Local Art Scene: Upcoming Arts Events for the Last Week in June

Piece from STRATA show at the DAI

Grandma's Marathon has always been more than a marathon. It marks the beginning of the busy Twin Ports Summer Scene. For decades it was a reminder that next weekend is the Park Point Art Fair. Now it is also a reminder that Rhubarb Fest is coming, also.

Here are some noteworthy events for your Art Happenings calendar.

Tuesday, June 25, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Creative Crosswalk Painting with Moira Villiard
Moira & team of volunteers will be painting crosswalks near the Myers-Wilkins Elementary School, 8th Avenue E. & 10th Street
"The Hillside streets will become safer and more colorful this summer when local artist, Moira Villiard, in partnership with Zeitgeist and local residents. The will produce four creative crosswalks at currently dangerous intersections. The crosswalks and intersections will be painted to attract more attention to crosswalks and the people using them, promoting pedestrian and bicycle safety by slowing traffic in the residential area, while also highlighting neighborhood culture and identity through public art. Zeitgeist will lead community engagement efforts to allow residents to influence the design of the murals that they will be walking, biking, and driving through daily. Neighbors are encouraged to come out to help paint the design." For more information, contact Shawna Mullen, Zeitgeist Active Transportation Coordinator. 218-929-1908.; Shawna@Zeitgeistarts.com

Friday, June 28, 5-8 p.m.
Downtown Duluth Arts Walk 
Between 20 and 30 arts spaces will be open again, continuing the "Last Friday of Each Month" art event. Duluth Fine Pianos, 331 W. Superior Street (next to Starbucks!) will be hosting jazz musicians  Ryan Frane on piano, Matt Mobley on bass, and Sam Miltich on guitar from 6-8 p.m.
Esther Piszczek's framed work on paper, glass, mirrors, and clay decorates the walls of Duluth Fine Pianos. Come out to hear some music, see the art, or just say hi to all the good people there. Duluth Fine Pianos is participating in the Downtown Duluth Arts Collective's night of art and entertainment, featuring Downtown Duluth art galleries, eateries, bars and performance venues. Email manager@josephneasegallery.com or call 218-461-8380 for more information. Downtown Duluth Arts Walk Google Map [NOTE: I will attend the DDAW 5-6:30 p.m.]

Saturday, June 29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Chum Rhubarb Festival, London Road at 11th Avenue E.
"Chum’s 15th annual Rhubarb Festival promises lots of rhubarb — including hundreds of pies, muffins and crisps, as well as rhubarb brats and burritos. There will also be live music, games, crafts, auctions and stage shows." You can check out my Rhubarb Fest photos from last summer here.

Saturday, June 29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sunday, June 30, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.
Sue Brown Chapin Watercolors Gallery on 4th Grand Opening, 47 4th Street, Cloquet Stop by to see Sue Brown Chapin's new space and register to win a framed original. Following the opening, Gallery on 4th will be open Thursday afternoons, 1-6 p.m., and by appointment.
Directions: Presbyterian Church Building, upper level, door to right of main door, look for sign.

Cross this bridge to Park Point Art Fair. Watercolor by Sue Rauschenfels

Saturday, June 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, June 30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Park Point Art Fair
Park Point Public Beach House, 5000 Minnesota Avenue
"The annual Park Point Art Fair will feature the juried fine art and crafts of more than 120 artists from the upper Midwest and beyond. In addition to the outdoor gallery, there will be a food court, demonstration areas, a stage with live music and more — all at the Park Point Recreation Area.
Located at the foot of the recreation area’s Beach House and ball fields, the event is accessible by bus and bike, as well as the nearby airstrip and public boat launch. With artist tents lining a paved path that extends through the park, the show allows people with physical disabilities the chance to fully experience the event."

Sunday, June 30, 5 p.m.
Beer & Hymns, at Sir Benedict's Tavern, 805 E. Superior Street
"A gathering for beer drinking and hymn singing on the last Sunday of every month."

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It's All Rhubarb: Duluth Rhubarb Festival Is One of a Kind

ALMOST WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Another Duluth Feature Presentation

Holy guacamole, Batman!

Gotta bring my appetite next year. 

How does your rhubarb measure up?

Looks like a winner!

Rhubarb Super Heroes?

Rhubarb Snow Cones. Yummmmm.

I'm all in.

As Cyndi Lauper once sang, "Rhubarb fans just want to have fun." 

Or something like that.

REMINDERS

Friday Night Art Crawl in Duluth

Free Range Film Fest in Wrenshall

Will you be at Duluth Pottery tonight for the Science Art show?

Upcoming Art-Related Events in the Twin Ports

Am currently reading Orange Is The New Black by Piper Kerman. I can't tell if it's the writing that makes it gripping or the story. Both reasons make it a compelling read. If you want to know how the other half lives -- i.e. life behind bars -- you'll get a pretty good inkling here. In one week I heard three people talk about the television show, so was surprised to find it was based on a book. I shouldn't have been. To get an understanding of what the expression "Orange is the new black" means you can check out the discussion on Reddit.

This weekend is the 45th Annual Park Point Art Fair, and if the weather is nice you can go make a day of it. It's a two day event, which means you also get a chance to mow your lawn or go fishing one day and take in the fair on the other.

As many as 10,000 people cram their cars onto the end of Park Point when the art fair falls on a nice-weather weekend. Park Point Community Club (PPCC) and a pack of volunteers make it happen, though this year is expected to be bigger than ever due to a  2015 Festival Support Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board that allows for new interactive sights, sounds and more.

If you want to see how vast the creative energy is in our region, you can't do much better than this. It's all in one place, from functional art to fine art.

The PPCC is touting a number of new activities this year such as:

• Saturday visitors can witness and participate in an iron pour by Common Language art collective (opportunities for 60 people to make a metal tile);
• Sunday visitors can participate in printmaking with the Minnesota Center for the Book Arts.
• An Emerging Artists Tent will feature work by up and coming artists, including students from area high schools and colleges.

There's always music, and a wide range of food options to satisfy even the pickiest eater. For more details on this and other aspects of the event visit their Facebook page.

Rhubarb Fest
One of the funniest words in baseball is rhubarb. When an argument or a fight breaks out it is often referred to as a rhubarb.  Announcer: "This could be an interesting matchup with Sisco at the plate. He and Roger Clemens got into a real rhubarb last time they faced other."

Well this is not the kind of rhubarb you should expect in Duluth this weekend. On Saturday it's the annual Rhubarb Fest down at Leif Ericson Park on London Road. Rhubarb pie is only the beginning. After a day of all things rhubarb there will even be a rhubarb after-party at Red Herring Lounge.

See details in the Trib.

Estate Sale with Lots of Art

Someone sent me a note about an estate sale in Hayward with lots of art. The Round Lake Estate Sale runs from today through Sunday. Supposedly there's a ton of framed and unframed art, including a huge selection of wildlife prints, original art, some 3-D pieces....a few mid-century furniture pieces as well. Visit the Estate of Value website for details. In addition to the art (some of which you can see on this page here) there's all the other usual estate sale type of items from jewelry, coins and crystal to furniture and apparel and all the rest.

And if you're not in the mood for crowds you can just sit on your porch and read a good book. Why not?

Meantime, life goes on all around you.