The Ceramicists: More Cool Shots from the Park Point Art Fair

The dictionary defines ceramics as "pots and other articles made from clay hardened by heat." Making things out of clay is something so simple a child can do it, yet even after a lifetime the master ceramicists are learning new things about firing techniques, glazes and the possibilities of the medium. Like writing, playing an instrument, or drawing, it's something everyone can enjoy. But mastery is something wholly other.

Making pottery goes back to ancient times. It must have been interesting when the first clay bowls were actually placed in a fire and hardened. Shards of broken bowls and pots are among the items most often found in archaeological digs. More than 2500 years ago the prophet Isaiah wrote "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." And Jeremiah expressed similar sentiments after being instructed by the Lord to go down to the potter's house.

I like the look of Gail Rosenquist's pieces.

In 1981, when Susie and I were living in Mexico, we worked at an orphanage that was walking distance from a small pottery business, two or three people working on wheels making bowls, among other things. There was also a brick making business, of a much larger scale, in the direction of town. Both processes involve taking raw material out of the ground, shaping it and baking it.

All this to say that we saw some wonderful ceramics at the Park Point Art Fair this past weekend. Here are a few pieces I especially liked.

The familiar designs of Husby Pottery.

Richard & Rosetti Gruchalla (here, top right and below)
were awards Best of Show this year.

The ubquitous Karin Kraemer

Related Links
Tate Rich Talks About Ceramics and Community Art
Making Bowls at the North Pole

Upcoming Art Events This Week
Adam Swanson's Science Art will be showing at Karin Kraemer's Duluth Pottery, 5-9 p.m. Tomorrow
Friday evening from 4 till late is the Duluth Art Walk.
And let's not forget the Free Range Film Festival in Wrenshall

Meantime art goes on all around you. Do it in Duluth.

March Arts Events for the Twin Ports. Spring is in the Air!

It's March! Even though there is snow in the forecast, the soul gets buoyant as we see winter's days are numbered. The first day of SPRING is in sight… now less than three weeks away. We also have Two Full Moons this month. Woo hoo!

Before sharing the month's calendar of Arts Events I'd like to make note that the Duluth Dylan Fest has announced a CALL FOR ART for this year's DDF, May 19-28. The theme for Dylan Fest this year is Twins (Duluth-born Robert Zimmerman is a Gemini and he will be 77 in May.) The Dylan Fest Art Show theme 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. For more details visit my January call for art blog post. If you are planning to contribute we'd like to hear from you. Please send a note to Susan Laing [ isusan AT iinet DOT net DOT au ] or Ed Newman [ ennyman3 AT gmail DOT com ], co-directors of the art event.

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IN FACT, let's mention a few additional ongoing activities before diving in with the day-to-day list of scheduled events. First, Sunday evening at 9:00 p.m. is the kickoff of a five-week television event that excites a lot of people because it as filmed INSIDE our Historic Duluth Armory. I was talking with someone about this last night who said, "I'll bet the place is filled with the ghosts of everyone who ever performed there." Interesting thought, because that would be quite a playlist. The program is called Night at the Armory and you can read about it here.

Bill Bastian at the Magnolia Salon

Next, I have to plug the ongoing series of events taking place inside Carlton's Oldenburg House, bearing the name of Magnolia Salon. The backstory here is that in 1920s and 30s Paris Alice B. Toklas and Gertrude Stein were not only patrons of the arts, but they also opened their living room as a gathering place for artists and intellectuals to meet, interact, dialogue. (I simply love the re-creation of this special place in time in the film Midnight In Paris.) Did you know that the French word Salon means Living Room in English? Check it out. Most of your life you thought of the Paris salons as night clubs or someplace you go and hang like a cafe? So the Swansons, Glenn and Emily, have been opening their salon on Thursday evenings, sharing discussions and experiences around various aspects of creativity and hygge (a comfort word from the Danish.) Last night top-tier tenor Bill Bastian shared his talents, with voice and Telecaster. Through the rest of the spring, till Memorial Day weekend, the Magnolia Salon will be gathering on Thursdays from 6:00-9:00. You can read more here.

Friday, March 2, 6-7:30 p.m., Youth Art Month Exhibition Reception, Whole Foods Co-op, Denfeld, 4426 Grand Avenue
Throughout March the Duluth Art Institute will recognize the artistic achievements of area K-12 youth in the annual "Youth Art Month" exhibition. Over the course of two months, the Education Director and Curator will visit nearly a dozen regional schools--including those in Duluth, Hermantown, and Cloquet--to select the work to feature in the show. The opening celebration will include free artist demos. The exhibition will be on view through March 2018.

Saturday, March 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Hygge Market: An Artisan Event, Makers Mercantile, 58th Avenue West and Grand Avenue "Hygge (Hoo-ga); Origin: Danish
Definition: The Danish ritual of enjoying life's simple pleasures. Friends. Family. Graciousness. Contentment. Good feelings. A warm glow.
A taste of Hygge living in this outdoor winter market featuring over 20 artisans. Enjoy the unique qualities of the thriving Spirit Valley neighborhood in Duluth." FB Event Page

Mondays, March 5, 12, 19, 26: Duluth Song Circle, Beaner's Central, 324 N. Central Avenue (on Beaner's web site: scroll down to calendar for event listing) "Start your week off on a good note! Everyone welcome. No training needed!"

Tuesday, March 6, 6-8 p.m., Lessons in Bowl Making, DAI Lincoln Building, 2229 W. 2nd Street
Lack experience with clay but still want to contribute to the cause? Schedule a one-night lesson with our instructors. All bowls will be contributed to Empty Bowl. $35 fee includes one ticket to Empty Bowl plus instruction and supplies.

Thursday, March 8, 5-7 p.m., Artist Reception: Terraria Gigantica: the World Under Glass: Dana Fritz, DAI Morrison Gallery, The Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
"The photographs in the series Terraria Gigantica: the World Under Glass frame the world's largest enclosed landscapes as possible impossibilities: Biosphere 2's ocean in the Arizona desert, the Henry Doorly Zoo's desert in the Great Plains of Nebraska, and Eden Project's tropical rain forest in notoriously gray and cool Cornwall, England. These vivaria are enclosed environments where plants are grown amidst carefully constructed representations of the natural world to entertain visiting tourists. At the same time, however, they support scientific observation and research on the plants and animals housed under these 'natural conditions' that require human control of temperature, humidity, irrigation, insects, and weeds to cultivate otherwise impossible environments and species. Taken together, these architectural and engineering marvels stand as working symbols of our current and complex relationship with the non-human world." On view: March 8-April 29.

Thursday, March 8, 5-7 p.m., Artist Reception: The Cut Worm Forgives the Plow: Russel Prather, DAI Steffl Gallery, The Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
"Russel Prather earned first place in the 2016 Arrowhead Biennial and creates forms from ordinary objects that change radically depending on the viewers line of sight. Layering paper-thin polyester film painted with dots, lines and markings in acrylic medium, Pather's work is sequential and reads like pages in a book - infusing his study and teaching of literature into his sculptures. Fulbright scholar and English professor at Northern Michigan University, Prather specializes in British literary and visual culture of the eighteenth through early twentieth centuries and is inspired by the poetry and designs of William Blake." On view: March 8-April 29.

Saturday, March 10, 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."

Friday, March 16 and Saturday March 17, Cookin' at the O in the Carlton Room at the Oldenburg House. Pippi is back! Cracklin' good evening of jazz and fine dining. Read more here and and get your tickets here.

Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Glaze it!, DAI Lincoln Building, 2229 W. 2nd Street
Experienced ceramic glazer? Join our Glaze-a-Thon at the Duluth Art Institute's Lincoln Building!

Learn to Zentangle with Esther P.

Wednesday, March 21, 6:30-9:00 p.m., Zentangle (R) & Wine, 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.

Friday, March 23, 8 p.m., Saltless Sea Cinema Presents: Nordic Drift, The Nordic Center, 23 N. Lake Avenue
"Saltless Sea Cinema is Duluth's new roaming micro-cinema series, screening avant-garde, underground or just plain rad films and videos, selected in secret under moonlight and revealed at the event. SSC Presents: Nordic Drift, will feature films from seven Nordic countries and territories, along with live musical accompaniment by Jacob Swanson. Cost: $10. Proceeds after cost will go to benefit the nonprofit Nordic Center." FB Event Page

Saturday, March 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Treasures of the Earth, Green goods, Craft & Art Fair, Peace Church, 1111 N. 11th Avenue East "A marketplace with ~20 regional artists with handcrafted art, craft, or goods made of natural materials (wood, stone, fiber, etc.) or from recycled or reused materials."

Kay Kurt's candy elephant at Joseph Nease Gallery.

Monday, March 26, RSVP/Payment Deadline: Mondays, April 9-30, 6:30-9 p.m., Zentangle (R) Pattern Drawing, Advanced, Peace Church, 1111 N. 11th Avenue E.
This class is open to anyone who has taken Zentangle (R) Pattern Drawing with Esther in the past. Cost: $75 (includes supplies); Minimum: 5 students; Maximum: 10 students. RSVP and payment due by Monday, March 26: episzczek@gmail.com

Ongoing Art Exhibits
Window to the West Art Display, 2001 West Superior Street
"Photographer Nik Nerburn and painter Brad Tollefson are creating a collaborative art exhibit on the streets of West Duluth's Lincoln Park neighborhood, titled "Window to the West." A selection of Tollefson's paintings and Nerburn's photographs will be on display in the storefront windows of 2001 West Superior Street for six months, through a partnership between the Duluth Art Institute and the Duluth Housing and Redevelopment Agency, which owns the Seaway Hotel building." Exhibit runs through March 31, 2018.

Sweep, Art Exhibition Opening, Joseph Nease Gallery, 23 W. 1st Street "Joseph Nease Gallery is excited to announce its second exhibition, "Sweep", presenting the latest work of a group of experienced painters at a high point in their craft, "Sweep" is a regional and national survey of more than 20 contemporary painters."

"The exhibition features work by these notable artists: Alison Aune, Kirsten Aune, Robert Bingaman, James Brinsfield, Marcus Cain, Peter Granados, Christopher Harrison, Rachel Hayes, Matthew Kluber, Don Kottmann, Kay Kurt, Adam McCauley, Karen Owsley Nease, Heidi Pollard, Warren Rosser, Eric Sall, Rabbett before Horses Strickland, Jonathan Thunder, Mimi Chen Ting and Leah Yellowbird." Exhibit runs through May 31, 2018.

So Many Classes, So Little Time
When you look at this list I'm willing to bet that you had no idea how many new creative skills you could learn. Here is a non-exhaustive list of places where you can learn new talents from making jewelry to forging iron. 

Art on the Planet (painting)
Duluth Community Education (Arts, Crafts, Hobbies section)
Duluth Folk School (Pisanki: Polish Batik Eggs; tatted lace for beginners; sausage)
Duluth Maker Space (wire wrap jewelry, pottery, stone engraving, industrial sewing)
Great Lakes Aquarium (photography, drawing, watercolor, smelt making)
Historic Armory Annex (Forge Community)
Lake Superior Art Glasses (glass blowing: flamework and hotshop classes)
Market Day (lotion making, soap making)
On the Rocks Art Studio and Gallery (painting)
Otlak Felt Studio (Feltmaker Mary Reichert) (Private and small group classes available)
Pineapple Arts (art therapy classes)
Yarn Harbor (knitting, crochet, felting, weaving)

When all is said and done, there's a lot more to do than there is time... but it's nice to know what is out there. Thank you to Esther Piszczek for assembling most of the events and their details here. To learn more about her Zentangled expressions, follow her on Facebook.

FWIW, if you are an artist who wishes to preserve their work, CPL Imaging has the top scanning equipment and even if you do not sell giclee reproductions, your best work can be preserved for the future by having it scanned for posterity. And their photo restoration is nothing short of astonishing. I kid you not.

December Twin Ports Art Happenings: Events, Classes and More

Question: What's the difference between a flight from Minnesota to Los Angeles and an Esther Piszczek Zentangle class?

Answer: One takes three hours and seems to take forever. When you finish you are stuck in traffic for three more hours and wherever you end up you feel harried. The other is three hours and it seems like fifteen minutes, time breezing by so quick you can't believe it. You are relaxed and have no traffic issues afterwords... you drive home and feel so good you can't wait for the next class.

It's only a slight exaggeration, so I've been told. Last weekend someone shared with me how much she has enjoyed Esther's classes. Hence the shout out here, since she also does the heavy lifting that makes these monthly round-ups possible for the community. Thank you, Esther.

Even as I post this I see that it's not an exhaustive menu of happenings, but it should help get you started. Besides these events there's theater, ballet, movies, book signings, poetry and more.

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TONIGHT, December 1, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., AND Saturday, December 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Lake Superior College Throw-a-thon
LSC Fine Arts Building, Ceramics Studio, 1st Floor
"Throw a bowl, feed a hungry human. This activity will support Duluth’s “Empty Bowl” project, an annual event held every spring to raise money for Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. (Bowls are generally thrown on Friday and trimmed on Saturday.) Area artists and community members are encouraged to participate. For more information, contact Cody Olander at cody.olander@lsc.edu or 218-733-6915."

This wonderful Empty Bowl project raised $57,000 this past spring and has raised over one million since its inception in 1994. Kudos to the generous outpouring of support from our volunteer potters and artists, schools and students.

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Saturday & Sunday, December 2 & 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Duluth Winter Village 
Glensheen Mansion, 3300 London Road
"More than 30 local businesses will set up shop in their own Winter Village Cabin. Shop everything from reclaimed wood art, to blown glass, to clothing for all ages."
Food and beverages available from local favorites: Sir Ben's, Va Bene Cafe, Zenith Bread Project, Lake Superior Bakehouse, Duluth's Best Bread, Bent Paddle Brewery and Vikre Distillery.

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Saturday, December 2, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., AND Sunday, December 3, 12-5 p.m.
8th Annual Christmas Market in Superior
Community Garden Superior, Corner of Hammond Avenue and Broadway Street
"We welcome you to visit the 8th Annual Christkindlmarkt in Superior. Enjoy the festive atmosphere around the bonfire with cookies and apple cider and you will find gift from the Northland or Germany for your special someone from one of our several vendors. Santa and his Elfe Niki will be there as well. Bring your kids and your camera - it will be fun."
EdNote: The Christmas Market will be waiting for you every weekend through Christmas.

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Saturday, December 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Fiber Guild Holiday Fair & Sale
Depot Great Hall, 506 W. Michigan Street Sale includes live demonstrations of various fiber arts, including weaving, spinning, and knitting. Other hands-on activities will also be available along with refreshments and music. Hosted by the Duluth Fiber Handcrafters Guild. [Author Note: DAI materials say this sale ends at 2 p.m., the Fiber Guild website says 3 p.m. Not sure which is correct.]

* * * *

Saturday, December 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Get it Local Gift Fair
Peace Church, 1111 N. 11th Avenue E. This fair is an ultra local fair made up of Duluth and Superior residents, as well as local organizations, sharing what they love to do be art or craft. Some of the items are made right around the block. Come shop for unique holiday gifts! (EdNote: Esther will have a booth at this fair again this year.)

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Monday, December 4, 5-7 p.m.
LSC Student Art Exhibition Opening Reception
Lake Superior College, Building E, 2101 Trinity Road Come see the artwork of Lake Superior College students. Over 100 works on display, including ceramics, jewelry, metal arts, sculpture, design, drawing, painting, and photography. This show is truly inspiring. Flyer attached!

LSC Student Art Exhibition on display for a limited time, as follows:
Monday, December 4, 12-9 p.m.
Tuesday, December 5, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Wednesday, December 6, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Call LSC at (218) 733-7600 for more information.

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Tuesday, December 5
Tweevenings at the Tweed
Ken Bloom will talk about 1000 Words, the featured photography exhibit currently on display.

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Wednesday, December 6, 5-7 p.m.
Finnish 100 Together - Ydhessa 
Opening Reception, DAI Steffl Gallery, The Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
"On Dec. 6, 2017, Finland declared itself an independent republic, rejecting its status as an autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia, which it had been since 1809. The Finland 100 Northland Committee was formed to oversee Finland 100 activities in the Twin Ports and is the organizer of this exhibit, which is the culmination of the year-long celebration. The display will feature work by some 40 to 50 Finnish-American artists from surrounding counties. An accompanying cultural program will take place in the Great Hall."

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Friday, December 8, 4-8 p.m.
Husby Pottery & Glass Preview Party and Sale 
422 S. 18th Avenue E. [This is a 3 day sale! See below for more dates.] Porcelain & stoneware pottery by Bob & Cheryl Husby. Art glass by Bob Husby.

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Saturday & Sunday, December 9 & 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Husby Pottery & Glass Holiday Sale
422 S. 18th Avenue E. Porcelain & stoneware pottery by Bob & Cheryl Husby. Art glass by Bob Husby.

* * * *
Wednesday, December 13, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Zentangle (R) & Wine w/ 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.
(On the fence? See the Q&A at the beginning of this blog post.)

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Kenspeckle Press... at the DeWitt Seitz Marketplace

Saturday, December 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fitger's ART on Tap—Holiday, Fitger’s
August Fitger Room, 3rd Level, 600 E. Superior St. This new addition to the holiday art and craft scene is organized by Sally Cavallaro Designs. Come shop local artists, (including Esther's own Zentangle (R) inspired art) to find lovely gift ideas for the holidays.

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Saturday, December 16, 12-5 p.m.
Handmade Holiday Market
Duluth Folk School, The Lincoln Park Craft District, 1917 & 1924 W. Superior Street
"30+ local vendors including pottery, jewelry, art, apparel, kombucha, stationery, skin care, and more with a FREE gift wrap craft station. Brought to you in association with Duluth Pottery and Duluth Made."

* * * *
Saturday, December 16, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Handmade Holidays
Free Family Art Day, Duluth Art Institute / Lincoln Center, 2229 W. 2nd Street
"Anyone is invited to drop-in for make-and-take art projects."Enjoy!

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Creative Education Class Opportunities  
Beginning Watercolor with Sue Brown Chapin "This two-day course covers all the basics, and you'll complete several projects. Class size limited to 6 students, and classes are held at the Historic Scott House, just south of Carlton. Several sessions available in January. Click class link for dates and cost; Registration required by December 29." Email Sue for more information or to purchase a holiday gift certificate: suebrownchapin@gmail.com.

Ongoing Classes
Art on the Planet (painting)
Duluth Folk School (rag rug making, newspaper weaving, holiday tags and bags)
Duluth Community Education (Arts, Crafts, Hobbies section)
On the Rocks Art Studio and Gallery (painting)
Pineapple Arts (art therapy classes)
Duluth Maker Space (wire wrap jewelry, pottery, stone engraving, industrial sewing)
Historic Armory Annex (Forge Community)
Lake Superior Art Glasses (glass blowing: flamework and hotshop classes)
Otlak Felt Studio (Feltmaker Mary Reichert) (Private and small group classes available)

Learn a Tangle
"Wooooooo!," created by tangler Joan Stark, is a simple tangle with a bit of whimsy. Use it to decorate envelopes, dry erase boards, or a grocery list. You can read about Joan's inspiration for this tangle and learn how to draw it on Linda Farmer's, CZT, blog at tanglepatterns.com

12 Days of Zentangle
Rick and Maria will once again lead their 12 Days of Zentangle this holiday season. This year's event begins on Monday, December 11 and will continue for 12 consecutive days. This is a wonderful way to tangle away that holiday stress with creative support from ZT HQ! Visit the ZT blog HERE for daily videos to support your holiday tangling adventure! Videos will remain available on YouTube for an extended period of time.

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TONIGHT

MEANTIME ART GOES ON ALL AROUND YOU. ENGAGE IT.

The Ceramic Art of Carolina Niebres

Art fairs are a great way to see a wide range of art in a short amount of time and to meet new artists. I met Carolina Niebres at the Bayfront Art Fair in mid-August. Because I liked her work I asked if I could share it here and she consented to this interview.

EN: How did you get started in ceramics?
CN: I actually started in 7th grade making sculptures. I always wanted to do more but did not get back to it until 1999 after I had a health incident that made me realize that life is too short not to do the things that I want to do.

EN: Where were you trained?
CN: I started and continue to take classes at the Edina Art Center. I had my first Friday night beginner class in January 1999. I still take classes there and also help with firing, glaze mixing and other things. It is a great facility to learn as much as you are ready for. I have also gone to classes and workshops by other potters like Bob Briscoe, Ellen Shankin, Ian Currie, Robin Hopper, Robbie Lobell, Simon Levin, etc.

EN: Where have you been showing your work?
CN: I mainly do art fairs but have a few galleries. Iowa Artisans Gallery - Iowa City, IA; Gallery 319 and Octagon Gallery - Ames, IA; Edina Art Center - Edina, MN; Minnetonka Center for the Arts - Minnetonka, MN. Hopefully more to come.

EN: Where does your inspiration come from?
CN: Some of my designs come from the plants in my yard. I also love tribal tattoos from the Pacific Islands with all their intricate lines following and accentuating the lines of the body. My shapes come from observing natural curves; however, some of my new forms have been more geometric.

EN: Any up-coming shows?
CN: Yes, you can find them at my site: http://healingvessels.com

EN: Do you have a website or somewhere we can see your work online?
CN: My site is listed above. My more current work can be found on my facebook photos and here.

EN: Is there anything especially unique in how you create?
CN: Besides my designs, I do fire my pottery by adding a mixture of baking soda, sawdust, and water for the last few hours of firing. The baking soda circulates in the atmosphere of the kiln and falls on the pots very randomly. This adds additional variation and movement to each piece by possibly changing the glaze color and also flashing and creating a thin glaze which can build up to have an orange peel texture. This required extra work in the preparation, firing and clean up but the effects for me are worth all the extra work!

EN: When did you realize you were going to be serious about art?
CN: About 2 years after my first class, I found that I was making more and more and want to learn more! I knew then that I need to not just give away my work but actually sell it so that I could do more. A group of us decided to have annual holiday sales. I found that I really liked doing shows and interacting with clients and started doing juried shows. It just progressed from there.

EN: What are you working on now that has you jazzed?
CN: I am continuing to explore shapes out of round in all different forms: pitcher, bowls, mugs, tumblers, bottles, etc. I am working on "twisted" square or triangular forms that just have flashing on the exterior. I don't have many yet. I still also love working on new patterns as well as old favorites that are very meditative to create like my spirals and spiral trees.

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Quick note here: If you are in any way able, be sure to check our Remigio Bello's art opening, Northland-Southland at Trepanier Hall, tonight at 5:30. Trepanier Hall is the former YWCA located at 202 West 2nd Street in downtown Duluth.

Meantime... enjoy your weekend. If able, go out of your way to see or do something creative. 

Local Art Seen: Art in Bayfront Park

Earlier this summer we enjoyed the good fortune of nice weather for the Park Point Art Fair. This weekend Northlanders are relishing the most glorious conditions imaginable for outdoor events of all kinds, including a leisurely stroll through art-filled Bayfront Park. It's a two-day event so if you missed out, you still have today, which promises to give us similarly delightful weather.

Like the Park Point Fair this show offers a full gamut of artistic expressions including works in clay, wood, glass, photography, jewelry, fiber, painting and drawing, and sculpture in various media, as well as a category called "upcycled." One man's junk, mixed with imagination, can become another's treasures.

You can't bet the setting. Bayfront Park is accessible, and the view is unbeatable. The show's developers clearly have families in mind here with a kids corner, a kite flying contest, a wide variety of culinary offerings in the food court, and even a beer tent (Saturday only.)

Some of the artists here this weekend are local. Cheryl Husby won a Best in Show award for a stunning piece that has that "signature look" that we associate with the Husby studio. Two hops over you can see Ann Klefstad's wolves and deer gathered at the rim of the open bowl that is gloriously green this time of year. A natural setting for such natural subject matter. (If you ever need a place to store these, Ann, I have a really nice front yard where they will seem quite at home.)

The majority of artists here seemed to be from elsewhere for this show. A large number have come up from the Twin Cities for the weekend. I also spoke with a few artists from Iowa and a couple from Nashville as well as the Southwest.

The handout for visitors is colorful and detailed, though it would even be better with contact information. The map is helpful, but the best way to take it all in is to put on your walking shoes and take your time.

Peter Juhl was back again this year, the rock balancing magician/photographer who last winter shared his insider-information on the secrets of rock balancing in an eBook titled Center of Gravity. This year he is on hand with a printed version which is also now available at Amazon.com. Juhl comes across as easy-going and fun-loving, and will warmly engage everyone who shows interest in what he has become so adept at. Like all magicians, he genuinely enjoys the wonder he sees in others' eyes as they marvel. Unlike magicians, he is happy to share his secrets.

Whether it's fine art you collect or whimsical items to wear like Riki McManus's Sassy Hats, or something new to decorate your garden, this is a worthwhile way to go shopping. There's plenty to see, while you are at it you can actually get to know the artists themselves.

One thing I didn't like was the $5.00 parking fee, but I'm not going to complain too much. It would be nice, though, if the parking money went back toward helping the artists. Oh well... it is what it is.

Wordless Wednesday: Pottery Business

Karin Kraemer Talks About Pottery and the Upcoming Empty Bowl Fundraiser

Karin Kraemer has been a fixture of the Twin Ports arts scene since I first arrived on these shores in 1986. A long time friend of the Duluth Arts Institute (DAI), she is also a lover of music and has played in a number of area jugbands along the way. She's an active player in the DAI's annual Empty Bowl fundraiser, helping to promote it and making bowls that others can paint, it seemed like a good time to feature Karin here because Empty Bowl is just around the corner.

Ennyman: When did you first take an interest in the arts?
Karin Kraemer: I've been making things since I was gluing things to my Mom's carpet in the living room. I started getting serious about it in college.

E: How did you get into pottery as your chosen field?
KK: Well, I was a glassblower for the first 10 years of working as an artist, and then switched to clay in West Virginia. I had worked in clay, and got to take it again at Pigeon Lake Art Camp. Doug Johnson and Kurt Wild taught us to make a kiln out of anything, and be experimental. When I moved to West Virginia and didn't have a glass studio to work in, I started pit firing clay in the back yard, and haven't stopped playing with it since.

E: What's the name of your studio and how long have you been in operation?
KK: My studio is the Duluth Pottery, Superior Division. I have been here for 10 years, and worked at the Duluth Art Institute for three years before that. What a great place to work. I taught classes, worked on clay, and got a leg up in the incubator of the clay studio.

E: You sell a fair amount of work which means you have a sense of what "the audience" wants. Do you see a significant difference between functional art (pottery for example) and "fine art"?
KK: They are both "art" and both "functional". A Bowl has the job of holding your food in a beautiful way, and allows you to interact with living, eating and sharing food with others in a beautiful way. A Painting allows you to interact in the world, and have a conversation about beauty, content, and our interpretations.

E: Where do you get your inspiration from?
KK: I love being outside, seeing the flowers, architecture, the garden growing, the lake.

E: Who have been your biggest influences?
KK: Many people. I love the painters of the beginning of the 20th century. Monet, Manet, Matisse. For Clay, I love the potters and sculptures that I see as devoting their lives to clay and art and the exploration of it all. Warren McKenzie is amazing. He made it possible for folks like me to have a life as a studio potter. Local heroes: Bob and Cheryl Husby, Dick Cooter, Jim Grittner.

E: Tell us about the Empty Bowl event...
KK: Empty Bowl, (like others around the country) is a collaborative event benefiting the Second Harvest Food Bank. Many bowls are made at the schools, the Duluth Art Institute, Lake Superior College, Duluth Pottery and through many individual donors. (Bowl makers.) I wanted to see the Superior side of the River get involved, since both Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota's food shelves are fed by Second Harvest. So, we make many bowls and invite folks to come in and paint them with colorful Majolica glazes to contribute to the fund raiser. Wednesdays, 12:00pm til early evening, come on in and decorate bowls! 715-399-0921

E: How did it start and who can participate?
KK: Empty Bowl was the Brainchild of Dave Lynas and Linda Hebenstreit at the Duluth Art Institute 18 years ago.

E: When is the actual day of the event and where?
KK: This year the Sea of Bowls (preview of the bowls when they are priced according to market value) is on April 25, 5-7pm. The main event is Tuesday the 26th, 10am - 6:30 pm. There is a silent auction of the areas most wonderful artists. All the rest of the bowls are $15 all day. Soup is on, and lots of entertainment.

Duluth Pottery, Superior Division is located at 916 Hammond in the Trade and Commerce Marketplace (the actual National register name of the historic bldg.)
You can see more of her pottery at www.duluthpottery.com