Local Artists Make Roundabout Art Tour A Happening

Toledo, Spain by Ken Hanson

Last night Cloquet/Carlton had an opening reception for what they called The Roundabout Art Tour. Eight locations collaborated to assemble this three hour tour of art venues. I dropped by three locations and am impressed, as always, by the variety as well as the discovery of new artists. You can read more about the who, what and where here on Facebook. These photos here were taken in the hour before dark last night.

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The Pine Knot was my first stop with a display curated by Ann Markuson who gave a nod to Annie Dugan for her assistance in making this a great art space as well as work space. It fabulous stone walls gives it a historical feel, embellished by lots of art. For this occasion they had a series of paintings by Ken Hanson that had an almost Escher-esque vibe. There was also a large canvas that was transformed into a Pollinator Paint-by-Number community project. This was something new to me and a very clever idea. 

In other parts of the tour there was pottery, photography, crafts, portrait paintings and more. Here's some of what I saw.

Avignon, France

Rome, Italy

Adam Swanson? Very nice.

"Taj Mahal" -- Bill Wise watercolor
(See more at williamwiseart.com)

Chairs and more... down on the corner, on display 24/7

Kris Nelson's Theater seats for Psycho.

In the pop-up space on the corner.

Artist Margie Helstrom adds color to the Pollinator Paint-by-Number.
I added a few details to the body of the bee.

Kudos to everyone involved who made this event happen. 
Special shout-out to all art teachers and Kris Nelson.

Ars longa, vita brevis. 

Don't let your creative urges whither on the vine.

Local Art Seen: Kris Nelson Opening Reception @ the Pine Knot in Cloquet

Kris Nelson, a now retired K-12 art teach, painted her first chair in 1996. Her aim was to have a bedroom chair to match a quilt she'd recently made. Then suddenly something clicked and painting chairs--as an artist, not an interior decorator--became a way of life. Her goal is to finish 1000 chairs by her 100th birthday, and if I'm not mistaken she's about half-way there.

Thursday evening I stopped in at the Cloquet Pine Knot offices (122 Avenue C) for an opening reception featuring Kris Nelson's exhibition, "Cherish," which will be on display through June. Every chair has a story.

After acquiring an art degree at the U of Minnesota, Nelson became a career art teacher, beginning in Robbinsdale and Forest Lake schools before coming north to teach at Carlton and then 21 years at Wrenshall. She's also been a force in the local theater, orchestrating the art shows that accompany plays at the Encore Theater in Cloquet.

Here are some of the chairs you should try to see in person if able:

"Cut Zinnias"

"Chairshed Dolls"

"Oldenburg Chair"

"Spirit Tree"

"Potato Chip Chair"

"Wheels" -- (Note the Hot Wheels)

Related Links
Encore Theater Art Gallery
Chairs make the canvas. (Ann Markusen story in the Pine not)
Here are still more Chairs By Kris. 

Art goes on all around you. Get into it.

Pine Not: The Pine Knot Is Back... Under New Management

Installing the new signage.

An old friend has returned to the city of Cloquet. The Pine Knot News is back.

A Fox 21 Online story quoted news editor Jana Peterson as saying, “When everybody picks their favorite media source that reinforces the opinions they already have, this is a time we need a media source that’s not political that people can just read to find out about their neighbors, find out about the school district, the city council,” said Pine Knot News Editor Jana Peterson.

One of the first writers whom I'd gotten to know when I moved to Duluth was the late Ed Beaver, who used to be an editor at the former Pine Knot maybe two decades ago. Eventually the Pine Knot was replaced by the Pine Journal as Cloquet's primary local news provider, owned by Forum Communications, a media firm out of Fargo, North Dakota.

According to Peterson, the inspiration to re-ignite the Pine Knot "came from a desire to start a local paper after the Pine Journal closed its office" here in the community it is intended to serve, citing "various other corporate moves that made it feel like we needed a paper that cared again."

This past Thursday the Pine Knot News held an open house to celebrate its return to the community, albeit under new management. The public was invited, and even Santa Claus showed up, so it was a very special occasion.

The Pine Knot is bullish on their future and the future of Cloquet & surrounding communities.
(This variation on the Wall Street bull is down the block across the street.)

Here are some shots from 

Thursday's Open House @ The Pine Knot

The office was bustling when I arrived.

Santa dropped by to greet the young ones.

I found there were even some angels present.

No chestnuts roasting, though there was an open fire crackling.

A series of interesting paintings by Ken Hanson decorated the wall.

The Pine Knot News is a weekly paper published on Fridays with its office located at 122 Avenue C in Cloquet MN, a couple blocks from the one-of-a-kind Frank Lloyd Wright filling station.

The home team on staff includes publisher Pete Radosovich, editor Jana Peterson, business manager Rose Chu, production manager Debbie Zime and ad manager Ivan Hohnstadt. You can find out more about what's happening at the Pine Knot News here at their website: www.pineknotnews.com/

Wishing you the best!

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Speaking of buying and supporting local, this Friday there is a Holiday Market 

at the Oldenburg House. with (if my numbers are correct) as many as 20

local artisans and creatives selling their wares from Noon till 8:00 p.m.

 It's that time of year as Christmas draws near.