'Tis the Season for Openings: Stuff to See, Hear and Do

Our birthday boy.

For starters, Happy Birthday, Don. Duluth's Mayor Ness turned forty this morning. The word on the street (and on Facebook) is that he will be celebrating the occasion in The Lyric Room at Porter's downtown.

He's probably aware, though you may not be, that Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame is also celebrating his birthday today. Born in 1944, Page today is 69. I remember well when Led Zeppelin exploded on the scene. I had friends who practiced as a band when we were in high school. We were in Scott Homan's basement and someone said, "I have something you will want to hear." It was that first album with the bluesy Good Times, Bad Times, and the soulful rendition of Babe, I'm Gonna Leave you.

Speaking of Lyrics... Today at the Lyric Center in Virginia, MN is the opening of the January Abstractions show featuring new work by Colin Wiita, Heidi Mae Niska, Daryn Lowman and Pam Skinner.

Tonight in downtown Duluth, Pizza Luce is hosting the opening of Adam Swanson's new show titled My Wicked Secret. Don't know what he intends to share but I do know the establishment is a popular family restaurant and whatever Adam is putting on the walls will not be too wicked. He's just too nice a guy. So it must be a clever title, and I am very much looking forward to seeing his colorful new show.

Tomorrow evening is Second Friday Art Crawl, and at least a couple places you'll want to visit are these: Cracked at Washington Galleries and Polarize at the Prove. The Cracked opening is from 6-9 and Polarize from 7-11. Music starts at 8.

If you're in the Twin Cities, you'll have the good fortune of being able to attend Anne Labovitz's opening at the Burnet Gallery on Hennepin. The show is titled Layers and you'll get a chance to meet the artist, who's charisma is as compelling as her work.

Maybe you're not in the Midwest today and you happen to be stuck in crosstown traffic, mid-town Manhattan. There are a few things to catch in the Big Apple while you're there. Neil Young is at Carnegie Hall tonight and tomorrow. Yep, he's still alive an well, having released 2 albums with Crazy Horse in 2012 and kickin' it out in concert. Young won many of our hearts when Everybody Knows this Is Nowhere, his first solo album with Crazy Horse, hit the scene. I'm still listening to that one.

Meantime, life goes on. Catch a show or make something happen. Jack Frost is backing off for a spell and the weather should be downright balmy. Have a good one. 

Forecast for Friday Art Crawl Lookin' Good

One of the highlights of the local Twin Ports arts scene in 2013 has been the Second Friday Art Crawl that so many people have been participating in. If your thermometer is reading forty below zero right now, like it is at my house, the idea of doing a downtown walkabout may not elicit much enthusiasm. But take heart, the forecast for the end of the week is for a balmy 70 degree swing to the upside. Dig it.

Two shows of note for Friday evening have openings planned. Washington Galleries from 6-9 p.m. and PRØVE from 7-11 p.m.

The Washington Galleries show is themed Cracked with Ej Arnold, Renan Cruz, Faith King, and Jamie Uselman. Cracked features four local folk who know one another in varying degrees who are coming together to display their own personal preferences. The show's description is ambiguous at best, stating "there is no tangible description that comes to mind in trying to explain the artists or their pieces. We welcome you to come and draw your own." That's pretty loose when it comes to creating expectations, but works to create interest. Sounds like like a teaser right before a commercial break where they say, "The most incredible news just came across the wire. We'll be back to tell you about it after this word from our sponsors."

One thing that's definite: Live music from Nathaniel Harvie and Lion or Gazelle. Plus nibbles and beverages by Alyssa Brown.

Down the hill at the PRØVE this month's show is themed Polarize:

 
Artists interested in submitting to the February Valentine's Day show might be interested in their call for submissions. The theme for this show is ‘Quaintrelle.’ Deadline 3 February 2014. If nothing else, the name of the show will teach you a new word.

quaintrelle (n): a woman who emphasizes a life of passion, expressed through personal style, leisurely pastimes, charm, and cultivation of life's pleasures.

All genders may apply.

Duluth Art Institute
Be sure to mark your calendars for the 2014 Annual Membership Show sponsored by US Bank January 23 - February 20, 2014 in the Depot's Great Hall. The opening reception is Thursday, January 23 from 5 - 7 p.m. The DAI Membership Show has been growing annually and will likely be better than ever, both in quantity as well as quality. It's not too late to show your work in this show. If you're a DAI member and active artist, select something from this past calendar year and bring it to the Duluth Art Institute by the 10th this week.