Ennyman's Territory: Local Art Seen: Duluth Art Institute Membership Exhibition Is Impressive

Ed, North Shore Fisherman

Thursday evening I attended the opening reception for the Duluth Art Institute's Member Show, which moved into the closing for Sarah Brokke's Portrait of an Artist which has been on display in the Morrison Gallery since late autumn. The Member Show makes an impressive statement about the caliber of our local artist community. With a little help from the weather the Depot collected an large swath of artists and friends of the arts here in the Northland. It was a special treat to also walk through the Steffl Gallery and see the (Self) Portrait of the Artist exhibit which has been a nice companion to Sarah Brokke's show.

One feature of the show is the People's Choice Award and this year when the votes were tallied Edie Michalski's watercolor piece titled Ed, North Shore Fisherman received the honors. There were over 175 entries and you owe it to yourself to make your way to the Depot when you have a little time in the next month or so. If you need to return something to the library, it's just across the street.

Mary Bue brings a good vibe to any occasion.

Yahya Rushdi's Countdown to Star Wars

Countdown to Star Wars, detail

I had a near impossible time picking a favorite but there was plenty to catch one's eye. The contributions were in all manner of genres from ink and crayon and acrylic to thread and wood and various kinds of prints. Sculptures, drawings, paintings, photography -- it's all represented and represented well.

Annie Dugan moderated a members meeting beforehand where Duluth Art Institute business was addressed and an annual report handed out. Afterwards, singer-songwriter Mary Bue provided the musical accompaniment for the show.

Here are photos of a few of the pieces that I especially liked, though there were many, many more. You'll have to visit in person to really grasp the variety and quality of the works themselves.