Paul Sundberg took this beauty of the freezing falls on the Cascade River. Enjoy!
The holiday shopping season is at full steam ahead this weekend, with two iconic North Shore holiday festivals: the Holiday Art Underground show at the Betsy Bowen Gallery and the Northwoods Fiber Guild’s Holiday Open House and Sale at the Grand Marais Art Colony.
First up, though, is a chance to repair those holey woolen socks. The Wool Repair Clinic will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Johnson Heritage Post on Thursday, Nov. 30. Using needle single-needle felting and wet-felting techniques, felter Elise Kylo will teach you how how to fix those nagging holes in your socks, or bring a favorite wool item (hats, scarves, sweaters, jackets) that you would like to add color and designs to. It’s a great way to fix those woolens you love and learn something at the same time. Cost is $5, which includes a needle-felting tool. Additional wool may be purchased. No pre-registration required, drop by to participate.
Also on Thursday night, artist Lynn Speaker will be presenting an artist services workshop on the Critical Response at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 5-8 p.m. Tuition is $10.
Artist Lynn Speaker will present a workshop on the Critical Response Process from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30.
The Critical Response Process is a multi-step, group system for giving and receiving useful feedback on creative processes and works-in-progress. Originated in the 1990’s by choreographer and MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellow Liz Lerman, the process has been widely embraced by artists, educators, and administrators. Critical Response allows artists to ask questions about their work in a non-judgmental setting and nurtures the development of artistic works through a facilitated dialogue between artists, peers, and audiences. The workshop will be held from 5-8 p.m. Call the Art Colony at 387-2737 for more information.
Then on Friday, Holiday Art Underground 2017 opens at the Betsy Bowen Gallery with a Sneak Preview from 5-7 p.m.
The Holiday Art Underground opens with a sneak preview on Friday night.
This year, 35 local and regional artists will participate in the show, which features everything from woodcut prints to pottery, landscape paintings to fused glass. The Sneak Preview on Friday is from 5-7 p.m. and features music by Rod & Caribou as well as refreshments. The opening continues over the weekend with the gallery open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. All are invited to experience this outstanding show, which continues through December. The gallery hours starting next weekend are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Also on Friday night, the band, the Space Monkey Mafia will be live in the studios on WTIP Community Radio’s The Roadhouse. Musicians Chris Gillis and Todd Miller will also be on the show to talk about the Grand Marais Music Collaborative and the jam session on Friday night at The Wunderbar. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.
Also on Friday, at Tettegouche State Park, plein air painter Greg Lecker opens an exhibit of his work with a reception at 7 p.m. Briand Morrison will play and refreshments will be served.
“Tracing the Gorge” by Greg Lecker.
Lecker will also be giving a plein air painting demonstration at Tettegouche from 2:30 – 4 p.m. Saturday.
On Saturday, the Northwoods Fiber Guild Holiday Open House and Sale opens at 9 a.m. at the Grand Marais Art Colony, one of the highlights of the holiday season.
The Northwoods Fiber Guild Holiday Open House and Sale is at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Pictured are ust a few of the items that wil be featured at the event.
Guild members offer a wide variety of handmade fiber art including weaving, felting, knitting, sewing and more. The event includes homemade sweets and beverages, as well as demos and craft tables. This year, participants can learn how to make felted finger puppets at the Hands On Table. Free. This is always a fun event, with lots of beautiful work to enjoy.
The Senior Center is hosting a Craft Bazaar/Luncheon from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 as a fundraiser for new tables and chairs at the center. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. All invited.
And for those interesting in learning more about a traditional Swedish Christmas, Richard Tellström, American Swedish Institute Food Historian-in-Residence, Malmberg Fellow and acclaimed Swedish food writer and historian from Stockholm University, will share Swedish traditions about the Christmas meal and Christmas smorgasbord at the Johnson Heritage Post from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday. He will also give some examples of the New Nordic Cuisine, contemporary food ideas which pick up older food traditions but also add new flavors and cooking techniques. Free and open to the public.
And on Sunday, Voyageur Brewing Co. will screen a holiday movie at 12:30 p.m. at part of its Holiday Movies series. The movies are free and are family friendly. All invited.
Exhibits:
North House Folk School’s exhibit, “Begin Continue” is at the Johnson Heritage Post through Dec. 14. The exhibit features a wide variety of work by Folk School instructors as well as story boards celebrating North House’s 20th anniversary.
One of the pieces in “Begin Continue” is “Mark Hansen loves (lives) to row,” an animated multi-media work by Cecilia Schiller.
For this exhibit, the Heritage Post is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. All invited. Free.
In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art opens a new exhibit entitled “Fresh Foundations” with a reception at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5.
“Fresh Foundations,” an Art & Design exhibition opens at the Tweed Museum of Art Dec. 5.
The exhibit features student work in design in 2017.
Also at the Tweed, the director, Ken Bloom, will give a lecture on photography as it relates to the the spectacular “A Thousand Words” exhibit that continues at the Tweed.
(detail), Ruth Orkin, “American Girl in Italy, 1951.”
Bloom curated the exhibition, and he will provide an overview of the process and strategy that underlies the show and will engage with the audience in discussion of individual artworks. The presentation is at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
The exhibition, “Laurentian: Paul LaJeunesse and the Lake Superior Wood Turners” continues at the Duluth Art Institute.
This painting by Paul LaJeunesse is at the Duluth Art Institute.
In Thunder Bay, the Definitely Superior Art Gallery is featuring two exhibits: the 29th annual Regional Juried Show, featuring a diversity of excellent art works by 50 regional artists.
“Return of the Pipe, Museum Representation” by Mary McPherson is at the Definitely Superior Art Gallery in Thunder Bay.
The exhibition at DefSup also includes “Facade,” a short art film installation by Piotr Skowronski, which explores the universal expression of human emotions on an ever changing diversity of human faces. The exhibitions continue through Jan. 13. The gallery, which is located at 250 Park, is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission by donation.
At the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, the exhibition “Converging Lines: Recent Art From the Northwest” continues, featuring a variety of work by contemporary Northwest artists.
Foreground: Cree Stevens, “Wigwas with Antler, 2017,” mixed media sculpture with birchbark, deer antler, rawhide lacing, copper leaf, copper wire, iron pipe. The work is in an exhibit at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
“Converging Lines” continues through Feb. 25.
Upcoming:
The Svea Singers Holiday Concert will be at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 7.
The 43rd annual Julefest will be held at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Saturday, Dec. 9, starting at 1 p.m.
Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery will hold its 3rd Anniversary Birthday/Holiday Party on Saturday, Dec. 9, starting at 4 p.m.
The Grand Marais Art Colony will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a Birthday Bash in the Founders Hall on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 7 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. featuring music by Cook County’s Most Wanted. The Hall will be transformed into a dazzling night club and participants are invited to wear their festive and celebratory attire — and dance shoes. There will be a cash beer & wine bar and special Gallery Store hours.
The Borealis Chorale and Orchestra Christmas Concerts will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 and Monday, Dec. 11. Stay tuned for details.
The Curry Cook-Off and Broadway Showcase, a fundraiser for the Grand Marais Playhouse, will be held at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Saturday, Dec. 16. See next week for more info.
Artist News
Anna Hess has work at the North Shore Winery.
“Beautiful Quiet” by Anna Hess is at the North Shore Winery.
Plein air painter Neil Sherman is exhibiting at the Grand Hill Gallery Holiday Show and Sale through Dec. 30. The show opens with a reception tonight, Nov. 30, from 6:30-10 p.m.
“Stryker’s Alley, Superior, Wis.” by Neil Sherman.
Sherman is exhibiting with some of Minnesota’s top plein air painters, including Jack Dant, Bop Upton, Tom McGregor, Mike Rada, Christopher Copeland and Richard Abraham. The exhibit continues through Dec. 30. The gallery is located at 333 Grand Ave. in St. Paul.
Here’s the music for the week:
Thursday, Nov. 30:
- Jon Kalberg, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 1:
- Joe Paulik, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
- Grand Marais Music Collaborative, The Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
- Plucked Up String Band, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
- Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec.2:
- Jim & Michele Miller, Voyageur Brewing Co.4 p.m.
- Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
- Michael Monroe, concert at Naniboujou Resort, 7 p.m.
- Terri Quinn, The Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
- Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.
- Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 5:
- Jim & Michele Miller, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.
Here are some of the photos we found this week.
Let’s start with Canadian lynx with a photo and a video.
Canadian Lynx kitten by David Johnson.
David Johnson posted the above photo of a Canadian lynx kitten a few weeks ago. Lately, he’s been capturing them on a trail cam. Did you know that lynx kittens can sort of bark like a dog? Check out this video to hear the kittens and see them exploring the bait tree. Enjoy!
We found some pretty spectacular sunrises and sunsets this week. Here are some examples.
Fire on the Island by Jamie Rabold.
“Before the Parade” by David Johnson.
“Can you say unreal?’ by Matthew Pastick.
At the opposite site of the spectrum:
Soft colors by Don Davison.
Angry Lake by Kirk Schleife.
And check out this neat urban landscape.
Christmas Feeling-Duluth by Jeffrey Doty.
And finally, this evocative early winter photo by Mary Lou Williams.
Island Lake by Mary Lou Williams.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
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