r a d i ø p l u t ø

Here's one of the more interesting invitations to an art opening that I've ever received. This Friday night, at the Prøve Gallery, Downtown Duluth. By Kathy McTavish, who has prøven herself to be an excellent addition to the collective. It's certainly inviting to me.


r a d i ø p l u t ø

vacant spaces ... lost transmissions
the old gardner building
... the tremont hotel

(across lake avenue / from the prøve)

one night

artists:
rodrigo bello, julie gard, chris hagen, michelle matthees, don mctavish, kathy mctavish, erika mock, nickolas monson, marc neys, sheila packa, kathleen roberts, rocky makes room, jacob swanson, garrett tiedemann, tony zappa

radio pluto notes
(some initial sketches, fleeting thoughts ...)

a transmission
barely beating
static ... low hum
hidden codes
a signal or pulse
a faraway station
some long ago message
a memory
blue planet
last bird
telegraphed warnings
distant memory
stuttered thoughts
a paper a bottle a shore
broadcast from pluto
lonely planet
banished planet
cold planet

vacant building
there were voices
gray birds
there were ghosts
blue windows
cold coffee
cold hands
shadows
dusty salvation
red neon
black skies

antennas
short wave
receivers
theramin sirens / dream songs
a typewriter
late night manuscripts

manifestos & broken plates
cold coffee

blue boat
red caravan
sanctified nomads
wandering knapsacks
cinematic looms

wireless telegraphy
electrostatic coupling
lightning detectors
glass tubes & iron
filaments
an experiment

save the world
turn back the clock's
relentless grinding
moloch's pale teeth
iron gears &
scythe

first lighthouse
fire & mirror
first transmission
isle of wright
radio transistor

charcoal light wire wood steel celluloid
digits pigment graphite vellum canvas rope threads filaments
cloth reeds lines language

to pierce to etch to fold to weave to imprint
to scrawl to stain to speak

friction

a loose band of thieves
crows with broken suitcases
pickpocket orchestration

flea market galleries
dimly lit
hallways
a can of paint
an alley
a wall
night drawing


Take me to the radiopluto website . 

Spotlight on Painter Sarah Brokke

It's Visual Arts Week here in the the North Country, an extravaganza of arts-related events on both sides of the bridge including Phantom Galleries Superior's opening receptions Wednesday evening from 5 to 9 p.m. This is year three for the Phantom Galleries, and it's been thrilling to see the variety and caliber of our local talent. New venues have opened up for this month's show, both of them off-Tower, which is now torn up for reparations. The Habitat for Humanity has opened its doors at 1621 Broadway for a Rachel Nelson's "Pilgrimmage" exhibit and Patricia Davey's "Glass Exposed." And the Old Superior Antique Depot at 933 Oakes at the end of Broadway will have still more including the paintings by Sarah Brokke.

Brokke is a painter and from the first I was was drawn to her work, which has been displayed at the Zeitgeist and Duluth Art Institute, among other spaces in town. The exhibition has been described in these words: "Her large scale paintings for this installation explore the feelings of the fragile balance we all hold during this time..... to both be at peace and still be able to step into and care about the bigger picture of what is happening in our world often polarized. Sarah says ,"I am an Artist who seeks truth through the medium of paint. I am a woman, in truth, who seeks to actively define my roles as teacher, mother, daughter, wife, partner, sister. My work is a visual record of that journey'."

I've been impressed by her work, some of which I share here.

Cleansing Breath

EN: To what would you attribute your early attraction to painting?
Sarah Brokke: At age 8, I attended an exhibit of Impressionism at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I remember being entranced with the luscious color of paint. Later I found the very tactile nature of building something out of that color extremely engaging.

EN: What life lessons did you bring back to the States after studying in England?
SB: My studies in England were early on in my Undergraduate education. Ultimately, my travels there informed my decision to go into the Arts, as it afforded me distance to see my future aspirations clearly. It also taught me that travel was an invaluable way to breathe.

Senzo Titolo (Nonostante)

EN: You also minored in modern dance. Does choreography cross over to influence your painting in any ways?
SB: I compose a painting much like I would choreograph a dance. The movement, layers, tones, and my utilization of the figure definitely have their origins in my study of choreography.

EN: You also lived and studied in Italy for a spell. What were the highs and lows of that experience?
SB: The most wonderful part: Being surrounded by Art and Artists on a daily, hourly basis. The least wonderful part: Living in the city of the Renaissance, Florence, eventually created a voracious hunger in me for 'other' Art. I clearly remember going to visit a collection of the work of Alberto Burri and finding it the equivalent of a cool compress.

EN: In what ways does living here at the edge of Lake Superior inspire and influence you?
SB: The color. The air. The people. I find it hard not to be inspired by where we live. It is as if we live at the edge of an ever-changing Rothko painting.

Clasp

EN: How do you find the balance between making art and teaching art? How does each inform the other?
SB: I consider myself quite lucky to be passionate about both. To be honest, when my work in the studio is going well, my personal excitement about art making helps to influence my teaching. When my studio work is not going as well as I might hope, seeing my students exploring their own paths is unbelievably inspiring. I am thankful every day to have such complementary focal points in my professional life.

EN: Where can people see more of your work?
SB: Upcoming exhibitions at the Zeitgeist Atrium, opening May 6th, and The Phantom Gallery on Broadway in Superior, WI: Opening May 8th. I will have work displayed at the Duluth Art Institute‘s Water Works Exhibition starting June of 2013.

# # # #

This week is year one of the North x North Experience here in the Twin Ports, a celebration of arts and music. While you're in Superior Wednesday be sure to visit the North End Arts Gallery and the Red Mug at the corner of Broadway & Hammond, for art, poetry and an accordion rap. All exhibits are free, and the appetizers scrumptious.

For a full listing of Visual Arts Week Events across the Twin Ports visit the DAI's dedicated page of current activities You can also follow all the North x North Music and Arts Experience events on their dedicated Facebook page. 

Beatles Help DuSu Film Festival

Help! I need somebody.
Help! Not just anybody.
Help! You know I need someone.
Help!  ~ Lennon/McCartney

In 1965 The Beatles starred in their second full-length feature film titled Help. The rating for this film at imdb.com is 7.1, which means it has a lot of likes and not that many critics. I s'pose this is because the film actually had a plot. It's popularity was not due to the acting. But you already knew that, right?

The film was a vehicle for developing and dispersing some new Beatles songs, and to attract a little cash. This morning, the movie is a vehicle for sharing some information about this year's Duluth Superior Film Festival, and (hopefully) to attract a little cash for the festival's Kickstarter campaign.

Disclaimer: I receive nothing from this blog entry.

The correct title for this post should read, Beatles' Help; DuSu Film Festival.

But it is what it is. As is the film festival, now in its fourth year.

The Duluth Superior Film Festival is in fundraising mode, currently running an active Kickstarter Campaign to raise funds for this year’s festival. Evidently they are not wanting to lean too heavily on their many sponsors and, I suspect, the Kickstarter Campaign

can be a form a getting the word out.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1498114599/the-duluth-superior-film-fest-advises-you-to-take

They're not trying to raise millions to produce a film. They're looking for a modest amount to properly show the films, $2000 to help make this event a more complete experience. Unlike your typical cinema visit, the DuSu and similar film festivals will have directors, producers, screenwriters and actors on hand to give more insight to the film they created or were part of. The Q&A sessions after many of the films are worth the price of admission. The extra money helps fly these industry professional here for these first-hand encounters.

The Kickstarter Campaign winds up at the end of this weekend.  Festival director Richard Hansen has indicated that they have a great list of benefits for contributing…not the least of which is an All Access Pass for $25, which I personally consider a steal since we were paying $50 for that same pass the past three years.

Some of the films we've seen here the past couple years were later picked up by HBO and other cable channels. It's a serious, annual 5-day event, screening numerous independent films, producing multiple music performances, and hosting parties in celebration of film, music and art. I don't think The Beatles will be here, but who knows, maybe the next Beatles will be featured here in one of this year's films. Imagine. Stranger things have happened.

Here's my interview with Richard Hansen in advance of last year's Duluth Superior Film Festival.

And here's a link to the DSFF Kickstarter page.

This month we're celebrating the North X North Music and Arts Experience here in the North Country. This week the Homegrown Music Festival has been busting out walls. Next week will be Visual Arts/Gallery Week,  week, followed by Theater/Ballet/Symphony week and Dylan Days, and ending with the Duluth/Superior Film Festival to bookend a fabulous month of arts excitement.

My recommendation: try something new, something you've never done before. Eventually you might want to do it all.

First Signs of Spring: Homegrown and NXN

Killer Dunkshot, student art show at the Tweed Museum, UMD.

Mayor Ness @ Z-geist Atrium

The relationship between media and events is longstanding. What would sportswriters write about if there were no sporting events? What would newscasters talk about if there were no news events? So it is that our 15th annual Homegrown Music Fest is here, and our local Duluth News Tribune is rolling up its proverbial sleeves because this is something to talk about.

Today's Trib has several stories in the Wave alone, and promises coverage throughout the 8-day week that begins with the Mayor's Proclamation at 7 p.m. Sunday at Tycoons. On Tuesday the the 23rd Mayor Ness, on behalf of both Duluth and Superior, demonstrated his bear hug embrace for all things art with the official proclamation of the first annual North X North Music & Arts Experience (NXN). Homegrown will flow through to the beginning of Visual Arts Week which then morphs into a week of ballet, theater, and performance art, carrying us on through a week of Dylan Fest, then conveying us to downtown theaters where we can take our seats in front of large screens for the May-end DuSu Film Festival.

It all begins with Homegrown. 180 bands in venues everywhere, along with the Homegrown Music Video Festival, Homegrown Photo Show and the Homegrown Poetry Showcase. There will be events at all hours and many unannounced pop-up events that you'll only learn about through Twitter and other social media. I've already been invited to so many things that I can't see straight.

On Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4, there will be a trolley shuttle to help carry you up and down Superior Street, suitably named A Streetcar to Desire. For the most complete schedule and updates you should bookmark duluthhomegrown.com.

FWIW you will need tickets to get into events, instructions at the website. $25 will get you the full 8-day pass that includes Trampled By Turtles on Tuesday at the Clyde. I was at Beaners the other day and Jason Wusson there said he was excited to be on of the opening acts for that big night of music. 

Jack Frost is reluctantly relinquishing his influence on our lives this weekend, so we can all start singing again here in the North Country. No, actually that isn't right. Music is what gets us through the winter. We never stop singing, do we?

Enjoy the shows!

The arts community appreciates the support shown by local officials.

Handbills and posters for upcoming events were shared Tuesday evening.

Big thanks to Twin Ports Arts Align for their hard work behind the scenes.

These kinds of cultural experiences are a true gift to the community.

Collaboration

Yesterday I read an article about an art opening titled The Art of Friendship, which features the collaborations between two of Argentina's most significant cultural icons of the last century, artist Xul Solar and literary giant Jorge Luis Borges. The article got me to thinking about some of the collaborations I've been involved with or observed recently.

Most businesses are essentially a collaboration in which people band together around common aims, to produce a car that drives itself or a better way to market a solution to the problem of (fill in the blank.) In the music scene we see collaborations from duos and trios to big bands and orchestras. And next week, April 28 thru May 5, Duluth and Superior are bringing the Twin Ports its 15th Annual Homegrown Festival. Make sure you pick up the printed guide to our annual Northland Festival and see how much is going on this year. The 82-page mag not only gives you in the inside scoop on all the groups performing this year, it also provides a five page history of the event from its incubation to the phenomenon it is today. (Can't find one, Jimmy? You can get the abbreviated, and somewhat less colorful, version on Wikipedia.)

Another local collaboration that has emerged here in the North Country is the development of the Twin Ports Arts Align, a loose network of artists from all disciplines that is serving as a catalyst to stimulate a vibrant, sustainable arts culture in the Twin Ports. One of the products of this synergy has been the development, with strong support from mayors, local businesses and many others, of North X North, a music and arts experience. Tonight is their kickoff bash at the Zeitgeist.

If you're curious about what the month of May holds in store here, stop in and learn more. Celebrate with us. It began as an idea. There were hurdles. It is now happening. And in fifteen years I look forward to writing about its history and significance.

You're invited. 5:30 p.m. The Launch Party and Opening Reception at the Zeitgeist Atrium, Downtown Duluth. See you there.

Recommendations for Tomorrow Night and Beyond

“A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.” ~ V for Vendetta

Seems like a good time for recommendations again. Last week I was quite pleasantly surprised that though the Trib has a Best Bets column in the Wave on Thursdays, it seemed like none of the items they covered were duplicated in my Thursday Best Bets posting. Even more exciting to me was seeing Ann Klefstad’s column in the Transistor and discovering that we had covered completely mostly different regions of the arts scene. In short, there is a lot happening in the Twin Ports and we could use a few more journalists to cover the beat.

This week it's not the case. The Trib's Wave includes the Second Friday art walk amongst it's Twin Ports offerings this morning. Tomorrow is the Second Friday visual arts action downtown and it should be a fabulous evening with openings at Washington Galleries, Ochre Ghost and the PROVE once again. If you are reading this from points south, east or west, know that we’ve still got blankets of snowfall here as Jack Frost seems fairly adamant about not releasing his grip with those icy winter fingers of his. That shouldn't stop anyone from getting out. Just be careful about parking on the avenues.

On to the shows:

Washington Galleries
Heart and Soul

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's openings. Duluth artists Flo Matamoros and Tyler Johnson open an exhibition of paintings and multimedia art beginning April 5 and showing through April 14 at Washington Gallery. The artist reception will be held Friday, April 12 from 6-9pm. In addition to the art, there will be others joining in to make it a special evening including Bob Monahan,performing some Spoken Word, plus melodies and tunes by Jacob Swanson, Kathryn Schumacher and Yester. Matamoros does oil painting but in this show will be sharing her meditative line art produced with Sharpies. Johnson produces multi-media work with varying levels of complexity. It will be my first stop tomorrow evening.

Ochre Ghost
New Mythology
Features a multimedia installation by Zachary Moser.

PRØVE Gallery
ImPULSE
New work by Jen Dietrich and Sandy Gillespie. This is a show I have been especially looking forward to. Atmosphere and music throughout the opening night will be provided by the Crunchy Bunch. Refreshments will be provided by Lake Superior Brewing. As Always, all these events are free and open to the public. 

UMD Kirby Plaza
21st-Century Publishing: Industry, Media, and the Future of Print
Tomorrow's publishing conference might be something you won't want to miss if you're a writer or in any way interested in current trends in the publishing industry. They would like people to register in advance so if you're interested in learning more, or attending, visit their web pages here. The publishing world has undergone an incredible transformation. I'm certain that tomorrow's event will only scratch the surface. It should be a good experience for all who attend.

Phantom Galleries
Seeding the Next Generation
Saturday there's a student art show in Superior. You might want to head over there in the afternoon to the Phantom Galleries New York Building location from 1-5 p.m. The show will feature student artists from Superior High School and Northwestern High School-Maple. 1412 Tower Ave, Superior.

And as if this weren't enough, wait till we start moving into the events of North x North Twin Ports Arts Month, beginning with Homegrown. Having so much happening is a blessing a curse. Many events will require hard decisions, choices betwixt and between.  The two-day Steampunk Extravaganza at the DAI will be a thrill, except Scarlet Rivera is also in town with Gene LaFond and his Wild Unknown on that Friday for Hard Rain In Duluth: After the Flood. I use this only as an example of the challenges that lie ahead.

When you absolutely don't know where to go, take a stroll on the Lakewalk and let the fresh breeze wash over you till your head is clear and your heart swept away.

Meantime life goes on all around you.

TPAA Announces the North X North Music and Arts Experience

The March 12 meeting of the Twin Ports Arts Align (TPAA) began with much anticipation as Crystal Pelkey introduced Mike Malone of Swim Creative who was on hand to present a logo and a name for a newly designated arts month. The well-attended meeting filled the DAI board room.

Malone began by stating that he had been contacted by Mayor Ness and asked to consider helping this group, the Twin Ports Arts Align. After several weeks of brainstorming and deliberations involving key players with the TPAA and staff from Swim Creative, Malone was able to announce, “Tonight, we have a name and a logo.”

The young agency exec explained that there are two different audiences we are seeking to communicate to, the folks in the arts community and the folks who are outside the community. The name that ultimately emerged was:

NORTH X NORTH
MUSIC & ARTS EXPERIENCE

Next, Malone unveiled the logo. I'd managed to get a sneak preview of the name (by promising not to blog it here) but had not yet seen the logo. It seemed to be an immediate hit and was presented to the general public by means of a press conference in the Zeitgeist Arts Atrium Wednesday, the first day of spring here in Duluth. For the most part this announcement was the result of a prolonged period of sustained enthusiasm and another step toward fertilizing (organically) our local arts culture that it might flourish.

What is North x North?
North x North is a music & arts experience that takes place throughout Duluth and Superior, the end of April through early June 2013, and is a project of Twin Ports Arts Align. The North x North experience begins with the Homegrown Music Festival, followed by Gallery Week, then theater/ballet/symphony week, Dylan Days, and ultimately ending with the Duluth/Superior Film Festival. The NXN brings together more than four dozen arts organizations from the Twin Ports community along with hundreds of individual artists of all genres and mediums from music and theater to poetry, publishing, sculpture and other visual arts.

The Homegrown Music Festival has blossomed to involve close to 200 bands, and that doesn't include everyone yet. The visual arts week will feature 20 galleries on both sides of the bridge, and every theater will have something going on.

The beauty of the region and downtown development has turned Duluth-Superior into a major tourist destination, but much of that activity takes place between Memorial Day and mid-September when autumn splendor is at its peak. North x North aims to lengthen and strengthen the tourist season. The kickoff celebration will be April 23, a scant five weeks away.

What is Twin Ports Arts Align?
In January, as TPAA entered its second year, they developed the following statement of purpose:

Twin Ports Arts Align is a network of art administrators and artists in all disciplines that serve as a catalyst to incubate and stimulate a vibrant, sustainable arts culture in the Twin Ports. Through our synergy we aim to educate, inspire and support the spirit and economy of our region.

This group is a result of the Arts Align seminar at the Sheraton/Zeitgeist on February 4, 2012. Sponsored by UMD's School of Fine Arts, they currently meet the second Tuesday of every month. Social media has also played a role in this renewed surge of interest in building an arts culture in the Twin Ports with a dedicated Facebook page serving as a hub for the ongoing conversation.

For more about this announcement check out Christa Lawler's The Twin Ports' answer to South by Southwest? published online noon yesterday in the Duluth News Tribune. The piece begins, "You call it May, but if art supporters have their way, the fifth month will get a new identity: the North By North Music & Arts Experience."

Though questions remain, I for one am eager to see where it all goes. If nothing else it's a good excuse to keep us all talking about how the arts can enrich our community.

In the meantime, art goes on all around you. Open your eyes.