Artists Take to the Streets... To Make Snow Sculptures. Plus a Link to Art in February

For the first time in a long time I read Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll this past week. A couple days later my Reason magazine featured a story about mushrooms, with an extensive variety of colorful illustrations of Shrooms on the cover. And so it was that as I was driving through Duluth's Lincoln Park District I couldn't help but stop when I saw a couple people working on this snow sculpture featuring a giant mushroom. I thus felt compelled to park my car and grab a photo

Before I reached the giant shroom sculpture I ran into Karin Kraemer of Duluth Pottery, whose pottery business is a couple doors West of the sculpture. Karin was excited about the sculpture -- "Isn't it great!!?" -- and said there were some others being created in the neighborhood. She thus escorted me to the sculpture and introduced me to the artist. Ha! It was Jessica Turtle, so covered up in winter garb that I would not have recognized her to save my life. She smiled broadly as we already know each other. (I purchased one of her paintings about 10 years ago and wrote about her.) 

At this point I should mention that it was below zero out there and with the wind chill at least 20 below. That just shows you how dedicated our local artists can be.

A second sculpture was being worked on across the street down on the corner by the small park at 20th Avenue West. They were completing a seated bear as you can see here.

I have long been an advocate for public art, thrilled by the number of murals that have been produced to decorate our walls and buildings.

I was then told of a third sculpture being produced over at Ursa Minor, 2415 West Superior Street. Naturally I had to check it out. It turns out that the artists were a father and son from just North of Madison, Wisconsin. Steve Lentz and his son Austin were also busy scraping and shaping when I got there. They happened to have a small fire burning, which seems a pretty nice asset on such a chilly day.

Before

After

Tools of the Trade

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Here's one more with Jessica Turtle. 

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Esther Piszczek has updated her Twin Ports Art Blog with activities for February. Things have not yet opened up as in the days of Pre-Covid, but as you can see from the snow sculptures it hasn't stopped our local artists from making art. The listing begins with a call for submissions for the annual Lake Superior Writers competition. You can find everything else here at Art In February.

The Duluth Art Institute located in the Depot will be closed till April 1. Likewise the Tweed will remain closed till spring, due to the governor's restrictions. Frankly, I don't understand why art museums have to be closed. They are underutilized. With the exception of art openings you can usually see every exhibit without getting within 50 feet of a human being.  

The DAI has virtual viewing available, which you will find at their website duluthartinstitute.org.

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In closing, here in the Northland we have snow sculptures. Below is a photo of a sand sculpture, contributed once again by Gary Firstenberg. Yes, it is Super Bowl weekend, so this is Tom Brady and a giant football that says 2021. After a career with the New England Patriots he is in Tampa Bay leading the Buccaneers. 

 Meantime, art goes on all around you. Get into it.