Twin Ports Art in December

Shop local. Xmas ideas galore: Art on the Planet, Superior

Less than one month to 2021. 17 days to the first day of winter. Hope you are all staying active with creative projects during this period of social hibernation. As Bob Dylan once sang, "It gets discouraging at times but I think I'll make it by the saving grace that's over me."

For starters, big shout out again to Esther Piszczek for keeping us in touch with the local arts scene. No one is happy that there have been so few art openings or receptions this year. Duluth welcomed a new director to the Tweed, Dr. Anja Chávez, and it seems like the next day we were in lockdown. According to their website our governor has requested that the Tweed remain closed till Spring. Definitely a disappointment. You can go to the Tweed website and see some of what you are missing.

Rather than get too repetitive here I am just going to send you to the Twin Ports Art Blog and briefly talk about something else. There is still plenty to do this month. Unfortunately it's nearly all virtual. 

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New Topic

What is it about faces that so fascinates us?  I've been drawing faces since pre-school. Why? I don't know. In part it is a fascination with how much expressiveness can be generated with a minimal quantity of detail. I'm sure that's part of it.

It's interesting how many different cartoon characters there are, each distinct, generally drawn with minimal detail, but full of a variety of expressions. Compare Dilbert to Dennis the Menace to Beetle Bailey or Mandrake the Magician. It's endless. 

My sketchbooks are filled with little drawings of faces, funny animals and designs. Sometimes I like to repeat a design until it morphs into some other design. (If you want to learn new designs, you might consider checking out Esther Pizczek's Zentangle classes.) 

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Photo: Gary Firstenberg

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Speaking of faces, at the grocery store someone asked me today, "Is that you, Jack?" These masks have done more than hidden our smiles. They've concealed our identities. That was the first time this has happened, though not the first time I myself wanted to ask... "Is that you?"

One more thing about masks. Please don't do this:

 

I took four fotos of masks in parking lots this past week, not quite enough for a Wordless Wednesday blog post. Perhaps if this were in an art gallery someone might call it art. I'm calling it an object lesson in what not to do with your used masks. 

Meantime, life goes on. 

One more time, visit the

Twin Ports Art Blog

for all the latest Twin Ports art news.

And if you are an artist looking for highest quality scanning and giclee reproductions of your work, be sure to contact CPL Imaging. You will NOT be disappointed.

The Colorful Twin Ports Art Scene In Autumn

I saw maple leaves turning colors here this week. You can feel the early hints of autumn. Hot August nights are behind us now. The sheer beauty of the fall colors lifts the soul. Though mostly green still, the leaves will yield and be painted by the faeries, elves and gnomes who become quite busy this time of year.

TWIN PORTS ART
Special thanks to Esther for assembling the Twin Ports Art Blog. Here's a link to places to see or make Art in September. The listings begin with dates and times for Esther's Zentangle classes, which are a form of yoga for the mind. Creative expression is a form of therapy and for many this is just the ticket.

There are online events and off-line, in person things to see and do, the latter always with a social distancing component. There are also some arts related fund raisers including the DAI Gala which will be virtual this year.

As regards social distancing, it's strange to be reading a novel and people are walking arm-in-arm, tapping someone on the shoulder, giving hugs when they see each other. If I'd read the same six month ago it may not have been noticed. The fact that I did notice while reading yesterday says something has shifted internally to cause that reaction.

Hope you are adjusting well. Art is can do many things to us, soothing our anxieties or helping us escape. And on place you can see art at no cost is on the exterior walls of many of our buildings. The two photos on this page are part of a new mural on Lincoln Park Hostel and Resource Center. (Details here)

Don't become a couch potato or bowl of pudding. Stay active. Read through the Twin Ports Art Blog and select a few things to do that interest you. Or break new ground and take up a new hobby. Harmonicas are fun, for example. When the pandemic lifts you can surprise your friends. Make them say, "I didn't know you played the harmonica.?

Meantime life goes on.