Duluth Dylan Fest 2019 CALL FOR ART

CALL FOR ART

DULUTH DYLAN FEST 2019

The theme for this year's DDF Art Show is NORTH COUNTRY INSPIRATION. Even though Bob Dylan left the Northland as a youth, the Northland never left Bob Dylan. Echoes of our North Country have appeared in his songs for more than five decades. Here are but a few examples:

Chilly wind sharp as a razor blade...
So many roads, so much at stake
So many dead ends, I’m at the edge of the lake
--Dignity

In the hills of mystery
In the foggy web of destiny
--Born in Time


The circus is in town...
--Desolation Row

Rainy days on the Great Lakes
Walkin’ the hills of old Duluth
--Something There Is About You

The rocks are bleak, the trees are bare
Iron clouds go floating by
Snowflakes fall in’ in my hair
Beneath the gray and stormy sky
--Tell Old Bill

"Where do you want this killing done?"
"Out on Highway 61."
--Highway 61 Revisited

Submission Requirements
This year we are using SurveyMoney to gather artist  information. Here is the link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DZR7JGS

The information you will provide there is as follows:
1. Your name.
2. An artist's statement that ties to the show's theme.
3. A brief bio (2-3 sentences)
4. A description of your submissions for consideration including title, medium, dimensions and price.
5. And mailing instructions in JPG or GIF format (less than 1 MB each) . SUBJECT LINE: DYLAN ART
EdNote: All mediums of wall art will be considered.

Pieces MUST BE READY TO HANG. Digital submissions must be received for review via email by April 30th. Artwork will be selected by members of the Bob Dylan Way Art Show Committee.

OF SPECIAL NOTE: The artwork must be delivered between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday May 19. It is likely that with Superior Street construction there may be special challenges. If you are unable to deliver the work because you are out of town, please indicate this and we will attempt to make special shipping arrangements for you.

NEW THIS YEAR

Win a $100 

A panel of judges will select a favorite painting or image that reflects the theme of the show. The winner will receive $100.

Artwork will need to be picked up from the Zeitgeist Atrium on Sunday May 27. The Dylan Fest Artist Reception will be on Monday May 20 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

If you are outside of the Duluth area, please plan accordingly to make sure your art can be brought in within the given time frame. Shipping arrangements can be discussed. Contact: ennyman3 (AT) gmail.com.

To reiterate…

DEADLINES
Submission deadline for consideration: April 30.
Art must be delivered between 2:00 and 3:00 on Sunday, May 19.
Art will need to be retrieved early afternoon Sunday May 26.
Out-of-town artwork is welcome. Shipping and handling matters must be arranged in advance. Send me an email for recommendations on shipping.

FOR MOR INFORMATION ON THIS YEAR'S TENTATIVE SCHEDULE VISIT
https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2019/02/tentative-duluth-dylan-fest-schedule.html
or the DULUTH DYLAN FEST website BOBDYLANWAY.COM

* * * *

SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION HERE

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DZR7JGS 

* * * *

Art Credits -- Lower right: "Dylan III by Ed Newman
Middle picture, detail from collage portrait by Kristi Abbott

CALL FOR ART: Art for the Community on the Iron Range

"Your artwork could become huge!"

So begins a new call for 2D artwork to be scanned and installed in storefronts on the Iron Range as part of the Art of Community Project. The committee will review proposals and select five artists whose work celebrates the ethos of the Iron Range while expressing the artists' hopes for the future.

Proposal Deadline: October 31, 2018.

Selected artists will be compensated $750 for their work, which will be scanned for large-scale reproduction. The Iron Range Tourism Board (IRTB) will retain all future rights to the art for all uses. The lifespan of the window graphics is two years.

Selected artists/concepts will be provided dimension specifications for the windows when they are notified of their selection.

Selection process will take place in November and Artists will be notified by November 15, 2019.

All selected art will embrace the positive energy and assets of a Mesabi Iron Range Community or the region.

Preferred concepts will illustrate the Iron Range Community, people and culture.

Completed artwork must be appropriate for scanning and being enlarged to full store window size.

Work must be completed by March 30, 2019 for installation in June.

Complete information and proposal submittal form is available HERE

Please contact Beth Pierce at 218-749-8161 with questions.

Members of the Creative Communities Focus Group, a group dedicated to expanding artistic opportunities for and general awareness of regional artists as part of the Recharge the Range efforts, will assist the IRTB in selecting concepts for the window art.

Communities served by the IRTB and identified to host a window graphic are Hibbing, Chisholm, Mountain Iron, Virginia, Eveleth, Gilbert, Biwabik, Aurora and Hoyt Lakes

MEANTIME ART GOES ON ALL AROUND YOU

LET YOUR TRUE COLORS SHINE THROUGH

Items of Note: Two Calls for Art Plus the Free Range Film Festival

Zeitgeist Seek Artists for Public Art

The Zeitgeist is looking for contributions from local artists to decorate a new Parklet that will be installed next year. They are seeking to display up to 18 submissions from artists of all levels, beginners to veterans. The concept you submit will be a draft, not finished pieces. They will select artists and then give plywood to all those selected for completing their ideas. Drafts can be submitted on paper in person at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe: 222 East Superior Street, or can be scanned and emailed to sarahlueck@zeitgeistarts.com.  For more information visit the Zeitgeist Arts Parklet Arts page.

City Pages Call for Comix Artists
City Pages in the Twin Cities is looking for talented artists to submit work for their annual City Pages Comix Issue. This year's theme: Summer Jobs. Cartoonists must submit work that flows as true sequential art that tells a full story while adhering to our designated image dimensions, but there are no restrictions on the number of panels or how you use them. Guidelines and full details HERE.

Free Range Film Festival
NOTES FROM ANNIE DUGAN

The harvest is in for the Free Range Film Festival and 29 films have been deemed chemical free and fresh for viewing. 2018 marks the 15th year for the Festival. A cult favorite since it started screening films in 2003, the festival provides a forum for filmmakers, film lovers, as well as barn enthusiasts and country living aficionados. With an earlier date for the barn screenings, festival organizers are eager to share the schedule with consumers.

This year’s crop of films includes a documentary about semi-aquatic beaverlike rodents with giant orange teeth that live in Louisiana, a virtual reality music video from the duo “Maple & Beach”, the story of local artist hero Chris Monroe’s last window exhibition for Treehouse Records, and a lot of movies that include exclamation points in the title.

“I’m particularly excited about our Saturday afternoon block of programming this year” says one of the festival organizers Annie Dugan. “We have a ton of filmmakers who will be in attendance that afternoon with great opportunity for Q&A and discussion. Plus, this is the first year that our Saturday afternoon screenings are completely rated G!”. Dugan continues that even if the films might not suit a particular audience, “there is something about watching movies in a big old barn that give people permission to relax and try something new. If they don’t like something, they can look up at the rafters and daydream. Its just such a beautiful space.”

The diversity in directors and subject matter is also of note in the 2018 schedule. Dugan points out that “One of the things we continue to be proud of in our programming is that over half of the directors are female, something you don’t usually see on the festival circuit”.

For a full schedule and more information on the Free Range Film festival: The harvest is in for the Free Range Film Festival and 29 films have been deemed chemical free and fresh for viewing. 2018 marks the 15th year for the Festival. A cult favorite since it started screening films in 2003, the festival provides a forum for filmmakers, film lovers, as well as barn enthusiasts and country living aficionados. With an earlier date for the barn screenings, festival organizers are eager to share the schedule with consumers.

For a full schedule and more information on the Free Range Film festival, visit www.freerangefilm.com

* * * * 

Special Message from Ennyman

It's never too early to introduce your kids to the arts.

My parents enrolled me in a ten-week program here at the

Cleveland Institute of Art when I was five. It changed my life.

Cleveland Institute of Art

It's Never Too Late to Start Making Art

You can find all kinds of art classes here in the Twin Ports, from Zentangle Designs with Esther Piszczek to all the assorted activities at The Duluth Art Institute, Pineapple Arts and Art on the Rocks, just to name a few. Learn something new. Expand your horizons. Creativity is in your DNA. Wake up your Inner You.

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

Local Art Seen: Roosters and Chickens at Lakeside

The call went out for artwork featuring roosters, and 20 local artists answered the call. Who hasn't enjoyed seeing the varieties of chickens and roosters reproduced as art? Even I painted a rooster once, which I had seen tethered to a crate in a marketplace in Mexico, so I submitted it to Aaron's show at Lakeside Gallery. The opening reception Yesterday afternoon was comfortably crowded and the chatter constant as artists and friends mingled, enjoying the featured works and exploring each others' visual delights.

The barnyard theme included works by many familiar names including Adam Swanson, Sue Rauschenfels, Aaron Kloss, Don Delvin, Chris Dillon and others, as well as a notable rooster painted by the late John Peyton. The names were as fun as the images sometimes, like Sue McDonald's watercolor titled The Chicken Whisperer and Linda Naughton's Rise and Shine.

Recommended: If you are heading up to Brighton Beach, or Scenic Cafe, take a brief diversion Superior Street at 45th and drop in to Lakeside Gallery for an aesthetic lift. Then cap it off with your favorite flavor of java next door. Just sayin'.

Here are some of the pieces I saw yesterday.

Linda Naughton's collage, "Rise and Shine" 

Sue Rauschenfels' contribution.

Aaaron Kloss offered up several smaller canvases on the theme.

Reflections often prove to be a challenge for photographers, though
frequently I think they add a degree of interest. 

Here's an interesting pair of "Unusual Chickens" by Kris Trembley

"Cluck" by Chris Dillon

Don Delvin's spoof on the palace guards at Buckingham Coop.

REMINDERS

This afternoon there will be a short film about Milton's Hell at Karpeles Manuscript Museum Library (across the street from the emergency entrance to St. Luke's). Kathryn Lenz's paintings are featured this month, a good excuse to visit if you have never been. The opening reception was Tuesday April 3, but several other events are scheduled. In addition to the video, Sam Black & Friends will be serving up Music of Rebellion and Divine Creation beginning at 3:00.

NOTE TO ARTISTS: Duluth Dylan Fest will again be featuring an art event in the Zeitgeist Atrium the week before Memorial Day. If interested and able, here is a link to the CALL FOR ART. The theme this year is Visions of Duluth, featuring the Northland inspiration that permeates Dylan's art and career.

* * * *
Meantime, art goes on all around you. Get into it.

Call For Art: Phenomenal. Plus, AICHO to Honor Women of Color

Phenomenal
ART EXHIBIT & AWARD CEREMONY HONORING WOMEN OF COLOR
MAY BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN DULUTH

DULUTH, MN - The American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) is excited to announce that they will be hosting an open call art exhibit honoring phenomenal women of color. The exhibit will open with a reception on Saturday, March 10th at 5:30 p.m. in the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center and will remain on view through April 9th. There will be a $10 suggested donation at the door of opening night, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Alongside the art show, AICHO will be honoring 10 women in what will be their first annual AICHO Phenomenal Woman Awards, including Karen Diver, Marlene Diver, Victoria Ybanez, Mary Ann Walt, Laurel Saunders, Wendy Savage, Karen Savage, Tawny Smith-Savage, Sarah Curtiss, and Jara McLarren. The women are being recognized for their consistent support of and involvement at AICHO, as well as their efforts to address various barriers in the community.

For this exhibit, AICHO is seeking artists who identify both as women and individuals who are Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and/or Asian. Artists who fit this criteria are asked to submit artwork inspired by women of color, representations of womanhood as related to their culture, and/or equity in feminism within communities of color.

Visit THIS PAGE for info regarding how to submit artwork to Phenomenal.

Selected artists will be notified prior to the drop-off deadline. Artwork must be ready to hang and dropped off by March 5 at AICHO (202 W. 2nd Street, Duluth, MN).

Artwork will be curated based on the following criteria:
-- Overall artistic quality
-- Connection to show theme
-- Diverse representation of artists from different backgrounds

Approximate Timeline:
-- Submission Deadline: March 1
-- Drop-Off Deadline: Monday, March 5
-- Opening: Saturday, March 10
-- Closing: Monday, April 9

For more information, contact Moira Villiard at moira.aicho gmail.com or 218-722-7225.

* * * *

Friday Evening: February 16

ONE NIGHT ONLY

* * * *

Call For Art: 2018 Duluth Dylan Fest

CALL FOR ART

DULUTH DYLAN FEST 2018

The theme for this year's Duluth Dylan Fest Art Show is VISIONS OF DULUTH. Even though Bob Dylan left the Northland as a youth, the Northland never left Bob Dylan. Echoes of our North Country have appeared in his songs for more than five decades. Here are but a few examples:

Chilly wind sharp as a razor blade...
So many roads, so much at stake
So many dead ends, I’m at the edge of the lake
--Dignity

In the hills of mystery
In the foggy web of destiny
--Born in Time

Rainy days on the Great Lakes
Walkin’ the hills of old Duluth
--Something There Is About You

The rocks are bleak, the trees are bare
Iron clouds go floating by
Snowflakes fall in’ in my hair
Beneath the gray and stormy sky
--Tell Old Bill

They walked along by the old canal...
He felt the heat of the night hit him like a freight train...
Hunts her down by the waterfront docks where the sailors all come in
--Simple Twist of Fate

Submission Requirements
1. Artist's statement
2. Brief bio (2-3 sentences)
3. One to four pieces (must send sample PDF or JPG format less than 1 MB each) to ennyman3 (AT) gmail.com
4. Description of piece (Title, medium, dimensions, price)
5. SUBJECT LINE: DYLAN ART
EdNote: All mediums of wall art will be considered.

Pieces MUST BE READY TO HANG. Digital submissions must be received for review via email by April 30th. Artwork will be selected by members of the Bob Dylan Way Committee and the work will be hung in the Zeitgeist Atrium between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday May 20. Artwork will need to be picked up on from the Zeitgeist Atrium on Sunday May 27. The Dylan Fest Artist Reception will be on Monday May 21 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

If you are outside of the Duluth area, please plan accordingly to make sure your art can be brought in within the given time frame. Contact: ennyman3 (AT) gmail.com.

To reiterate… Deadlines: Submission deadline for consideration: April 30. Art will need to be retrieved May 27. Out-of-town artwork is welcome. Shipping and handling matters must be arranged in advance. Contact the Committee for recommendations on shipping.

FOR MOR INFORMATION ON DULUTH DYLAN FEST VISIT BOBDYLANWAY.COM

* * * *
RHINO TRIVIA
I was looking to see what events occurred on this day in history and learned that Eugene Ionesco's absurd play Rhinoceros opened on Broadway in 1961. I'd always assumed it was much earlier. Ten years later I saw the play performed in Athens (Ohio) while I was in college.

* * * *
Art Credits -- Top: "Don't Look Back" and lower right: "Dylan III by Ed Newman
Middle picture, detail from collage portrait by Kristi Abbott

Local Art Scene: 2017 Duluth Dylan Fest Art Opening -- Paintings By Sue Rauschenfels

"Life Is Hard" by Sue Rauschenfels

"I walk the boulevard admitting life is hard, without you near me." ~Bob Dylan

The Nobel Prize-winning Dylan has written so many interesting songs, produced so many great albums. His artwork is lesser known, but it's been a feature of his creative spirit for many a decade. He's not received the same critical acclaim for his painting as he has for his writing, but there's merit in his work. He observes scenes and people with an artist's eye. He uses shape, form, color with artistic intent.

Late last year London's Halcyon Gallery hosted another exhibition of his paintings, sketches and watercolors of recent work in a show titled The Beaten Path, which you can read about here in this Vanity Fair review.

With the seventh annual Duluth Dylan Fest just around the corner, it's a good time to note that the events of May 20-28 include more than just great music. Dylan-themed art was a highlight at Zimmy's and a component of Hibbing Dylan Days. We're also thrilled by the visual arts in the Twin Ports and for this reason include an art component in our celebration. (FWIW, there is still time to submit work for consideration in this show. Details here.)

The Opening Reception for DDF art show will be 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 22 at the Zeitgeist Atrium. One of the artists whose work will be on display is Sue Rauschenfels, whom I interviewed here in conjunction with our 2014 Dylan Fest. Rauschenfels grew up in Cook, MN, a true Northlander. I asked her to share some of her thoughts about Dylan, art and music.

Rainy Day Women

EN: What is it about Dylan's music that speaks to you?

Sue Rauschenfels: Dylan's lyrics are genius. He's a storyteller and a poet and touches on life experiences and human relationships from love to political unrest.

EN: In what ways are music and art important to our lives today?

SR: Music and art enriches our lives on so many levels. Exposing ourselves to a wide array of music genres and art forms enables us to better understand our differences and more importantly our likenesses. Music and art draws people together and is a form of communication.

EN: Were you surprised when Dylan won the Nobel Prize for Literature? How did it make you feel?

SR: Wow, yes, I was very surprised Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. I was delighted and felt it was well deserved despite the negativity and uproar of many who felt otherwise.

* * * *

I Shall Be Released

Just Like A Woman

* * * *

Our full Duluth Dylan Fest Schedule can be found on posters around town 

(like this one) and also at our official Bob Dylan Way website.

* * * *

If you still have a minute, you can check out some of my own 

Dylan-inspired portraits of Bob here on my Flickr photostream.

* * * *

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

Call For Art: Duluth Dylan Fest 2017

Someday, everything is gonna be diff’rent 
When I paint my masterpiece
--Bob Dylan

Music from Big Pink cover art.

Fifty years ago while Bob Dylan was holed up in Woodstock, recovering from his motorcycle accident, he invited his band to join him. It was a fertile period of hibernation away from the bright lights and big cities. Not only were his Basement Tapes produced at that time (released much later), The Band was also writing songs of their own, many of them recorded on their first album apart from Dylan called Music from Big Pink.

An interesting feature of the album was Dylan's absence from any of the tracks on the album. Nevertheless, Dylan did leave his fingerprints, having painted the artwork used on the cover.

A half century later and we know that Bob Dylan truly enjoys making art, painting and drawing and even producing sculpture.

This is why our Northland Dylan celebrations have included art as one of its features.

CALL FOR ART

This year the Zeitgeist is hosting our art exhibition this year in conjunction with the 2017 Duluth Dylan Fest the week of May 20-29. The planning committee is seeking artwork based on or inspired by Bob Dylan and his music.

Submission Requirements:
1. Artist's statement
2. Brief bio (2-3 sentences)
3. One to four pieces (must send sample PDF or JPG format less than 1 MB each) to ennyman (AT) northlc.com.
4. Description of piece (Title, medium, dimensions, price)
5. SUBJECT LINE: DYLAN ART

Guidelines: All mediums of wall art will be considered.

Pieces MUST BE READY TO HANG. In many cases, that means HANGING WIRE. Digital submissions must be received for review via email by April 30th. Artwork will be selected by members of the Bob Dylan Way Committee and selected artists will plan to bring their work to the Zeitgeist Atrium between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday. May 21, unless alternative arrangements have already been made.

Artwork will need to be picked up May 29 or 30. If you are outside of the Duluth area, please plan accordingly to make sure your art can be brought in within the given time frame. Contact: ennyman (AT) northlc.com.

Deadlines: Submission deadline is 4-30-17. Art will need to be retrieved May 30. Out-of-town artwork is welcome. Shipping and handling matters should be arranged in advance.
Artist reception will take place on Monday, May 22 from 5-7 p.m.

* * * *
The schedule for Duluth Dylan Fest is firming up. Visit our Bob Dylan Way page for details.

* * * *
This year's headliner for the Armory Arts and Music Center Benefit Concert is Robby Vee and his Rock & Roll Caravan. Purchase tickets here.

Meantime, life goes on all around you. Get into it. 

Call for Art: Ripple Effect

There are so many artists doing impressive work in the Twin Ports, many of them as instructors at our colleges. It speaks to the caliber of these teachers that so many younger fine artists are here or launching out elsewhere. Bill Morgan and John Steffl come immediately to mind, but the list is long. Once you dig a little deeper into the soil and trace roots you find countless fascinating connections... or as the upcoming Prove show calls it (using an altogether different metaphor), ripple effects.

The Prove has put out a Call for Submissions for their October 16 show that is designed to coincide with Sarah Brokke's Portrait of an Artist opening at the Duluth Art Institute the evening before. What follows here is the call that appeared in my inbox earlier this week.

Ripple Effect is the title to an exhibition that was curated by local Duluth artist and professor Sarah M. Brokke at the Duluth Art Institute which highlighted the work of her current and former students around 2009. Ripple Effect aims to reflect, honor and highlight creative mentorship and inspiration that is drawn from people in one's creative journey. Inspiration that is carried through one's career. Whether it's through a saying, an expressive tool, a thought process that has struck through and made a breakthrough in your creative process, you carry that mentorship and inspiration within.

Prove Gallery's mission is to foster a greater appreciation of the contemporary arts, to bridge cultures, create and expand community, and provide cultural exchange, networking opportunities and educational outreach through regular interaction with the contemporary arts. Prove Gallery will celebrate this creative mentorship and inspiration on October 16th, 2015 with the opening of "Ripple Effect". This show follows the opening reception of "Portrait of an Artist " by Sarah Brokke on October 15, 2015 at the Duluth Art Institute which celebrates 36 working artists in the Duluth/ Superior Community who she "can point to at least one or two moments, but often many more, that [she] felt personally, positively affected by what they have done."

Prove Gallery encourages artists in all disciplines to submit works to "Ripple Effect"

Deadline for submission is September 23, 2015.

Please submit: CV, Images of Work, Didactics in one document and provide us with a link to any audio or video files (.JPG, . PDF, .MOV, .MP3, .word)

All artists will be notified upon acceptance with a deadline of September 30th.

Artwork is to be dropped off October 2-5th, 2015.

Any form and style of art is acceptable. Work cannot exceed 10' x 8' x 8' (h x l x d). 
All hung work must not exceed 50 lbs and must be READY TO HANG. 
All freestanding works must support their weight and may not be attached to the floor. 
All submission materials must be written in English. 
All work is shown at the artist's own risk. 
All work shipped to PRØVE Gallery must be sent with return shipping or be picked up by the artist or an artist's representative.

Please email all submissions to flo@provegallery.com or mail them to 
Prove Gallery : 21 N Lake Ave Duluth, MN 55802.

You can learn more about Sarah Brokke and her work here.
A link to Sarah Brokke's exhibition at the Kruk in 2014.
And finally, her work last month at The Red Herring.

I like the ripple effect. Let's keep it going.

PRØOF Magazine Call for Art: Vestiges

PRØOF Magazine Sends Out A Call

PRØOF, Duluth, Minnesota’s publication of contemporary art and literature, is accepting submissions to its fourth issue, ‘Vestiges,’ coming out in January of 2015. ‘Vestiges’ will focus on the loss of print publications for all mediums of art. Any format or style of written or visual work addressing this theme is acceptable, and contributors are encouraged to think outside of the box.

Issue overview: The loss of print mediums for artists is devastating, and at once, thrilling. We forge ahead into a new domain of online publishing, and since PRØOF Mag is an entirely online publication, we are seeking visual art, poetry, flash fiction, essays, and short stories surrounding the disappearance of print. Please venerate, celebrate, cherish, admire, or disparage, condemn, disregard, or bits of both, so that we may put together a wide ranging dialogue on the subject of publishing.

**please note: If you are selected for this issue of the magazine as a writer, or a visual artist, you will be in consideration for inclusion in our January 2015 exhibition. We will be showcasing selections from the magazine, as well as hosting a reading with the featured artist, Brian Beatty. We may not be able to print, but we have the gallery space, and the tenacity, to create this transmedic event!

PRØOF Magazine: PRØOF is published by Prøve Collective of Duluth. Our mission is to showcase the talent of local, regional, and national artists and writers and foster the discussion of important ideas about arts and culture. PRØOF is proud to be based in Minnesota, and it will focus on one local artist in each issue, bringing them into larger discussions of regional and national art.

Click this link for submission information.

Fragility: An Open Call for Artists

Fragile
1. Easily broken, damaged, or destroyed; frail.
2. Lacking physical or emotional strength; delicate.
3. Lacking substance; tenuous or flimsy: a fragile claim to fame.

It's amazing how fragile we are, and yet so resilient. You see this in nature as well. Despite the harshness of the elements, we find creatures living and reproducing in deserts and arctic regions, adapting to the most challenging conditions.

And yet... the strongest man in the world could stub his toe, get an infection and die if left untreated. Life is remarkably fragile.

Fragile is also the title of an album by the British band Yes which hit the scene when I was in college in the early 70's. The song Roundabout kicked off the opening track. What was especially distinctive about the album was its striking cover art, created by Roger Dean, which defined the look that accompanied their sound over the next several albums.

All this to say that PRØVE Gallery here in Duluth has announced an Open Call for submissions for the upcoming January show, "Fragility."

They describe the origins of their theme like this:
Winter is upon us, and this brings a certain kind of beauty, uncertainty, and fragility. From the snow on the ground, ice in the trees, the dry cold wind, to the mental strain that can only come from the reduced daylight; January is a time that highlights fragility in the Northland. PRØVE Gallery is dedicating this show to celebrating fragility, both in its highs and lows, in all forms. We encourage artists in all disciplines to submit works to "Fragility."

Here's more...
Any form and style of art is acceptable. • Work cannot exceed 10' x 8' x 8' (h x l x d). • All hung work must not exceed 50lbs, and must be READY TO HANG. • All freestanding works must support their weight and may not be attached to the floor. 

All submission materials must be written in English. PRØVE Gallery will provide publicity, exhibition invitations, mailings, and an opening reception. We will not provide insurance for any works exhibited at PRØVE Gallery. PRØVE Gallery claims a 40% commission on all works sold while on display at PRØVE Gallery. All work is shown at the artist's own risk. All work shipped to PRØVE Gallery must be sent with return shipping or be picked up by the artist or an artist's representative.

Submission Guidelines:
Please email submissions to nick@provegallery.com or send via mail with enclosed return postage to:

PRØVE Gallery
 21 N Lake Avenue
Duluth, MN 55802

Please include the following:
• Artist Statement as a PDF, including a brief statement on each piece if needed. • Up to ten images or video of work for consideration in pdf, jpg, mov, or avi format.
Deadlines:
• Submissions are due by 31 December. This is not a postmark date, but an arrive by date.
• Selected artists will be notified the end of the day on 2 January.
• Drop off dates are 3-5 January, from 3-7pm. All work shipped to the gallery must arrive no later than 9 January and include return postage.
• The opening reception for "Fragility" will be 11 January from 7-11pm.
• The show will run for two weeks and conclude on 26 January.
• Pick up will be 31 January through 2 February from 3-7pm.

Please direct any questions to Nickolas Monson, nick@provegallery.com.

Mission Statement: PRØVE Gallery is a cultural organization dedicated to the role of art exhibition as a conduit of powerful ideas and diverse viewpoints. Our mission is to foster a greater appreciated of the contemporary arts, to bridge cultures, create and expand community, and provide cultural exchange, networking opportunities, and education outreach through regular interaction with the contemporary arts. It is the goal of PRØVE Gallery to present monthly gallery shows, collaborate with like-minded arts organizations, and provide an arts retail environment.

From the Press Conference:
Ennyman: "Questions? Yes, you in the back."
Man with red tie: "Are you a member of the PRØVE Collective?"
Ennyman: "No, I am not."
Man with red tie: "Then why do you keep writing about it?"
Ennyman: "Well, because I have taken an interest in the energy displayed by these young artists and want to contribute in some way to their success."
Woman in black dress with blue scarf: "How's your new book project going?"
Ennyman: "I have several projects in the works. Are you interested in being a collaborator?"
Young man in front row: "Will you have any art in this week's show?"
Ennyman: "Actually, yes. I submitted a few paintings and three new drawings, ink on paper. The Under $100 show will be this Friday evening and you're all invited."

EdNote: The Press Conference transcript was a literary device designed to convey a few additional snippets of information and keep things interesting. Be well, friends.

Call for Art at the Prøve Gallery in Duluth

The upcoming art show at the Prøve Gallery in Duluth is called "UNDER $100."  Curator for this show is Richard Hansen, eldest of the five-member collective.What follows is a message for both artists and fans of the arts.

As Duluth's newest space for emerging and contemporary art, Prøve has assembled some impressive exhibitions during its first year in operation. The gallery is a non-profit seeking to give emerging artists the opportunity to gain experience and exposure while furthering Duluth's community involvement and interest in the arts.

Hansen put out the call for art on the gallery's Facebook page. Here's what they are seeking for this show:

All work should be priced under $100. There are no theme or media restrictions. Works can be hung on the wall, free standing, laying on the floor, suspended, etc. Send submissions to richard@provegallery.com or to 21 N Lake Avenue, Duluth, MN 55802 with a self-addressed return envelope.

A complete entry will include contact information, a short bio, a statement for the piece(s), and five jpg or pdf images of the artist's work. Submissions must be of finished work.

Submissions are due by November 30th, and selected artists will be notified by December 3rd, 2012.

If selected, work needs to be delivered by Wednesday, December 12th, 2012. Gallery Opening is Friday December 14th, 2012 and will run for 2 weeks. 

The invitation requests that all work be matted, framed, and/or ready to install upon delivery, with installation instructions included.

Hansen and team include the gallery dimensions in their invitation and suggest that works not exceed 10' x 10', which I must observe is quite a large piece for under $100. That would come to a dollar per square foot of art, or 31 boxes of Life cereal when it's on sale.

Pieces by Heino will be there.

As regards the show itself, this will be a great opportunity for novice collectors to find something to begin their own personal collections. A few years back I found a special piece at the Park Point Art Fair, and it hangs here in my home office to this day. After that I brought home a piece by Jessica Turtle, and have slowly continued to add to these.

If collecting is not a direction for you, original art makes a great gift for friends or loved ones. The best part is that when you own a piece of art, from practical pottery to wall paintings or sculpture, you spend the money only once but get to enjoy it for ever.

Hope to see you there.