Intersecting Collaborations: Friday Happenings in the Twin Ports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Snow Angels Update: No Records Broken

For those of you who have been following this story since I first announced it in January.

I left the house around nine a.m. with the intention of arriving at the University of MN-Duluth Campus by nine-thirty in preparation for an attempt at breaking the Guinness Book World Record for simultaneous snow angels. Bismarck, North Dakota, currently holds the record, just shy of 9,000. The organizers here, Duluth Rotary 25 and the Proctor DECA, had hoped to produce a new record. No doubt their experience will teach them a number of lessons about what it takes to gather masses together, and how impressive it is when large attendance for anything is achieved.

This effort was for a good cause: clean water for indigent peoples in Ethiopia. But possibly the incentives weren't there for 9,000 volunteers to give up their Saturday to stand out in the cold and brave the elements for sixty to ninety minutes.

The enthusiasm level was quite amped amongst those who did participate. It was a great social event and a fund raiser as well. The cost per family was to be ten dollars, or five per individual. In addition to their time, some people donated quite a bit more.

Officially designated volunteers were wearing yellow knit caps, and there were an abundance of these when I arrived. The plan was for these volunteers to assume responsibility for squads of fifty. Many of the participants who arrived early were ushered into the field house where they could warm up till the actual time came. The Duluth Children's Museum had set up tables with activities for young people to help them stay occupied. There were art and science projects including a table where kids could make rockets and launch them from the middle of the room. (An air launcher, not explosives, was used for this purpose.)

Crystal Taylor helped promote the event.

The fact that we had fresh snow this week was duly noted as a plus by organizers, and all participants on hand acknowledged a measure of gratitude that temps were in the teens and not minus twenty had been the case the previous Saturday.

It became apparent by 10:30 that the numbers were significantly short of the target. By 10:40 a.m. those in attendance were being urged to text friends and relatives to hurry on over in order to fill the stadium.

A little before eleven Duluth Mayor Don Ness offered up a few words of encouragement which was then followed by special music and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. At the critical moment, which turned out to be approximately 11:15 a.m., everyone was instructed to lay on the ground to commence flapping their arms and legs to make snow angels. A helicopter was slated to appear for the purpose of documenting. Though a minute or two behind schedule it did finally arrive to make several passes above the collected masses.

Here's how it was supposed to be. We only needed the silver and blue.

The energy level remained robust as the crowd dispersed to the parking lots and drifted away. The official results? I know not. I can only testify that they did what they could and a lot of people had a good time. 

Street Art In the Bay Area and Big Apple

This building in SF caught my attention a few years back.

Last week when I shared examples of L.A. street art it brought to mind some of my San Francisco meanderings a couple years back and the street art I saw there. The building at the right here was striking because I'd never seen anything like it. Instead of graffiti or bright murals, it was a living sculpture with furniture falling out from all the windows.

What triggered my memories of SF was an article at ARTINFO.com on the 20 Best Spots to See Street Art in New York City. As the slide show demonstrates, the New York street arts community is quite talented, and busy. Personally I hate most articles that claim to designate ten or twenty things as the best of everything else, like the best actors of all time and top ten Dylan songs of all time. Usually it's just a person speaking authoritatively about his or her own opinion. Nevertheless, these kinds of articles do cause buzz or a bit of chatter amongst friends who get a chance to say, "Well, what about...?"

It used to be that graffiti artists worked on walls beneath underpasses and other out-of-the-way spaces because the work was unsanctioned. (i.e. illegal) Today's graffiti artist is now a street artist and their work is receiving a much higher level of recognition. Certainly building lathered with color are more interesting than abandoned structures that have been condemned but are yet to be dismantled.

I went to a Vegas auto show party once in which two dozen graffiti artists had been flown in from Detroit to create a wall of art during the course of the evening while suited executives sipped cocktails and talked about the industry. It seemed an odd juxtaposition.

For what it's worth, we have some really exceptional walls in Duluth and Superior, and I'm looking forward to seeing more in 2013.

The images below are from a wall in SF circa 2010. I wake earlier than everyone else so I walked the streets with my camera. How many times I've wished my eyeball were a camera, but there are a lot of fairy tale wishes in life that just ain't gonna happen.

Of Snow Angels, the Mambo Queen and Art On The Brain

Let's start with the snow angels. Duluth Rotary 25 and the Proctor DECA devised an original fund raising event that simultaneously aims to get national attention by setting a Guinness Book Record for most snow angels created at one time. Target objective is 9,000.

If you are planning to be part of this event, here are some important details.

Date: Saturday, February 9
Location: University of MN, Duluth
You'll want to arrive anytime between 9:30 and 10:30 to make sure you are in position in time to be in the record attempt at 11:00. When you arrive at UMD, police/parking volunteers will direct you where to park. More volunteers will direct you from your car to where you check in. (They are having a free will donation at the door. Change will be available as well. Also, credit/checks are accepted.) Once you are checked in they will give you a wrist band that says which field you need to be in by 11.

Mother nature generously provided us with a half foot of fresh-fallen snow this past couple days so at least one of our partners is doing her part. Hope we'll see you there to do yours.

For a little more background and how the money raised will be used to help the needs of indigenous peoples in Ethiopia, check out my blog entry Aiming for a Snow Angels World Record. Can They Do It?

The Mambo Queen. Photo by John Heino

One of the chief instigators in this event is Crystal Taylor, whose life seems devoted to stirring up interest in good causes. I say this because tonight she is participating in another fund raiser, the Seventh Annual Celebrity Dance Challenge. Crystal has been selected as one of the celebrities to perform at Fregeau Auditorium at Marshall School here in Duluth, MN. All proceeds will go to the Minnesota Ballet.

The way the event works is that celebrities are each paired with professional dancers from the Minnesota Ballet. Now in my personal opinion, I don't know who the other celebrities are, but Crystal has an unfair advantage since she is already a dancer in her own right, a practicing belly dancer to be more precise.

Tonight she's going to be the Mambo Queen, and if I were a betting man...

You can catch the Mambo Queen performing with her dance partner Michael Agudelo at the Seventh Annual Celebrity Dance Challenge, 7:30 p.m., tonight at Marshall. From what I hear, this is one fun event.

Art on the Brain
Street Art ¤ The Art of Making Sushi ¤ Art Therapy ¤ Art Galleries ¤ The Art of Forecasting the Future of America ¤ Commercial Art ¤ Art for Art’s Sake ¤ Art Shaw ¤ Art Linkletter ¤ Art Garfunkel ¤ Art in America ¤ Graphic Art ¤ Erotic Art ¤ Hypnotic Art ¤ The Art of Public Speaking ¤ Cinematic Art ¤ Art Auctions ¤ Western Art ¤ Asian Art ¤ Art History ¤ Art Books ¤ Art of the Deal ¤ Fine Art ¤ Children’s Art ¤ Philadelphia Museum of Art ¤ eBay Art ¤ Google Art ¤ Sumerian Art ¤ Art Prints ¤ Abstract Art ¤ Metropolitan Museum of Art ¤ Decorative Art ¤ Art Critics ¤ Walker Art Center ¤ Art Nouveau ¤ The School of Art ¤ Fabric Art ¤ Fashion Art ¤ Renaissance Art ¤ Roman Art ¤ Japanese Art ¤ African Art ¤ Contemporary Art ¤ The Art Dock

And let's not forget, Friday evening (tomorrow) there are at least four art openings here in the Twin Ports, beginning with Love Your Local Artist, at the Superior Library. More than 30 artists will have work on display, with live music and lots of energy starting at 5:30 p.m.  Cross the bridge afterwords and take in the three shows at Washington Galleries, PRØVE and Ochre Ghost. A great evening for having art on the brain, and a feast for your mind and eyes.

Life is an adventure. Be part of it.

Wordless Wednesday: Accordion World

Götterdämmerung

“It is becoming more and more obvious, that it is not starvation, not microbes, not cancer but man himself who is mankind’s greatest danger.” ~Carl Jung

Over the years I have been confronted by a recurring theme that at one time I had no name for, but which eventually got the label “post-modernism.” It was a difficult concept because by its very definition it defies definition. Nevertheless, deriving from somewhat modern roots I attempted to define it enough so as to properly compartmentalize it.

Though not as frequent as the tides, the theme does return to my consciousness periodically as I see its fingerprints on the culture we are submerged in. Sometimes I run into discussions of post-modern impact in the most unusual places and this past week I made yet another attempt to give it definition, by means of a poem/dialogue I have titled Twilight of the Gods.

Götterdämmerung

Modern Manny: I would like to define our relationship.
Post-Modern Polly: How can you define what’s undefinable?
Manny: If Post is the antithesis of Modern, what will the synthesis look like?
Polly: Such a logical question is illogical.
Manny: Why do you have to make such a hodge-podge of everything?
Polly: My guess is you can’t even define hodge-podge.
Manny: So that’s what you think? I’ve defined everything else.
Polly: And I’ve undefined it.
Manny: So, is this a power play?
Polly: The opposite of knowledge is deceit and fraud.
Manny: What is that supposed to mean?
Polly: There was a naked man riding a horse.
Manny: Are you daft?
Polly: Don’t try to pin me down.
Manny: O.K., so it is a power play.
Polly: Crown me.

e. 2-1-2013

Spotlight On Fabric Artist Erika Mock

Erika Mock, far right

Erika Mock is an award winning textile artist, designer, knitter, weaver, and instructor who for the past 24 years has been exhibiting and selling her work at juried art shows across the nation. She has also been playing a vital role in the rejuvenation of the City of Superior by means of the arts, most visibly demonstrated in the Phantom Galleries Superior.

EN: How did you first become interested in the arts as a life direction?
Erika Mock: Born in Switzerland, I come from an Alpine culture where the arts were part of the everyday, integrated into school and family. Creativity was fostered. My family sang together for a time. I began playing wooden recorder at an early age. My mother would give us art assignments that explored materials and set up a kind of joyful practice.

In kindergarten I remember a whole- class project building a to-scale model of our village out of clay, paper, and wood. It was an extraordinary way to be introduced to ‘seeing’ by actually making ‘the place I lived‘ via a child’s sense of landscape and architecture.

EN: What drew you to textile art?
EM: Textiles are in my bones. A practice in fiber was seeded even before my mother taught me to knit at age 4. I cannot explain this. It just is. After graduating with a Music Therapy degree and finishing my internship in CT, I struggled for a year in the post graduation muck of job-searching and not knowing what to do. During that time I designed and knit sweaters as a meditation to find clarity. After a year, I flipped my attitude, stopped ‘looking’ for work and created it instead. I moved on to found a music therapy program in Appleton Medical Center’s Cardiac Rehab Program and almost simultaneously became co-owner of a yarn and fiber retail shop. My business partner, who I met during my sweater year, was a weaver with a BFA in textiles. We taught each other our art forms and started growing our business.

My spirit became restless working in the confines of a medical system not yet ready to embrace holistic medicine and in 1985 I relocated north to Solon Springs to pursue performing music. In the search to remake my life I attended a Minnesota Crafts Council Annual meeting in Duluth. The weaving I was doing then received enthusiastic response. They introduced me to the world of Juried Art Festivals which set in motion my current 24 year career as a professional studio artist taking the free spirited wearables I make into the everyday; showing and selling them in cities and communities across the US.

EN: Your work is so colorful. Can you explain why color is so magical?
EM: Color is the clothing of beauty. Beauty is a call to awaken. ‘Yes, you can,’ their voice says.

Working with color is alchemy. It is an intricate play of presence and absence; a dance between layers of mood and memory. Color lives only in the relationship between things; the visible and the invisible. The story reveals only when thought stops.

EN: What prompted you to take such an interest in bringing art into the community as you have done with Phantom Galleries Superior?
EM: I wanted to risk something. I wanted to explore how art and community intertwined could bring forward a deeper vitality.

I took a courageous leap into catalyzing potential at a time when synergy, willingness, and resources came to the table together. The support and partnership of the WI Arts Board over the last 5 years has been invaluable to helping create a foundation for bringing art to the community.

After moving my studio into Superior’s Trade and Commerce Marketplace, I began curating textile biennials of the regions premiere fiber artists to raise the understanding of fiber as an art form. The last in 2008, Venus…co-curated with poet Ellie Schoenfeld and artist Jo Wood, paired poets and fiber artists to work together, introduced an open source project: The Community Loom and was so successful it raised the bar on how artists were inspired to collaborate.

After doing Textile Research in Guatemala in 2007, I made a choice to put energy into this local community instead of contribute there.

As Thomas Moore stated, “We can’t begin to live a more artful life, which is the avenue to soul, if in the public life around us, and in everything we see and inhabit, art is invisible.”

EN: In what ways do you see art as an essential piece of the communities we build and live in?
EM: The arts are advocacy for the imagination.

EN: Briefly, can you summarize what most excites you about the current developments in the art scene here in Superior?
EM: Momentum. Art is on the move in Superior….. It’s visible and vibrant and it’s showing up in fantastic non-traditional spaces—the Bowling Alley, ‘Goin Postal, Engwall/Wolff’s Flower Shop, The Main Club, VIP, 4 vacant downtown storefronts, on the streets, in the Public Library, in the alleys behind businesses. And don’t forget the Trade and Commerce Marketplace, lovingly known as The Red Mug building.

Collaborations. Over and over again you find the incredible potential in a group that convenes with mindful intention to create something.

The pleasure in not knowing. There’s something authentic and juicy and relevant about working with what and who shows up. Phantom Galleries in particular is a large living sculpture in which the elements constantly change and rub against each other to activate the spirit of this community.


EdNote: Thank you for sharing here, and for all you're doing for the City of Superior.