Local Arts Seen: For Last Minute Xmas Gift Ideas, Try Art in the Alley

At the Zieigeist Atrium

Saturday I did a quick meander through the developing Duluth Downtown arts district to check out a few places and spaces. It was too late to catch the Zeitgeist Atrium event, and too early for other things, but just right to take a few pictures at Art in the Alley, there on the corner of Superior Street and Third Avenue East. I mention this only to suggest that if you are still looking for some one-of-a-kind ideas to fulfill all your family gifting, you might want to visit some of our local arts vendors.

Art in the Alley, 230 East Superior Street, is jam-packed with items to enhance most any home, apartment or cavern. To be honest, I did not do any due diligence to see where the signage was produced, so when I say "buy local" in this case, I am encouraging you to find the work here by local artists from a locally owned business.

On the Souptown side of the bridge (It's just a bridge. Get over it!) Art On The Planet has completed its cross-town transfer to the former Dunbar Building, 1413 Tower Avenue, which it now shares with Wine Beginnings. Their entire inventory (as far as I know) is local. I only mention all this today to help you find something memorable for your giving this year.

Art In The Alley

For what it's worth, many families are reducing the quantity of gifts they are giving and encouraging friends and family to send the money the might have spent to other worthy causes. If you're supporting the arts, the Tweed, the Duluth Art Institute, the Armory Arts, Zeitgeist and Music Center and Duluth Dylan Fest are all funded by the generosity of donors. There are also numerous agencies and organizations devoted to helping the needy in our community, including CHUM, the Damiano Center, Salvation Army and others.

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And so is art.

Another "hot" spot where you can find last minute gifts is Lake Superior Art Glass, on the corner of 2nd Avenue East and Superior Street. My grandparents lived fifteen minutes from the Fenton Glass Works in West Virginia and it generated in me a lifelong fascination for glassmaking arts. You can watch the artisans live, and be amazed.

Just keeping you aware of things that may not have been on your grid, but ought to be.

You may not be in the Twin Ports, bit wherever you are I'm sure there are a host of creative and passionate people in your community who are worth paying attention to.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Engage it.