All puffed up byJim Brandenburg.
At -18F by Bryan Hansel.
Greetings from the North Shore. Hope you are keeping warm and all is well. Like many other places in the state, we’ve had some pretty cold weather here lately, which is good news for several different reasons, one being Lake Superior.
At the beginning of last week, it had been so warm that the Big Lake had only frozen 6 percent. Now it’s 31 percent frozen, according to Paul Huttner of MPR. We probably won’t see the whole lake freeze as it has in past years.
Remember this photo? It is one of many that NOAA has posted of Lake Superior’s “long hair” in winter.
A NOAA satellite photo taken in 2017 of Lake Superior shows ice formation and lots of lake effect snow.
Meanwhile, art-making continues.
The public is invited to celebrate art-makers at the opening of the Northwoods Fiber Guild exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post that opens on Friday.
The Northwoods Fiber Guild exhibit at the Heritage Post opens with a reception from 5-7 pm on Friday.
The show is entitled: From Our Hearts and Hands and features a great variety of fiber work by 40 guild members. Look for weaving, knitting, felting, paper-making, and more. The opening reception is from 5-7 pm on Friday, Jan. 30. The exhibit runs through Feb. 22.
The centerpiece of the show is the Cook County Chair of Hope, a collaborative project inspired by the “African Dream Chair” of South Africa. Created by more than 20 local artists using a recycled chair from Oddz and Endz thrift store, this piece focuses on unity and connection. Visitors are encouraged to physically interact with the piece by taking a moment to “sit a spell” and reflect on their hopes for the world while reading a journal that documents the artists’ creative processes. Following its debut at the gallery, the Chair of Hope will continue its journey as a traveling symbol of connection throughout the county. Learn more about the exhibit here.
Winter gallery hours are in effect: 10 am to 4 pm Thursday through Saturday and from 1-4 pm Sunday.
Also on Friday, Hungry Hippie Tacos continues its Friday Cribbage & Cards opportunities from 3-8 pm.
A Cribbage & Cards event will be at Hungry Hippie Tacos on Fridays through March from 3-8 pm.
The public is invited.
On Saturday, the Cook County Snowmobile Club, the Ridge Riders, will hold its annual Fun Run. This is a great opportunity to explore the resorts and venues on the Gunflint Trail with friends and family.
The annual Fun Run, hosted by the Cook County Ridge Riders, will be held on Saturday. Click here for more info.
Participants can travel by car, snowmobile, or plane to the checkpoints on the Trail, where they can earn points when they play a game at the site. Checkpoints include Skyport Lodge, Trail Center, Poplar Haus, White Pine Lodge, Hungry Jack Lodge, Gunflint Pines, and Gunflint Lodge. Note: It is not required to go to all of the checkpoints, but it is encouraged.
The Fun Run concludes with dinner at Hungry Jack Lodge, where the winners will be announced. Open to all. To find out more, click here.
The Gunflint Trail Historical Society’s Online Auction begins on Sunday, Feb. 1.
The Gunflint Trail Historical Society’s online auction begins on Sunday, Feb. 1. Click here to learn more.
The auction, a fundraiser for the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, features Northwoods treasures, artwork, and more, as well as a great selection of one-of-a-kind adventures and tours. To see the offerings, click here. The auction continues through Feb. 13.
The annual Winter Fireplace Tour begins this weekend.
The Winter Fireplace Tour in Cook County starts on Feb. 1.
The tour features some of the most spectacular fireplaces in the lodges and resorts in the region. The public is invited to explore them all and enjoy a warm beverage and cozy moments in front of a dancing fire. Click here to see a list of all the fireplaces on the tour.
A Full Moon Poetry Reading will be held at Drury Lane Books on Sunday, Feb. 1.
There will be a Full Moon poetry reading at Drury Lane Books on Sunday.
The public is invited to bring a favorite poem to share. The event is open to all and runs from 6-8 pm. It is held by a bonfire on the beach outside the shop.
In inclement weather, it is held indoors. Free.
Exhibits:
The 2025 Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection continues at Sivertson Gallery.
Kamikutaalik (One with Long Boots), lithograph, by Ningiukulu Teevee, is one of the prints at Sivertson Gallery.
This year, Sivertson Gallery celebrates over 65 years of annual print collections from Kinngait Studios.
Previously known as Cape Dorset, Kinngait is an Arctic island located in Hudson Strait, Canada. Cape Dorset is world famous for its artwork, especially printmaking, drawing, and carving. The studio is the longest continuously running print studio in Canada. More than 1,200 people live in Kinngait and most families count one or more members as artists. To see the complete collection, click here.
Two exhibits continue at the Duluth Art Institute, including Carl Gawboy’s exhibition of his historical watercolors and Wendy Savage’s collection of Ojibwe arts and artifacts.
Carl Gawboy’s “Fur Trade Nation” has opened at the Duluth Art Institute.
“Ojibwe Adornment In Ribbons, Cloth, Beads, and Fur,” curated by Wendy Savage, is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.
The exhibits continue through March.
At the Walker Art Center, Dyani White Hawk’s (Sičáŋǧu Lakota, b. 1976) art centers on connection—between one another, past and present, earth and sky. By foregrounding Lakota forms and motifs, she challenges prevailing histories and practices surrounding abstract art. Featuring multimedia paintings, sculpture, video, and more, Love Language gathers 15 years of the artist’s work in this major survey.
Create, multimedia, by Dyani White Hawk, from her Takes Care of Them suite, 2019.
The exhibition unfolds across four sections named by the artist to speak to Indigenous value systems: See, Honor, Nurture, and Celebrate. ‘See’ introduces visitors to White Hawk’s worldview. Opening with early pieces that combine quillwork, beadwork, and painting, the artist examines, dissects, and reassembles elements of her own Sičáŋǧu Lakota and European American ancestries. Visitors will encounter Lakota forms and teachings that inform her practice, alongside works addressing urgent issues of settler colonialism and oppression.
The exhibit continues through April.
Kudos:
Staci Drouillard has recently published a children’s book about Grand Portage artist George Morrison.
George Morrison, Modern Artist by Staci Drouillard has just been published.
The book can be found at Drury Lane Books.
An exhibit of George Morrison’s work is currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Minnesota Public Radio went to the opening of that exhibit and talked to his family and the curator of the exhibit. Click here to listen to the interview.
Dozens of family members and friends from Minnesota gathered on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday to celebrate Ojibwe artist George Morrison’s first solo exhibition at the Met. Photo by Alex V. Cipolle, MPR News.
FYI:
WTIP’s Radio Waves Music Festival has been cancelled for 2026.
WTIP North Shore Community Radio announced this week a change in format for live music events in the coming year. The decision is based on a combination of factors that include reduced funding from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund and uncertainty related to future funding.
The changes include the cancellation of the Radio Waves Music Festival in 2026. WTIP executive director, Matthew Brown, recognized that Radio Waves is a beloved community event and that the decision to cancel the festival in 2026 was difficult.
In a press release, Brown said, “This was not an easy decision, but given the reduction in funding and our 2026 operating budget deficit, we believe a format change is the best way to continue to serve our community, while expanding live music events throughout the year.”
Part of the WTIP mission is to showcase diverse musical acts while supporting new artists and local favorites. WTIP remains committed to this mission and is exploring creative ways to support live music in Cook County through a new initiative called North by North Shore.
“We want our community and local musicians to know how deeply we value the role that live music events play in contributing to the creativity in Cook County. This new live music initiative will expand the number of events we can offer each year, and create opportunities to partner with other organizations that share our mission,” said development director Katie Belanger.
Follow North by North Shore event announcements at 90.7 FM Grand Marais/North Shore, 90.1 FM Grand Portage, and 89.1 FM Gunflint Trail. Sign up for our newsletter, follow WTIP on social media, or stream online at wtip.org.
Upcoming:
The North Shore Music Association is sponsoring two music events next weekend: The Erik Koskinen Band at Up Yonder on Feb. 7 and an intimate concert in the Log Cabin Building on Sunday, Feb. 8, with Koskinen, Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufel. The two events offer completely different but beautiful music experiences.
The music weekend kicks off on Saturday night at Up Yonder with a full-band honky-tonk show led by Erik Koskinen — swinging country, great songs, and a room made for gathering and moving in the middle of winter.
Erik Koskinen Band on stage at Up Yonder on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Sunday evening shifts into an intimate listening-room concert at the 4-H Log Cabin, with Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufel sharing their deeply moving songwriting, joined by Erik as a special guest.
Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufel perform with Koskinen on Sunday, Feb. 8.
For tickets and more information, click here.
Artists At Work:
United We Stand, clay and glass by Lee and Dan Ross.
Winter Raven, acrylic, by E. J. Klepinger.
Making some resistance pottery by Keely Young-Dixon.
Cygnet, hand-pulled five-color stone lithograph on paper, 2017, Elisabeth Sommerville.
The Fallen Angel, 1903, oil, by Hugo Simberg.
Greater Rhea, Ink on Bristol vellum by Ralph Keating.
Lake Superior Country, 1924, oil, by A.Y. Jackson.
Oceánské oko ~ Ocean Eye, 2024, Czech glass, by Vana Mašitová.
Flat Bag, late 19th–early 20th century, Native American wool, cotton, glass, and Native-tanned skin by a Yakama artist.
Malkovich, charcoal and white chalk on grey paper, by Tim Vahle.
Untitled, watercolor, by Bill Beaupre.
Shiny Shadows, 2020, acrylic by Reilly Fitzgerald.
Multimedia pieces by Sue Rauschenfels have arrived at Ground Floor Artists Gallery in Surprise, Ariz.
Landscape, layering, and needlework by Carinne Meyerink. Courtesy of Sheila Hagan-Bloxham.
Vanguards, 2025, oil by James Ellis.
Mosaic wolf, made out of stained and tempered glass after a photo by Steve Gatz. Art by Caroline Emily.
The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, oil, JMW Turner, 1775–1851.
Online Findings:
30 Inspiring Photos by Erdem Kilic That Capture Travel, Culture, and Human Stories
A woman at work by Inle Lake, while colorful fabrics dry, by Erdem Kilic. To see more of his photos, click here.
Sparky Explores Birds & Winter Storms
Online Music:
Selections courtesy of Phil Oswald
Live Music:
Thursday, January 29:
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Jim Miller, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
Friday, January 30:
- Clay Fulton, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 3-6 pm
- Pat Eliasen, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
- John Gruber, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Briand Morrison, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Emma Tweten, Bluefin Grille, 7-9 pm
- Timmy Haus, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 8:30-11 pm
Saturday, January 31:
- Clay Fulton, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 3-6 pm
- Jim Miller, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Joe Paulik, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- EricKaoke, Karaoke hosted by Erick Steey, Up Yonder, 8-1 am
- Timmy Haus, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 8:30-11 pm
Sunday, February 1:
- Pete Kavanaugh, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
Monday, February 2:
- Pat Eliasen, Voyageur Brewing Company, 5-7 pm
- Gordon Thorne, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 7-9 pm
Tuesday, February 3:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Open Stage hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 6-8 pm
- Pat Eliasen, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Community Singing, Log Cabin at the Grand Marais Community Center, 7 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
Thursday, February 5:
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Jim Miller, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
Friday, February 6:
- Mark Joseph, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 3-6 pm
- John Gruber, Moguls Grille & Taproom, 4-6 pm
- Gene LaFond and Amy Grillo, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Briand Morrison, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Timmy Haus, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 8:30-11 pm
Saturday, February 7:
- Mark Joseph, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 3-6 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
- Martha Marnocha Garage Band with Russ Viton, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Joe Paulik, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Erik Koskinen Band with Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld, Up Yonder, 8 pm
- Timmy Haus, Lofty Gondola at Lutsen Mountains, 8:30-11 pm
Sunday, February 8:
- Pete Kavanaugh, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Erik Koskinen Band with Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld, Log Cabin in Grand Marais, 6 pm
Photographs:
Wildlife:
The Fox and the Giant by Chris Artist.
The Great Grey in late afternoon by Bill Marchel.
Love is in the air in Nashville by Jerry Vandiver.
Corn lovers by Sandra Updyke.
“Nestorations” happening on the DNR EagleCam. To check it out, click here.
A Bald Eagle checks out traffic on I-35, compliments of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
A nice little flock of moose in the woods by Thomas Spence.
White-breasted Nuthatch by Bill Marchel.
Potpourri:
Watch out for exploding trees. Illustration by Paul Ostrum.
Heartland No 92, Snowbound, old Ford pickup, Madeline Island, Wis., by John Heino.
Sean DeWolski finishing first in the 2026 Beargrease 120. Photo by Northern News Now.
Walk for Peace: Walking in all conditions. For more information, click here.
The Nee-Gee at Isle Royale. Photo courtesy of Dan Helmerson. The restored Nee-Gee is currently on view at the Grand Marais Rec Park.
My guinea pigs discovered the wheat grass I grew for them by Raven Wind.
Minnesota in winter by Douglas Wood.
The Sawbill rest stop during the Beargrease by Chuck Olsen.
Adam Malmanger and his bike at -26F.
Chicken treats at Locally Laid Egg Company at -10F.
Landscapes, Skyscapes, Waterscapes & Icescapes
Winter storm on Lake Michigan by Jeremy Church.
When it gets cold enough, by Ken Harmon.
Wisconsin Brisk by John Heino.
Sea smoke on a gray day by Sierra Parsons.
Sea Smoke at sunrise by Stephanie Irwin.
Pancakes on Jan. 22 by Eric Humphrey.
Custer State Park by Carl Anderson.
Entrance to the Duluth Harbor by Schauer Photography.
Frozen by Michael McKeever.
The trilogy by Ken Harmon.
Sun dog on a frozen day by Carl Anderson.
Cold World Beauty by Kevin Severson.
Northern Lights by Paul Sundberg.
Ice pancakes and Lake Sueprior by 906 Images.
That first moment by Chuck Olsen.
Shoreline Sightings by Gregory Israelson.
On Fire, -10 sunset by David Johnson.
A Lake Superior winter evening by Chuck Olsen.
Have a good weekend, everyone. Be well.
Note: If you enjoyed NorthShore ArtScene this week, please consider contributing today. We so appreciate and need your support to continue bringing you the arts and entertainment news and photographs from The North Shore.
Thank you!
This blog is grateful for the help and support from Jeremy Lopez for his tech support and Yvonne Mills for her great proofreading. Thank you, both! And to visit Cook County for its outstanding Events Calendar.