North Shore Arts Scene

Searching for thast orange lupine by David Johnson.

Celebrate the 4th in style this year and plan to go to Tofte for a full day of activities and celebrations. Then put the Hovland Arts Festival on your to-do map for the weekend as well as a note to yourself to visit all the great galleries and shops in Grand Marais. Oh, and not to forget a walk along the waterfront and a hike in the woods.

The 4th starts off with the annual Tofte Trek, which prides itself on the muddy conditions of its trails and the camaraderie of racers who participate from the entire region, including Canada. There are kids races, and a 10K Trail walk/run up the hill and along the Superior Hiking Trail, with lots of glorious mud on the way. (Note: In dry years, the organizers have been known to haul water up to the trails to make sure they were muddy.) The race starts and ends at Birch Grove Community School. Registration online or at 8 a.m. For more info about the race, click here.

Just down the road, the annual Tofte July 4th Celebration begins at 11 a.m. in downtown Tofte with live music, arts and crafts booths, fun events and food vendors. Cook County’s Most Wanted with Joshua Schmidt will play. At 2 p.m., the best 4th of July parade in Cook County is held. All participants are welcome. Just come early and line-up at the start.

In the evening, look for fireworks in Tofte, Grand Marais and Grand Portage starting around 10 p.m. There’s lots of live music in venues around the county as well.

Fireworks on tap in Tofte, Grand Marais and Grand Portage on July 4th, starting at dark. Photo by Bryan Hansel.

Friday is a busy day in the county, too.

The 14th annual Hovland Arts Festival is this weekend, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 at the Hovland Town Hall.

The Hovland Arts Festival is from 10 a.m.to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday this year at the Hovland Town Hall in Hovland.

More than 30 vendors will be there this year and will exhibit everything from glass to photographs, painting to pottery as well as mixed-media pieces and fiber arts, to name a few of the categories that are represented in this popular festival. The festival also features home cooked food as well as a great selection of live music on both days of the festival. Roxann Berglund & Friends, Jim McGowan and Pushing Chain play on Friday, Joe Paulik, Briand Morrison and Rod & Caribou play on Saturday. The music starts at 10 a.m.

(Note: Jim McGowan will be on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday night to talk about his music and play a few songs. The show airs from 5-7 p.m. He’ll be on about 6:15 p.m.)

There are two art openings in the area on Friday as well.

Tara Austin’s exhibit,  Boreal Ornaments II, opens at the Johnson Heritage Post with a reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday night.

Painting by Tara Austin, one of the works that will be on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

Austin is a local artist whose paintings are inspired by nordic traditions and natural patterns. She received her Master of Fine Art in Painting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a recently completed a rosemaling apprenticeship funded through the Wisconsin Arts Board. Her work is represented by Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth. The exhibit continues through July 28.

The Johnson Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Monday, and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

And Kat Corrigan will open an exhibit of her paintings in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park on Friday with a reception from 7-8:30 p.m.

“Sky Submerged: Marsh Reflection Series” by Kat Corrigan.

Corrigan is an award-winning, Minneapolis-based artist whose work is widely collected around the world. She is committed to the concept of “A Painting A Day” and posts a daily blog of her work. She shows her work in area galleries and art fairs. The Tettegouche exhibit is a mix of whimsical deer portraits, wetland scenes and paintings of Lake Superior. To find out more about Corrigan and see her work, click here.

Saturday kicks off with the Cook County Market, which is held in the Cook County Senior Center parking lot.

The Market features a variety of work by local artists and artisans as well as live music and snacks. The Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

And, not to forget, the Hovland Arts Festival continues, opening at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

For those who want to just get outdoors and explore the woods and lakes in Cook County, the local outfitters offer opportunities to get on the water. Also, there are presentations on the natural world offered daily. To find out more, check out www.visitcookcounty/events/

Drury Lane Books will hold a Writer’s Salon with author Shannon Gibney at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Author Shannon Gibney will read from her award-winning novel at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Gibney will read from her new young adult novel,” Dream Country,” a Minnesota Book Award 2019 winner. Click here to listen to an interview with her about her book and writing by WTIP’s Lin Salisbury.

On Saturday night, there will be a Four Hands Piano Concert at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. The concert features Elisabeth Pion, a London, England-based pianist named one of Canada’s 2018 “ 30 under 30 “ musicians by the Canadian Broadcasting Co., and Ian Tomaz, University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate and Emerging Artist Resident at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance in Nova Scotia.

Ian Tomaz and Elizabeth Pion will present a Four-Hands Concert at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The pianists will present music for one piano, four hands by Franz Schubert and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Upcoming:

The Grand Marais Arts Festival, featuring work by 70 local and regional artists, plus lots of fun hands-on activities, the Clothesline Sale, a food truck, An Artful Evening and more will be held in downtown Grand Marais Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14.

The Grand Marais Arts Festival is next weekend, July 13-14.

This year’s festival should be even bigger than last year, with lots of activities for children and adults as well as mini-classes, demonstrations and more. Here’s a link to all the activities, as well as participating artists.

 Art News

The Grand Marais Art Colony announced a major expansion in downtown Grand Marais with its purchase of the former North Shore Pharmacy building.

The Grand Marais Art Colony announced on Thursday that it had purchased the former North Shore Pharmacy building in downtown Grand Marais.

The $500,000 development project will begin this summer and expand the nonprofit’s studio and public space by more than 5,000 square feet, according to Thursday’s announcement. The Art Colony currently occupies a former mission church, built in 1916, that serves as a multi-purpose studio, and the CC Graham Studio building, built in 2005, that has studios for glass, clay and printmaking. The Art Colony is located at 120 3rd Ave. W. in Grand Marais.

The expansion will involve the North Shore Pharmacy Building, formerly the Arrowhead Pharmacy, located at 21 W Hwy 61. “We have worked over the past decade to grow our programs, our infrastructure, and our staff,” said Ruth Pszwaro, artistic director of the Art Colony. “And we’ve found that our artistic community has responded with increased interest and engagement. This includes both our local community as well as non-local members who consider us their creative home, many who have been coming here annually for 30 or more years. We are now operating our current facility at 125 percent, and we look forward to having the opportunity to expand our mission in a physical way and increase access to the arts.”

Art Colony representatives talked about the new space the Art Colony recently purchased. Pictured, from left are Sally Berg, board president, Kathi Polley, development manager, Ruth Pszwaro, artistic director, and Lyla Brown. executive director.

The project, which involves private and public funding, will be carried out in several phases. Lyla Brown, the Art Colony’s executive director said: “Our intent is that the new GMAC facilities will open in the first half of 2020 and include new studios, exhibition space, a small but state-of-the-art gallery store, and a potential community gathering space.”

The Art Colony’s current buildings at 120 3rd Ave W, will remain classroom and studio space, although reconfigured. The administrative offices of the organization will also remain at the current location. To find out more click here.

The Art Colony will hold an open house for the public to see the new space during the Grand Marais Arts Festival, July 13 & 14.  Listen to this interview by Rhonda Silence from WTIP Community Radio, who recently interviewed the representatives about the new building.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council provides a wide variety of services and grants for artists who live in the Arrowhead. Click on the image below learn more.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, July 4:

• Cook County’s Most Wanted with Joshua Schmidt, Tofte 4th of July Celebration, Tofe, noon
• Jim Miller, Cascade Lodge, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• KutDown, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.

Friday, July 5:

• Hovland Arts Festival, Hovland, Roxann Berglund & Friends, Jim McGowan, Pushing Chain, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Dave Cofell, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.
• The Sprigs, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Don Juan Trio, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 6:

• Hovland Arts Festival, Hovland: Joe Paulik, Briand Morrison, Rod & Caribou, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jim MGowan, Cascade Lodge, 6 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, rural Grand Marais, www.michaelmonroemusic.com, 7 p.m.
• The Gentleman’s Anti-Temperance League, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Joshua Schmidt, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.

Sunday, July 7:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Black River Revue, Bluegrass Sundays, North Shore Winery, 3 p.m.
• Spruce Roots, Music by the Lake, Skyport Lodge, 4 pm..
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Drew Peterson, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, July 9:

• Joe Paulik, Campfire Music, Bluefin Bay, 7 p.m.
• Teague Alexy, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, July 10:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille Patio, 5 p.m.
• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Photographs:

And now, for the photos …

First, some wildlife shots:

Northern Flying Squirrel babies by Paul Sundberg.

Loon family out on a calm morning by Matt Herberg.

Pileated woodpeckers– parent and youngster by Paul Sundberg.

This Calico Pennant Dragonfly appeared out of nowhere for a photo op by Roxanne Distad.

And some weather shots:

Sunrise in Fog City, Duluth by Ken Harmon.

Storm clouds by Norita Escuro.

A perfect rainbow sunset over Grand Marais by Bryan Hansel.

Good morning World by Jan Swart.

And a few beauteous Northwoods photos:

Love that this place is home by Jessica Markusen.

High Falls at Tettegouche State Park by Christian Dalbec. (drone photo.)

Hollow Rock by Roxanne Distad.

And this…not a photograph, but what summer in Cook County is all about.

“At the Cabin,” print, by Rick Allen, is at Sivertson Gallery.

Happy 4th of July everyone! Celebrate by making a donation to NorthShore ArtScene today! Click on the image below. And Thank You!

“Summer Scenes” by Thomas Spence.

There are a whole potpourri of events happening this weekend and into next week, as we prepare for the 4th of July.

First up is the launch of North House Folk School‘s mini courses that will be held throughout the summer: The Try-It series, which offers mini skills-learning workshops on Thursdays and Fridays through August.

On Thursdays, North House will hold Wood-fired Bread mini courses where students will learn about baking bread in a wood-fired oven.

North House Folk School will hold wood-fired breadbaking mini courses this summer.

There are two sessions per day, from 1-3 p.m. and from 4:30-6 p.m. Cost is $20 per session or $30 for adult and child. Limited to 8 participants for each session, which run through August. For more info and to register, call North House at 387-9762.

And the Local Food Market will be held in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursdays, featuring vegetables in season, wood-fired artisan breads, fresh flowers and fresh eggs.

The Local Food Market will be held in the Cook County Community Center parking lots from 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursday.

North House Folk School is holding Timber Frame mini courses on Friday mornings from at 10 a.m. to noon through the month of August.

North House will hold timber framing mini-courses on Fridays this summer.

Students will learn about timber framing tools and joinery, and put up a timber frame and then take it apart. For info and to register, call 387-9762 or click here.

Hands-on opportunities continue on Friday with a Paint-A-Tile workshop at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 1-2:30 p.m.. Participants will learn about Majolica glazing techniques and then decorate two tiles with their own designs. The tiles will be fired and ready for pick-up on Sunday, June 30. To register, call the Art Colony at 387-2737. Cost is $25.

And Joy & Co. will hold Try-Days on Friday from 4-7 p.m. where the public is invited to come into the shop and make are from their wide selection of art supplies. Free.

On WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday night, Nate Cannon, the trans activist, trainer and author who will be speaking at the Grand Marais Library on Saturday, will talk about his work. Also on the Roadhouse, bluesman Randy Casey, who will be performing at the Wunderbar this weekend, will be on the show to talk about his music and play a few tunes. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

If you’re going to be in Duluth on Friday evening, head downtown for the Downtown Duluth Arts Walk from 5-8 p.m. This is the First anniversary celebration of the event, which has been held on the last Friday of the month in galleries and a variety of venues in Downtown Duluth from 5-8 p.m. It’s always full of new discoveries.

This print by Jeffrey Schmidt of Downtown Duluth will be available during the Arts Walk.

Of particular interest: An opening at the Joseph Nease Gallery, 23 W. 1st St. Artist Matthew Kluber will open his exhibit, “I’m in Love,” featuring new and recent work, featuring three large-scale paintings with computer projections.

Matthew Kluber opens an exhibit at the Joseph Nease Gallery on Friday.

The opening will be from 5-8 p.m. All invited.

Saturday opens with the start of the Lutsen 99er, an ultra-marathon mountain bike race, catering to bikers of all ages and abilities. The race is sold out, but observers are welcome. It starts at 8 a.m. at Lutsen Mountains.

Then, at 9 a.m., the Cook County Market opens in the Senior Center parking lot in downtown Grand Marais, featuring a variety of work by local artists and artisans.

The Cook County Market opens at 9 a.m. on Saturday in the Senior Center parking lot.

On Saturday night, author Sheila O’Connor will read from and discuss her new middle-grade novel, “Until Tomorrow Mr. Marsworth” at Drury Lane Books starting at 7 p.m.

Author Sheila O’Connor will be at Drury Lane Books at 7 p.m. Saturday to read from her latest book.

The Park Point Art Fair in Duluth will be held Saturday and Sunday.

The booths are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and feature clay, fiber, glass, painting, printmaking photography, jewelry, woodwork and sculpture. Free.

Painting the Light by Kat Corrigan. She will give an Artist Talk at Cook County Higher Education at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 3.

• Tofte: Look for a great small-town 4th of July celebration in Tofte. It kicks off with the Tofte Trek 10K Trail Run at 8 a.m. from the Birch Grove Community School. A little later in the morning, in “downtown” Tofte, look for live music with Cook County’s Most Wanted and Joshua Schmidt, food vendors, a beer garden and a craft fair. The 4th of July Tofte Parade is the best. It starts at 1 p.m.
• Grand Marais: the Bazillions play in Harbor Park, and at 10 p.m. Fireworks over the Grand Marais Harbor,
• Grand Portage: Fireworks at 10 p.m. at the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino.

A selection off Alexa Caron’s paintings currently on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

This week, the Heritage Post will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday, It will be closed July 1-4 to mount a new exhibit by Tara Austin. The opening reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday, July 5. Stay tuned.

In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art continues its exhibit, Asymmetry, featuring three-dimensional works for its collection.

One of the works in the Tweed’s exhibit, “Asymmetry.”

Also in Duluth, former Grand Marais printmaker Kelly Dupre is exhibiting a collection of her linocuts in the City Hall Rotunda in Duluth. She currently resides in Duluth.

Artwork by Kelly Dupre.

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery in Thunder Bay, has opened a new exhibit by Joane Cardinal-Schubert, an artist, activist, curator, poet, writer and mentor from Western Canada.

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery has opened a new exhibit by Joan Cardinal-Schubert.

The exhibit continues through the summer

Upcoming:

 The Hovland Arts Festival is next week, Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6, at the Hovland Town Hall.

The Hovland Arts Festival is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. next week,July 5 & 6.

The event features work from more than 40 local artists and artisans including paintings, fiber art, photographs, pottery, woodwork, multi-media work and more. There will also be live music, and food will be available. All invited.

The following weekend, July 13 & 14, the Grand Marais Arts Festival will be held in downtown Grand Marais, featuring original work by 70 local and regional artists.

The Grand Marais Arts Festival will be held in downtown Grand Marais July 13-14. File photo by Dennis Chick.

The festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 13 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The festival also includes hands-on activities, demonstrations, and the Clothesline Art Sale. To see all the events and the artists who will participate, click here. Also, the event features An Artful Evening, a fundraiser for the Art Colony that is held on Friday night in Harbor Park and features fine food and drinks, live music, an Artful Auction, and a chance to support the work of the Art Colony. To find out more and purchase tickets, click here.

And, the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council offers a wide variety of grants for artists. To find out more, click on the icon below.

 Music:

Thursday, June 27:

• Terry Valdiva & Friends, Wunderbar, 5 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Music by the Campfire, Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
• Frozen Britches, Cascade Lodge, 8 p.m.
• Bug Dope, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Friday, June 28:
• North Country Fair, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Randy Casey, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Josh Cleveland Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 29:

• Randy Casey, Wunderbar, 5 p.m.
• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Cascade Lodge, 6 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Luke Callen, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• The Cruisers, Grandma Ray’s. 8 p.m.
• the 4onthefloor, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 20:

• Briand Morrison, Moguls’ Grille, 10 a.m.
• Sunday Bluegrass, Ben Suchy, North Shore Wintery, 2 p.m.
• Music by the Lake, Cookie, Skyport Lodge, 4 p.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Monday, July 1:

• Mark Joseph & American Soul, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, July 2:

• Music by the Campfire, Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Mark Joseph & American Soul, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, July 3:

• Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille, 5 p.m.
• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 5 p.m.

Thursday, July 4:

• Tofte 4th of July Celebration, Cook County’s Most Wanted, Joshua Schmidt, noon
• Jim Mller, Cascade Lodge Restaurant, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne & Friends, North Shore Winery, 7 p.m.
• Space Monkey Mafia, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• KutDown, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.

Friday, July 5:

• Live Music, Hovland Arts Festival, Hovland Town Hall, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Don Juan Trio, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 6:

• Live Music, Hovland Arts Festival, Hovland Town Hall, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jim McGowan, Cascade Lodge, 6 p.m.
• Log Cabin Concerts with Michael Monroe, rural Grand Marais, 7 p.m., www.michaelmonroemusic.com

We found some great photos this week. Here’s a selection;

First, wildlife:

“A visitor stopped by” by David Johnson.

A Black Bear and dandelions by Paul Sundberg.

Fox kits by Keith Crowley.

And flowers:

Pink Ladyslippers by Paul Sundberg.

The bloom of a red osier dogwood by Mona Abdel Rahman.

June in the Superior National Forest by Thomas Spence.

And moving water:

Spooky Glass by Christian Dalbec.

Seven Bridges Road (in Duluth) by Glenn Blaszkiewicz.

Falls in the Boundary Waters by Bryan Hansel.

 On the way to water:

Summer Solstice Dawn by William Hurst.

Rocks & Water:

Rock picking is most certainly a favorite pastime by Danielle Fortin.

Black Beach by Ken Harmon.

Clear, calm Lake Superior by Thomas Spence.

The moon and Lake Superior:

Strawberry Moonrise by Bryan Hansel.

Water reflections:

Early morning sunrise on Poplar Lake by Beth Robinson.

Happy Solstice by Christian Dalbec.

And finally, Boundary Waters:

Captured in Cook County near the BWCAW by Ryan Tischer.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Greetings!  If you enjoyed my blog and found it useful this week, please consider making a donation.  Just click on the image below. And Thank You!)

“Lupine” by John Heino.

This weekend we can look forward to one of the best celebrations of summer: the Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Festival at North House Folk School.

The event draws in crowds from all over the region and beyond to spend a weekend connecting with wooden boats on Lake Superior.

The Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Festival is at North House Folk School this weekend.

The festival features everything from a boat parade, craft demonstrations,  a Contra Dance, the Boat and Tool Auction, workshops and presentations, plus the Lake Superior Chowder Experience, to name a few of the experiences and events of this great summer celebration in Grand Marais..

This year’s featured speaker is Douglas Brooks, who spent time in Japan learning from traditional boatbuilders. He will teach and demonstrate throughout the weekend as well as give a presentation at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

And, not to forget the iconic feature of this festival: the Summer Solstice Pageant presented by the Good Harbor Hill Players. The pageant is always funny, with lots of people on stilts, and puppets and amusing songs and situations, and is not to be missed. The title of this year’s production? “Let’s Go Camping.” (One has to assume that there will be lots of vignettes about bugs, since they’ve been so pervasive this year.)

The Good Harbor Hill Players will present “Let’s Go Camping,” their Summer Solstice Pageant, in the Commons at North House Folk School at 8 p.m. Saturday.

The pageant starts at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Commons at North House. Bring a chair and a jacket or blanket, and get ready to enjoy the show. For all the details about the weekend events, click here.

There are lots of other events going on this weekend, too.

On Thursday, the Local Food Market, featuring locally grown vegetables, baked goods, including wood-fired breads, fresh eggs as well as fresh flowers, will be held in the parking lot at the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 p.m.

Trevor Huggins sells his wood-fired artisan bread at the Local Food Market on Thursdays.

On Friday, watercolor artist Spence Meagher will give a demonstration at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 7 p.m.

Amber Evening by Spencer Meagher. He will be demonstrating at the Art Colony at 7 p.m.

Meagher will share how he lets color and value tell the story in his work. His paintings have been featured in publications such as Plein Air Magazine and Plein Air Today. This event is free and open to all. Goodwill donations are welcome.

In Thunder Bay, the Magnus Theatre will be screening the controversial film, “There Are No Fakes,” which explores the alleged forgery of thousands of Norveau Morrison’s works. The Anishinaabe artist died in 2007, but during his lifetime he became known as the grandfather of Indigenous art in Canada and the “Picasso of the North.”

The film, There Are No Fakces,” will be screened at the Magnus Theater in Thunder Bay on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.

The painter started what has become known as the Woodland School of Painting and was a prolific painter himself. Tickets for the film are $15.

On Saturday, local artists and artisans gather in the parking lot of the Cook County Senior Center for the weekly Cook County Market. The Market features clothing, fiber art, pottery, woodwork, jewelry, glass and more.

Jake Carr has new wooden earrings this year at the Cook County Market.

The Market is held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekly through mid-October.

The Wooden Boat Show continues at North House Folk School with the Boat to Tool Auction, Lake Superior Chowder Experience, Boat Parade and the Summer Solstice Pageant.

Also on Saturday, Sivertson Gallery will host a Summer Solstice Party from 5-7 p.m. Photographer Christian Dalbec will speak.

Photographer Christian Dalbec, who is well-known for his up-close-and-personal photographs of Lake Superior, will be the featured speaker at the Summer Solstice gathering at Siverson Gallery on Saturday from 5-7 p.m.

And in Thunder Bay on Saturday, the Thunder Bay Potters Guild will hold a Pottery Fair at Mariners Hall on the waterfront.

The Thunder Bay Potters Guild will hold a Pottery Fair at Mariners Hall on the waterfront on Saturday.

The Pottery Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT).

On Wednesday next week, the West End Market at Mountain Inn will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. featuring local artisans and vegetables in season.

Also on Wednesday, colored pencil artist Kristy Kutch will demonstrate the versatility of colored pencils at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 4:30 p.m.

Artwork by colored pencil artist Kristy Kutch. She will be demonstrating at the Art Colony on Wednesday, June 26.

The event is open to the public. All invited.

Exhibits:

 Minnesota artist Alexa Carson is exhibiting her work at the Johnson Heritage Post. The exhibit features her extraordinary wildlife paintings and drawings.

Red-tailed hawk by Alexa Carson is one of the pieces on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The exhibit is entitled “Calling” and features paintings that invoke the call of the wilderness– the call of the chickadee, the loon, the wolf. The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Monday, and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Also, the Heritage Post has selected George Morrison as the Artist of the Month. A number of his prints are on view at the gallery this month.

George Morrison is the Artist of the Month at the Johnson Heritage Post.

In Duluth, the Tweed Museum of Art is exhibiting a fascinating selection of sculptures from its collection.

Striker Fan I by Daniella Dooling is on exhibit at the Tweed Museum of Art in Duluth. It is part of the “Asymmetry: Three-Dimensional Works.”

The exhibit is entitled “Asymmetry: Three-Dimensional Works.”

The Duluth Art Institute is featuring an exhibit entitled “Strata.”

Multi-Media Pice by Natalie Salminen-Rude is one of the pieces in the “Strata” exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute.

In Minneapolis, Hazel Belvo and Marcia Cushmore are exhibiting work created during their travels around the country at the Opening Night Framing Services Gallery, 2836 Lyndale Ave. S.

Hazel Belvo and Marcia Cushmore have opened at exhibit at Opening Night Framing Services Gallery.

The exhibit continues through June 20. This will be the last exhibit at Opening Night. The shop will close, after 40 years in service.

Artist News:

 Photographer Roxanne Distad is a new artist at JNS Gallery in Lutsen.

Lovely Lake Superior by Roxanne Distad. Her work is being exhibited at the JNS Gallery in Lutsen.

Painter Jeanne Hedstrom has work at Yellowbird Fine Art in Grand Marais.

Jeanne Hedstrom has work at Yellowbird Fine Art in Grand Marais.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council will be at the Grand Marais Art Colony for  an Info Session and Grant Consolation starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday. All artists are invited to attend.  For more info and to schedule an individual grant consultation, contact the Art Colony at 387-2737.

For more info about ARAC and the grants it offers, click on the image below.

  Music:

 Here’s the music schedule for the week:

Thursday June 20:

• Billy Johnson, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, June 21:

• Pushing Chain, Voyageur Brewing, 4 p.m.
• The Portage Band, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Don Juan Trio, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Poplar Haus, 7 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Black River Revue, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Jon Kallberg, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Saturday June 22:

• Pushing Chain, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m.
• Jim Miller, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• The South Paws, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Jon Miller, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 23:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Black River Revue, Bluegrass Sundays at the Lutsen Winery, 3 p.m.
• Cook County Most Wanted, Skyport Lodge, 4 p.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 26:

• Timmy Haus, Patio Series, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.
• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Photographs:

 We were lucky again this week to find a great selection of photographs.

Let’s start with wildflowers.

Looking up through the daisies by Jeff Grotte.

“Rhapsody in Violet– birdsfoot violet by John Heino.

Yellow Lady’s Slipper by Paul Sundberg.

And a few wildlife photos.

A rare sighting of a Yellow Rail in the McGregor Marsh by Sparky Stensaas.

Wolf in tall grass by Thomas Spence.

Little ones in the spruce bog with Mom by David Johnson.

Helping a turtle cross the road by Kristofer Bowman.

Here’s a crusty moon:

Another clear night, another stellar moon by Jamie Strickland.

And a few landscapes and seascapes:

Return to Elbow Lake by Tim Young.

How we rock in my neighborhood by Don Davison.

Shelf Cloud by Jamie Rabold.

That beautiful view from Split Rock Lighthouse as the fog swept along the shore by Roxanne Distad.

Split Rock Lighthouse by Amber Nustad Sprague.

Northwoods Sunrise by Ryan Fischer.

Last night’s sunset over Devil Track Lake by Bryan Hansel.

And last, but not least, the Hjordis.

A hazy afternoon in Grand Marais by Norissa Meininger.

Grand Marais in the summer– North House Folk School‘s The Hjordis passes by the light house. Photo by Matthew Pastick.

Summer seems to have arrived on the North Shore with warm temps and lots of sun – and we can see that the Hjordis is out plying the waters. (Click on the link to reserve your spot.) This weekend there’s lots to do and see, too, as well as taking a trip on Lake Superior.

The week’s events kick-off with the season’s opening of the Local Food Market. It will be from 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursday, June 13 in the parking lot at the Cook County Community Center, and every Thursday afternoon through Oct. 17,

The Local Food Market opens on Thursday at the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 p.m. The market is held every Thursday through Oct. 17.

The Local Food Market, a project of the Northwoods Food Project, features locally grown vegetables in season, baked goods and fresh flowers and, often, fresh eggs, as well as other locally produced foods. Everyone is invited.

Also this week, the Grand Marais Art Colony is holding the Findings Jewelry Symposium, featuring nationally known jewelry artists teaching workshops, giving Artist Talks and participating in a Trunk Show on Saturday evening from 5-7 p.m.

As part of the Symposium, jewelry artist Anna Johnson, will give an Artist Talk at Cook Higher Education entitled “Artistic Symbiosis” at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Anna Johnson, the keynote presenter at the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Jewelry Symposium, will give an Artist Talk about her work at Cook County Higher Education at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 13.

Johnson will talk about jewelry in the world and share about her work and process, as well as talk about professional practice. This event is free and open to all. Goodwill donations are welcome. The event is held by the Art Colony in partnership with Cook County Higher Education.

Colleen Myhre will be a guest on WTIP’s the Roadhouse on Friday  She will talk about her music and play a few songs. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m. The musicians usually come on about 6:15 or so.

On Saturday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host a jewelry Trunk Show from 5-7 p.m. at the Art Colony.

Jewelry artists participating in the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Findings Jewelry Symposium will hold a Trunk Show at the Art Colony from 5-7 p.m. Saturday. Open to all. (File photo)

The Trunk Show will feature handmade work by a number of jewelry artists including Anna Johnson, Danny Saathoff, Becky McDonah, Lissa Flemming, and Susan Crow, among others. For more info about the symposium, click here. The Trunk Show is open to the public.

There are a lot of other activities this weekend as well.

On Friday and Saturday, potter Ann Ward will  have Pots for Sale at 418 4th Ave.E. . located behind the IGA in Grand Marais. She is participating in a 3-family garage sale at that location.

Potter Ann Ward will have a variety of pots for sale at 418 4th Ave.W. from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

And first thing on Saturday morning, the Cook County Market opens at the Senior Center parking lot in downtown Grand Marais. The Market, which runs from at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., features a wide variety of work by local artists and artisans. including woodwork, pottery, fiber art, books and more, as well as a massage table, fresh eggs and live music.

The Cook County Markets held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Cook County Senior Center.  Jeff Liljestrand makes birdhouses on a stick.

A Seedling Support Project will be held at Pincushion Recreation Area on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.

Volunteers will support tree seedlings by clearing back competing plants and making sure protective tree cages are intact. Meet at the Pincushion Recreation Area parking lot at noon. Volunteers should bring water and a snack. Wear long pants, a long-sleeve shirt and closed-toes shoes. Gloves and tools will be provided. The project is a partnership between the Northwoods Volunteer Connection, Cook County Soil and Water Conservation District and the US Forest Service.

Also this weekend, the Cook County Historical Society is celebrating the history and heritage of Cook County, from Schroeder to the Gunflint Trail and along the shore to Grand Portage in a series of events. presentations and tours at museums and heritage sites. They are calling the event Passport Weekend. There are lots of things to see. Check out the image below.

One of the highlights of the event will be a presentation by Don Halverson about the community of Hovland, entitled “Hovland: The Unintentional Settlement.”

In this old photograph, the Easton is at the Hovland Dock where it has just unloaded oats for the horses in the logging camps. Photo courtesy of Don Halverson. Halverson will give a talk about Hovland at the Johnson Heritage Post at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The presentation will include lots of great old photographs and stories and will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Johnson Heritage Post. All invited. Free.

Also on Saturday, Minnesota and Anishinaabe writer Linda Legarde Grover, will read from and discuss her latest novel, “In the Night of Memory” at Drury Lane Books at 7 p.m.

Linda Legarde Grover will read from her latest novel at Drury Lane Books at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The event is free and open to the public.

And, on Wednesday, the West End Market will be held at Mountain Inn on Ski Hill Road in Lutsen from 4-6:30 p.m. The market features arts and crafts as well as vegetables in season.

Exhibits:

 A new exhibit has opened at the Johnson Heritage Post featuring the wildlife paintings of Minnesota artist Alexa Carson.

Jerome, by Alexa Carson is one of the paintings currently on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The exhibit continues through June 30. The Heritage Post is closed on Tuesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Monday, and from 1-4 p.m. Sundays. Free.

Plein air artist Neil Sherman has new work at the Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais.

Approaching Weather by Neil Sherman is at Sivertson Gallery.

Betsy Bowen’s Studio Gallery has just received new carved wooden boxes by Peter Kess of Ely. They are carefully made of fine woods and carved.

Wave Boxes by Peter Kess are at Betsy Bowen’s Studio Gallery.

The gallery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At Tettegouche State Park, an exhibit of the watercolor paintings by Susan Wright continues through the month of June.

“Cascades” by Susan Wright.

The paintings are on exhibit in the Great Hall at the park.

In Duluth, painter Sue Rauschenfels is exhibiting a series of new work in acrylics at Pizza Luce.

Sue Rauschenfels is exhibiting new work at Pizza Luce in Duluth.

The Tweed Museum of Art is featuring a number of exhibits, including “Intersections,” Native American art chosen from its collection.

“From Every Direction” by Julia Buffalohead is at the Tweed Museum of Art.

Artist Allen Killian-Moore is exhibiting his videos and photographs at the Duluth Art Institute.

“Still from Late Stage Catastrophe” by Allen Killian Moore, is one of the works on exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute.

The exhibit continues through Aug. 11.

In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is featuring the exhibition: “Northwest Coast Masks: Selections from the Permanent Collection.”

“Portrait Mask” by Beau Dick is one of the Northwest Coast masks currently on exhibit at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

The exhibition continues through Sept. 12.

Upcoming:

North House Folk School‘s Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Festival will be June 21-23.

The Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Festival is June 21-23.

Look for rows of unique watercraft, a boat parade, craft demonstrations, an evening square dance, Boats-to-Tools auction, mini-courses as well as the Summer Solstice Pageant. Stay tuned for details and/or click here for more info.

The Hovland Arts Festival is Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 this year.

The Hovland Arts Festival is Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 this year.

The festival is held at the Hovland Town Hall and features lots of arts and crafts, music and food. Stay tuned for details.

The Grand Marais Arts Festival will be July 13 & 14 this year in downtown Grand Marais. The event features an incredible variety of artists and artwork, a fundraiser (An Artful evening) as well as food and music. Click here for more information.

The Grand Marais Arts Festival is held along the harbor in Grand Marais. Northwoods Fiber Guild members yarn-bombed the bear statue a few years ago to celebrate the festival.

Artist News:

John Bragstad has recently published a book of his poetry.

John Bragstad has published a book of his poems. They available in Grand Marais bookstores.

Blogger Lizanne Lately has written a great little piece about Things to do in Grand Marais on her adventure/lifestyle blog.

Photo courtesy of Lizanne Lately.

You can read her article, here.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council will hold an Info Session and Grant Consultation in Grand Marais on Saturday, June 22, from 9 a.m. until noon at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council will be in Grand Marais for an info session and grant consultation on Saturday, June 22 at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

Grant consultation appointments will be from 10 a.m. until noon. Call the Art Colony for an appointment at 218-387-2737. Or, if you’re not able to make it to the information session but would like more information about grants, call at (218) 722-0952 to talk with our grants manager or make an appointment to talk in-person. You can also read about the ARAC grants here.

 Music:

Thursday, June 13:

• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Music by the Campfire, Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, June 14:

• Briand Morrison, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Rox n’Soul, Briand Morrison & Roxann Berglund, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Colleen Myhre, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 15:

• Common Ground, Cascade Lodge, 6 p.m.
• Pete K–Outdoor Set, Wunderbar, 6:15 p.m.
• Wunderdogs, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Colleen Myhre, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Don Juan Trio, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• SFO: A Tribute to Journey, Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 16:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Briand Morrison,  Jazz & Blues Afternoon Matinee,  Gunflint Tavern, 2-4 p.m.
• Mysterious Ways, Music by the Lake, Skyport Lodge, 4 p.m.
• Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Open Mic, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Photographs:

We are lucky to have great photographers out shooting on the North Shore every day. Here is a selection of the photos we found this week.

First of all,  lots of wildlife youngsters:

Young moose on the Gunflint Trail by Eric Sherman.

Figuring it out by James Hall.

Seven little ducklings. Photo by David Johnson.

And here are a few photos of adults being adults in the spring.

Dad bringing an oversize meal to a young chick by Jeff Henningsgaard.

American kestrels mating in Yellowstone by Root River Photography.

And a wolf sighting on the Gunflint Trail.

Wolf on the Gunflint Trail by Eric Sherman.

Waterfalls continue their magic.

The Cascade, courtesy of Lake Superior Trading Post.

This is also the season to take great photos of the Milky Way over Lake Superior, too. Here are two examples we found this week.

Near Silver Bay by Matt Herberg.

The best kind of nights by Justin Vrba.

And this beauty, an evocative cedar forest:

Never miss an opportunity to walk through a cedar forest on a foggy day by Mick Rollins.

And a surprising sunrise …

Exploded rainbow by Christian Dalbec.

And then, this:

Up close and personal by Kelly Marquart.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

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Katie Mumm took this photo at East Bearskin lake at sunrise.

This weekend is totally stuffed with things to do and see. which is so great. Here’s what to look forward to:

On Thursday, there’s lots of live music featured in venues across the county, including Gordon Thorne, Sonofmel, Joe Paulik and the Plucked Up String Band. (See the music schedule, below.)

Friday starts out with an art opportunity at the Grand Marais Art Colony with a Paint-A-Tile session in the Ceramics Studio. Participants will learn about colorful Majolica glazes and have a chance to use them to paint their own designs on two tiles. The tiles will be fired on Friday night and be ready for pickup on Sunday morning.

A Paint-A-Tile workshop will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 1 p.m. Friday. These tiles were painted by a workshop last year.

To register for the workshop, call 387-2737. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Joy & Co. is holding “Try Days” from 4-7 p.m. on Fridays during the summer. The event invites participants to come in and use examples from their great collection of art supplies to make art. All invited. Free.

A little later on Friday night, the Duluth band, Paper Parlor, will be on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday to talk about their music and play a few songs. The band is expected on the show around 5:45 p.m. They will play at Wunderbar at 8 p.m.

Also on Friday night, Donna Bruni will give an Artist Talk entitled “Artist Process and Finding Your Way” from 7-8:30 p.m. at Cook County Higher Education.

“Abstraction” by Donna Bruni. She will give an Artist Talk on Friday.

The event is sponsored by the Grand Marais Art Colony and co-hosted with Cook County Higher Education. Bruni will discuss structure, fluidity, and stages of creating art — preparation, incubation, illumination, and implementation—in this conversation about the artist’s process. The public is invited. Goodwill donations are welcome.

There are two great art openings on Friday night, too, and both exhibits will continue through the month of June.

The Johnson Heritage Post will hold the  opening reception for “Calling,” a show featuring the paintings of Minnesota artist Alexa Carson. Carson’s paintings invoke the call of the wilderness– the call of the chickadee, the loon, the wolf. We are being called back to our natural spaces to reconnect with wildlife, and to reclaim our role as nature’s stewards.

One of Alexa Carson’s paintings in her exhibit, Calling, at the Johnson Heritage Post.

The exhibit continues through June 30.

Carson’s exhibit kicks of the Heritage Post’s summer schedule. The Heritage Post will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will also be open from 1-4 p.m. on Sundays. The Heritage Post will be closed on Tuesdays.

Tettegouche State Park is mounting a new exhibit for June as well, featuring the work of watercolorist Susan Wright.

“Canoe in Waiting” by Susan Wright is one of the paintings in the new exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post. The exhibit opens Friday.

The exhibit is in the Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park. The opening reception is from 7-8:30 p.m. on Friday, June 7.

On Saturday, consider putting on your time-travel suit so you can see and do everything.

The Cook County Market opens the day at 9 a.m. in the Senior Center parking lot in Grand Marais. The market features local arts and crafts, including fiber art, woodwork, sculpture, glass and pottery, to name a few. There’s also a massage station, fresh eggs and treats, as well as face painting for kids.

Cilla Walford paints a little flower on a customer’s cheek at the Cook County Market last Saturday. She offers this service every Saturday.

The Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Also on Saturday, merchants on First Street in Grand Marais will host the first Grand Marais Block Party of the season from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Block Party is on 1st Street in downtown Grand Marais all day Saturday.

The block party features live music (see the schedule below), food and fun, as well as a chance to explore all the great businesses on that street.

And there’s more! Take a Kid Fishing, sponsored by the DNR, the Cook County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Forest Service, will offer a day of fishing for kids from 9 a.m. to noon at Mink Lake Beach. Lunch and water will be provided. Children from 5-12, accompanied by an adult. are welcome. For more info and directions, click here.

Further up the Trail, the Boundary Waters Expo will be held at Bearskin Lodge all day on Saturday and Sunday, June 8-9.

The Boundary Water Expo will be held at Bearskin Lodge on Saturday and Sunday.

This is a family friendly hands-on event that features speakers, exhibitors and activities for everyone. There will be a number of speakers, including photographer Nace Hagemann, as well as exhibitors, demonstrations and more.

Saturday events continue!

Author Lara Palmquist will offer a free writer’s workshop at the Grand Marais Art Colony from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday. The workshop is titled: “Writing As Excavation.” This is an immersive workshop and includes writing exercises and more. Participants can register here. Or call 218-387-2737.

Also on Saturday, author  J.J. Ollman will be signing copies of his book, “The Devil’s Kettle” at the Lake Superior Trading Post from 1-3 p.m.

Author J.J. Ollman will sign his book, “The Devil’s Kettle” at the Lake Superior Trading Post on Saturday.

There’s another book event on Saturday, too. Lorna Landvik will be at Drury Lane Books from 7-8:30 p.m. to talk about her latest book, writing and more. Landvik is a great public speaker and is really fun to listen to. Her latest book is entitled: “Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes.)”

Author Lorna Landvik will be at Drury Lane Books at 7 p.m. on Saturday to talk about her latest book.

All invited. Free.

And, Cascade Lodge on Hwy. 61, will hold a Paint & Sip session from 3-5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Participants will learn how to paint a beautiful landscape during the session. The event is put on by the Cheerful Hearts Paint Studio. For more info and to register, click here.

There are also three music events on Saturday, plus lots of live music in local venues.

The North Shore Music Association will present “The Barley Jacks” in concert at the Schoroeder Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.

The Barley Jacks will be in concert at the Schroeder Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

This high-energy band is definitely worth seeing. Tickets available at the door.

Also, if you’re a Mozart fan, consider attending “The Wolfgang: Music of the ’80s (Mozart in the 1780s, that is), at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The WolfGang, a Twin Cities quintet of 18th century instrumental virtuosi, will perform Mozart’s “Great” Symphony #40 in G Minor and several other “80s” musical wonders from Mozart’s last decade.

The Wolfgang will perform Mozart at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Saturday.

And finally, the North Shore Community Swing Band will play at The Wunderbar on Saturday night starting at 7 p.m.

The North Shore Community Swing Band will be at The Wunderbar on Saturday night.

And, to make your choices for Saturday even more difficult, consider this. Anishinaabe and Dakota writers will be signing and selling copies of their latest books from 4-6 p.m. at the Dr. Robert Powless Center in Duluth, 202 W. 2nd St, The event will be from 4-6 p.m. and features authors Thomas Peacock, Linda Legarde Grove, Sharon Shucik, Teresa Peterson and illustrator Jordan Rodger.

On Sunday, there will be a Shrimp Boil and Bake Sale Fundraiser for the Gunflint Trail Historical Society and Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center at the Seagull Lake Community Center from 4-6 p.m. All welcome.

On Monday, the Grand Marais Public Library will launch Crafternoons, a special activity Mondays through Thursdays from 2-4 p.m. through Aug. 8. There will be different craft activities taught during these sessions.

The Grand Marais Art Colony‘s “Findings Jewelry Symposium” starts on Tuesday June 11 and runs through Saturday, June 15. The event features workshops, artist talks, demonstrations and more. Of particular interest — the Group Trunk Show, which features work by the symposium’s participants. The trunk show is from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. The public is invited. Stay tuned.

And on Wednesday, Joan Crosby will be at the Grand Marais Public Library from 2-3 p.m. where she will discuss her new book, “Tucker Lake Chronicles.”

At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Tedd McDonah will hold a jewelry making demonstration at the Grand Marais Art Colony entitled “Patterning Mokume-gane.”

A demonstration of making mokume-gane will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony on Wednesday.

Attendees will see first-hand see his common practices/techniques and the tools he typically uses to achieve twisted patterns with diffusion-bonded mokume billets.Participants are encouraged to register in advance, however, drop-ins are welcome. Note that space is limited. Call 387-2737 for more info.

And lastly, the West End Market, which is held in the parking lot of the Mountain Inn on Ski Hill Road will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. The market features locally made crafts, vegetables in season and more.

 Exhibits:

 The Grand Portage Lodge and Casino has installed the sculptural work of artist Donovan Dahman.

Wall sculpture by Donovan Dahmen. The artist is exhibiting his work at the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino.

Dahmen was inspired at a young age by his great uncle and famous artist, George Morrison, whom he used to work for doing odd jobs in Morrison’s studio, and making wooden frames for his uncle’s artwork.

Opportunities:

Carol Harris has crafted a beautiful quilt as a fundraiser for Care Partners. The quilt can be seen at Drury Lane Books.

Carol Harris’ quilt is on display at Drury Lane Books. The raffle drawing for the quilt will be Aug. 25.

Raffle tickets for the quilt can be purchased at Care Partners, Java Moose and Drury Lane Books. The raffle drawing will be Aug. 25.

The Grand Marais Art Colony is holding a Fire Sale, featuring lots of beautiful art books, pottery, miscellaneous studio supplies and more. Visit the Art Colony to see what they’re offering.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is offering scholarships for individuals from ARAC’s seven-county region to attend the 2019 Rural Arts and Culture Summit in Grand Rapids on Oct. 3-5. Organized by Springboard for the Arts and co-sponsored by ARAC, the Summit is a practitioner-driven gathering that celebrates and expands the field of rural arts-based community development by providing a space for learning, relationship building and celebration about the role of art and creativity in building strong, healthy and resilient rural communities. For more information, visit www.ruralartsandculturesummit.com.

For more information about ARAC and the programs and grants it offers, click on the image below.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, June 6:

• Live Music at Moguls Grille, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Sonofmel, Cascade Lodge Pub, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 6:30 p.m.
• Plucked Up String Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.

Friday, June 7:

• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Paper Parlor, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 8:

• Grand Marais Block Party, 3 bands, Downtown Grand Maris, all day DJ Beavstar, 9 a.m. to noon, Rod & Caribou, 12:30-2 p.m., Portage Band, 2:30-4 p.m.
• The Morning Kings, Voyageur Brewing Co, noon
• Mary Bue, Wunderbar, 3 p.m.
• One Less Guest, Voyageur, 4 p.m.
• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Lutsen, 7 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• The Barley Jacks, Schroeder Town Hall, 7:30 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 9:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 11:

• Patio Series with Timmy Haus, Mogul’s Grille, 5 p.m.

Photographs:

 We found lots of interesting photographs this week.

Let’s start with the sun, which makes all things possible.

Sun halo by Sierra Parsons.

And spring flowers, since ’tis the season.

Large-flowered trillium by Paul Sundberg.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit by David Johnson.

Ostrich ferns by Glenn Blaszkiewicz.

Spring Greens by Sarah Jorgenson.

And some wildlife shots:

“I’ll keep a lookout” by Dan Nilsen.

Cedar Waxwing… a couple of weeks late, but here at last by Gerry Sibell.

Mama bear and cubs by Karen Hunnicutt.

A little bull moose taking an evening stroll by Thomas Spence.

A storm:

Wall clouds near Rochester, MN by David Paal.

A photographer with a handful:

Jeffrey Doty with his hands full by Charles Howard Smith.

Waterfalls:

Waterfall wonderland by Samantha Lindberg.

And this.. not technically a waterfall, but falling water for sure:

The perfect wave by Christian Dalbec.

A few other water photographs:

Abstract Dock Reflections by Roxanne Distad.

Crescent Moonrise Over Hollow Rock by Ken Harmon

The North Shore by Ben Schleicher.

And these great Milky Way shots:

Airglow at Wolf Lake by Sam Brueggeman.

Horse Nebula over Island Lake by Jim Schnortz.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(NorthShore ArtScene makes a concerted effort every week to bring you a  guide to the arts and entertainment events on the North Shore, and, of course, finds beautiful photographs for you to enjoy. Please support this effort by clicking on the button below. Thank you!)

Rock, roots and flow by John Heino.

Busy, busy, busy – with the weather finally warming up and Memorial Day behind us, that’s what it feels like on the North Shore these days.

Here in Grand Marais, we kick off the weekend with the Northern Landscapes Festival at North House Folk School, May 31-June 2.  The festival features more than a dozen field-focused courses that form the backbone of the event, with evening presentations to round it out.  Offerings include everything from lichens in the Northwoods to a boreal birding workshop, wildlife tracking with remote camera photography and birding by ear, to name a few. To find out more and register, call 387-9762 or visit www.northhouse.org.

And new this year, the Minnesota Raptor Center will be on campus to give classes during the festival, a presentation at 7 p.m. on Saturday and then a live raptor event for families on Sunday, June 2 at 10 a.m.

Learn all about raptors in Minnesota at North House this weekend. Evening presentation on at 7 p.m. Saturday night, and live raptor event at 10 a.m. Sunday morning

On Friday at 7 p.m. at North House, wildlife photographer Ryan Pannesi will share stories of close encounters and offer a glimpse into the secretive lives of our wild furred and winged counterparts.

Also on Friday night, Joy & Co. will host “Try” Days, which offers the public a chance to try making art from their wide array of art supplies. The event is free and is held from 4-7 p.m.

And the band, The Ginstrings, will be in the WTIP studios on Friday night during the airing of The Roadhouse, to talk about their music and play a few songs. They’re always a fun group. The show airs from 5-7 p.m.

This is the last Friday of the month, and the Downtown Duluth Arts Collective has gone all out to organize the monthly Duluth Arts Walk. The event includes gallery openings, open studios, live music and more in a walkable event from 5-8 p.m.

The Downtown Duluth Arts Walk will be this Friday from 5-8 p.m.

To get a taste of all the activities, click here.

Also, the Duluth Superior Film Festival will be held this weekend, with screenings at the newly restored Norshore Theatre, Zeitgeist and other venues. There are a wide variety of films offer this year. Check out the trailer below.

 For the complete schedule of this 5-day film festival, click here.

Saturday starts out with the Cook County Market, which is held in the Senior Center Parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Cook County Market is held in the Senior Center parking lot on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through MEA weekend.

The market features arts and crafts from a variety of local vendors, including clothing, glass, pottery, woodwork and more as well as roasted nuts, and, if we are lucky, rhubarb treats.

Also on Saturday, plein air painter Greg Lecker, who is exhibiting his work at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sunday, will be giving plein air painting demonstrations at the gallery from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Plein air painter Greg Lecker will give painting demos at the Johnson Heritage Post from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

On Saturday night, Michaela Brevig of The Raptor Center, will give a presentation on Raptors of the Midwest at North House Folk School at 7 p.m. She will share images, range maps, and audio recordings to introduce many types of these amazing birds seen throughout the region, with a special emphasis on the species that can be seen on the North Shore. All invited.

On Sunday, the raptor programs at North House Folk School continue with a special Family Program from 10 a.m. to noon. The program will include an eagle, hawk, falcon, and owl. Open to all.

If you’re in the Twin Cities this weekend, consider attending the St. Anthony Park Arts Festival in St, Paul on Saturday. This is the 50th anniversary of the arts festival, and brings together outstanding artists from throughout the region for the one-day festival.

Last year, Dan and Lee Ross of Hovland won Best of Show. They will be at the festival again this year.

A kiln-load of \ is ready for firing at Dan and Lee Ross’ studio in Hovland. The artists won Best of Show last year at the St. Anthony Park Arts Festival. They will be there again this year.

The Park is located at 2245 Como Ave. in St. Paul. The arts festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Painting by Pat Corrigan.

Corrigan paints in a way that she describes as “pulling the light out from the darkness.” In this talk she will introduce you to some of her favorite and influential artists who do the same. The Artist Talk is co-hosted with Cook County Higher Education.. Stay tuned for details next month.

On Wednesday, June 5, the West End Market will be held from 4-6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Mountain Inn on Ski Hill Road in Lutsen. All welcome.

Exhibits:

This the last weekend to see Greg Lecker’s Plein Air exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post. It closes on Sunday.

“Morning Mist” by Greg Lecker.

Lecker has a variety of work in this show, including small and larger works. The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

In Two Harbors, the Two Harbors Art Center, 516 South Ave. in historic downtown, is open for the season. It is home to the Voyageur Artists and the Two Harbors Wood Carvers.

The Two Harbors Art Center, at  516 South Ave. in downtown Two Harbors. is open for the season.

The Arts Center is open Fridays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays: 12 noon to 3 pm. All welcome.

In Duluth, an exhibit exploring popular culture has opened at the Duluth Art Institute. Entitled “Popular Opinions: A Cultural Discussion” the exhibit features a variety of works addressing this theme.

Martin Nelson’s “Wonderland” is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.

 The exhibit has already been installed, and an opening reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4.

At the Tweed Museum of Art on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth, a group of three-dimensional works from the Tweed’s collection is on exhibit.

One of the three-dimensional works currently on exhibit at the Tweed Museum of Art.

 In Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is opening an exhibit of work by local high school students entitled “Fresh Perspectives.

Some of the pieces in the “Fresh Perspectives” exhibit at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

And the Baggage Building Arts Centre in Thunder Bay is exhibiting new work by member artists.

This fiber art piece by Leona McEwan is at the Baggage Building Arts Centre.

Upcoming:

 The 1st Avenue Block Party of the season will be held on 1st Avenue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Stay tuned.

Author Lorna Landvik will read from her new novel, “Chronicles of a Radical Hag (With Recipes)” at Drury Lane Books at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8.

The dynamic band, The Barley Jacks will be performing at the Schroeder Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. The concert is sponsored by the North Shore Music Association.

And, heads-up, the Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Festival will be held at North House Folk School June 21-23. There are lots of fun things going on over the weekend. To find out more, see www.northhouse.org. Volunteers are always welcome. Call 387-9762 for more info.

Kudos:

 Timothy Cochrane won the Nonfiction Award at the Northeast Minnesota Book Awards recently for his book,  “Gichi Bitobig, Grand Marais: Early Accounts of the Anishinaabeg and the North Shore Fur Trade.”

Author Timothy Cochrane won the Northeast Minnesota Book Award in NonFiction for “Gichi Bitobig.”

The book was published by the University of Minnesota Press.

Nancy Seaton painted several paddles for the new Watercraft Exhibit Building at Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center.

Nancy Seaton painted a number of paddles for the watercraft exhibit at Chik-Wauk.

Photographer Travis Novitsky was recently featured in a story in the Star Tribune.

Travisi Novitsky was featured in a story in the Star Tribune recently.

 To read the story and see the photos, click here.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council announced winners of grants in several categories recently. Here’s a listing of artists who won in Cook County.

Career Development Grant:

• Bryan Hansel, Grand Marais, Cook, $3,000:
  Funding will support a solo photography exhibit at Cedar Coffee Company and Spokengear in Two Harbors, Minnesota. The exhibit will hang from September 1, 2019, to October 31, 2019.

Arts Learning Grant:

• Greg Mueller, Lutsen, Cook, $2,440
  Grant funding will support the North Shore Community Pour, an interactive, learning experience in cast metal sculpture for 2019 Grand Marais Arts Festival attendees. Participants will create sand molds and watch as they are filled with molten aluminum which, when cooled will create a piece that they can take home,

Artist Access Grant:

• Joe Paulik, Grand Marais, Cook, $1,000
  Funding will support the recording of twelve songs with producer Al Oikari.
• Roxann Berglund, Grand Portage, Cook, $1,000
  Funding will be used to create a three-song demo of original compositions that will be used to gain feedback from other musicians and to promote the artist.

For more information about the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, its programs and grants, click on the image below.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for the week:

Thursday, May 30:

• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Pete K, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Eli Bentley, Gun Flint Tavern, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, May 31:

• Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Grandma Ray’s, 7 p.m.
• Ginstrings, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 1:

• Common Ground, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 2:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 5:

• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Photographs:

We found lots of photographs this week. Let’s start with some great bird photos taken by John Heino.

Juvenile Bald Eagle. “You wanna piece of this?” by John Heino.

Eye-to-eye Sanderling by John Heino.

Yellow warbler, Salon Springs by John Heino.

As the Crow flies, by John Heino.

We found some other great bird photos, too.

Male Hooded Merganser by Gerry Sibell.

Wood duck by Paul Sundberg.

Here’s a fascinating one.

Weasel “riding” a woodpecker by Martin LeMay. LeMay said that the woodpecker won, landing and throwing off the weasel.

And here’s another predator/prey shot.

It’s what’s for breakfast by Jodi Gierok.

And then this awesome photograph.

Bald Eagle by Steve Biro of the Canadian Raptor Conservancy. Apparently Steve was sitting on the Eagle’s favorite perch. When the photographer stepped off, the Eagle immediately flew over landed on it.

Spring is a renewal of bird life on the North Shore. It’s also a renewal of plant life. Here are a few great photos of this.

“Spring starts from the ground” by Kjersti Vick.

These colors are rocking Duluth by Matthew Pastick.

Spring Beauties by Ilena Berg.

“Spring greens” by Matthew Pastick.

Waterfalls continue.

Grand Portage Falls by Michael Reid.

And then, the iconic North Shore photographs.

One if by land by Bill Donovan.

“They still exist!”by Eric Sherman.

Fishermen and a Canal Park sunrise bu Jan Swart.

Storm light by Ann Bowman.

Here are some under and over views of the Lift Bridge in Duluth.

Under the Lift Bridge by Dustin Lavigne.

Living in the clouds by Kevin Jacobsen.

Milky Way and Lake Superior.

Between Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock by Curt Brown.

And finally, this …

Floating in the Sky: In honor of Janet Johnson. The best example of genuine Minnesota kindness and avid lover of the Northern woods, lakes and the North Shore. Unknown photographer.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

(If you’d like to help support NorthShore ArtScene, you can donate below. And Thank You!)

Spring has sprung by Roxanne Distad.

Grand Marais will be jumping this weekend. The Memorial Day Weekend has always been the kick-off for the summer season in this small North Shore community, but this year, they’ve pulled out all the stops.

Art Along the Lake Spring Gallery Tour is this weekend in Cook County.

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour starts on Thursday and continues through Monday, and features everything from gallery openings. demonstrations, artist talks and hands-on activities in many media and at many venues.

Click here for the complete schedule.

First off, on Thursday, May 23, there will be stone drilling demonstrations at Yellow Bird Fine Art all day, starting at 10 a.m. The gallery will hold a variety of demonstrations over the weekend, too, including oil painting demonstrations starting at noon on Friday and Saturday. There will also be jewelry making demonstrations and more.

The gallery has a number of new artists exhibiting this year, including Scott Murphy, a Duluth artist who works primarily in realistic surrealism. It’s always fascinating work.

“Runaway Bride” by Scott Murphy.

Yellowbird Fine Art will hold the Season’s Opening Reception from 4-6 p.m. on Friday. All invited.

The Big Lake, just down the street from Yellow Bird Fine Art, will feature a number of demonstrations over the weekend, including a a sustainable clothing pop-up starting at 11 a.m. on Friday. Anna Hess will give a painting demonstration starting at 11 a.m on Saturday, and Sunday.

Anna Hess will give painting demonstrations at the Big Lake on Friday and Saturday.

Betsy Bowen will be demonstrating woodblock printmaking at her studio all weekend. The studio gallery features a number of local and regional artists, including new batik work by Nedra Nichols.

Great Blue Heron, batik, by Nedra Nichols.

Sivertson Gallery in downtown Grand Marais will also feature new work, including photographs by Christian Dalbec, a new artist in the gallery.

Sivertson Gallery is featuring Lake Superior photographs by Christian Dalbec.

And Greg Lecker, a plein air painter whose work is on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post, will be giving live plein air demonstrations throughout the weekend, as well as giving an artist talk at a reception at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“Forever Drifting,” by Greg Lecker. He did this painting in Grand Marais recently.

And Joy & Company is featuring a chance to explore art with a wide variety of art supplies at the shop over the weekend. All invited. Free.

In rural Grand Marais, on County Road 44, the Art of the Elements gallery will be exhibiting work by a number of local and regional artists as well as holding a number of  demonstrations over the weekend, including a stained glass demonstration at 10 a.m. on Friday, a Shou Sugi Ban, the Japanese Art of Charred Cider, demo with Paul Bondhus at  1-3 p.m., and a forging iron demonstration with Steve Frykman on Saturday. Artists featured at the gallery include Hazel Belvo, Marsha Cushmore, Martye Allen, Natalie Sobanja, Brittany Foster, Barbara MeierHusby, Dorothea Diver, Paul Bondhus, Kirsten Ross, Laurie Toth, Sharon & Steve Frykman.

Resurrection: Roots by Hazel Belvo is at the Art of the Elements gallery in rural Grand Marais.

Also this weekend, potter Lenore Lampi will have a Studio Clearance Sale this weekend at Mile Marker 92 on Highway 61 in Lutsen.

Mug by Lenore Lampi.

She will be there with a wide variety of pottery Friday through Sunday.

A new gallery and jewelry shop that has opened in Lutsen will have a Grand Opening on Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jeweler of the North Shore & JNS Gallery features a wide selection of handmade jewelry as well as work by local artists. There will be metal piercing demonstrations on Friday and Saturday.

Also, the Cross River Heritage Center will open for the season on Friday, May 23. The Heritage Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The special exhibit this year is “Electrifying Cook County” and features displays, photographs and story boards telling how electricity was brought to the North Shore. It starts with home generators and takes you through decades of innovation, driven by the imagination and ambition of local entrepreneurs. The center also features on-going displays as well as work by local artists.

The Cross River Heritage Center opens for the season on Friday, and includes work by local artists. Pictured are watercolors by David Hahn and photographs by Kathy Gray Anderson.

Up the Gunflint Trail, the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center opens for the season on Saturday.

The Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, located on the Gunflint Trail, opens for the season this weekend.

This year’s exhibit tells the story of Tommy Banks and Billy Needhamn. Banks, a bootlegger  Banks, a bootlegger and gangster from Minneapolis was active during the days of prohibition. Needham lived on Bearskin and Hungry Jack Lake and became known for his diamond willow lodge furniture and hand drawn maps.The two men became friends on the shores of Hungry Jack Lake. The exhibit features newspaper articles, photographs and artifacts from the Banks’ life and his cabin caretake, Needham.

There’s lots more happening in Grand Marais this weekend, too.

At 1 p.m. Friday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will hold “Paint-A-Tile,” a workshop that offers participants the chance to paint tiles using colorful glazes and have them fired in time for Sunday pick-up.

A Paint-A-Tile workshop will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony at 1 p.m. Friday.

The cost of the workshop is $25. To register, call 387-2737 or email info@grandmaraisartcolony.com

On Friday night Rich Mattson and the Northstars. who are performing this weekend, will talk about their music and play a few songs on WTIP The Roadhouse. The Roadhouse airs from 5-7 p.m.

And the Cook County Market opens for the season in the Senior Center Parking lot on Saturday.

The Cook County Market opens for the season on Saturday in the parking lot of the Senior Center.

The market features a number of new vendors as well as old favorites and will be held from 9 am. to 1 p.m. All invited.

On Saturday, the Grand Marais Art Colony will host two Make-A-Bowl for the Empty Bowl Fundraiser sessions in the clay studio. They will be held at 11 a.m. and at 1 p.m. In each session, participants will learn to throw a bowl and handbuild a bowl, which will be donated to the EmptyBowls fundraiser next fall. To register and for more information, call 387-2737 or info@grandmaraisartcolony.org.

On Saturday night, a special concert celebrating the role of horns in the history of jazz, entitled “Sky Blue with Horns,” will be performed aat the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m.

Sky Blue with Horns will be performed at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The concert, sponsored by the North Shore Music Association, will feature trumpet soloist Tom Pfotenhauer (veteran jazz teacher, UMD Dept. of Music & Jazz Studies Program), backed by local players Eric Anderson on trombone, Erik Hahn on sax and flute, and the Sky Blue Jazz Ensemble led by Mike DeBevec.

The talents of these remarkable musicians will be showcased in self-composed horn arrangements and original compositions by Pfotenhauer and DeBevec, as well as favorite jazz standards and jazz/pop fusion tunes (Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chuck Mangione), with six vocalists rounding out the ensemble.

Tickets are $15 for adults, and $5 for youth ages 18 and under) will be sold at the event only, starting one-half hour before show time.

And on Sunday, the Art Colony will host Community Ink: Screenprinting in the Art Colony’s print studio. Participants can screen print their own T-shirt, tote or apron with their choice of ink and one of several Art Colony designs. The drop-in fee is $20. The event will be held from 1″30-3:30 p.m. All invited.

Also on Sunday, the Lake Superior Trading Post will host Cary J Griffith, author of “Gunflint Burning: Fire in the Boundary Waters” at a booksigning at the store at 2 p.m. Sunday. All invited.

Cary Griffith, author of ‘”Gunflint Burning” will be at the Lake Superior Trading Post for a booksigning on Sunday at 2 p.m.

And on Monday, Betsy Bowen will continue her woodblock printing demonstrations at her studio gallery from 2-4 p.m. All invited.

If you’re going to be in Duluth on Sunday, we have to recommend that you show up at the Amazing Grace Cafe in Canal Park to watch and listen to the 23rd annual Battle of the Jug Bands.

The Battle of the Jug Bands will be held at Amazing Grace in Duluth on Sunday.

The music will be from 1-6 p.m. and there’s no telling how many bands will show up. It’s always a great time.

In Duluth, “Intersections,” the Tweed Museum of Art’s exhibit featuring works by Native American artists in their collection, continues.

Robette Before Horses Stickland’s “Creation Story” is at the Tweed Museum of Art.

Upcoming:

The Findings Jewelry Symposium will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony June 11-15 and features workshops, artist talks, presentations and a group Trunk Show, which is open to the public.

The Findings Jewelry Symposium is June 11-15 at the Grand Marais Art Colony.

Findings is a biennial event hosted in partnership with the Minnesota Jewelry Arts Guild. Classes and sessions are open to anyone with an interest in the jewelry arts and are geared toward all levels.

Not interested in taking a class but love jewelry? Come to the Saturday evening group trunk show to check out the work and wear something home! The Trunk Show is from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. For more info, click here and/or call 218-387-2737.

And, last, but not least, the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council offers a wide variety of services to artists and arts organizations, including workshops and grants. For more info, click on the image below.

 Music:

Here’s the music for the week:

Thursday May 23;

• Live Music at Mogul’s, 4 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Gun Flint Tavern, 6 p.m.

Friday, May 24:

• Timmy Haus, Voyageur Brewing Co., 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Rox ‘n’ Soul, Wunderear, 7 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• Rich Mattson & The Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• The Fish Heads, Grandma Ray’s, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 25:

• Matt & Laurel, Voyageur Brewing Co., 11 a.m.
• Brothers in Arms,  Voyageur Brewing, 2 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Wunderbar at 7 p.m.
• Micheal Monroe, Log Cabin Concert, 7 p.m., rural Grand Marais, www.michaelmonroemusic.com
• Sky Blue With Horns, 7 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church
• Tommy Wotruba, Skyport Lodge, 7 p.m.
• Rich Mattson & The Northstars, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• DJ Beavstar, Papa Charlie’s, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 26:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 28:

• Jim & Michele Miller, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 29:

• Briand Morrison, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.

Here is a selection of photos we found this week. First, colors for a dreary day.

Rainbow Sherbet tulip by Roxanne Distad.

And now, wildlife and wild plants.

Fiddleheads by Les Conrad.

A perfect catch by Eric Saunders.

White-throated Sparrow by Jon Wood.

Pileated Woodpecker family by Paul Sundberg.

Wild waves:

Lake Superior Surfer by Matthew Pastick.

Big lake, big waves by Jeffrey Doty.

Wild sky:

Spirit Dance by John Heino.

And a waterfall …

Gooseberry, Upper Falls by Paul Sundberg.

And then, calm …

Saganaga morning by Jo Ann Krause.

And calmer …

Morning magic in canoe country by Thomas Spence.

And calmest:

Mystical Forest by Roxanne Distad.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Have you thought about supporting NorthShore ArtScene? It’s easy to do. Click on the icon below, and Thank You!)

The Northern Lights were flashing and glowing in the night sky earlier this week. Justin Vrba took this beauty.

We’re only a weekend away from Memorial Day and things are beginning to hop in Cook County.

First up are readings and book signings by Joan Crosby, who has just published a new book about her 13 months on Tucker Lake.

Joan Crosby will speak about her new book at the Wunderbar from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday and at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Crosby will be at the Wunderbar from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, May 16 and a Drury Lane Books on Saturday, May 18 at 7 p.m. Crosby’s book is a memoir of the 13 months she and her husband, Dick, spent in a remote cabin on the Gunflint Trail 50 years ago. At Drury Lane Books, she will discuss her writing process as well as sign copies of her book. All invited.

Also this weekend, leatherworker Beth Dow, who is the current instructor-in-residence at North House Folk School,  will be conducting live craft demonstrations around town this weekend. She will be at the Cook County Senior Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday and at the Grand Marais Public Library from 10:30-2 p.m on Saturday.The public is invited to come and learn more about the craft as well as watch her work.

On Friday, nationally recognized potter Ellen Shankin will give an Artist Talk at Cook County Higher Education at 7 p.m.

Pitcher by Ellen Shankin. Shankin will give a presentation at Cook County Higher Education at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Shankin, who has exhibited all over the United States as well as internationally, will talk about her work and what inspires her about clay. She has been a studio potter since 1977 and is a past recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Visual Arts Fellowship Grant. Her pottery explores line, balance, and tension. At the event, she will also have examples of her work on exhibit. The Artist Talk is hosted by the Grand Marais Art Colony. All invited. Free.

For the artist gardeners in the community, the greatly anticipated GES Annual Plant Sale and Pancake Breakfast will be held this Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Great Expectations School. The school is located on the corner of East 5th Street and the New Gunflint Trail. Everything from annuals, vegetables, herbs and perennials will be available. All welcome.

And next Wednesday, May 22, will be the launch of the West End Market at Mountain Inn on the Lutsen Mountains Road. The market will feature artwork, crafts, snacks and locally grown produce and will be held in the parking lot at the Mountain Inn every Wednesday from 4-6:30 p.m. through September.

Exhibits:

There’s a lot of art to see on the North Shore, this weekend and next. Here’s a selection:

First up is Greg Lecker’s Plein Air Exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post.

“Departure,” a plein air painting by Greg Lecker is currently on view at the Johnson Heritage Post.

Besides a wide variety of paintings focused on Lake Superior and the North Shore, Lecker also has fine art reproduction cards of his work.

Fine art reproduction cards by Greg Lecker are available at the Johnson Heritage Post.

There’s another exhibit at the Heritage Post as well. Kathy Weinberg is the Artist of the Month and she is showing a collection of flower paintings.

Rose O’Sharon by Kathy Weinberg, is one of a selection of her works currently on view at the Johnson Heritage Post.

At Yellow Bird Fine Art, Linda Ricklefs Baudry has brought in new work.

Surrender, Be Still n\by Linda Ricklefs Baudry is on exhibit at Yellow Bird Fine Art.

The gallery will feature a variety of new work over the Memorial Day weekend. Stay tuned.

Liz Sivertson has brought in new work to Sivertson Gallery, too, including this painting, entitled “She Wolf.”

She Wolf, by Liz Sivertson.

And the Betsy Bowen Gallery is featuring the work of Charlotte Durie.

Charlotte Durie’s “Japanese Lake” is at Betsy Bowen’s Gallery. Durie is being featured at the gallery this month.

In Duluth, the Duluth Art Institute has just opened a new exhibit entitled “Strata,” a study of textures and designs by regional artists.

Natalie Salminen Rude’s “Human Flourishing, Are We Paying Attention, Extermination” is on view at the Duluth Art Institute.

The Tweed Museum of Art is continuing a number of exhibits, including “Intersections,” pieces from the museum’s collection of Native American artists.

Carl Gawboy’s Untitled (Lake Superior Storm) is one of the paintings in the Tweed’s exhibit, “Intersections.”

In Thunder Bay, The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is playing host to “Fragile,” an exhibition on loan from Bravo Art in Ottawa.

“Fragile” is currently on exhibit at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

 The exhibit features the work of six contemporary Francophone artists who explore the concept and experience of their Francophone heritage in relation to family identity.

And, at the Baggage Building Arts Centre at Prince Arthur’s Landing in Thunder Bay, a new spring exhibition has opened.

“Ballerina” by Paul Bentz.

 Upcoming:

Next weekend, look for the Spring Gallery Tour, a jazz concert, all kinds of art demonstrations in various venues around the county, from pottery to plein air painting, hands-on opportunities, new work in all the galleries, a grand opening and more.

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour is May 23-27.

Here’s the link to all the events. And stay tuned for more details next week.

There are several things going on at the Grand Marais Art Colony, too, including a Paint-A-Tile workshop on Friday, May 24 and Make-A-Bowl for Empty Bowl sessions on Saturday, May 25.

A Paint-A-Tile workshop will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony on May 24from 1-2:30. The tiles will be fired and ready to be picked up on Sunday, May 26.

To register for either of these opportunities, call 387-2737.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council offers a variety of different grants and learning opportunities for artists. To learn more, click on the icon below.

 Music:

Here’s the music schedule for this week:

Thursday, May 16:

• Live music at Mogul‘s, 4 p.m.
• Jon Kallberg, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Roxanne Berglund, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Gun Flint Tavren, 6 p.m.

Friday, May 17:

• Jim McGowan, Voyageur Brewing Co, 8 p.m.
• HeatBox, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18:

• Charlie Roth, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• SmokeHouse, Grand Portage Lodge, 7 p.m.
• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Grandma Ray’s, 8 p.m.
• Pushing Chain, Gun Flint Tavern, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 19:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik & Pat Flack, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 21:

• Eric Frost, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 22:

• Jam Session, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

 Photographs:

Here are some of the photos we found this week:

An indigo bunting stopped by Thomas Spence’s yard a few days ago.

Another unusual sighting: A Cross Fox. This fellow was out for a stroll on the Gunflint Trail recently. Photo by Thomas McAleer.

Several photographers posted “Mama” shots over the Mother’s Day weekend. Here are a few.

Hummingbird and young by Paul Sundberg.

Great Blue Heron and its mate and nestlings by Paul Sundberg.

Loon and chick by Paul Sundberg.

And here are a few others we found:

‘Tis the Season by Alison Gimpel.

“Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms” by John Heino.

We found other wildlife photos, too.

The Gathering by Ron Williams.

Photo session with a moose by Butch Gates.

“Blackbird Fly” by John Heino.

We found some lovely landscapes, too.

Two Island, Cedar Ice Out by Bryan Hansel.

Late Night Reflections by Charles Howard Smith.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Thank you  for supporting NorthShore ArtScene this year! It’s been great. And if you’d like to contribute to this blog, click on the icon below for more info.)

Willows make a nice snack by Katie Mumm.

The weather isn’t exactly calling out Spring this week, but that doesn’t mean the season on the North Shore is slow to start. On the contrary — there are lots of intriguing things happening this weekend.

We kick off the week with the opening of “Luminous,” a dance extravaganza by the YMCA Dance Group.

This annual event is always exciting, featuring inspiring dances and costumes as well as creative lighting and music, not to mention enthusiastic performances by all.

The YMCA Dance Recital, “Luminous” runs for three nights this week at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.  Performances are from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, and 7-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

More than 100 local dancers ranging in age from 3 to 70 will perform dance routines in ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop this weekend at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. Dancers have been learning choreography under the instruction of Breanna Roy, Christine Curtis, and Lesli Higgins over the past several months and will be putting on a show for the community.

Dance instructors Lesli Higgins, Breanna Roy and Christine Curtis have been working with dancers all winter to  prepare for  the recital.

The show features ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop pieces. It also includes solos from the instructors as well as outgoing seniors, Andrea Larsen, Claire LaVigne, and Robin Henrikson. The theme for this year is “Luminous” and the songs and costumes have a “light” theme. This popular community event has sold out the past several years, so get your tickets early. Tickets are  $12 adults, $6.50 youth and can be purchased at www.tix.com or at the door.

On Friday, the Johnson Heritage Post opens a new exhibit featuring the plein air paintings of Greg Lecker. Lecker’s work centers on the theme of water, the Northwoods and Lake Superior.

Point of Land by Greg Lecker is one of the paintings that will be in the exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post that opens on Friday.

The opening reception for Lecker’s exhibit will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 10. All invited. Refreshments will be served. The exhibit continues through June 2. Note: Lecker will give painting demonstrations over Memorial Day Weekend at the Heritage Post. Stay tuned.

The Heritage Post is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Also on Friday, the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council will host the 21st annual Arrowhead Arts Awards at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids starting at 5:30 p.m.

The annual Arrowhead Arts Awards will be held at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids on Friday, May 10.

Glass sculptor Michael Tonder will receive the 2019 George Morrison Artist Award and Katie Marshall, director of the MacRostie Art Center, will receive the Maddie Simons Arts Advocate Award at the event. All invited. Refreshments will be served.

To find out more about the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, click on the image below:

This weekend, jazz guitarist Sam Miltich will give a number of presentations and a concert in Grand Marais, thanks to the partnership of the North Shore Music Association and North Shore Health. The series is entitled “The Improvised Life: Exploring Intersections of Mental Health & Creativity through Jazz” and will feature presentations and a concert.

Jazz guitarist Sam Miltich will be in Grand Marais this weekend, giving presentations on mental health and music, as well as playing a concert a Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Saturday night.

Miltich will begin his series with a Music Process Workshop at the Grand Marais Public Library at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. He will discuss and demonstrate guitar techniques, talk about his daily practice and how music has played a large role in his mental health recovery. The session is open to the public and free of charge.

On Saturday night, Miltich and his quartet will perform an evening concert at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 general admission. All invited.

And on Sunday, Miltich will give a talk at the North Shore Health Multipurpose Room at 2 p.m. He will highlight his experience with schizophrenia, as well as the experiences of other accomplished musicians who achieved great personal and professional success while living with mental illness (such as famed jazz pianist Thelonious Monk). Open to the public and free of charge.

Here’s a video of Miltich talking about his music:

Sunday is Mother’s Day, and many restaurants are offering special menus for the day. If you’d like to bike to your much, the Fireweed Bike Co-op is holding a Ride for Brunch at Naniboujou along the beautiful shores of Lake Superior. All invited. To register, call 387-2186 by May 10.

Also on Sunday, Beth Dow, a leatherworker who is the instructor in residence at North House Folk School this month, will be holding a number of open houses, classes and demonstrations during her residency.

Leatherworker Beth Dow is the instructor in residence at North Houses Folk School this month.

She starts her residency by hosting her first open studio from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at North House. For more information on other opportunities, click here.

And if you’re going to be in Duluth, don’t miss the 8th annual “Run Smelt Run Puppet Parade and Smelt Party” that starts near the Lift Bridge at 3:30 p.m.

The 8th annual Run Smelt Run Puppet Parade and Smelt Party is in Duluth on Sunday. Pictured is the puppet, the Smelt Queen, who leads the parade.

This is a totally crazy time with people dressed in silver, mini puppet shows and music and lots of laughter. The Brass Messengers from Minneapolis lead the parade from the Lift Bridge on the Lake Walk to the Zeitgeist Cafe, where there’s a smelt fry and party. The parade starts at 3:30 p.m. Here’s a video of last year’s event:

Run Smelt Run from Patrick Knight on Vimeo.

And, for those beer lovers out there, Voyageur Brewing will hold a workshop, Craft Beer 101, on Monday from 6-8 p.m. Learn the basics of beer, including how it’s made, the different styles, ingredients and more. Cost of class is $10 and is limited to 25 people. Participants will sample beer, receive a free pint glass and more. Advance registration required. To register, call 218-387-3163 or email casey@voyageurbrewing.com

And on Wednesday, Betsy Bowen’s Gallery opens for the season featuring paintings by Charlotte Durie from Wales.

Drifter’sEscape by Charlotte Durie. The artist will have her work on exhibit at Betsy Bowen’s Studio when it opens for the season on Wednesday.

The work includes mixed-media landscapes inspired by Charlotte’s annual visits to her family cabin near Lutsen. All invited. The gallery is open daily from 11-5 p.m. throughout the season.

Exhibits:

The Great Hall at Tettegouche State Park is featuring work by Cheryle Gannaway.

“Planning a Forest,” by Cheryle Gannaway, is one of the pieces on exhibit at Tettegouche State Park.

The exhibit continues through the end of May.

And last, but not least, this is the weekend for the 27th annual St. Croix Pottery Tour, May 10-12.

The 27th annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour is this weekend.

The Tour is nationally recognized as a gathering of exceptional potters offering an exciting array of handmade ceramics. The work ranges from everyday functional to decorative. This year is shaping up to be truly spectacular and will feature 63 potters from 17 States and England exhibiting in seven different studios. Choose a few studios you want to visit or go to all seven for the full experience. Refreshments are served at each studio, and, note, potters are often excellent cooks.  For more info, maps, etc., click here.

Upcoming: 

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour is from May 23-27 this year, featuring a lots of things to do and see over the entire weekend.

The Art Along the Lake: Spring Gallery Tour is May 23-27 this year.

Participating galleries are featuring new work by their artists and there will be lots of demonstrations as well as opportunities to participate in hands-on activities, too. Check out the events listing here.

Opportunities:

Give your art a bike ride this year and participate in 2019 Project Bike with Dana Sikkila.

Dana Sikkila has put out a call to artists to participate in her bike tour.

For the past four years creative leader Dana Sikkila has set out on a one of a kind art/bike tour, advocating for the important point that every artist has skills and creative ideas to help grow and sustain our communities, So far, she has biked 2,500 summer miles connecting with Minnesota artists living in communities ranging from the rural to large cities, learning what motivates her fellow Minnesotans to create art. She transports the art in a cart behind her bike and then holds an exhibit in Mankato. A film crew also participates in the tour, and the video will be part of the exhibit. She is starting this year’s tour in Grand Marais, and is interested in finding artists who would like to participate. To find out more and apply, click here.

Artist News:

Kathy Fox Weinberg from Lutsen is the North Shore Artists League featured Artist of the Month for May at the Johnson Heritage Post.

Painting by Kathy Weinberg.

To launch Spring, she has curated a floral exhibit of her oil paintings, “If Flowers Could Talk.”  Her work will be featured at the Johnson Heritage Post through the month of May.

Music:

Here’s the music for the week:

Thursday, May 9:

• Mogul’s Grille, Live Music, 4 p.m.
• Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Poplar River Pub, 6 p.m.
• Luminous: YMCA Dance Performance, 6 p.m. ACA
• Plucked Up String Band, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 10:

• Matthew Griswald, Voyageur Brewing Col, 4 p.m.
• Portage, Grandma Ray’s, 6 p.m.
• Luminous: YMCA Dance Performance, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• North Shore Community Swing Band, Wunderbar, 7 p.m.
• One Way Traffic, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 11:

• Luminous: YMCA Dance Performance, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Tim Fast, Lutsen Resort, 7 p.m.
• One Way Traffic, Gun Flint Tavern, 8 p.m.
• Chris Koza Band, Wunderbar, 8 p.m.
• Brothers in Arms, Grandma Ray’s, 9 p.m.

Sunday May 12:

• Briand Morrison, Mogul’s Grille, 10 a.m.
• Open Stage with Joe Paulik and Pat Flack, Wunderbar, 6 p.m.
• Ian Alexy, Gun Flint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 14:

• JohnRuss, Lutsen Resort, 6 p.m.

Photographs:

Here are a few of the photos we found this week. Let’s start with wildlife:

Ruffed Grouse by Paul Sundberg.

Ready for Spring by John Heino.

One day, Dad, I will be as big and wise as you by Chris Artist.

Sandhill Flyby by John Heino.

A coyote teases a young grizzly in Yellowstone by Keith Crowley.

The Great Blue escape by John Heino

Blue Fog at Split Rock by Matthew Pastick.

Being in the right place at the right time by Bill Donovan.

Heavy fog blankets the Temperance River Valley by Thomas Spence.

Nina Moose Lake by Layne Kennedy.

Love the changing seasons by Barbara Lokken.

Misty fog at sunrise on the Gunflint Trail by John Heino.

Water Weaving, Miller Creek, Duluth by Gregory A. Israelson.

And last, this one by Layne Kennedy:

The luck of a duck by Layne Kennedy.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

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