturday with the same mix, and culminates in a “Rocking Gospel Hour” on Sunday, ending by about noon. The event emphasizes local performers and/or locally connected musicians. For the complete music schedule, see below.
“The Game’s Afoot” is performed at the ACA at 7 p.m. Friday night.
Saturday will be really busy.
It begins at 9 a.m. with the Cook County Market, held in the Senior Center’s parking lot through 1 p.m. The market features a wide variety of Cook County artisans exhibiting their work. The Northwoods Fiber Guild has a booth at the market this year as well.
Then, at 11 a.m., the 2017 Minnesota Quilter of the Year, Karen McTavish, will have a trunk show at the Cross River Heritage Center.
Quilter Karen McTavish will have a trunk show at the Cross River Heritage Center on Saturday.
McTavish specializes in crafting award-winning quilts using techniques which allow any machine quilter to replicate traditional “hand-quilted” effects as well as quilting today’s modern quilts.
An example of a Karen McTavish quilt.
At noon on Saturday, the International Yacht Race, sponsored by the Thunder Bay Yacht Club, will start at the Grand Marais Lighthouse.
The International Yacht Race will start in Grand Marais on Saturday. The yachts will race to Thunder Bay.
The race, which has been organized by the club for years, often chooses different routes. This is the first time they will start in Grand Marais.
Also at noon on Saturday, the Grand Marais Garden Club will open its annual flower show at the Cook County Community Center. The title of the show this year is “Flower Fiesta.”
The Grand Marais Garden Club will hold its annual flower show at the Community Center on Saturday.
The show runs through 5 p.m. Community members are invited to bring arrangements of their own to the Community Center on Saturday morning. The show also features refreshments. All invited.
Also at noon, an Artist Talk will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony featuring Donna Brune, who will talk about Integrative Medical Practices and Community Engagement., and how art exhibits play into that goal. The talk is free and open to the public.
Then, at 1 p.m. Cila Walford will demo watercolor pencils at the Grand Marais Art Colony as part of its Saturday at the Studios series.
Also at 1 p.m., on Saturday, singer/songwriter Courtney Yesmineh will be at the book signing at the Lake Superior Trading Post. This is the musician’s first book.
Courtney Yesmineh will sign her book at the Lake Superior Trading Post on Saturday as well as play at the music festival.
Yesmineh will also be on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday night (the show airs from 5-7 p.m.) and she will perform at the Stars of the North Music Festival at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
At 4 p.m. on Saturday, there will be Bronze Pour at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen. All invited.
And “The Pajama Game” will be performed at the ACA at 7 p.m.
Finally, Clearwater Lodge on the Gunflint Trail will celebrate its 91st anniversary with a party and music rom 7-10 p.m. The North Shore Community Swing Band will play, there will be beer tasting with Voyageur Brewing, dancing and snacks. All invited.
On Sunday, Gospel Music at Bear Tree Park with Gordon Thorne & Friends starting at 10:30 p.m., and a matinee of “The Game’s Afoot” at the ACA at 2 p.m.
The exhibit “Threads of Time and Place,” featuring the work o Marie Westerman and Jill Ewald continues at the Johnson Heritage Post.
“Pathways: Then to Now” by Jill Ewald is at the Johnson Heritage Post.
Westerman is a fiber artist who does pictorial weaving. Ewald is an artist who works with many mediums including oil paint, graphite, conte crayon, encaustic and charcoal, and recently, thread. The show will run until Aug. 13. The Johnson Heritage Post is open rom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Monday, and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Tuesdays.
“The exhibit, “Sinew: Female Native Artists of the Twin Cities” continues at the Tweed Museum of Art through the end of the summer.
Also, its exhibiton, “A Thousand Words,” featuring photographs from its collection, continues.
“Anima”by Canadian Plains Cree artist, Meryl McMaster. From her “Between Two Worlds” series. The photograph is at the Tweed Museum of Art.
The Duluth Art Institute‘s Plein Air Duluth: Paint du Nord” exhibit continues at the Blacklist Artisan Ales in Duluth through Aug. 27.
“Summer Break: Canal Park” by Sue Pavlatos is one of the paintings in the Duluth Plein air competition.
There’s lots happening in Thunder Bay this weekend, too, with the Bay & Algoma Buskers Festival and the Die Active Y-Art Sale behind Hoito’s Restaurant on Bay Street.
The Bay & Algoma Buskers Festival is in Thunder Bay this weekend.
The Buskers Festival features local and international buskers, food, sidewalk sales, and more. Admission is free. The Y-Art Sale, an arts and antiques yard sale is rom 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT). The Buskers Festival is held all weekend. It’s always a good time.
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery‘s exhibit, “The Perspective From Here” continues through August.
John Books’ sculpture, “Thank God It’s Friday,” exclaimed Crusoe, is one of the pieces on exhibit at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
Upcoming:
Fisherman’s Picnic is next weekend!
Fisherman’s Picnic is Aug. 2-6 this year.
There’s lots going on at the Picnic. For the complete schedule, click here. And stay tuned.
Also that weekend, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host a raku firing with Mark Lusardi from Continental Clay in Minneapolis. He will have pots to glaze from 5:30-8 p.m. and everyone can watch the raku process and take their pot home. He will have tea bowls, fairy houses, luminaries, dragonfly bowls and small tiles. Prices are from $3 to $20. Open to all. Stay tuned for details next week.
The annual Pow-Wow and Rendezvous Days in Grand Portage will be Aug. 11-Aug. 13.
And finally, Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour will held in art studios and galleries throughout Cook County Sept. 29 to Oct. 8.
Window Shopping:
Jeff Luedloff has work at Last Chance Gallery.
Kathy Weinberg’s “Twilight Blue” is at Ron’s World Rocks gallery in Grand Marais.
Betsy Bowen’s Galleries and Studio is featuring porcelain by Jeremy Vaughn. He works in China, but has roots here. The pieces are entitled “The Big Lake.”
Hovland potter Bob Tamanaha has work at Joy and Company.
For soft and beautiful, check out these organic scarves at Upstate MN.
In Other Art News:
Ann Possis reports that the San Francisco Museum of Art will send you an artwork image and caption if you text 572-51 with the words “send me” followed by a keyword, color or emoji. She sent the text: Send me cartoons. This is what she got.
Ann Possis got this when she sent a text request for a cartoon to the San Francisco Museum of Art.
Text 572-51 with an art request, and see what you get. I tried it. It works!
Here’s the music for this weekend.
Thursday, July 27:
- Beach Bonfire with Eric Frost, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, July 28:
- Plucked Up String Band, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
- Stars of the North Festival, Bear Tree Park, Grand Marais
Mysterious Ways, 5 p.m.
John Russ, 6:30 p.m.
Plucked Up String Band, 8 p.m.
- Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
- Pete K, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7 p.m.
- Dead Pigeons, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
- Jim and Michele Miller, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
Saturday, July 29:
- Stars of the North Festival, Bear Tree Park, Grand Marais
Eric Frost, 10:30 a.m.
Michael Monroe, noon
Briand Morrison, 1:30 p.m.
Common Ground, 3 p.m.
Courtney Yasmineh, 4:30 p.m.
The April Fools, 6:15 p.m.
Open Jam, 8 p.m.
- Brothers in Arms, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
- Plucked Up String Band and Summer Carols, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.
- J Squared and the Makers, Papa Charlie’s, 6 p.m.
- Pete K, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
- Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m., reservations @ michaelmonroemusic.com
- Jim and Michele Miller, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7 p.m.
- SplinterTones, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
- Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 30:
- Stars of the North Festival –Rockin’ Gospel Hour with Gordon Thorne & Friends, 10:30 a.m.
- Black River Revue, North Shore Winery, 2 p.m.
- SplinterTones, Skyport Lodge, p.m.
- Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
Monday, July 31:
- Bump Blomberg, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 2:
- Briand Morrison, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.
We found some interesting seasonal photographs this week.
Showy Lady Slippers by Paul Sundberg.
Summer Bouquet by Ann Possis.
Quiet Little Scene on the Cascade River by Bryan Hansel.
Dawn on Highway 61 by Jan Swart.
Here’s a reminder of another season that isn’t that far away.
Passin’ Through by David Johnson.
And here’s another David Johnson …
Milky Way Over Lake Superior by David Johnson.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Music:
Thursday, July 27:
- Beach Bonfire with Eric Frost, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, July 30:
- Plucked Up String Band, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
- Stars of the North Festival, Bear Tree Park, Grand Marais
Mysterious Ways, 5 p.m.
John Russ, 6:30 p.m.
Plucked Up String Band, 8 p.m.
- Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
- Pete K, Eagle Ridge Resort, 7 p.m.
- Dead Pigeons, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.
- Jim and Michele Miller, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
Saturday, July 29:
- Stars of the North Festival, Bear Tree Park, Grand Marais
Eric Frost, 10:30 a.m.
Michael Monroe, noon
Briand Morrison, 1:30 p.m.
Common Ground, 3 p.m.
Courtney Yasmineh, 4:30 p.m.
The April Fools, 6:15 p.m.
Open Jam, 8 p.m.
- Brothers in Arms, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
- Plucked Up String Band and Summer Carols, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.
- J Squared and the Makers, Papa Charlie’s, 6 p.m.
- Pete K, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
- Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m., reservations @ michaelmonroemusic.com
- Jim and Michele Miller, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7 p.m.
- SplinterTones, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
- Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 30:
- Stars of the North Festival –Rockin’ Gospel Hour with Gordon Thorne & Friends, 10:30 a.m.
- Black River Revue, North Shore Winery, 2 p.m.
- SplinterTones, Skyport Lodge, p.m.
- Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
Monday, July 31:
- Bump Blomberg, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 1:
- Briand Morrison, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.
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