Several Local Artists Whose Work You'll Find at Lizzard's

Silver Laced Dreams. Shawna Gilmore

There are a lot of people doing really wonderful things in the arts here locally. Here are some more paintings and images by people whose work I admire. 

I will be brief and let the pictures speak their thousand words. Essentially, I want to apologize in advance to the artists because I've dropped my iPhone a few too many times over the years and their art may not be as sharp as it out to be.

Be sure to stop in at Lizzard's sometime if interested in getting a painting, pottery or some other special items for that special someone.

Shawna Gilmore

White Tailed Buck on Hill. Alexa Carson

Elk. Alexa Carson

Common Original III-Color Space Refraction--Martin DeWitt

Fairhaven Cafe--Lloyd Backus

Perfect Day Duluth--Scott Murphy

They Never Hunter Sober--Scott Murphy

Ballon Boy--Scott Murphy

This is one by Jeffrey. Oh, the hillside.

A display near the front of the store.

Most of the photos here are up on the second floor landing. 

Do be sure to stop, look around and take your time. There's plenty to see.
Lizzard's Art Gallery and Framing

11 West Superior Street

Local Art Seen: Art On Tap @ Fitgers

Organized by Sally Cavallaro

Saturday afternoon I had an opportunity to see three mid-December arts and crafts events here in Duluth. Two were in the Lincoln Park Craft District and the the third was this one at the Fitgers complex called Art On Tap. The Lincoln Park events were at Karin Kraemer's new studio space and across the street at the Duluth Folk School.

I can't say enough about the energy I felt as I passed through each of these spaces. What impressed me most was the vibrancy of the entrepreneurial spirit that seemed more apparent than I'd expected. The abundance of Millennials who have embraced a hybrid creativity and business sense was striking. This page has a few of the "booths" where creativity has been brewing. Perhaps it is a reaction against traditional employment where you are handcuffed to a desk and the arbitrary rules of your employer. Here, you are your own boss. You make the rules, you run your show. It's an adventure. And if you fail? You're still young. It's a diploma in the school of hard knocks. 

I saw some of the typical things you'd expect to see, but most everything had a unique twist, flavored with imagination. 

WhiteSpruceMarket.com

White Spruce Market, for example, specializes in curated gift boxes for all occasions, along with seasonal gifts, limited edition boxes, and quarterly charity partnerships. It was an intriguing play off a more standardized mass market gig. It felt human, personal.

Below are a handful of photos with links to their various web pages. Check 'em out. You may still have time to have it delivered before Christmas.

Esther Piszczcek Designs 

Jamey Penney-Ritter -- BemusedPosters.com

Lydia "Nibs" Noble -- LydiaNoble.com

The ubiquitous Jes Durfee, Glass Artist

Hand Screenprinted Designs -- Karley Rose -- KarleyRose.com

In addition to being inspired by all the creativity, I was likewise inspired by the optimism and "go for it" spirit I saw everywhere. "Follow your bliss" was being enacted right before our eyes.

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

(And this Christmas: Buy Local.)

Wordless Wednesday: Some Local Artists I Know