Twin Ports Art 2021, The January Effect

 

Let's start with a poem about January by William Carlos Williams.

Again I reply to the triple winds
running chromatic fifths of derision
outside my window:
Play louder.
You will not succeed. I am
bound more to my sentences
the more you batter at me
to follow you.
And the wind,
as before, fingers perfectly
its derisive music. 

* * * 

Chirps

The other day I received an email from Esther Piszczek with this month's Twin Ports Art for January and I promptly lost it. Or perhaps I was distracted. After two days of procrastination I am finally getting around to posting this. 

North House Folk School had a week long virtual film fest which ends tonight with High Steel by Julian Biggs.

On Saturday, January 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nice Girls of the North will be open for business. Social distancing will be in effect, but the door will be open.

Saturday, January 9, 1-3 p.m. The Nordic House will host Teri Glembin's A Dala A Day. You can read Brian Barber's Selective Focus to learn more. 

Here's an entry about something the Duluth Art Institute is doing:

DAI: Art in Bloom: Send Love. Send Art.
"Connect to your friends and loved ones by sending original art. The Duluth Art Institute offers a unique opportunity to say "I'm thinking about you." DAI Art In Bloom is here to support artists and connection to each other until we can all be together again. Peruse our list of artist's websites with work ranging $20 to $150. Consider sending stunning artwork from these beautifully curated collections. You'll be supporting artists and giving a gift that lasts forever. 100% of the profits go directly to the artists. The artist will mail the original artwork to the recipient with a special note."

Here is the DAI Website with more information about exhibits and things.

* * *

After years of running hither and yon to attend as many art events as possible, I've found this past year of semi-hibernation to be appealing in some ways. I am enjoying the solitude, appreciating the more leisurely approach to life that I'd forgotten exists for many people. In some ways it feels a little like college life, except then we were looking forward more while people told us to live in the now. 

Alas. 

Be sure to visit the Twin Ports Art Blog for January to see what else is happening. 

* * *

Always a lot of cool art to enjoy and purchase at Art on the Planet.

And finally, more poems about January:

https://www.poemhunter.com/poems/january/

Twin Ports Art in October: Esther's Round-Up

The newspaper ran a story predicting that the autumn colors would not be as beautiful this year because it had been dry or some other rationale. It is apparent that someone thought it would make more of a story than to write, "Autumn Colors To Be Beautiful Again." 

The colors have indeed been gorgeous. I know this because it seems there's one thought that continually runs through my mind this time of year. "I should stop and take a picture of that." 

When I used to work in Superior I loved crossing the High Bridge heading back toward Duluth where the entire West Duluth Hillside was radiating color. 

Our crabapple tree one year had so many different colors that a photo I took captured all six colors of the rainbow in one close-up. Really nice. The artist who made these landscapes and breath-taking scenes is pretty talented.

* * * *

Esther has assembled another page of Twin Ports Art events for our community: Art In October!

Many of the events are virtual, including the Catalyst Film Festival, another Margi Preus book launch and many others. 

The list of activities begins with a nod to the Zeitgeist Mask Force. The concept: people with means can purchase a mask and in turn another mask will be donated to people without means. I'm giving the Mask Force this shout out because there is another arts even involving masks taking place at the Encore Theater in Cloquet. Kris Nelson, who curates art for the theater gallery, has organized a Creative Covid Mask Auction. Area artists have been busy coming up with ideas to decorate masks for the auction with proceeds going to the Encore Theater. I just finished mine last night. You can check out all the masks at the Virtual Art Tour and Auction from October 19-26 on Facebook.

Here's Kris Nelson, who you may know better as the artist who paints chairs.

* * * *

The Duluth Art Institute will have several new exhibitions launched in October, including work by Susanna Gaunt (right) in the George Morrison Gallery. I've been busy working on a mural at the Armory and have been "looking over her shoulder" as she prepares for Integument, the title of this show. Gaunt and several other local artists have studios in the Armory Annex on London Road. 

The mural project is on the Jefferson side of the Armory, a 17 x 13 foot space which will include contributions from ten area artists. The theme of the mural is Inspiration. More about this project later. Here's the status as of last weekend.

Meantime, be sure to scroll through the Twin Ports Art Blog

because there's still plenty to see and do. 

Be sure to get outside this week a little though,

because it will be warming briefly... 

The fresh air will do you good.

Photo at top right, detail from a painting by Jonathan Thunder,

now on display at Joseph Nease Gallery.