A Visit with Painter Brock Larson, Co-Founder of the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art.

"Alder Grove" -- Brock Larson

One of the exciting developments in the Twin Ports arts scene was the decision by Jeffrey and Brock Larson to establish the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art (GLAFA) here in the Northland. I first learned of the school’s planned formation in the summer of 2016. I'd gone to hear co-founder Jeffrey T. Larson give a talk at the Tweed Museum of Art on the subject of “Training the Eye to See.” As it turns out this message is essentially the heart of what this school is about.

GLAFA is located in the former St. Peter's Church at 818 West Third Street here in Duluth. Their teaching approach follows the Atelier method, the standard approach of guild artists from the middle ages to the 19th century. Over a period of three years the students develop mastery of the essential toolkit of skills and knowledge.

"Damp Leaves" -- Brock Larson

The other co-founder is Jeffrey Larson's son Brock, who is himself a painter of exceptional skill. Brock is also an instructor in the school. This coming week the two will be headed to Charleston for their first 2-man show, hosted by the Helena Fox Gallery. It will be the first time they’ve shown together as equals. (Brock has had some of his pieces shown as an add-on in some of his father’s shows.)

"Morning Lit" -- Brock Larson

Brock's work had been recognized from a fairly young age, winning a number of awards before the age of 10 for his painting. He not only had his father's example, his grandfather Marvin Espe was also a professional painter. Growing up he would sometimes paint with them. It's cliche but I will say it: sometime the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

Brock's academic art training began with Master Copy portrait painting. What this means is that the student attempts to reproduce portraits painted by the Masters.

Here's the concept. All painter are, in essence, interpreting reality. For example, when they paint a beach, they do not paint every grain of sand. Rather, they translate the three dimensional lakefront landscape onto a two dimensional surface.

In the same way, portraits are an artist's effort to convey the three dimensional face and head onto a two-dimensional surface. Instead of a math problem, it is a visual translation problem. By reproducing the works of the Masters, student see and internalize the manner in which these great artists have resolved the issues of interpretation.

Or as Brock explains, "by reproducing existing portraits you learn how other great artists translate 3D to 2D. You get inside their methods by painting it rather than just looking at it. You learn more this way."

Brock's advanced training included five years at the Atelier School where his father taught, after which he taught evening classes for two years.

At a certain point in time Brock and his father discussed the idea of starting a school together. "It started rolling from there," Brock said.

I asked the 27-year-old veteran painter if there was ever a time when he felt intimidated by how talented his father was.

"At times I have," he admitted, "but then I remind myself that it all comes down to working hard, being patient and gaining experience. I try not to compare myself to anyone out there painting, mainly just on improving my work and enjoying the process."

I then asked if he would care to elaborate on this central concept of the school: “In order to paint a subject one must learn how to see the subject."

"Learning to see is the key element to how we paint, disassociating our preconceived ideas of what nature looks like. Seeing in abstract colors, values and shapes is foundational and is a large part of the training at GLAFA," he said.

Of his many awards I found this one to convey a sense of special honor. The young Larson was selected to annually paint the Minnesota State Bar Association’s presidential portrait, published on the cover of MSBAs magazine, Bench & Bar.

The school, GLAFA, is now nearing the end of its third year. The renovation work that was taking place in year one is now a thing of the past. The students have ingested some incredible experiences here, and in May the public will once again be invited to see their progress.

Meantime, Brock is busy framing and preparing 12 landscape and still life paintings for the Charleston show.

Painting of Palisade Head in progress. Below the large canvas is Brock Larson's field study.

* * * *
Another topic we touched upon is the upcoming Northland Plein Air Fest, slated for the summer of 2020. Plein air painting, or "in open air" involves artists going out to engage their subjects rather than painting in the controlled environment of the studio. This past year Jeffrey Larson approached Tweed director Ken Bloom regarding the possibility of making Duluth a premiere destination for plein air painters worldwide.

While we do not have a monopoly on beautiful scenery, we most assuredly have settings and scenes comparable to anywhere in the world. Few places have the variety. 365 days out of the year the Great Lake itself is sensational.

According to Brock, there is a  lot of excitement building from plein air artists with whom they have shared the vision. "We're still working on the details," Brock added.

It's an exciting story unfolding here.

Related Links
Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art  
Jeffrey Larson at the Tweed

Ten Minutes with M. Stephen Doherty, Author of a New Book on Plein Air Painting

Plein air is French for "in open air." Think French Impressionism. This school of art is such that there are national organizations devoted to its expression, and national competitions dedicated to its preservation.

In my Sunday's blog post the challenges of plein air painting were briefly touched upon by Jeffrey Larson of the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art.

To help reduce the stress of moving from studio to open air, M. Stephen Doherty, editor of Plein Air magazine, has authored a book designed to teach every facet of this growing discipline titled The Art of Plein Air Painting: An Essential Guide to Materials, Concepts, and Techniques for Painting Outdoors (The Monacelli Press, New York, NY).

It's a beautiful book with hundreds of photos that reveal approaches to subject matter as well as broadening one's horizons to subjects one can dive into. As one who enjoys interviewing artists on a regular basis, it was interesting to "meet" various artists from different parts of the country, including one from right here in Duluth who works with pastels, Lisa Stauffer. (You can find her work at Art Dock, Lizzards and Waters of Superior locally, as well as galleries in Red Wing, Woodbury and elsewhere.)

Plein Air painting at Sol Fest in Carlton, circa 2013.

In a 2014 blog post, Doherty explained the difference between painting in the studio and painting outdoors: The differences between studio and outdoor painting can be significant, and painters usually have a preference for one or the other. Studio painters appreciate working in a controlled environment where they can take whatever time is necessary to blend the influences of direct observation, imagination, sketches, photographs, and other artists. Plein air painters want the challenge of thinking and acting quickly in response to changes taking place, and they value the immediacy of works created directly from nature in a limited amount of time.

What follows here is an interview with the artist/author M. Stephen Doherty.

EN: Why do you think there has been such a resurgence in plein air painting?

M. Stephen Doherty: Over the past 15 years, there has been a dramatic increase in outdoor painting, in part because it appeals to artists who love hiking, camping, and painting directly from nature; and in part because events serve the promotional and financial interests of galleries, arts organizations, tourist boards, and sociable artists. Enthusiasm for outdoor painting has grown substantially during that time period as evidenced by the number plein air painters, organized events, artists’ societies, museum and artist websites, informational and educational blogs, and online communities.

EN: How did you come to take an interest in plein air painting? 

MSD: Thirty years ago, I complained to an artist friend I wasn't able to complete paintings because my busy schedule left long gaps of time between painting sessions, and that caused me to lose motivation and inspiration. My friend suggested that outdoor painting would resolve my frustrations because it would allow me to complete respectable small painting in two hours (more or less) anywhere I might find myself.

My buddy and I met in a local park where he demonstrated how to use lightweight, portable equipment; a limited numbers of paints; and a few brushes to create paintings. With those, I could paint when making business trips, watching soccer games, or taking family vacations.

I took that advice, bought the supplies and equipment, ventured out locally where I discovered there were challenges and opportunities I hadn’t anticipated. The first challenge was painting a rapidly changing subject that needed to be simplified to fit inside a 9” x 12” canvas; and the second was coping with the bugs, sunlight, wind, and curious passersby who broke my concentration. I started carrying bug spray, water, umbrellas, hats, and sunblock.

EN: When you were in school what kind of painting were you doing?

MSD: As a student at Knox College in Galesburg, IL, I created representational paintings in acrylic … in the studio. My major was printmaking and I later earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from Cornell University, so I was totally oriented towards studio work. I’ve always contended that printmakers are fascinated with process and they are stimulated by long, elaborate, and indirect ways of creating images. Painters, on the other hand, want to be direct. I had to adjust my thinking and my ways of working once I got involved with plein air painting.

EN: The book is both practical and beautiful. How long did it take to produce from conception to finished product?

MSD: It took about 18 months because I had to juggle the work with my job as editor of PleinAir magazine and my desire to become a better plein air painter and an active participant in outdoor painting events. The editor on the book, Victoria Craven, worked for the same company that owned American Artist magazine (which I edited for 31 years) so I was very comfortable taking on the project with her help.

"This way to the Tennis Court" by Neil Sherman

EN: You're also an editor of the PleinAir magazine. Do you have trouble finding a balance between painting and writing?

MSD: Because PleinAir is a bimonthly publication, I do have periods of time when I have less pressure to write and edit the magazine. I am fortunate to have been working from home on my own schedule because that allowed me to turn my attention to painting and writing the book. Like the Dowager Duchess of Grantham, I don’t really know what a weekend is. I work in the early morning, on legal holidays, and late into the evening so I can have the daylight hours for painting and volunteer work. I’m helping a local art school plan their classes and workshops, I pop popcorn at the local performing arts theater, and I am an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesboro.

* * * *
To read more about en plein air painting, visit Mr. Doherty's Wordpress site, Outdoor Painting Adventures.
His website is found at www.stevedohertyart.com

His new book, The Art of Plein Air Painting, can be purchased here on Amazon.

If you are part of the Twin Ports arts scene, be sure to mark you calendar for September 22, the opening reception at the Tweed Museum of Art for America's Industrial Landscape, featuring work by the National Plein Air Painters.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Engage it!

Local Art Seen: Plein Air Artists Capture and Share Their Visions of Duluth

The Better To See You With, by Patty Voje

Back in the early 90's, when we lived atop the Central Hillside, I came home from work to find a painter seated on the sidewalk across the street from our house. He wore a maroon beret, light jacket and a studious expression as his brushstrokes moved pigments across the surface of the canvas he was working on. I walked over to speak with him.

As it turns out, he was from Hungary or Bulgaria, I can't quite recall. I asked why he was here and he noted that there were three exceptionally beautiful cities in the world like ours, with a body of water and steep hills, where the afternoon sun filtered through in the wonderful way it does here. The other two cites, he noted, were San Francisco and (if I recall correctly) Zurich.

So it's only natural that Duluth should host a plein air painting competition. We have ample subject matter. All we really need is for someone to help "manage" the event. Duluth Art Institute stepped up for the second year in a row and made it happen. Or rather, became the catalyst that set the event in motion.

Into the Light, David Gilsvik

The participating artists come from many places, setting out daily to capture the scenery here. Despite the dismal weather at times, the artists explored and found many rich and rewarding scenes that they in turn interpreted for us. The one "given" in Duluth is that no matter the weather, the lake itself is a spectacle.

The way the competition works -- and yes, this is a juried show with rewards -- the artists begin the week with their canvases or paper stamped and certified as blank before the week begins. That way, no one can come and say, "Look at this fantastic piece I created," which they may have done two summers ago when they were here. When the art was displayed in the Morrison Gallery last night it was hung brand new, created this week.

Quick Paint #1, Tyler Driscoll

Another feature of the competition is the 90-minute pieces that are now hanging in the corridor gallery outside the DAI offices. The artists are all brought to a single location and given 90 minutes to paint or draw something in the vicinity. The location this year was in the West End/Lincoln Park area, so we saw lots of winding overpasses and curves.

For the rest of the week, artists chose their subject matter from all kinds of places, from a pond on a farm to the chairs on the beach, from the lift bridge at night to the historic stone arch bridge on Seven Bridges Road. Enger Park, Glensheen Mansion and flower gardens all got captured in oils, acrylics, watercolors or pastels.

Still Life, Larry Turbes

Destination: The Atlantic! by Greg Lecker

Mary Pettis, Good Morning Duluth

Rosens, Adam Swanson

Thank you to the Duluth Art Institute for making this happen as well as to these sponsors who helped support this event: The Depot Foundation, St. Luke's Hospital and the Whole Foods Co-Op. The work will remain on display through September 9.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Engage it.

Another Visit with Artiist/Painter Karen Owsley Nease

Karen Owsley Nease caught her first vision of Lake Superior during a visit to Duluth in 1994. She knew instinctively that one day she would return. Moving here within the last three years she has become a welcome addition to the Northland arts scene.

Beginning April 30 her show Found Horizons will be on display at the Duluth Art Institute in the Morrison Gallery. The opening reception is slated for May 14, but on the 30th (just over two weeks) she will be giving an Artist's Talk at 5:30. I encourage anyone interested in modern painting to attend.

EN: Your upcoming show is titled Found Horizons featuring our Great Lake Superior. What are some things you learned while preparing for this show, either about yourself or our Northland?

Break in the Clouds (Nease)

KN: The abstract painter Jonathon Lasker was visiting Kansas City several years ago and memorably told a group of art students that to become successful as an artist “you need to become a more extreme version of yourself.” I feel like painting the lake’s horizon is allowing me to do that. We moved here to be near the big lake and every day since I find myself awestruck by it. I wondered how long that awe would last - and a year and a half hasn’t lessened it. As a painter working with color fields, the ever changing lake probably gives me 10 new ideas for paintings a day.

Duluth and the Northland are a very comfortable fit. Everyone has been kind and welcoming.

EN: You’ve cited 19th-century Transcendentalist landscape painting and Abstract Expressionism as major influences in your work. Who in particular of the landscape painters really interests you and why?

KN: My childhood influences were Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran; I saw their work a lot at a local art museum. They both painted the grandeur the Eastern U.S. and the American west of Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Later influences were George Inness, Fitz Hugh Lane and other Hudson River School artists. These painters were interested in the sublime, something I am working towards in my paintings of the horizon.

EN: As for the Abstract Expressionists, same question.

Blood Moon (Nease)

KN: More than any individual, it is the philosophy of the early Abstract Expressionists that is interesting to me - the notion of the paint itself as content. Later abstract painters such as Agnes Martin, Robert Ryman, and Richard Diebenkorn showed me that an idea I was struggling with could actually work. Respective examples are: strong horizontality of the composition; sculpturally applied paint and the optical aspects of colors at their edges.

EN: You mention being accepted into an upcoming plein air competition this summer, which dovetails nicely with your landscape interests. How does plein air differ from other kinds of painting?

KN: Unlike the controlled studio environment, plein air painting can feel like a very athletic event. It is an intellectual and physical race against the light. Plein air is painted outdoors The painter has to find the ideal location, schlep all of his/her materials to the spot and work in whatever weather presents itself. One has to capture the color and form of the important elements of the composition before the clouds come in or the sun moves too far and it all changes. That can be very challenging. Painting quickly from observation, especially outdoors forces one to learn how to edit to capture the essence of the scene. It is also develops the skill of quickly mixing colors. Plein air is a really good way to get into “good painting shape.”

EN: You and your husband Joe are considering the opening of a gallery here in the Twin Ports. What kind of gallery are the two of you envisioning at this point?

KN: We are discussing a lot of ideas right now and starting to think about the layout and required building improvements of our building in the Lincoln Park area of the west end of Duluth. Our gallery would provide contemporary art exhibitions in a “white box” style of space. It would be a place where one could explore in depth the work of one or a few artists in curated exhibits. We would work with professional regional and national artists. As a painter, I am particularly interested in having some exhibitions of paintings, especially where the term painting is broadly defined.

The west end of Duluth is undergoing revitalization and we want our gallery to be a part of that. Duluth is unique in its juxtaposition of industry and culture pushed up against the wilderness. It also has a history of craft, artisan and “maker” cultures and our gallery could reinforce those ideas with some exhibitions. We also would like to see some type of residency programs established that would bring in artists from elsewhere to work and exhibit in Duluth. There is much to consider.

EN: I enjoyed the digital pattern collage work you were doing. Now you will be returning to that style in the fall in some collaborative explorations with Alison Aune. How did that project come about? Have you done collaborative work in the past and if so, what’s the draw in collaboration?

Mr. and Mrs. Paisley (Nease)

KN: I think Alison is one of the strongest painters working in Duluth. Her work is original in its authenticity and sincerity. I see her as the Nordic-American equivalent of Christopher Ofili or Kerry James Marshall. She takes the patterns of her ancestry and pulls them forward into the present with contemporary frontal portraits and symbols. I vividly remember seeing her show at the DAI around 2007 and was so impressed. That was when we were on vacation before we moved to Duluth. I told Joe then that someday I hoped to work with her. Last year, I had her visit my studio and I brought up the idea of doing something together with our respective patterns, and she said yes. A few weeks later we ran into each other and got to talking more about the collaboration. The idea isn’t fully formed yet, but we are talking about riffing on one another’s patterns in a series of paintings and digital collages.

This will be my first collaboration. I am not interested in collaborating unless I feel that the results will provide a greater insight into what both artists are doing. There are similarities and differences in how patterns function in our artwork. I’m interested to see how/if the response to one another’s patterns will affect our work.

* * * *
Thank you for sharing.

Upcoming Twin Ports Arts Events Not To Be MIssed

Hard to believe it's already April. Actually it's this weather that's hard to believe. 6500 homes were without power in our section of Duluth's outskirts, and more than a few were concerned about how long that outage was going to last. At least we didn't have the tornado that some people had near Saint Leon in Southwest Minnesota.

The weather forecast does not look promising for some of this week's happenings. Nevertheless, here are a few items to place on your calendar.

Kenneth Marunowski Art Opening: The Brewhouse Drawings 
Art Opening with Live Music, April 3, 6-9 p.m.
Beaners Central

Marunowski is becoming one of the premiere plein air painters of our region, and his newest collection of work, "The Brewhouse Drawings", will be displayed at Beaners for the month of April. Many of the pictures are abstract depictions of Low, Charlie Parr, and The Boomchucks during past performances at Fitgers Brewhouse. The kickoff event includes performances by The Boomchucks, and  Alan Sparhawk Gossamer Road (poetry/music duo of Tina Marie Higgins & Gaelynn Lea Music)


Ellen Sandbeck: "Rock, Paper, Scissors"
Artist Reception, April 4, 5-7 p.m.
The Red Mug Coffeehouse 

At one time, Ellen Sandbeck was making paper cutout stencils for Dover Books. Then she expanded her world. She has prolific amounts of creative energy which she pours into writing books, making art, worm composting and organic landscaping. You can more about Ellen's career here at the official event invitation.

Hero/Villain/Savior/Scoundrel: Portraits of Jim Carlson & Don Ness
Art Opening: April 10, 7-9 p.m.
Zeitgeist Atrium

In January Annie Dugan, Interim Director at the Duluth Art Institute, asked if I would be interested in doing a painting for a special art event featuring portraits of Mayor Don Ness and Jim Carlson, proprietor of the controversial head shop Last Place On Earth. Sounded fun to me and I was in. Next week is the big day for the opening. Contributing artists include a host of familiar names including, but not limited to, Adam Swanson, Bridget Riversmith, Joe Klander, Dann Matthews, Whitney Saurer, Tyler Scouton, Jack Bratrud and myself.

The opening for this show will be in the Zeitgeist Atrium, but if you can't be there, the exhibit will be on display from April 5-May 10. More information here.

the ørigin of birds 
Opening Reception Friday April 11th, 7-11 pm 
The PROVE Gallery

Kathy McTavish continues to produce astonishing work. What follows are some of her notes about the show to whet your imagination's appetite in preparation for this show.  There will also be live music from the Cosmic Pit Orchestra. See you there!

artist notes

The ”origin of birds” exhibit at the Prøve includes a multimedia installation and interactive web site created by a film generator that I call the “graffiti angel.” The origin of birds mixes image, sound, data, text and a live twitter stream to create a video collage / a multi-sensory torrent. The installation includes multiple projections, live performance, and QR code “portals” into an interactive web environment for viewers with mobile devices.

The Saturday workshop / discussion will take a look at creative transmedia / storytelling across boundaries. I will share examples of artists / writers working in this emerging form. We will talk about the confluence of technology and art - drilling into some of the tools used to create the exhibit including html5, css3, javascript and Adobe Creative Cloud editing software. The workshop will be accessible to everyone.

The background story - the origin of birds:

According to an ancient Greek story, the god Chaos was the first to emerge at the creation of the universe. Soon after her came Gaia (Earth), Tartaros (the Underworld) and Eros (Love). In many versions, Chaos then gave birth to the Birds. From the primordial depths of time, from Chaos herself came these winged first beings. This wild birthing created migrations and flight.

In more recent times, soon after Darwin published his book, On the Origin of the Species, scientists began a heated debate about the origin of birds. Most scientists today believe that birds are one of the few remaining descendants of the dinosaurs.

In our own brief Anthropocene era, we are witnessing a rapid increase in the rate of extinction. We are in a geologic epoch marked indelibly by a human-created, asteroid-scale period of rapid loss of life as we know it on the planet. This planetary devastation is entering a very fast-moving era, and soon birds quite possibly will be swallowed back into some primordial chaos.

The origin of birds project is funded by the Jerome Foundation. This activity is also funded by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council through the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Thank you Minnesota!

There's more happening in April than I have time to express, and right now it's time for me to hit the road.

Art goes on all around you. Engage it.

Twin Ports Arts Scene: Tips for Staying in the Loop

River scene by Ken Marunowski

Over the years I've noticed that there is so much happening in the local arts scene, but no "single source" for staying connected to it all. When international sensations like Elton John or Dylan perform here in the Northland it's front page news and even has the broadcast media buzzing. But there are still so many other things happening in the visual, theatrical and film arts... how does one stay in the loop? How can people enjoy events and discover new artists when they aren't aware that there's been an opening or a show?

Well, here are a few places to look. It takes a little work, but like panning for gold in the Black Hills, if you know where to go and have the right tools, it really isn't that hard.

For years the first place I always looked in the past was in the Duluth News-Tribune's Wave section which can be found each week in their Thursday paper. It starts on the back page of the Sports section and is usually 2-3 pages of stories and "Best Bets." It tends to be strong on events by organizations that have a good PR system like the Duluth Playhouse, the Tweed and the Duluth Art Institute. It's weak when it comes to all those venues that don't have professional staff news-generators.

Tonight, for example, there will be a wonderful art experience at Trepanier Hall (202 W. Second Street, Duluth) with artists Duncan Konczak, Tom Konczak, Avery Makes Room and Mike Lemon and music by Jake Vainio (with possible surprise guests.) This is the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) facility that hosted Al Hunter's evocative Beautiful Razor reading earlier this year. You probably would not know this without help from our newest resource on the scene: Social Media.

Facebook, Twitter and blogging have really changed the face of our community arts scene. Across the country there are vibrant local writers groups and arts groups connecting with one another. I learned about Friday evening's Art-Music-Food event through a posting on Twin Ports Arts Align this week. TPAA is a great resource for keeping tabs on what's happening here in our region. There is so much to see and do that you would not hear about if you only relied on the paper. You don't have to participate in posting or be making art in order to just lurk and get updates on events and arts related discussions. Lots of great ideas out there... a lot of smart and talented people. It's a vibrant FB community.

Ken M and Carrie at Lake Ave Cafe

The only place I saw reference to Ken Marunowski's opening last night at the Lake Avenue Cafe/Restaurant was there at the Twin Ports Arts Align. Ken does plein air (open air) painting and is part of Lee Englund's circle in that regard. I had a beer with Lee and Rosie and learned that there's a huge event this weekend with 70 plein air artists from all over gathering at the artist colony in Grand Marais this weekend. Sounds awesome. (Word of mouth is another great way to find out what's going on.)

Lee said he met Ken at an extreme plein air painting event a couple years ago and they became fast friends. They no doubt have mutual respect for one another's skills and attitude. If you get a chance head over to the DeWitt Seitz Building and check out Ken's work which will be on display now for a while this fall. His paintings of this summer's tall ships are getting a lot of attention and appreciation. (The food is equally stellar, by the way.)

Englund described for me the extreme plein air event where he and Ken met. It's held mid-winter 40 miles up the Gunflint Trail. The painters must cross-country ski into the area pulling their equipment on a toboggan. One year temps were 20 below zero. If you think artists are sissies, you have another thing coming when you consider this breed.

Tall Ships by Marunowski

For those of you who follow things on Twitter, a good way to catch a few events is to look for the #duluthart hashtag. It's not comprehensive but will certainly bring you a few things you won't find elsewhere. And if you're doing art yourself here in the Twin Ports, start using the hashtag for your own posts so we can see what you're up to and share it elsewhere.

For what it's worth tonight at Washington Gallery there's a photography exhibition called Lake Effect featuring  images of our great lake by Brett Grandson and Samantha Pranger. The opening will be from 6-9 and is almost certain to offer up some breathtaking images.

As for other methods for staying in the loop, get into the habit of picking up The Transistor and The Reader. The Reader's "arts" section is now in the back, but not hard to find once you know where to look.

Meantime, tomorrow there's a North Central Windows Project First Harvest Festival to in Central Park at 717 6th Ave East in Superior, with music and more. Like many music and arts events these days it's a fund-raiser for a good cause.

To the artists of our region: thanks for making it happen!

Water Themes Featured In DAI Shows Opening Tonight

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” ~ Norman Maclean

The overarching theme is water, a common touchstone for many local artists who draw inspiration from living at the edge of the world's largest freshwater body in the world. At least two of Mike Savage's novels have Lake Superior water-related issues as a central plot element. Tonya Borgeson's series of "Something About the Water" shows, with other participating artists, keep cropping up. Visual artist/critic Ann Klefstad's water themed works likewise reflect her passion for the theme. (Both Klefstad and Borgeson can be found frequently out sailing on the waters as well, the one passion that overrides their desire to be in the studio.)

So it comes as no surprise that the Duluth Art Institute (DAI) would have a summer art opening titled Water Works. What did surprise me, though, was seeing the full page, front page story about the opening in Tuesday's Duluth News Tribune. Whether it was paid advertising, or a generous plug by the DNT, the net effect was that Water Works is an event not to miss. (Opening from 5-7 p.m. tonight.)

Here are a few notes about the three overlapping exhibitions that will be on display this summer. Lee Englund's A Strong Experience of Nature is aptly titled. The now-retired art teacher is a leading painter in the "plein air" school. "En plein air" is French for painting in the opening air. Englund describes it as the visual equivalent of jazz improvisation as the artist responds to the stimulation of the scenery which is ever changing.

One day back when I lived in the Central Hillside I came home from work to find a painter from Hungary on the sidewalk in front of our house, painting the hillside scene with the sunlight pouring through the trees and houses down toward the Great Lake. I asked why he was here and he said Duluth is one of the three most beautiful cities in the world to paint because of the steep hills and the lake, and the way the late day sun pours through everything. (The other two cities were San Francisco and one of Switzerland's beauties.)

Anways, it's been a pleasure watching Englund work and the title of his show is a thrill in and of itself. The show will run through August 18 if you can't make it tonight.

Then there's Jerry Allen Gilmore's Boats Will Float and Bumble Bees Will Sting which will have a shorter run in the Steffl Gallery, from June 6-24. Another fun title.  Gilmore states that his work "has always contained an element of water in its narrative." The images here are autobiographical in nature, and what he calls "markings" from his life.

Finally, from July 1 thru September 8, there will be Chris Faust's photography exhibit titled Revisiting Twain's Mississippi, a suitable companion for the other exhibits. Many people unfamiliar with North American Geography are not aware that we not only have the world's largest lake, but also the headwaters of one of the great rivers in the world, and our longest in North America. The headwaters of the mighty Mississippi begin here in out North Country.

St. Paul native Chris Faust chose to revisit the river that had been documented in such detail in Mark Twain's time by photographer Henry Peter Bosse.

Our ongoing fascination with rivers is nothing new. Rivers have been part of human history for ages, serving as transportation routes, power generators, geographic barriers, political boundaries, and more. Rivers have also served as a source of inspiration for poets, writers, artists and philosophers.

The flowing river is a theme upon which many minds have meditated. Twain, Hesse, Annie Dillard, Norman Maclean have all recorded reflections on rivers. Hesse’s Siddhartha concludes with a contemplation on the meaning of his life while watching, and listening to, the river.

Tonight's art opening(s) will give us a chance to explore our waters, and our selves, in new ways.

Plein Air Painters and Ayla the Mermaid Take Sol Fest Over the Top

Last week I did my best to encourage you to join us in Carlton for Sol Fest at the Oldenburg House and now it seems a follow up is in order, along with photos worth a few thousand words.

The setting, as I noted previously, was spectacular, the weather cooperating with enthusiasm. And the performers, as anticipated, were not only determined to make Sol Fest a spectacle, they were accompanied by some wonderful embellishments. I refer here to the plein air painters and Ayla the Mermaid.

Glenn Swanson, who assembled the high caliber talent, asked if I would add something to the event by painting live there. I declined, choosing instead to contact another whose live painter  who could bring much more to the event than I and none were disappointed.

Ken Marunowski

Plein air is French for "in open air." Think French Impressionism. This school of art is such that there are national organizations devoted to its expression, and national competitions dedicated to its preservation. Lee Englund, a retired art teacher who relishes his retirement, has won at least one if not more of these competitions.

I first met Englund while he was showing wares and painting at a tattoo convention a couple years back. I'd been invited there to do live painting along with several others while the Fractals played. When I broke from my "dance of color" I circled around and saw that Englund had a table showing his works and simultaneously captured the scene in a series of small canvases. In fact, this coming Thursday his work will be one of three art openings the Duluth Art Institute, which I do hope you'll attend if you live in the region.

So, I contacted Lee and he liked the idea so much that he brought along three others: Bob Luedtke, Diane Lewis and Ken Marunowski. And what a delightful addition it proved to be.

As noted, the talent was stellar. Local performer James Moors from Superior kicked it off with "I Used To Run Around" follwed by "Leaving for Cove" and several more songs from an engaging set. Larry Long followed, accompanied by Jason DeLaire on sax, Jack Gunderson, Billy Peterson on bass, an assortment of others and Pippi Ardennia. I was inside the living room as Larry ran through the chord structures with pianist Peter Schimke, Pippi singing in the dining room while making posters for the entrances.

Let's get real for a minute. The talent Glenn Swanson pulled together for this event was beyond phenomenal. Here's a short list of the musicians Sol Fest's musicians have performed or recorded with: Donny Osmond, Michael Bolton, Prince, Alexander O’Neal, Richard Marx, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel, Anita Baker, James Taylor, Mavis Staples, Joe Sample, Sting, Sergio Mendes, Brian Wilson, Ben Sidran, Rodger Waters, Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Phil Upchurch, Jimmy Buffet, Fine Young Cannibals, Steve Miller Band, GoGos, Paula Abdul, Boz Scaggs, Dave Koz, Lalah Hathaway, Sheryl Crow, Jonathon Butler, Bruce Willis, The Jets, Jermaine Jackson, Rhythm Syndicate, Chaka Khan, Robben Ford, Howard Hewett, Benny Carter, Mose Allison, Dave Leibman, Dewey Redman, Lew Tabakin, Slyde Hampton, Clark Terry, Larry Graham, Tuck & Patti and John Mayer. For a Northland event it was equal to none.

Let me add Bob Dylan to this list. Billy Peterson modestly excludes this one from his accolades, but Peterson was there in the studio playing bass as Bob Dylan recorded Blood on the Tracks, an album sometimes cited as Dylan's best. (I quibble because there are so many, but it's definitely in the short list.) Billy had nothing but the highest regard for Dylan's manner and sensitivity to the other artists in the studio. I spoke with him briefly about the experience and he shared several anecdotes. One of the many favs from this album is "Lily, Rosemarie and the Jack of Hearts." Peterson described how it was recorded in one take, no paper in the studio with notes or lyrics for Bob and team, just a straight up "go for it" swipe. Dylan's instructions: "Just keep playing. This song is longer than you think." You can grab Peterson's bass on the icebreaking "Idiot Wind" from side one as well.

How did Swanson put together an event like this? He's got a big heart. From hanging about it was evident these were friends, and friends do what they can to rally around friends. Did I forget to mention Sheila Raye, daughter of Ray Charles? Her gospel interlude, accompanied by Jason Croft, came straight from the heart.

Then there were those special accents you won't find anywhere else. Where do you get to hear a grand piano on an outcropping of bedrock? And how often can you strike up a conversation with a live mermaid, a friendly one at that?

A few days have past, and we're all back at our jobs... but this little exposure to heaven on earth was worth much for all who shared in it. A big thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE