We’ll be waiting for you, newly fired sculptures by Lee and Dan Ross.
Greetings from the North Shore, where we are all looking forward to art-filled days ahead. The Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour in Cook County begins on Friday and runs daily through Oct. 4.
The Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour begins this Friday and runs through October 4. Look for the signs. Click here for maps and more.
And in Lake County, the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour will be held Friday through Sunday.
The Lake Superior 20/20 Art Tour is this weekend in Lake County. To find out more, click here.
Add to that the 2026 Grand Marais Plein Air exhibit that opened at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday, and you have a recipe for an inspiring art-filled weekend.
Add to that the fact that fall colors have arrived, and it’s probably fair to say this weekend will be prime time for the eyes.
Fall Begins by David Johnson.
Oops! It will be a fantastic time for the ears, too. Unplugged is this weekend at North House Folk School with Dave Simonett, headliner for Trampled by Turtles, performing in an outdoor, free concert on Friday night.
Dave Simonett will play a free, outdoor concert at North House at 7 pm on Friday. Bring your chairs.
Dave Simonett
Add to that the hands-on activities and classes over the weekend at North House, as well as food experiences, and then there’s a poetry event at Drury Lane Books … truth be told, it’s a weekend to enjoy all your senses.
To make art yourself, consider going to Joy and Company on Thursday. The Art Counter Project, which is open to the public, is held weekly from 3-4:30 pm.
Buddy Skinner and his latest painting. Photo courtesy of Joy and Company.
Art projects vary each week, but some instruction is provided, as well as supplies. It is free, but a $5 donation is appreciated.
This is also the day to find locally grown produce, artisan breads, jams and jellies, and cut flowers at the Grand Marais Farmer’s Market.
The Grand Marais Farmer’s Market is held from 4:30-6 pm in the parking lot of the Community Center.
The market is held from 4:30-6 pm in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center.
Friday opens with the Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour at 10 am. More than 30 studios and galleries are participating this year, from Schroeder to Grand Portage. Many of the studios are featurng guest artists as well.
Here is a tiny snapshot of what you’ll find during the Fall Studio Tour.
Betsy’s original acrylic paintings for the 2027 calendar are features of this year’s Art Along the Lake Studio Tour. Ceramicist Melissa Wickware will be in the studio this weekend.
The Shortest Parade, paper collage, by Max Linehan.
Untitled, watercolor and ink, by Kim Dayton.
Turned bowl by Cooper Ternes.
Loving This Sunny Day, by Nancy Seaton.
This is just a tiny representation of artists participating in the Fall Studio Tour. The studios and galleries are open from 10 am to 5 pm daily. To find out more and see all the artists participating, click here.
Also on Friday, the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour starts in Lake County, with participating artists showing paintings, poetry, baskets, glass, fiber arts, and more.
Potter Paul Zoldahn is one of the artists on the Lake Superior 20/20 Art Tour.
To find out more about the tour, participating artists, and maps, click here. The tour ends at 5 pm Sunday.
Friday is also the first day of Unplugged, the fall celebration at North House Folk School.
Unplugged will be held at North House Folk School Sept. 25-26.
This two-day festival features two free concerts: Dave Simonett on Friday at 7 pm and the Roe Family Singers for a family concert on Saturday at 10 am.
But that’s only a part of what will be offered during this two-day celebration: classes, presentations, and hands-on craft activities for families, an online auction, and more on the schedule. To find out more, click here.
On Saturday, the Cook County Market opens in the parking lot of The Hub at 10 am.
The Cook County Market is held from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday.
This market exhibits a variety of work by local artists and artisans, including paintings, rock lamps, pottery, glass, baskets, hand-dyed fabrics, balms and lotions, and more. Open to all. Tom Knutson will play live music.
On Saturday evening, Drury Lane Books will host the League of Minnesota Poets.
The Minnesota League of Poets will read at Drury Lane Books on Saturday.
Five poets will share their work at the event. Attendees will hear from local and regional poets published in this year’s Agates anthology, including Ryan Leng, Sarah Royer-Stoll, Brittany N. Jaekel, Morey Nellis, and Shelby D. Johnson. Guest poets will have the spotlight for the evening, but if there is time afterwards, the circle will be opened to the usual open-mic-style poetry share for all to participate.
AGATES is the poetry journal published annually by the League of MN Poets and features members’ original works. The book is a perfect-bound, 90-page collection of poems beautifully designed and edited by members.
The public is invited. The reading starts at 6 pm.
On Sunday, a Full Moon Sound Bath will be held in the Log Building at the Cook County Community Center at 7 pm.
A Full Moon Sound Bath will be held in the Log Building on Sunday.
The public is invited to experience the therapeutic effects of a relaxing sound bath. Freewill donations are accepted. All welcome.
On Wednesday, the Grand Marais Public Library will present Sand Painting & Rangoli with COMPAS artist Shakuntala Maheshwari.
A workshop on sand painting and Rangoli will be held at the library on Wednesday.
Designed for ages 10 and up, this workshop is two hours long. Registration is required. Space is limited due to the hands-on instruction.
The public is invited to discover rich Indian culture, history, and traditions through sand painting and rangoli. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn about rangoli designs: temporary floor art created to bring good luck and happiness to homes throughout India. Inspired by these intricate designs, create your own mandala-like piece with chalk, sand, or rice flour in this interactive workshop. Your stylized rangoli can be displayed temporarily or transferred to paper to bring home as a keepsake.
Pre-registration is required. Contact the library at 218-387-1140.
Exhibits:
The 2026 Grand Marais Plein Air Competition exhibit opened Friday with a standing-room-only crowd at the Johnson Heritage Post. In all, more than 240 paintings are on display in the show, with many others on reserve.
Bob Upton received the Best Body of Work award at the Plein Air competition, now on view at the Heritge Post.
Along the lakeshore, oil, by Greg Preslicka, is at the Heritage Post show.
Sugarloaf Summer, watercolor, by Sandy Maxwell. The painting can be seen at the Plein Air exhibit at the Heritage Post.
The plein air painters spent a week painting in the county and participating in special events like the Birney Quick Paint on Artist Point. Lisa Stauffer was the juror this year. The event was organized by the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota.
The exhibit continues through Nov. 1.
The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Saturday and from 1-4 pm Sunday. Free.
The Grand Marais Art Colony has opened a new exhibit at Studio 21. The multi-media exhibit by John Hitchcock is entitled “What is America? Land Fragments.”
John Hitchcock is exhibiting work at Studio 21.
Piecing Together the Strength of Our Surroundings. Screen print, lithography, wool and silk ribbons by John Hitchcock, is one of the pieces on view at Studio 21.
Land Fragments talks about the complex relationship among the Indigenous body, colonial policies, and the physical land around us. The exhibition features abstract representations, visual language, and vibrant colors that reference Hitchcock’s kaku’s (Comanche grandmother’s) beadwork and growing up in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma on Comanche Tribal lands next to the U.S. field artillery.
The exhibit continues through Oct. 17. Studio 21 is open from 10 am to 5 pm Thursday through Saturday. Free.
Studio 21 is also exhibiting art by painter Sue Rauschenfels and tapestry weaver Emily Wick as part of its Arrowhead Rising series. This series features work by artists in the Arrowhead Region.
Northern Birch, acrylic, by Sue Rauschenfels.
Jupiter, wool, cotton, silk, and mohair fibers by Emily Wick.
The exhibit continues through Oct. 3.
Ish Meets a Mermaid, a video by Jonathan Thunder, is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.
Ish Meets a Mermaid is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.
Ish Meets a Mermaid is a short film based on a reimagined Ojibwe story, directed by Jonathan Thunder, produced by Vera Bianchini, co-written by Tashia Hart, with cinematography by Jeff Saunders. This exhibition reveals the artistry of the cast and crew who brought Ish Meets a Mermaid to life.
As viewers enter the exhibition, they are guided through the journey of the film’s creation with behind-the-scenes moments from production, original props, storyboards, costumes, and stories shared by the cast and crew, finishing with an in-gallery viewing of the film itself. By expanding our view outward from the finished product, the exhibition reveals the many layers of artistry, collaboration, vision, and labor required to produce a project like Ish Meets a Mermaid. This exhibition encourages the viewer to follow their curiosity about the process of filmmaking and recognize the invisible creative work that goes into an art form as accessible as film.
Ish Meets a Mermaid is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.
Kudos:
Betsy Bowen will receive the Kerlan Award next month.
Betsy Bowen will be awarded the Kerlan Award on Oct. 13.
The Kerlan Award is given in recognition of singular attainments in the creation of children’s literature and in appreciation for generous donations of unique resources to the Kerlan Collection. It is given by the University of Minnesota‘s Kerlan Collection, a special library focusing on children’s literature.
To register to attend the ceremony, click here.
Artists at Work:
Night Takes to the Lake, woodcut print. by Nick Wroblewski.
Venus, abstract photography, by Kim Dayton.
Joy and Company now has a copy of this book by Sue Rowe.
Bruce Futterer, woodcarver, exhibits work at North House. He taught a class there this week.
Falls above Derwentwater, hand-dyed, rolled, and stitched felt, by Susan Mulcock Turner.
Online Findings:
The National Gallery of Art is exhibiting a series of works by American artists over the last 250 years.
Breezing Up (A Fair Wind), oil, by Winslow Homer, 1873-1876.
To see the online exhibits, click here.
Online Music:
Live Music:
Thursday, September 24:
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Gene LaFond & Amy Grillo, Cascade Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Caitlin Nicol-Thomas & Al Oikari, Raven Rock Grill at Skyport Lodge, 6-8 pm
- Frequency Rising, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 6-9 pm
- Silent Disco Dance Party, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 8-10 pm
Friday, September 25:
- Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund, Stone’s Throw Room, East Bay Suites, 4–6 pm
- Barbara Jean and Mike Lewis, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Dave Simonett, North House Folk School Commons, 7-9 pm
- John Gruber, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
- Briand Morrison or Jim Miller, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 7:30-10 pm
- Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
- Frequency Rising, Up Yonder, 8-11 pm
- The Wrong Omar, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 8-11 pm
Saturday, September 26:
- Roe Family Singers, North House Folk School Commons, 10 am
- Boyd “Bump” Blomberg, Cook County Market at the Hub, 10-12 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Pete Kavanaugh, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
- Joe Paulik, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 7:30-10 pm
- The Wrong Omar, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 8-11 pm
Sunday, September 27:
- Bump Blomberg, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Billy Johnson, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 5-7 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Guitar Pull, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7:30-9:30 pm
- Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing Company, 5-7 pm
- Pete Kavanaugh, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Gordon Thorne, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Jim Miller, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Tuesday, September 29:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Open Stage hosted by Pete K, Up Yonder, 6-8 pm
- Emma Tweten, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 6-9 pm
- Pat Eliasen, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Michelle Miller, Stone’s Throw Room, East Bay Suites, 5-7 pm
- Joe Paulik, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 6-9 pm
- Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 8-10 pm
Thursday, October 1:
- Kari Golden, Sydney’s Frozen Custard & Woodfired Pizza, 5-7 pm
- Emma Tweten, Cascade Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6-8 pm
- Frequency Rising, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 6-9 pm
- Silent Disco Dance Party, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 8-10 pm
Friday, October 2:
- Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund, Stone’s Throw Room at East Bay Suites, 4–6 pm
- Barbara Jean and Mike Lewis, North Shore Winery, 4:30-6:30 pm
- Jim Miller, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
- Briand Morrison, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 7:30-10 pm
- Saltydog, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 8-11 pm
Saturday, October 3:
- Boyd “Bump” Blomberg, Cook County Market at the Hub, 10-2 pm
- Border Crossing Band, Up Yonder, 12-3 pm
- Jim Miller, Cascade Lodge Restaurant & Pub, 6-8 pm
- Cameron Erickson, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7-9 pm
- Joe Paulik, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 7:30-10 pm
- The Brothers Burn Mountain, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 8-10:30 pm
- Saltydog, Up Yonder, 8-11 pm
Sunday, October 4:
- Bump Blomberg, Raven’s Nest at the Gun Flint Tavern, 3-6 pm
-
The Spruce Roots, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 5-7 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Charlie’s Alpine Bistro, 6:30-9 pm
- Guitar Pull, Moguls Grille & Taproom at Caribou Highlands Lodge, 7:30-9:30 pm
Photography:
Here’s a selection from what we found this week:
Wildlife:
I got lucky. He was very quiet for me, by Kimberley Jowett Merrifield.
I heard some awesome bugling this morning by Paul Ostrum.
This is a melanistic Bobcat with fewer than 20 ever reported worldwide, by Bruce Kafer.
Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk by Cory Laughlin.
So cute, by Tyler Howell.
Beach Scavengers by John Cannell.
Supercool! Dragonfly (black saddleback?) by Heather Wright.
Sleeping Monarchs by Paul Sundberg.
A sky-high white-tailed deer leaps while another appears to be impressed by the show by Bill Marchel.
Canada Lynx by Michael Furtman.
His shiny summer coat by Chris Artist.
Finding the blue by Alex Johnson.
The Buck Doesn’t Stop Here by John Cannell.
Potpourri:
Fall Mushroom by Jill Lavro Beim.
Tiny mushrooms, magnified 3 times by Jill Lavro Beim.
A fall find by Jill Lavro Beim.
The squashes are in by Karin Kraemer.
Billy Johnson will play at the Winery on Sunday from 3:30 to 5 pm.
Landscapes, Waterscapes, & Leafscapes:
Long Island Lake 2 by Andy Keith.
Another Long Island Lake by Andy Keith.
Milky Way magic over Ellingson Island at Split Rock Lighthouse by Nathan Klok.
Woods Creek by Gary Arands.
Serenity on Lake Superior by Doug Cottrell.
Fall Colors by Paul Sundberg.
On Day 3 in the BWCA by Layne Kennedy.
Speaking of fall by Kristen Elizabeth.
Last sunrise sail of the Hjordis for the season by Bill Hansen.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Please consider contributing to NorthShore ArtScene this week to help support it. Thank you!
Here’s a big thank you to Jeremy Lopez for the Live Music Schedule and tech support, and to Yvonne Mills for proofreading this week. And a special thank you to Visit Cook County for its great Events Calendar.