Twin Ports Art for July… Places to Get Your Art Fix

“Technique without art is shallow and doomed. Art without technique is insulting”—Dorothy Alexander

Ryan Tischer has new images & a 2020 Calendar.

I hope your Fourth was a nice one. Yes, there were clouds and a little rain on a few parades, but a great evening for fireworks. Summer has arrived in the Northland and there’s lots to see and do. This is not a comprehensive list, but should add to your ideas. Pick up a Reader to see what else is going on, and visit Esther Piszczek’s Twin Ports Art blog. (It’s actually your art blog, because she is doing this for you.) The URL is: https://twinportsart.blogspot.com

HERE’S THE LINEUP 

thru the next two Northland weekends

Saturday, July 6, 6-9 p.m.
Sunday, July 7, 12-4 p.m.
Blubby Clubhouse with artist Heidi Blunt, Prove Gallery, 21 N. Lake Avenue
"Blubby Clubhouse is a two-day-only exhibition of new work by local artist Heidi Blunt, whose emerging voice delights at the intersection of marginalized large bodies and a secret clubhouse of a feminine kid circa 1985. Blunt’s paintings of rounded fat bodies (called “blubbies”) come pouring off the wall with an open invitation for viewers to interact with the abundance of joy and playfulness in her current improvisational studio practice where a “more is more” mentality reigns. Blunt has a B.A. in Art, with an emphasis on painting and drawing, from the College of St. Scholastica and is currently an MFA candidate in visual arts at Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier, Vt."

Original handwritten lyrics from Dylan’s Desolation Row and other
rare artifacts from the William Pagel Archive are on display at the
Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum. Admission is free.

Mondays, July 8, 15, 22, 29, 5:30 p.m.
Tangling Mondays, Mount Royal Library, 105 Mount Royal Shopping Circle
This group meets in the the old Yarn Harbor space, which was taken over by the library awhile back (on the left when you walk in). It is open to anyone, but primarily focused on pattern drawing. Bring your supplies and something you want to finish or start. No instruction, no fee, no organization. It's wonderful to tangle together, if schedules align, and lovely to tangle alone. If you find yourself alone, no worries, another Monday is right around the corner. Enjoy!

Visit the Duluth Folk School in Lincoln Park to see
bicycle art and some great looking bikes.
The food is good, too!

Tuesdays, July 9, 16, 23, 30, 12:30-3 p.m.
Open Studio at the Duluth Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
The Duluth Art Institute offers a regular Tuesday open art-studio session at the Depot. People of all abilities practicing all artistic mediums are invited to bring their own supplies and join the weekly group. Cost: $5 plus a DAI membership (first session is free).

Wednesday, July 10, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Zentangle (R) & Wine with Esther Piszczek, CZT, Master Framing Gallery, 1431 London Road
Come experience the fun and relaxation of drawing simple, repetitive line patterns with pen and ink and pencil shading. No previous drawing experience necessary. Class Cost: $35; Supplies: $10 (or use supplies provided without additional cost). RSVP to episzczek@gmail.com. Seats are limited.

Thursday, July 11, 6-7:30 p.m.
Artist Talk: Jonathan Thunder and Zamara Cuyún: Long Night of the Floating Shell, Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center, AICHO, 202 W. Second Street
"Long Night of the Floating Shell explores an overlap in themes between two artists’ experiences as contemporary Indigenous artists navigating their connection to their ancestry and communities: Zamara Cuyún with roots in the Maya Highlands of Guatemala and Jonathan Thunder from the Red Lake Nation in Greater Minnesota. Thunder and Cuyún will be present to engage in dialogue about some of the underlying themes in their work and to answer audience questions. Refreshments will be served. On View through July 19

You don’t see on of these every day. Duluth Folk School.

Friday, July 12, 7-8 p.m.
Saturday, July 13, 7-8 p.m.
Dances on the Lakewalk, a festival of dance in Duluth, Lake Place Park/Gichi-ode’ Akiing, 214 E. Superior Street
"Under the artistic direction of Doris Ressl and Freshwater Dance Collective, the annual Dances on the Lakewalk returns featuring Minnesota choreographers, dance companies and dancers performing a variety of dance styles in a city park overlooking Lake Superior. Lake Place Park is located above the Lakewalk at Superior Street and Lake Avenue, with entrances either on Superior Street or from a staircase on the boardwalk at the corner of the lake. For more information, contact Doris Acosta: dorismarieressl @ gmail.com."

Friday, July 12, 9:05 p.m.
Greater Downtown Council's Movies in the Park: How to Train Your Dragon, The Hidden World (PG), Leif Erikson Park

Saturday, July 13, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, July 14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Moose Lake Agate Days 50th Anniversary, Riverside Hockey Arena, 20 Earl Ellen's Drive, Moose Lake "The 50th anniversary Moose Lake Agate Days features more than 100 vendors displaying Lake Superior agates, rocks, gems, minerals and crystals, along with other jewelry and art. There will also be a children’s play area and concessions inside and outside the arena."

Free shuttle service on Saturday
Featured Vendor: Erik Rintimaki – “Yooperlites”
Saturday: Famous Agate Stampede Down Elm Avenue
Sunday: Drawings for vendor bucks and other contests

Ceramic artists abound in the Northland.

Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nice Girls of the North 2nd Saturday Marketplace, Lakeside Lester Park Community Center (the former Lakeside Library), 106 N. 54th Ave. East
"Free coffee, cookies, and a friendly atmosphere await while you browse a collection of handcrafted clothing and bags, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photography, personal care products, baby items and much more. One central checkout, most major credit cards accepted."
July Guest Artists: Barb Staffon: hand knits and felting, it's Christmas in July! and Lanae Rhoads: Mix Cosmetiques custom cosmetics

Sunday, July 14, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Meet on the Street for the Lincoln Park Midsummer Celebration!, Lincoln Park, 1900 and 2000 blocks of W. Superior Street
"This year, the Lincoln Park Children and Families Collaborative‘s annual Meet on the Street event is joining forces with Ecolibrium3 and the Duluth Folk School, for a celebration of the Lincoln Park neighborhood! Come down to Lincoln Park for a Fun, Free event! Climbing Wall! Bounce House! Resource Connections! Arts & Crafts! Warrant Resolution! Music! Food! DPD Cars & K9 Officer! Firetruck! Fender Blender! Big Red Bookshelf! Voter Registration! Aerial, Yoga, & Zumba with Ignite Studio, Facepainting!"

Sunday, July 14, 3-5 p.m.

Driftwords, Wisconsin Point, Spot #9
"The Duluth Poetry Chapter is hosting an outdoor poetry event available to writers of any experience level. Permanent markers are provided by the chapter for writing poems on driftwood collected from Wisconsin Point beach, and sidewalk chalk for writing poems in the street. Poems and photos taken during the event will be shared at the Duluth Poetry Chapter’s fall “Meet the League” event with the permission of the writers in attendance.

"Participants are encouraged to bring poems that capture the theme of “drifting towards” or “drifting away.” Interested photographers are welcome to collaborate on the project and can contact Jessica Morgan at morgan.jessicamarie@gmail.com for more information. In the case of poor weather, the event will be rescheduled."

Sunday, July 14, 7-9 p.m.
Gag Me With A Spoon - A Community Storyshare, Teatro Zuccone, 222 East Superior Street
"Adeline Wright hosts this evening of storytelling and open mic journal sharing in the style of the Moth and Mortified podcasts. There will be featured storytellers and a musical guest. Member of the audience are also welcome to sign-up on the night for an 8 minute open mic journal-sharing segment. Cost: $5 at the door." Listen to previous Gag Me With A Spoon podcasts.

Monday, July 15, 5-7 p.m.
The Nature of Place + Hybrid Forms– Healing the Soul, by Martin DeWitt and Andrew Webster, Zeitgeist Atrium Gallery, 222 E. Superior Street
"Martin DeWitt’s new paintings are inspired by the nature of place and recent travels exploring hybrid elements, multi-generation expressions, digital imagery scrambled, enamel and acrylic paint layered in compound color, texture and image integration on canvas.

"Andrew Webster explores the resiliency and vulnerability of nature while using locally sourced material, especially inspired by Lake Superior. An avid recycler and upcycler, Andrew is drawn to the elemental interplay between wood, stones and minerals ~ their interconnectedness and interaction and his relationship with them."

* * * *

While our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us from wars, privation, envy, greed, old age, or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all.
—Ray Bradbury

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Iceland Thru the Lens of Ryan Tischer

Iceland is magical. I know this because I have seen some of the images photographers have brought home after they've been there. On June 29 Ryan Tischer will be showing some of the stunning scenes he captured during a ten day trip to this most unusual land.

Rumor has it that a number of galleries are collaborating to re-institute the monthly Friday Night Art Crawls that emerged in the days of the Ochre Ghost involving Washington Studios and the inauguration of The PROVE Gallery.

Ten Days in Iceland will open Friday, June 29th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Tischer Photographic Gallery at 5 West Superior Street, a hop, skip and a jump from Lake Avenue. Expect to be impressed.

The Road Not Taken

I first became aware of Robert Frost when he recited a poem at the John F. Kennedy inauguration in 1961. As I was only eight, I remember it more because my mom made a big deal of it at the time, not because it really stood out on its own. Since that time I'd always assumed he was our National Poet Laureate until now when I did a little fact-checking. He was actually Poet Laureate of the State of Vermont, hence my tendency to associate him with the artist Andrew Wyeth, another famed New Englander in the arts.

Though a winner of four Pulitzer Prizes, I have to believe Frost's The Road Not Taken must be his most famous poem. I'd venture to say that this poem alone, even without Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening, had sufficient muscle to make him a household name, a fairly rare occurrence amongst twentieth century poets. I've assumed that school children everywhere have studied the poem, appreciating its elegance and accessibility. The simple metaphor of making a choice during a stroll through the woods has far-reaching applications that resonate with all of us, from relationship decisions to career moves.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

The author comes to a fork in the path and ponders the possibilities of each, but because of the winding nature of what lies ahead is unable to really know how to choose. The first stanza outlines the problem. The following two stanzas reveal the storyteller's cogitations as he leaned into the former and then the latter, looking for a basis for making his decision.

In the end, he focuses on a decisive variable. Knowing that he will likely never be back at this spot again, he chose the path least travelled. That final line is an affirmation that he chose wisely.

* * * *

A forest of birches. Photo by Ryan Tischer.

This Ryan Tischer* photo provides a clue as to what kind of "yellow wood" Frost may have been meandering through, as well as the time of year. The photo, as you can see, paints a different scene. In the poem I envision rolling hills. In the image here, especially striking when it looms large, we see a relatively flat landscape with a single road, marching through rows of trees much like a headful of hair that has been parted by a fine-toothed comb.

My father was fond of white birches. When we moved to New Jersey in 1964 one of the first things he did was to plant a trio of birches near the corner of our front yard, hence my own special regard for these beautiful trees that seem especially abundant here in the Northland.

Meantime, life goes on...

* Ryan Tischer has opened a new gallery in Duluth's emerging Arts District. 

Local Art Seen: Ryan Tischer's New Gallery Has Opened for Business

An out-of-town guest takes in this view of North Shore

Thursday evening there were three receptions of note for friends of the arts in the Twin Ports. Christopher Dunn's opening at the Red Mug in Superior preceded the two Duluth openings by a half hour. At the DAI paintings by Paul LaJeunesse were displayed in the context of sculpted pieces by the Lake Superior Wood Turners in the Morrison Gallery while Faith King's presentation flowed through the Corridor Gallery space.

The proximity of the Duluth Art Institute to the newly opened Tischer Photographic Gallery made it convenient for many to take in both.

I first met Ryan Tischer when he was the Washington Gallery Committee Chair five years ago. Since that time he has actively shown his work in numerous local galleries, shows and exhibition spaces. With his subject matter primarily nature, the Tischer len does its best to capture a sense of the spectacular. By varying the surfaces on which he prints his images he capably produces varying effects.

The past two years, with assistance from the city, he set up temporary galleries for the holidays. This year, the Tischers -- Ryan and Aimee -- have made a commitment to open their store for more than a season here at 5 West Superior Street in the emerging arts district. It's a fairly major undertaking and the third local gallery to open in the past six weeks. In addition to selling his photography it would appear that they will also be offering additional services. Thursday's Grand Opening was clearly a success, the space crawling with friends, well-wishers and fans.

Though his camera is primarily focused on the ever resplendent Northland, he's also captured and brought home some striking imagery from the Southwest, Northwest and California. You can see and purchase many of his pictures here at his online gallery.

Gallery hours are as follows: Tues, Wed, & Sat 10-5, Thurs & Fri 10-6.

Iconic ice slats at dawn.

Intense... 

Visually compelling images.

* * * *

We have so many talented photographers here in our region, and it's easy to understand why. The region is simply so inspiring. 

If you're downtown doing a walkabout leading up to the holidays, 

stop in for a few minutes and check it out. This winter, should the weather 

be especially brisk, consider the Tischer space and Lizzard's as hot spots

to warm yourself before moving closer to your other destinations.

Local Art News: September Happenings

It's September already. Labor Day weekend ahead, a time of beginnings and endings. Summer is ending, the school year beginning. Days are getting shorter, the leaves will soon be getting brighter. It's harvest season for gardens and fruit pickers, and soon a time to batten down the hatches for the approaching winter.

In the arts realm we have transitions taking place and plenty to look forward to.

North End Arts Gallery

The gallery located upstairs in the Red Mug Building is closing this month. There will be a closing reception September 9. The gallery space will be vacated afterwards.

I remember the very first event held in that room, a book release by Savage Press. The Superior oard of Trade building was seeking new residents, opening after a long hiatus. There was no furniture, there were no other occupants. I imagined it would be a really fun place to play hide and seek if you were kids. There was a carpet on the floor and we all sat cross-legged for a discussion about the book. A humble beginning.

These past many years the Superior Council For The Arts (SCFTA) used that upstairs room for their gallery. A lot of nice work has been shown over the years, though the irregular hours made it a problem for patrons who were not well-versed as regards when the space was open. You can follow their future permutations on their website at http://superiorcfta.org/


Duluth Art Institute

From the Basement: Brent Kusterman
Sept. 22 - Nov. 6, 2016
The work of Brent Kusterman is raw and immediate, layered and mythic. His paintings incorporate found objects and collage, and are focused on keeping the process of art making visible to the viewer. Kustermann is not afraid of a heavy line or rich colors and generates a constant tension throughout the work. A combination of abstract gesture mixed with figural quotations create a middle ground for mind wandering in his canvases.

Rust & Flow: David Everett
Sept. 22 - Nov. 16, 2016
Sculptor David Everett works primarily in iron, exploring the push and pull of pairing seemingly everyday objects with larger mythological traditions. Everett’s exhibit presents two main bodies of work. In the first he transforms trash reclaimed from the beaches of Lake Superior and its tributaries into aquatic creatures and landscapes. The second combines weapons of war and violence with food and sustenance. Everett’s explorations engage us in a dialogue about the unintended consequences of what we purchase, consume, utilize and discard.

Fragments/Memory: Adam McCauley
Sept. 22 - Nov. 16, 2016
Employing traditional mediums alongside craft paint, print screens, antique book covers and the universal grid, McCauley builds artwork that is purposefully based in the physical world, staunchly refusing the comforts of representation for his viewers. Built with layers and focused on the formal, McCauley’s work is at once mind bending and fresh, focused and free.

Duluth Quantum Computing Project: Storytelling in a Digital Age
Oct. 1, 2016
Kathy McTavish is offering free workshops and lectures exploring digital-based art throughout August and September, held at an off-site location (3 West Building on Superior Street.) A composer and media artist who has over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of art, science and technology, McTavish has exhibited multimedia installations at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, ND and at the 2015 Northern Spark Festival in Minneapolis, MN. Under her guidance the workshop experience will culminate in a collaborative installation in the downtown storefront. This project and exhibition is made possible by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council. This is an eight week project which I introduced here. This week's discussion theme is code / algorithms ::: the confluence of text & choreography (literary forms in action) ::: code as improvisation / orchestration

EdNote: Congrats to Catherine Meier who has been appointed to serve as the new Program Coordinator at the DAI with Amber White joining as Interim.

Best Bets
Recommendations from the DNT
Lakeside Gallery
Photographer Ryan Tischer is the featured artist for September in the newly opened gallery space at 4431 East Superior Street. Saturday there will be an opening reception from 1-3 p.m. It's Free & open to the public. The weather will be nice and if you are heading up the North Shore for a drive you might want to time it to make a stop here before you head out of town. The event is featured today in the DNT's Best Bets.

Saturday evening the Vista Cruise has a special entertainer on board for what promises to be a very special evening on the "high seas." Mary Bue is slated to perform as Bellisio's caters the meal, and there will be hearts a-thumpin' on a port city dinner cruise that is sure to be tinged with magic. Mary Bue's effusive energy and spirit create atmosphere wherever she goes and I'm certain that whether you're with friends or lovers, you will enjoy Saturday evening if you get on board.

There's much more happening than I have space or time for here. You can rustle up info in all the usual places to learn more about the music and theater scenery here.

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

It's Summer Art Show Season: Here Are Some Events You Might Want To Check Out

I first saw Tonya Sell's work at the Park Point Art Fair.

For those who participate in art shows and art fairs, most of these are old news. For those who follow the art scene here are some of this year's regional art events you can place on your calendar. And if you've never been to an art fair (I would assume some have not) then I recommend checking one or more of these out sometime, especially if it's a sunny day and you have a little free time.

What you generally won't find at an art fair is ultra-esoteric conceptual art or performance art, though you may find performances of the musical sort. Many if not most of the artists who work the art show circuit are entrepreneurial artists. This is a livelihood in addition to a passion.

And it's a lot of work. No matter how efficient you are, setting up takes time. And no matter how spectacular your art, there's always the possibility of a thunderstorm to dampen the enthusiasm of your "audience."

What I like most about attending local art fairs is seeing in one place the wide variety of work being created. If you're a regular attender you will see many of the same faces so that it's like a family reunion of sorts. You can catch up on family happenings since the previous reunion.

Photographer Ryan Tischer was kind enough to forward to me his agenda for the year.  Some of these events have a long history and others are relatively new. The Park Point Art Fair, for example, has been running for more than four decades.

June 20-21 Land of the Loon Festival - Olcott Park - Booth #103W - Virginia, MN (not much art, mostly crafts)

June 27-28 ~ Park Point Art Fair - Duluth, MN

July 11-12 ~ Grand Marais Art Festival - Grand Marais, MN

July 24-26 ~ Blueberry Arts Festival - Ely, MN

August 9 ~ Lake Superior Art Festival @ Brighton Beach in Duluth

August 15-16 ~ Art in Bayfront Park

September 19, Chester Bowl Fall Fest

October 2-4 ~ Bayfield Apple Festival... mostly apple everything, but also some artists in the park by the lake.

November 14-15 ~ Festival of Trees (a real mix with everything from high quality art to Tupperware)

In addition to traditional wall art, such as painting a photography, you will find unique jewelry, sculptures that you can set in your yard or garden, and plenty of gift ideas for loved ones.... things you will not see again till next year's show. Art doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to lift one's spirits, whether yours or someone else's.

You don't have to wait for art fairs or art openings to see art. We have a number of galleries here in the Twin Ports where you can stop in and see, experience, the flavor of what's happening here in our regional arts community. If you've not been to an art gallery lately, why not make it a point to do a walk-through next time you're downtown or in Canal Park? Consider it a warm-up for your next art fair.

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

Local Art Seen: Ryan Tischer at Washington Gallery, Scott Murphy at The Red Herring

Detail from Tischer's "Tree of Zen"

Second Friday art crawl here in the Twin Ports is alive and well. Wish I could have gone to all the art-themed events the other night and especially would like to have seen the progress Esther Piszczek is making on her Zentangled Piano. Maybe soon.

Ryan Tischer's photography filled both galleries at the former Washington School. The show will be open on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for the duration of the month. The exhibit is titled Beyond Light, featuring new work shot in two of the most beautiful regions in the country, Duluth and Oregon. “I titled this exhibit Beyond Light because through my years of photographing I’ve discovered that there’s more than just light to a photograph,” said Tischer. “A truly magical image requires a unique balance of composition, mood and light, which is hard to put into words, but you know it when you see it.”

It doesn't even look real, but it is. Reminds me of an Aaron Kloss painting.

There are a number of nature photographers in this region who have fallen in love with the spectacle that is Lake Superior. Tischer notes that he's not alone in his love of the wintertime play of light on the lake's breathtaking ice formations. On more than one occasion he's seen photographer John Heino out trying to capture magic in the dawn's early light. It's apparent that both photographers make personal sacrifices to be where the drama is on the great lake's shores.

This was Tischer's sixth exhibition at the Washington Gallery.

Simultaneously, The Red Herring hosted an opening reception for painter Scott Murphy's work, some of it new and all of it entertaining. I realize that a lot of times people go to places like Beaners, the Break Room and The Red Herring for the music or libations, but you will doubly rewarded if in addition to interacting with friends you also interact with some of the artwork that hangs on the walls of so many places in town. Zeitgeist Cafe, Jitters, Pizza Luce, the Red Mug and others go out of their way to showcase the work of local artists. You might do well to note this next time you're in any of these spaces.

I asked Scott to give a little background for some of the work which is currently there on display.

The painting with the child piano player is called "The Request" and is about the thrill of discovery and how some kids really take to music.

The painting "The Flood" with the fish and the anvil refers to a trade or industry going obsolete. Many of the best kid photos I get to use come from parents taking candid photos of their children.

The "Pin Money" painting is the second work in a series I am still going to expand upon. The foggy, out of focus people seem to relate to fading memories and the passage of time.

"Uninsured Child" was made as a call or cry for universal health care.

Afterwards Scott said, "That was a very fun opening; music and drinks, who would have guessed."

For more info about Scott Murphy visit our December 2013 interview.

Friday Night's Art Crawl and Other Twin Ports Happenings This Week

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious - the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” ~ Albert Einstein

A Twin Ports tradition is taking place... The Friday Night Art Crawl. Now in its fourth year, here are some of the openings and events I'm aware of, plus a view additional items of note. I begin with the latter.

Cleave Land, the Documentary

Having been born into Cleveland's "Little Italy" district, I am looking forward to tonight's Zinema showing of a new documentary by filmmaker William Payne. The film "explores the impact of sub-prime mortgage foreclosures, extreme poverty and rampant drug violence in the ghettos of Cleveland, Ohio. The movie speaks through the voices of the community members trying to make a difference, the politicians struggling to fix the problems, and the police officers that confront the harsh reality in the streets of Cleveland every day."

The Zinema will screen this new documentary as part of their Explorer's Club series tonight at 7:30 pm.

Following the film, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Karen Sunderman of the Playlist. On the panel will be Police Chief Gordon Ramsay, Citizen Review Board Member Renee Van Nett, Xavier Bell of Community Action Duluth and filmmaker William Payne.


Second Friday Art Crawl

Love Your Local Artist
This is the fifth annual Love Your Local Artist event at the Superior Public Library. Not often that you get to sip wine and rub shoulders with artists of all stripes... and some polka dots. Opens at 5:30 and runs till 8:00 p.m. A great way to start your evening, or end it.

Bravissimo Kickstarter Party
This event isn't really part of the art crawl per se, but it's Friday, and you may wish to lock it on your calendar as an alternative. Ellen Sandbeck's FB invitation reads, "Come help us celebrate the Kickoff of the BRAVISSIMO Music Game Kickstarter campaign! Eat, drink, be merry, play the game, watch the hilarious Kickstarter video!"
Event is 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. at 2532 East Fourth Street, Duluth.

Another creative music-themed event is the Artists' Reception at Pierce & Piszczek Fine Pianos from 6-8:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Music by Aleks Tengesdal (Cello) and Angela Tengesdal (Piano).
This is a joint artists' reception featuring the lovely nature photography of UMD Professor Ladona Tornabene, Ph.D., and Esther Piszczek's Zentangle (R) inspired art. Last month she showed me a piano she was going to tangle. Friday evening we can check on her progress.

Beyond Light - New Photography by Ryan Tischer

Tischer is a distinctive Duluth landscape photographer who will be  exhibiting new photography at Washington Gallery from 6:00-9:00 p.m. The exhibit will also be open Saturdays & Sundays 1:00-5:00pm through March 1st.

PROVE Gallery
I'm not really sure what's on the docket for this Friday at the Prove. Will have to wait and see. Usually there's something from 7 till 11. Might be that Kathleen Roberts of the collective will be around the corner at the Pineapple Arts Poetry Event that she is co-hosting with Faith King. "Bandage up your hearts, put the whiskey in a flask, and come on down! Or just read something happy…"

* * * *

Artists & Their Art
The North End Arts Gallery is holding the opening for their first SCFTA exhibit of 2015 on February 12, from 5-7 p.m. The gallery is on the 2nd Floor of what is coming to be nown as The Red Mug Building. It's upstairs from the new Spirit Room, and will be worth checking out.

Studio 15
Lydia Walker has been very active making Studio 15 into a fun place to be creative. Studio 15 has been hosting a number of classes for kids and adults, with this coming Sunday being a chance for kids to have Fun with Erupting Paint. Lydia announces her events on the Twin Ports Arts Align pages at Facebook if you want to follow along for future events. Pre-registration is required in order to have a suitable supply of materials.

Have fun.

This Week at the Duluth Art Institute: The Members Show and Emerging Photographers

I was talking this week with someone from Brooklyn who follows the art scene here in the Twin Ports via this blog. He is continually impressed and went so far as to say New York has nothing on us, as far as talent, etc. Yes, they have scale, but when you begin to really unearth all that is happening, there is no dearth of talent -- or imagination -- here.

One way to get a feel for the scope of what is going on in the Twin Ports arts scene is to attend the Annual Membership Show which takes place each January at the Duluth Art Institute (DAI). The opening reception for this year's show will be Thursday, January 22 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Depot Great Hall and DAI galleries (506 West Michigan St). It never fails to be a great event, an opportunity to see current works by as many as 250 artist-members of the DAI. I note the word "current" because to submit work into the show it must have been created within the past year. This is one place to get a sense of how much is happening here in the Northland. The reception, sponsored by U.S. Bank, is free and open to the public.

The night of the reception you will also be given a chance to cast your vote for a favorite work. Ballots get counted that evening and the People’s Choice award is announced at the end of the night.

Setting up a shot at Stoney Point, from Tischer Collection

In addition to the Membership Show the galleries upstairs will be featuring the Emerging Photographers show, a collaboration between the DAI and Photography department of the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD). The event gives photography students a professional exhibition experience. The 2015 display, curated by nationally recognized fine art photographer Ryan Tischer and sponsored by True North Color Lab, features the work of Daniel Badhwa, Kyle Becker, Donny Bever, Susannah Gaunt, Samantha Lindbeck, Marissa Murdy, and Ryan Olsen.

What I especially value here are the efforts to integrate the university arts programs, and other facets of the school, with the world outside the cloister. December's Support exhibition at the PRØVE carried out the same aims.

It'll be nice to see these two shows together. The Annual Membership Show celebrates what it means to be part of a creative community, showcasing the vibrant visual art coming out of this region today. The Emerging Photographers Show will remind us of the variety of ways photography is being taken seriously as an art form.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Forever.

Intersecting Collaborations: Friday Happenings in the Twin Ports

Gary Reed's "A Cross To Bare" at Superior Lib.

Friday evening, the 8th, was an exciting evening for the arts here in the Twin Ports. In what is becoming an established tradition now, the second Friday of each month is a coordinated gallery opening amongst the three visual arts spaces PROVE Collective, Ochre Ghost and Washington Galleries. And for the third consecutive year Superior Public Library hosted its Love Your Local Artist event which this year attracted the art and handiwork of 37 local and regional artisans.

As in year's past sweet sounds from a string chamber quartet swam through the air like a gentle breeze. Superior's Friends of the Library generously supplied an assortment of cookies, fruit, crackers and cheeses, and some wondrous fudge, amongst other things.  And there was was wine.

Something I have found interesting is how many people in Duluth seem to be unaware of what is happening on the Superior side of the bridge, as if it were a foreign country. It is only five minutes away by bridge (maybe seven) and Duluthians are missing out on some very special places over there. And yet, when I asked various attendees at the Superior event if they were going to cross over to Duluth for the art shows there, most did not plan to do so for various reasons. I really do like the slogan I heard from a Superior artist last year: "It's just a bridge. Get over it." It goes both ways.

By the time I departed Superior more than 150 people had already come in, and more were coming. But I was off to the Washington Gallery where Ryan Tischer's Bound to the Light II was being presented. The new photography by Tischer is large and quite impressive. Some, like Earth's Womb, are 38"x 50" and one image titled Golden Narrows is an imposing 38"x 85". With the exception of his "Last Glimpse" all the photos were presented on gallery wrapped canvas.

Next stop was Emily Wendland's Transcendental Terrain accompanied by the musical expressions of Marc Gartman's Fever Dream. Gartman opened for Low at Mitchell Auditorium this past month. This mix of music and art has a lot going for it. The PRØVE has been doing this some in its second year, and it has worked well in other venues from The Red Mug to Washington where Andrew Floberg's work was specially enhanced by the seasoning of sound.

Wendland is clearly a talented young artist doing some original work. In addition to mixed media drawings and paintings there were a few pieces with three-dimensional objects assembled in a form of terrain. I inquired about the shapes and she said she was fascinated by spores. I found her art invigorating and it made me wish to see and hear more.

Heading down the alley we quickly arrived at the PRØVE for its Bitters show, which would also play host to a poetry reading at 8:30. Bitters, curated by poet Kathleen Roberts who joined the collective last summer, focused on the dark side of Valentine's Day. Thematically, some of the work was challenging.

The six poets who shared were the highlight for me, a rich dessert after numerous courses of deliciousness. Roberts opened the first set of four poets with a piece titled, "For My Boyfriend After His One Night Stand." Her poems were personal and visceral, setting the table for what would follow, a mix of pointed vexation, caustic humor and unpalatable heartbreak.

Amy Lynn, who teaches writing at UMD and recently celebrated her first year in the Twin Ports with a poetry reading at Beaners, followed. Lynn's literary skills have been well honed. She read at least four poems: Fruition, Adultery, Conflagration and The Revisionist. With vivid imagery she mastered the room.

It was impressive to see the packed gallery so attentive and responsive to these poets. The next two presenters were from the poetry slam school, not just reading their work but elevating it to theater.

Seth Feralin of St. Paul began by stating, "I live in desperate search for self." His delivery was polished as he performed poems like "Clayton" and "Misogyny in Rap Music" which was a powerful indictment of rap scenes toleration and promotion of abuse and hatred of women. There were many rich lines and a lot of amens would have been shouted had this been a Pentecostal church instead of a poetry reading. (O.K., some of the imagery would not be used in a pulpit.)

Paris Kelvakis raised the energy level with poems like "The Pimp's Paradox" and stories about pigs and betrayal. He called his last piece about the Portuguese Man-O-War the most important poem he's ever written, its theme being the necessary interconnectedness we all share.

After a short intermission, Kat M and Louis Mundt finished the night. Kat, whom readers of the Reader recently anointed Best Actress in the Twin Ports, was in top form with her delivery of a pointed piece titled "I Get You." Lines like "You are a volunteer who caught me unconcerned," and "I will take you for granted; it will be effortless" plunged deep as cold steel into warm flesh. Louis Mundt drew the performance to a close. 

Based on the caliber of talent represented, it would not surprise me to learn that someone in this room would be a future poet laureate somewhere.

Artist Interviews: Best of 2012 (Part II)

The author w/ Rosvall Eyeglasses

It appears that these year-end compilations of artist interviews are becoming an annual event. I have certainly spoken with a lot of interesting people. I've also learned much and it has been my privilege to share their insights and experiences with a wider audience. Here's part two of my 2012 artist interviews, a small collection of examples as to why the Twin Ports arts scene is so vibrant right now.

Fruit from a Long Dialogue with Artist Ann Klefstad

Ann Klefstad (Part 2)

Ann Klefstad (Part 3)

Eight Minutes with Richard Hansen and the DuSu Film Festival

Eight Minutes with Northland Painter Aaron Kloss

Ten Minutes with Artist Wanda Pearcy

Eight Minutes with Artist Morgan Pease

Heino Magic

Eight Minutes with Artist/ Water Advocate Tonya Borgeson

Eight Minutes with Artist Wynn Davis

Spotlight on Photographer John Heino

John Heino (Part 2)

Five Minutes with Minnesota Artist Patricia Canelake

Jen Dietrich’s American Iconography

Ryan Tischer Discusses Washington Gallery and Artist Collective

David Moreira Talks About the Art of SkatRadioh

Andrew Floberg piece, one of many great events @ Washington Galleries

Read my upcoming article in this week's Reader for a look back at the 2012 Twin Ports arts scene. Visit tomorrow for more artist interviews from our local scene and abroad.

Ryan Tischer Discusses Washington Gallery and Artist Collective

Lupine Fire by Ryan Tischer

The Twin Ports is blessed with a wide of photography talent, from the internationally recognized Craig Blacklock to the nationally respected commercial work of Jeff Frey. It might be our breathtaking natural splendor that initially prompts so many to pick up a camera, or the deceptive ease with which one can feel like a photographer by simply owning a camera, but the best of them have been recognized for taking this fascination with images to a new level. Ryan Tischer is one of these.

My interview with Tischer in this week's Reader focuses on how he became interested in the craft, how he selects his subject matter and what it means to be an "artist" as a photographer. Because of his role at Washington Galleries and Washington Studios, I took advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the arts community there.

EN: What is your role with regards to Washington Gallery?

Ryan Tischer: Currently, I'm the Gallery Committee Chair at Washington. I'm responsible for organizing and running meetings, working with artists to put on exhibits in the gallery, and also finding new artists interested in exhibiting.

Additionally, I'm a member of the Board of Directors at Washington Studios, which overseas all other committees and passes the annual budget. From early 2010 through the end of 2011 I was President of the Board as well.

EN: What are the benefits for artists who want to be residents at the Washington Studios?

Studio space is inviting.

RT: Living in proximity to many other creative people is a great advantage for people living at Washington Studios. It's great to be able to knock on your neighbor's door and talk about your art with them or collaborate on projects. Access to common spaces is another advantage as we have a ceramics room and kiln, performance and dance space, shop room with a spray booth, and of course, the Washington Gallery, which all members can exhibit in.

Many of the rooms have views.

Not to mention, the apartments are HUGE, most with 14-ft. ceilings, large windows, and great views of Lake Superior and the hillside. Rents are quite reasonable given the square footage running from 800 sq. ft. efficiency units for $627 to 2200+ sq ft. three bedrooms for $920. One bedrooms average 1100 sq. ft. and are $666, with two bedrooms averaging 1600 sq ft, costing $796. Those prices include all utilities, except electrical. Each unit is unique, many with wood floors, built-in cabinets, and the original chalkboards left over from before the renovation.

EN: What are the requirements for consideration?

RT: Prospective members must make federal low-income requirements, which are currently $26,220 for a single person and $29,940 for a household of two. If applicants make the income requirements, they then meet with the Selection Committee where they are asked a series of questions that pertain to living in a cooperative environment. WSAC has an artist preference for new members, but we are open to considering all different forms of art, not just the typical studio arts that immediately come to mind. Our membership is made up of painters, photographers, ceramacists, sculptors, writers, musicians, actors, film directors, dancers, and probably some other artistic forms that I am leaving out. You don't need to be a professional artist to live here, just excited to live in a cooperative environment with others and preferably of the artsy persuasion.

Tischer is talented at vividly capturing natural wonders.

EN: How many artists do you currently have there?

RT: We currently have a total of 63 members living at Washington Studios in 36 households (includes both artists and their families...it's hard to draw a line between who is an artist and who is just a family member.) At the writing of this we have three units in the process of being filled by our Selection Committee. We have a grand total of 39 units.

EdNote: Washington Gallery is located at 315 North Lake Avenue on Duluth's Central Hillside.