Cookin' at the O: Carlton Room Establishes Itself as a Northland Hotspot with Another Full House

Apparently no one told the Swanson's they couldn't support a high class jazz club here. I mean, we're talking about Carlton, Minnesota, population 1,046. They just went ahead and did it anyways, in the grandest way possible, with one class act after another. Build it and they will come they believed, much like the fabled Field of Dreams, and indeed the Oldenburg House has become a dream-laden outpost for fans of jazz and friends alike. 

Justin Delaire, carrying the Peterson family jazz tradition into a third generation, fronted our February Cookin' at the O' weekend along with Peter Schimke on keyboards, Matt Mobley on bass, and the connecting fiber of this stellar team, percussionist Glenn Swanson. 

The evening opened with "Softly in the Morning" by the trio of Mobley, Schimke an Swanson. Involuntarily I scribbled, "These cats really swing."

Justin Delaire sings, plays sax, and even did a stint at the keyboards in a Schimke duet. The first number for the quartet was rendition of Sinatra's hit "Night and Day." Delaire's resume includes performing with Prince, Kenny Loggins and a host of others. The past 15 years he's been travelling with Michael Bolton. It wasn't long before everyone present knew we were in for an evening of smooth swingin' sweet sounds.

The Sintara cut was followed by a Lou Rawls number, "Muddy Water."

During a break Emily Swanson, Glenn's biggest asset, introduced Yvette, who helped put the dinner presentation together with assistance from Chef Paul Saputa from Room at the Table . Yes, the food amplifies the sweetness of the vibe.

The second half of the program opened once more with the trio of Peter Schimke, Mobley and Swanson, Glenn gave us set of light flourishes on drums setting up the tempo and mood for their preface to part two. Delaire came forward, stepping up with another heart-throbber, "My Romance."

We were quickly transported to another space with a beautiful rendition of Ray Charles' "Georgia on my Mind." Oh man, yeah. Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" prevailed next followed by "Mr. Magic" at which time I allowed myself to be carried away on a magic carpet. The evening closed with sentimental favorites "You've Got a Friend" (Carole King) and "Doc on the Bay" (Otis Redding).

With the exception of this picture all photos here by Steve Mattson of Zenith City Photography.

The home fires were burning and it was a delightfully full house.

Book your reservation for March at the Carlton Room, 

next month featuring the energizing and uplifting Pippi Ardennia.

Local Art Scene: JNG's Sweep Is a Survey of Contemporary Painting

"Nanabazhoo with Butterflies"

One of the cool features of the new Joseph Nease Gallery (JNG) here in Duluth is the ability to reconfigure the gallery space by rolling some of the walls into new locations. The opening reception for Sweep presents the advantage of this feature, enabling the viewer's line of sight to take in compositions from angles that reveal other relationships and contrasts.

The JNG has 29 paintings on display from more than 20 artists representing a wide range of styles.  Some of the artists will be familiar to local gallery hoppers -- Leah Yellowbird, Kirsten Aune, Adam McCauley -- and others less so, such as Marcus Cain, another artist with Joe Nease/Kansas City connections. There is a lot to see here, some of which has obtained national recognition.

I found a number of pieces to be exceptionally striking and worthy of more than just a passing glimpse. One of these is Rabbett Strickland's "Nanabazhoo with Butterflies."

A much larger, more complex painting from this Native artist has been on display at the Tweed in recent years. This beautifully painted piece is an excellent example of the mystical power of Strickland's sensitive work.

Detail from "Nanabazhoo with Butterflies."

Marcus Cain, who came to town for the opening, has four pieces on display here as a result of a previous relationship with the Neases in Kansas City. Cain's approach to painting (right) focuses more on process as opposed to image reproduction. Rather than using brushes he makes his painting using the marking-making tools ceramic artists use. He calls it meditative mark-making, but if you get up close and engage the pieces, they have a tendency to cause eyes to un-focus because there is no object or point of reference for the eyes.

Whereas one is initially drawn to the pieces by their colors and the 3-D impression of corrugation and depth, it's possible to soon experience the kind of headache one gets from overmuch exposure to those Magic Eye pictures which encourage you to allow eye-focus to relax.  

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One of my favorite artists in the region has to be Leah Yellowbird. Her "Rolling in the Deep" grabs you in part due to the Escheresque underwater fish pattern in the background, almost like a wallpaper pattern. Her acrylic paintings tediously reproduce the sensation of Native American bead-work on canvas. The vibrant colors, lively compositions and unexpected sterling silver attachment on this piece all conspire to produce a magical image that defies easy categorization.

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"Rolling in the Deep" (detail) -- Leah Yellowbird

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Here are some additional pieces you will see if you're able to go.

Adam McCauley's "Nosun"

"Reddy"-- one of three gummy candies painted by Kay Kurt.

For more information on the Joseph Nease Gallery, 

including its hours, visit josephneasegallery.com/

Australian Painter Tammy Andrews Shares Her Story

We have a friend from Australia who moved to Duluth for a year, a free spirit who is embracing as much of life as she can, learning to play music, make art and immerse herself in new experiences. When I learned about her artist friend Tammy Andrews back home Down Under, I reached out to see if I could share her work and her story here on my blog.

EN: What part of Australia do you live in? Is this where you grew up?

Tammy Andrews: Born in 1972, in a small wheat belt town of Western Australia which features huge shimmering salt lakes, big blue skies and a smattering of a mostly farming population.

I now live and work in Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia, a medium town of 15 000 which is renowned for its aqua blue beaches and stunning heathland saturated with a dazzling array of wildflowers.

EN: How did you come to make a career as an artist?

TA: During my school years it was recognised I had an aptitude for art and literature and was something I explored. Leaving high school at 16 my studies in art and design commenced, however I was distracted by love!

Married and with two children at the age of 23 I returned again to study, more determined than ever. I worked very hard at my practice for the next several years experimenting with techniques and mediums enjoying this freedom however primarily I was focused on honing down my skills.

Listening very carefully to those with experience and success taught me to understand the commercial side of art and the professional way to promote oneself and work. During my career of twenty years as a professional artist with oil painting as my medium of choice, I have exhibited my work in seven solo shows and numerous group exhibitions, taught painting to others on a weekly basis and have owned and operated two galleries.

EN: There’s something magical about watching creativity happen. How do you keep from getting stuck in a rut?

TA: Creativity is a natural part of my being and I cannot imagine living without it in some form. Fortunately I don’t seem to have much of a problem garnering ideas and moulding them into an outcome, whether that outcome be intentional or other.

My favourite way of working though is to gather the seeds of ideas or a comprehensive weave of stories which could develop over a year or so, researching historical content and hearsay and fashioning these bulbs into a body work which carries my own spin.

EN: You work in a variety of mediums, all of them well. Can you explain the Mondrain series, how this came about? The results are fascinating.

TA: Although oil painting is my signature style I do work in a variety of mediums, most recently the Mondrain series which feature ink, printmaking and mixed media and is quietly recognising the seascape of the Archipelago and the foreign beings who infiltrated shores only previously inhabited by indigenous folk. The works are continuing on from a larger body of work called Sea Follies which follows the true stories and plight of whalers, sealers and Esperances’ very own pirate Black Jack Anderson who arrived on a whaling boat from Massachusetts in the early 1800’s. Fascinating stuff!

EN: Who are some artists who you’ve followed? Who have been your biggest influences?

"Mondrain" -- 30x30 cm

TA: I’m a lover of lush painterly artists. Some who have really influenced me are Gustav Klimt , Chaim Soutine, Australians Margret Preston ,Hugh Ramsay and my lady of the moment is Lucy Culliton. My teachers also had a role in shaping my dedication as I was able to witness their own serious working careers and some have become special friends in my life.

EN: If you could be in any period of history, as an artist, when and where would you be?

TA: If I had to choose a period in history to be an artist it would most likely be right now as I feel you can as an artist live and work wherever you feel most nurtured and content with access to so many avenues of social media and networks to propel your work. Perhaps my driven nature would allow me in any age to be a successful female artist and I feel fortunate to be respected and supported professionally in my endeavours but I can’t be sure this would have always been the case. Having said that – oh to be a fly on the wall – somewhere decadent and ratbaggy!

"Mondrain Treasure Island" -- 30x23 cm

EN: What are you working on now for your next show?

TA: My first half of 2018 involves commission work for clients.

Following this I am thrilled to have a place with accomplished artist Connor Waltons’ Intensive Figure Study Workshop in June which will be taken in Ireland.

I am very much looking forward to slowing my natural intuition down and breathing in something new and different and seeing where this takes me.

EN: Can you list the best places to see your art in person?

TA: You can view my current artwork for sale in person at Gallery Baxter and Maree, 87A Dempster Street Esperance. Western Australia.

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For more, or to commission the artist to produce work for your home or gallery, visit
http://www.tammyandrews.com.au

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

Flashback Friday: History and Nostalgia Embrace at the Winter Dance Party

It's been 59 years since Buddy Holly and His Band graced the stage of the Duluth Armory. Join us to relive the energy of that cold night in 1959 with one of Duluth's best performers.

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THIS YEAR'S WINTER DANCE PARTY IS SUNDAY EVENING AT GRANDMA'S SPORTS GARDEN. JOIN US WITH YOUR DANCING SHOES ON.
DETAILS HERE. 

WHAT FOLLOWS 
IS REPRINTED FROM OUR 2016 POST LEADING UP TO THE WINTER DANCE PARTY.

It's remembered as "the day the music died." His name was Buddy Holly, and by age 23 he was making music history. Buddy Holly and the Crickets were the hottest thing in rock 'n' roll. Unfortunately, prodded by a financial pinch, they went on ill-advised, mid-winter road tour across the Northland that ended in an Iowa cornfield.

57 years ago Holly and his band signed on for a Winter Dance Party Tour that involved taking a bus on a zig-zag path between various cities in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. I'm not sure whose brilliant idea this was because mid-winter can be pretty inhospitable in these parts. When the bus broke down in Wisconsin it was 20 below, something Texans like Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings weren't quite used to. At least those who live here know how to dress for it.

According to a Pamela Huey account written on the 50th anniversary of the Winter Dance Party Tour, it was a tour from hell. When the band pulled out from the Duluth Armory, their 9th gig in nearly as many days, they were exhausted and pretty tired of sleeping on hard seats sitting upright. The only thing worse would be not sleeping at all and that's exactly what they got when the bus broke down while heading through the Wisconsin darkness about ten miles south of Hurley. The temps had now plunged to 30 below with a wind chill on top of that.

To say Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, Waylon Jennings, Dion and crew were underdressed is an understatement. They built a fire and tried to stay warm enough to stay alive. Huey describes it as "the day the music almost died."

This breakdown probably played a significant role in the decision a couple days later that cost Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens their lives. "The heck with this bus. Let's rent a plane," someone must have said.

Having done a fair share of winter flying out of the Duluth airport, I know that the airlines take great pains now to make sure the plane is safe for travel. Once everyone is boarded, the plane taxis over to where it can be hosed down with de-icer. I'd put money on it that Buddy Holly's plane had not gotten that kind of attention.

The dance parties were fun, but all that winter travel took its toll. Valens, who was from Califronia, hadn't even packed a winter coat. He knew music better than he knew geography.

You can read more here about that Tour From Hell.

Bob Dylan was in the crowd the night Buddy Holly and the band performed in Duluth's Historic Armory. Unlike the performing visitors from down south, Dylan and the others knew how to dress this time of year. They'd lived here all their lives. And unlike the band, which rolled off into the brutal darkness in an ice cold bus, Buddy Holly's fans went home to warm beds, made even warmer by memories of the music that moved their feet and their souls.

Front ro L to R: Amy Grillo, Gene Lafond, Lonnie Knight, Gary Lopac

Next weekend is the 57th anniversary of the Winter Dance Party concert that took place here in Duluth's Armory and once again the lineup is stellar with music by Lonnie Knight and the Travellons. The concert is a fund-raiser for the Historic Armory. Once again the Dance Party will return to Sacred Heart up on Positively 4th Street. If you need a place to park, the Damiano Center lot is available across the street.

In addition to Lonnie and friends, Todd Eckart is also on the bill. Congrats to Todd for being voted best local band/musician in the 2016 Reader Awards poll. He's in his stride now.

You can read about last year's Dance Party here.

For more about The Buddy Holly Story visit this MPR page.

Here's the place to go for tickets to next weekend's event.

If you're planning to go, add to the fun by inviting your Facebook friends.

It will be another great event not to miss.

EdNote: Lonnie Knight performed with his band in the Historic Armory back in the day. His dream is to perform there once again.... 

Community Loses John Bushey, Much Loved Host of KUMD's Dylan Program, Highway 61 Revisited

John Bushey in the John Bushey Highway 61 Revisited Studio ar KUMD

Teacher, Dylanologist (which he continuously denied the way Dylan bristled about being the Voice of a Generation), and a nationally recognized magician whose speciality had been escape arts, our dear friend John Bushey was unable to escape his last challenge and finally succumbed to cancer last night. He will be deeply missed.

In addition to being a pro Dylan buff, John did more than entertain. He was a collector as well. An enormous fan of Harry Houdini, he began collecting memorabilia related to escape artists at the age of ten and has continued to this day so that he built one of the largest collections of handcuffs and gadgetry pertaining to escapology in the country. We're talking hundreds of handcuffs of all styles.

The mic in what was formerly Studio B.

Bushey has been one of the forces behind the Duluth Dylan Fest here in the North Country. Even when he was weakened from his many battles with cancer over the past decade, his will and resolve were strong. This was especially apparent last year when in January doctors said he had two weeks to two months to live, John not only made it to the weeklong May celebration, he attended every event.

One of the great features of his show Highway 61 Revisited was John's tireless effort to find rare tracks of Dylan music from obscure sources including outtakes and unreleased recordings that you won't hear anywhere else. Dylan fans would send tapes from all over the world, which John would perpetually scour in search of "the good stuff" for his listeners. His devotion to this effort, as far as I know, was unmatched anywhere.

Mayor Emily Larson celebrates re-naming of Studio B

Looking through the glass from my mic to John and his, live and on the air earlier this year.

There's a Dylan line for nearly any situation, and even in the midst of his suffering John and I shared some laughs together. Last fall I needed his help to get a door unlocked, and in exchange for my driving him to the pharmacy to get something he needed he came out with me accompanied by his lock-picking tools to unlock the door. While he was helping me the line from "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" popped into my head: "She was looking to do just one more good deed before she died." I shared that and we laughed.

One of John's favorite songs these past months has been "Not Dark Yet" which begins this way:

Shadows are falling and I’ve been here all day 
It’s too hot to sleep, time is running away 
Feel like my soul has turned into steel 
I’ve still got the scars that the sun didn’t heal 
There’s not even room enough to be anywhere 
It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there

* * * *

As all who knew him well will attest, there has never been anyone quite like John. He filled a unique spot in our universe, and will be missed. Roll on, John. 

RELATED LINKS

DNT 2015: Multitude of Friends Happy to Help Him 

DNT 2017, Studio B at KUMD consecrated with a new name.

2014: John Bushey, The Handcuff King

Fake Restaurant Becomes Hottest Ticket in London -- Thru Positive Online Reviews

Last night's pork chops, prepared by Chef Micah

At one time or another most of us have checked websites like Yelp or TripAdvisor to obtain guidance on places to stay or places to eat when traveling. In some ways it's like book reviews on Goodreads or Amazon in which you sometimes need to sift a little to get a real feel for a place. On the other hand, this is a story that totally flips the game completely, like gambling against someone with marked cards, or x-ray vision.

According to a David Z. Morris article at Fortune a Vice.com writer named Oobah Butler took the liberties of creating a fake restaurant by writing reviews about it and posting on TripAdvisor.com. He called it The Shed at Dulcich. No such place existed, or at least not as a restaurant. What triggered him to create this fake restaurant was his previous experience writing fake online reviews for restaurants he never ate at and post them on review site like TripAdvisor.

Butler named his restaurant The Shed because that is where he lived, a shed in Dulcich. He jumped through all the hoops, fairly minimal actually, to be listed at TripAdvisor as a real place -- a process which he explains here -- and then let the games begin.

One last item of importance. To be a hotspot a restaurant needs a concept and a website. The website would, naturally spell out their exotic menu, with photos showing deliciousness in the extreme. Butler's concept was food dishes based on your moods.

Once listed, the real work begins. Butler wasn't aiming to be a spoof restaurant. He was aiming to become the #1 restaurant in London. How he achieved this is all spelled out on his Vice post.

According to the Fortune story:

This is from Duluth Grill. Yumm. It's real.

Things quickly got, in Butler’s words, “a little out of hand.” From the very bottom of TripAdvisor’s charts, his fake restaurant steadily climbed the London rankings. He started getting emails and phone calls requesting nonexistent reservation spots, with interest only amping up when he told callers The Shed was “fully booked for the next six weeks.”

* * * *
The story of The Shed reminded me of another fraudulent event that I read about when I was much younger. Purportedly, one of the Harvard fraternities, of which I do not recall this detail, enrolled a pig in classes for four years, taking tests on behalf of the pig. On graduation day the pig's name was read aloud and a student brought him up on the podium to receive the diploma.

I don't know what discipline was enacted here, but the event may have been the catalyst for David Mamet's children's book This Little Piggy Went To Harvard.

Apparently online isn't the only place where fake activities occur.

RELATED
Want to learn more about social media? If you're a small business in the Twin Ports, join the Social Media Breakfast for their monthly meetings in various locations around Duluth-Superior. Details here on Facebook.

Midweek Bonus: February Twin Ports Arts Happenings

From the Penny Perry exhibit.

Good news. The February Arts Calendar is here. I was worried Esther had the flu, but it turns out she was in the Southern Hemisphere enjoying a little summertime in India. Alas, here's a list of February happenings for Twin Ports Arts Enthusiasts beginning with tomorrow evening's Artist Talk in the Steffl Gallery at the DAI.

Before we get into it, though here's info on a Call for Art for Duluth Dylan Fest 2018.

* * * *

Thursday, February 8, 6-7 p.m., Artist Talk: Art & Craft-Penny Perry, DAI Steffl Gallery, The Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street

"Penny Perry is the youngest of four daughters that grew up on the family farm in Spooner, Wisconsin. Her life is blessed with creative, generous teachers and mentors, two- and four-legged. She graduated UW-Superior with a degree in Theater & Art and for the past thirty-seven years has owned/operated the family business Perry Framing & Stained Glass that still maintains its original location in Downtown Duluth. Perry works using a variety of mediums; ink on paper, acrylic paint on canvas, stained glass both painted and leaded, photography, and wood."

“I relish in details of texture, juxtaposition, layered depth of color. Refined shape of negative space. Tension and resonance between colors, notes, words...I trust my right hand-to-eye to draw what I see, and the left to paint what isn’t seen." On View: Jan. 11 - Feb. 25, 2018.

Saturday, February 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."

Saturday, February 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Free Family Day, DAI Lincoln Building, 2229 W. 2nd Street
"The Duluth Art Institute hosts four Free Family Art Days each year at our Lincoln Park Building. Anyone and everyone is invited to drop-in for make-and-take art projects. The February session will be themed around Valentine's Day. We hope you'll join us!"

Saturday, February 10, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Art on Tap Pop-Up, Hoops Brewing, 325 S. Lake Avenue
"Come shop for your valentine while sipping on amazing craft beer!"

Saturday, February 10, 2-5 p.m., 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."

Monday, February 12, 6:30-9 p.m., Zentangle ® Pattern Drawing with Esther Piszczek, CZT, Duluth Community Education, Ordean East Middle School, 2900 E. 4th Street. In this introductory class, we will create beautiful art on a 3.5" x 3.5" paper tile using pen and ink and pencil shading. No previous drawing experience necessary. Relaxation is a common side effect. Class Cost: $20; Supplies: $10.

Brochure available online through Duluth Community Education; Register at 218-336-8760.

Monday, February 12, 7:30 p.m., Zenith City Cabaret: A Broadway Love Story - A musical romance and love story told through classic and contemporary songs of Broadway!, Zeitgeist Arts Café Atrium, 222 E. Superior Street Featuring: Adam Sippola, Ali Littrell Finstrom, and David Packa

Free Admission ($10 suggested donation); Contact Adam Sippola for more information: 218-590-8670; adam.sippola@yahoo.com

Tuesday, February 13, 5:30 p.m., Loon Opera: Valentine's Day Soiree 2018, Greysolon Ballroom, 231 E. Superior Street "Lyric Opera of the North cordially invites you to its annual Valentine’s Day Soiree, this year with a Mardi Gras twist! The party begins at 5:30 p.m.with hors d’oeuvres and cash bar. Dinner is served at 6:30. Fundraising opportunities throughout the evening, and of course there will be singing, too!

"Money raised at this event will help Lyric Opera of the North bring opera to elementary schools throughout the North this winter, and will help bring Mozart’s Don Giovanni to the NorShor stage this June! Thank you for your support. We’ll see you at the Soiree!"

Please reserve your tickets by February 8! Tickets are $100 per person ($50 of each ticket is tax deductible.)

Tuesdays, February 13, 27 and 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.

Friday, February 16, 7-10 p.m., Waking Dreams: A solo exhibition by Jane Wunrow, Prøve Collective, 21 N. Lake Avenue

Wunrow’s works are directly influenced by specific dreams or migraine aura she experiences, particularly those that surface subconscious fears, pains, or perceptions. While creating, Wunrow puts herself back into that mental head space and taps into the emotions that she felt in that dream state, imbuing her works with raw feeling. The artist believes that viewers are perceptive to these contributions, and that the work would be ingenuine without this process, which she also cites as a method of working through the myriad of sensations that dreams create. FB Event Page

Sunday, February 18, 1-4 p.m., Lake Superior Ragtime Society's February Concert, Concordia Lutheran Church ECLA, 1708 John Avenue, Superior, WI

Fun family event with rollicking ragtime piano music from musicians of all ages and abilities. Event is free to the public, however donations are appreciated.
Facebook Event Page

Wednesday, February 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.

Mondays, February 26-March 19, 6:30-9 p.m., Zentangle (R) Pattern Drawing, Peace Church, 1111 N. 11th Avenue E.
This class is open to anyone interested in learning the Zentangle Method of pattern drawing.
Cost: $85 (includes tiles) ($75 if you've previously purchased a Zentangle (R) Drawing Kit); Minimum: 5 students;
Maximum: 12 students. RSVP and payment due by Monday, February 19: episzczek@gmail.com

October 2017-March 2018: 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."

Plan Ahead for March!

Tuesday, March 6, 4-6:30 p.m., Zentangle (R) Pattern Drawing for Youth (ages 9-18), Proctor Hermantown Community Education, A.I. Jedlicka Middle School, 131 N. 9th Avenue, Proctor

Wednesday, March 7, 4-6:30 p.m., Zentangle (R) Pattern Drawing for Youth (ages 9-18), Proctor Hermantown Community Education, Hermantown Middle School, 4335 Hawk Circle Drive, Hermantown

Do you like to draw? Come learn how to turn your lines into beautiful, intricate patterns “one stroke at a time” using the zentangle (R) method of pattern drawing while creating beautiful art on 3.5" x 3.5" paper tiles using pen and ink. No previous drawing experience is necessary.These classes are open to youth ages 9-18. Relaxation is a common side effect. See www.zentangle.com for more information about this beautiful art form. Class size limited to 20. Class Cost: $10. Register online or by calling (218) 626-6075.

* Creative Education Class Opportunities in the Twin Ports!
* Art on the Planet (painting)
* Duluth Community Education (Arts, Crafts, Hobbies section)
* Duluth Folk School (rag rug making, newspaper weaving, holiday tags and bags)
* 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)
* 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)

Learn a Tangle!

Mi created by certified Zentangle (R) teacher Mina Hsiao, is a grid tangle that incorporates hearts for this Valentine's Day celebration. Use it to decorate envelopes, dry erase boards, or a grocery list. You can read about Mina's inspiration for this tangle and learn how to draw it on Linda Farmer's, CZT, blog at tanglepatterns.com

Book & Film!
Patterned Peace, by Esther Piszczek, CZT, published by Whole Person Associates, Duluth. Available on Amazon.com, at The Bookstore at Fitger's, Zenith Bookstore (next to Beaner's Central in West Duluth), and Duluth Fine Pianos. Original, hand-drawn artwork ready to color. Includes full pattern index.

Life & Art Entangled, a 17 minute art documentary created by Lola Visuals featuring Zentangle (R) inspired artwork on a piano created by fine-line pattern artist Esther Piszczek, CZT, and the improvisational jazz piano music of Peter Brown. Life & Art Entangled debuted at the 2016 Duluth Superior Film Festival. Watch on YouTube.com.

Places to find Esther's art in the Twin Ports:
Art on the Planet, 1413 Tower Avenue, Superior
Duluth Fine Pianos, 405 E. Superior Street, Duluth
Master Framing Gallery, 1431 London Road, Duluth
Zenith City News, E.P. Designs, a regular Zentangle(R)-inspired art feature in this newspaper, which can be found at various public locations around the Twin Ports and online.

Special Thanks to Esther Piszczek for gathering this batch of dates, people and places.

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