DAI Member Show Is Tonight. So Is The Reader Best of the Northland Party

The Depot will be a busy place tonight. First, it's the annual Duluth Art Institute Member Show opening. Simultaneously there's a reception fo Emerging Photographers, and as if that were not enough, the closing for Sarah Brokke's portraits project is happening. Meanwhile, The Reader is hosting a party of its own to celebrate The Best of the Northland 2015. Where? Right downstairs in the Depot's Train Museum. If you go to the art opening, you won't have to get in your car or go find parking for The Reader's party. You'll be all square.

A Member Meeting will precede the opening, at 5:00 p.m. with an overview of the annual report and an opportunity to vote on the 2016 board of directors. The Great Hall will then officially open, with musical accompaniment by Mary Bue.

If you do not know where the Depot is, maybe because you're new to Duluth, you've been remiss in not discovering it sooner. It's located at 506 W Michigan Street, across from the Duluth Public Library. Looking East, you can see Bob Dylan Way is fairly well marked, and when the weather is nice again you can take a stroll the eighteen or twenty blocks to the Armory.

The exhibition reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with about 175 contributions this year. A requirement is that member can show something new that was created this past year. After strolling about and hobnobbing with friends, be sure to take the elevator upstairs to check out the galleries there.

The DAI is also highlighting a year of local artist books with readings and signings by Sarah Brokke, Elizabeth Lapensee & Jonathon Thunder, Catherine Meier, John Pastor, Robert and Diane S. Petoletti, and Tim White. Guests can also vote on the People's Choice Award.

The Reader party starts at 6:00 p.m. with awards being distributed beginning at 7:00. The $10 cover charge includes a pair of drinks and Bob Boone does his best to give away plenty of swag make it worth your while.

So.... all this is just a reminder that there's plenty happening tonight. Maybe we'll see you there.

EdNote: Yes, I will have another Dylan painting there again this year, though not the one you see here at the top of the page. 

Items of Note: Things To See and Do in the Twin Ports Arts Scene

Blood Moon by Karen Nease

Well, let's start with the fact that it is Homegrown here in Duluth. No one calls it the Homegrown Music Festival anymore, just Homegrown, because the locals all know what that means. If you're a nightowl, you've got no end of options though I am not going to elaborate here. The one band I'd really like to see plays at midnight, so I won't be there. La dee da. For a complete schedule visit the Homegrown Music Festival website.

Thursday (Tonight!)
Karen Owsley Nease is conducting an artist talk tonight about her show titled Found Horizons, hosted by the Duluth Art Institute in the George Morrison Gallery at 5:30 p.m. I took a sneak peak a few days ago and it's a dynamic exhibition of new work to which she has dedicated immense number of hours for more than a year.

Mark your calendars for May 14, 5 - 7 PM to make sure you attend the full DAI reception for the new shows in all three galleries including the Poetics of Evolution in the Steffl Gallery featuring work by Carolyn Halliday and the iPhone images of Duluth-based designer Cody Paulson in the hallway gallery. Paulson's collection is called Port City Supply Co. It's all in the eye.

Friday

Click to enlarge.

Todd Eckart and His Band on the Playlist, Karen Sunderman host. Ms. Sunderman will also host the Poetry Showcase at Red Mug Coffeehouse during Duluth Dylan Fest on Tuesday, May 19. And Eckart will be performing later that week at the Acoustic Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan. Do you have your tickets yet? The poetry event is free; the concert is a fund-raiser foe the Armory Arts and Music Center.

Saturday
Ruby the Dogumentary at the Red Mug. Seating is limited so you may want to be there early. This one of a kind event will be a live screening with both the producer (Marc Percansky) and the star (Ruby the dog) at the Red Mug Coffeehouse.

Looking Ahead
As noted earlier, on Thursday May 14 there are two major openings slated. The DAI Gallery Reception at the Depot will go from 5 - 7 p.m. and that same evening there will be an Opening Reception for the Cheng-Khee Chee retrospective at the Tweed from 6-8 p.m. That would be another especially good evening to get marked on your calendars.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Hope to see you on the scene.

Local Art Happenings As We Enter the New Year

In a few hours 2014 will come to a close. For many of us it's been a year of both achievements and disappointments, a year of satisfactions and sorrows. And a year rich in beauty. After a lingering look back, we turn the page and turn our faces to what lies ahead. I sincerely hope that for each of you 2015 will be a very special year in a way that deepens some aspect of your life in a profound way.

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Pink Aspens by Kenneth Marunowski

Here in the Twin Ports the art scene is bursting out of the gate like a flash-bang. There will be some exciting openings over the next ten days. If you can make any that will be good. If you can make all, that will be great.

Esther Piszczek's Visions at Benchmark Tattoo.
The opening will be this Friday, January 2 from 6-9 p.m.
Benchmark Tattoo, is located at 1831 E. 8th Street.  Her Zentangle-inspired art will be on display through the end of the month. And if you're interested in doing Zentangle creations, she teaches classes. You can find her on Facebook or email at episzczek@gmail.com

Kenneth Marunowski will be sharing new work for the month of January in the Zeitgeist Atrium.
The opening for Ken's show is Monday, January 5th at 7pm, which will include free food from the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe and half-price whiskey.

Marunowski is originally from Ohio, having received his Bachelor degree at Kent State. His plein air painting and drawing is stellar. Having also studied French he spent his junior year abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France at the Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing. (I'm jealous.) You can read more about the artist and this event here.

Ineke Grounds is the featured artist for January at the Red Mug Coffeehouse in Superior. The opening is slated for Thursday January 8. The show spotlights new work and is titled Bloom. The Red Mug always assembles wonderful receptions, and the time is just right for the after-work crowd, 5 - 7 p.m. I hope to see your there.

Second Friday Art Crawl
There are at least three places in Downtown Duluth where a art-fan can walk, talk and gawk on January 9.

The PRØVE Collective has announced the theme of their January event as Vestiges. In addition to being a release party for issue IV of their PRØOF Magazine, there will be an art exhibition featuring work pertaining to the impact of new media on old media. In addition to featuring art & writing by Jeremiah Moriarty, Sharon Rogers, Susanna Gaunt, Sheila Packa, Robert Adams, Hanna Newman, Devon O’Shaughnessy, Kevin Ealain, Darren Houser, Deanna Erickson, Andy Mattern, Samuel Orosz, Ed Newman, and em westerlund, featured artist and writer Brian Beatty will be reading from his work along with other select writers. 7 - 11 p.m.

If you like the early part of the evening for art before getting dinner and taking in a show, you can begin a few blocks east at Pierce & Piszczek Fine Pianos, 405 E. Superior Street. This is a joint art exhibit with nature photographer Ladona Tornabene, Ph.D. and Esther Piszczek. The artwork is displayed in a setting of beautiful, new YAMAHA and vintage pianos. Light refreshments will be served.

For your libations after these two shows, head over to The Red Herring on first street and check out the work of Patricia Canelake. It's always full of life.

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One final item of note: Today in 1869 French artist Henri Matisse was born.

During the year ahead... let ideas challenge you and beauty wash over you. Have a truly great 2015.