Local Art Seen: American Indian Artist Leah Yellowbird Spreads Her Wings

If you've never been to an art show or event at the Gimaajii Mino-Bimaadiziyaan American Indian Center then it's time you put this on your radar. Located on Second Street in the former Y, there seems to be an ongoing swirl of activity here that is worth noting. Leah Yellowbird's art show last Friday was only the latest. 

In addition to inconceivably detailed beadwork, the American Indian artist showed varieties of other creative expressions utilizing porcupine quills and other natural materials. Here are some images from this event. In addition to beautifully intricate art, we shared music, food and the the fellowship of new friends.

Detailed close up of beadwork.

Each bead in the cherries of this piece represents a documented death on the Trail of Tears.

Thank you, Leah, for sharing your work last week and to the AICHO for giving the arts a home.

Local Art Seen: Phantom Galleries Superior Features Broc Allen and Michael R Smith

Friday evening was another special night in the Twin Ports with visual arts happenings on both sides of the bridge. Phantom Galleries Superior had an opening featuring the ceramics work of Broc Allen and paintings by Michael Smith. The American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) had a opening reception for American Indian Artist Leah Yellowbird, whose work I will share tomorrow. And then there was the Plys show at the PROVE, which is becoming a popular event displaying the latest and greatest skateboard art from our region. Edgy is an understatement for some of it. Images from this show will be shared here Wednesday.

The Phantom Galleries Superior (PGS) began in 2011 with support from the Wisconsin Arts Board along with funds from the state of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. PGS was a unique partnership between Superior Public Art Creating Community Environments (SPAC2ES) and Superior Business Improvement District (BID), the property owners, the artists, and the community. Use of properties is generously donated by the owners. Over the years additional support comes from multiple artistic resources, the BID, and the Morgan Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.

John Heino and I did our first collaborative show -- Red Interactive -- with support from Phantom Galleries Superior. The spaces provided have opportunities for a range of exceptional work by numerous artists in the region since its founding. Curator for this show and current director of PGS is Alison Price.

Pedestals showcased Broc Allen's work, walls were alive with Michael Smiths.

For what it's worth, if you happen to be in London... Dexter Dalwood's first exhibition at the Simon Lee Gallery opens today. Details here. 

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

Local Arts Scene: Upcoming Events for the Weekend Ahead

"Reservoir" by Cecilia Lieder

Time is a gift. How you spend it is up to you, but here are a couple things for consideration.

Saturday November 22 from 2 - 7 p.m. there's an opening reception for Cecilia Lieder's solo exhibition titled "Reflections."

Ms. Lieder has become a masterful printmaker and woodcut artist and this show features the evolution of her creative work over time with samples from her earliest prints to the present, in tandem. The press announcement states:

Some of her seldom seen drawings will be on view, as well as other examples of her eclectic creative life as it has intertwined with her primary medium of printmaking. In reviewing the changes – as well as the similarities and timelessness – of an artist’s production over an extended period, insights may be gleaned about the artistic journey itself. This is an opportunity to deepen your understanding and familiarity with the work of this local printmaker-artist whose creative expression has largely been shaped by her experience of living in Duluth.

When you go you'll get a chance to explore the process of printmaking in general and the processes involved in making her works specifically. If you'd like she'll even give you the opportunity to make a print yourself, which you can keep and frame.

A SPECIAL EVENT AT THE OPENING will be poetry readings on world and national peace by five of Duluth’s most accomplished poets: Deborah Cooper, Linda LeGuarde Grover, Sheila Packa, Gary Boelhower and Ellie Schoenfeld. Lieder will also participate.

The Northern Prints Gallery is located at 318 North 14th Avenue East, a block above the old Farmer's Market and across the street from Burrito Union.
www.northernprintsgallery.com

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Down Home Creations’ Visit With Friends & Christmas Sale 

Friday Eve November 21, 5-8 and Saturday, Nov. 22, 10-4

This coming weekend Susie and I are having a variation on an open house, in our garages. Here's a list of what you will find...

Offering Various Art and Susie’s Usable Products Such As:
Wrapping Paper
Goosefeather Quill Pens
Decorative Notebooks
Art Folder Envelopes
Garden Raspberry Products including ▪ dehydrated berries ▪ raspberry sugar ▪ raspberry teas ▪ raspberry liqueurs in decorative gift bottles (These will go quickly, I am certain.)
You will find lots of Stocking Stuffer Ideas here with many products under $5
Drawer/Closet Sachet Bags
Lavender Pillow Spray
Doggie Biscuits
Multi-Purpose Fresheners

Original Paintings and Drawings by “Ennyman”
Plus Joan Hendershot’s Fine Pottery Creations

A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THIS EVENT is that I will have copies of my new illustrated children's book, A Remarkable Tale from the Land of Podd. For those who can't make it, it will soon be in select area bookstores. You may purchase it online here at Createspace.com or at Amazon.com.

We have two garages with my art studio in the garage nearer the road. If you visit, the place to be will be down in the Down Home Creator's garage. But I will have my garage heated and as welcoming as possible for those interested in seeing more of my work.

You will FIND US @ 4042 Sandberg Road, ten minutes from Proctor our Highway 2 or ten minutes from the Mall out Maple Grove.
From Proctor via Hwy. 2: 1.8 miles past Midway Road, turn right at yellow house
From Mall via Maple Grove: 1.5 miles past Midway Road, turn left

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

Stephanie Johnson Talks About Her Wilderness-Inspired Art

This month the work of Stephanie Johnson is featured in the Zeitgeist Atrium. Johnson lives in the Gunflint/Arrowhead region in a primitive setting with no modern amenities. In other words, it is a throwback to the good old days of propane lights, a dog and many good books. A self-taught artist, Ms. Johnson’s muse has always been wilderness and its minute to majestic inhabitants. “I have been creating art for over 4 decades,” she says. “It is as much a part of me and my life as nature is.” In recent years she has been sharing her arts experience with her daughter, Angie Arden. In 2012, they started the "Wolf=Flow" concept as a team and produced much of their work for the wolf art projects together at her cabin home.

EN: How would you describe the work your do?

Stephanie Johnson: Plein Air and organic. Most of my work celebrates nature.

EN: Where were you trained?

SJ: I have no formal training. I work instinctively; creativity has come to me naturally.

EN: Where have you been showing your work?

SJ: I have had little experience with exhibits and exposure in the arts. I have had a few showings of my work in local coffee house venues and have participated in a few art competitions, in which I occasionally was acknowledged. I consider the first "Wolf=Flow" exhibit at the Zeitgeist earlier this year to be my (our) biggest accomplishment.

EN: What are your primary themes?

SJ: At this time nature and our concerns for protecting and preserving it.

EN: Where does your inspiration come from?

SJ: My inspiration obviously comes from my "backyard" which consists of wilderness, the wildlife that lives within it and freedom. God generously gives through nature inspiration and subject matter. I believe if you are truly grateful for what God has given us, he will give and give...

EN: Can you tell us about the Zeitgeist show... what, when, why?

SJ: We are very excited about our 2nd show at the Zeitgeist this year, "Wolf Flow: 2nd Drift" is a collaboration of art (my work) and poetry (Angie, my daughter) celebrating the wolf. The opening reception was Monday November 3rd (6-8pm). This show encourages respectful attitudes toward nature and we are hoping to inspire compassion for our wild canines. The work will be on display through November 29th.

EN: Is there anything especially unique in how you create?

SJ: What is unique about our creation for this show is that we are collaborating by relaying interpretation; what I mean by this is that I begin the process by seeing what comes out of the woodwork in its natural pattern. Through painting, I integrate the grain into wolf figures and background scenes; then I pass it on to Angie and she translates my visual work through poetry. Another unique feature to this exhibit is an opportunity for attendees to participate in a community poem!

EN: When did you realize you were going to be serious about art?

SJ: Do I take my art serious? I take my cause serious and my contribution is my art.

EN: How did that come about?

SJ: The earth and all of its causes have been around for a long, long time.

EN: What kind of formal training have you had?

SJ: Again, I am self-taught... Monet-inspired.

EN: Is there a question you would like me to ask that will elicit something deeper about what you are about?

SJ: Yes, we would like you to ask us: "Would you consider your views to be mainstream?"  We hope yes, but we really don't know. We pose the questions through the work we do together, asking people if they want to be Stewards Of The Earth or Takers? -- The Wolf: Wilderness Icon or Statistic?

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If you're downtown this month and need to step out of the cold, step inside the Zeitgeist and take a little time there to engage this thought-provoking artist's work.

Meantime, art goes on...
 

Local Art Seen: The North Shore Bank of Commerce Collection

John Steffl and Sarah Brokke share the moment.

Yesterday I wrote here about Thursday evening's joint opening receptions for the DAI Biennial, the George Morrison exhibition, Jo Wood's "Meaning of Home" and the North Shore Bank's impressive retrospective, if you can call a show that when it is a bank's collection and not an individuals. The images shared here are from this latter event, curated by the respected John Steffl, himself a noted potter and painter.

"From the Collection" features works from every decade beginning in the 1960's up through the present. It includes impressive paintings in oil, gouache or acrylic plus woodcut and intaglio prints, photography, watercolors and ceramics. There were 57 pieces in all, and what struck me was how much this art show at the bank felt more like visiting a show in someone's home. We were even permitted to explore the executives' offices and conference rooms to engage the works this banks management team has the opportunity to experience on a daily basis.

"T.R. Buffalo" by Steven R. Meyer

Some of the work was breathtaking. Nearly all gave one an aesthetic lift.

Many of the artists' names were familiar. Jay Steinke, Craig Blacklock, Carl Gawboy, Cheng Khee Chee, Cecilia Lieder, Lee Englund, Adu Gindy, Karen Savage Blue, Scott Murphy.  But there were many others of whom I myself was unfamiliar and it made me curious to see more by this artist and that.

The show was accompanied by a handout that thoughtfully offered more information about the works one was viewing. And the food... catered by Duluth Grille, was itself a masterful creation of delightful flavors. Those Scotch eggs with a dollop of Hollandaise were incredible.

Andy Messerschmidt's "Misti Mountain Flop"

Misti Mountain Flop detail

"Arapaho Bay" by Irv Taran

View from above.

"City View" by Edward Evans

"Dichotomy" by Don Furst, with a ghostly selfie.

In the office of Mr. Lewis.

The event was a privilege to attend. The bank's support for the local arts makes an impressive statement. Sharing their collection in this manner made it especially memorable.  Mr. Steffl's statement about the show offers this observation:

"It is also worth noting that Fred Lewis II has several excellent pieces fashioned by local artists gracing his walls and is following in his father's footsteps as a volunteer on the DAI's board of directors. Perhaps it is a matter of karma, but it would seem that NSBC has become both a repository for cultural assets as well as for those financial... and through its actions acknowledges that a healthy community requires both."

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this such an exceptional event.

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This Day in Art History: Georgia O'Keeffe was born near Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, 1867

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Of Note: Next Saturday November 22, from 2:00 till 7:00 p.m. Cecelia Lieder will be hosting an opening reception for her solo exhibition at the Northern Prints Gallery, 318 North 14th Avenue East, across the street from Burrito Union.

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

Local Art Seen: DAI Biennial and Highlights of the North Shore Bank of Commerce Collection

North River I, by Cameron Zebrun.

A month ago I was installing several of my paintings at The Break Room, a new place on Fourth Street downtown that's brought a whole new vibe to the place where the old Twins Bar used to be. I got into a conversation with a bartender there who is new to Duluth, having come here from Portland or somewhere up in the Northwest. He made the observation that there's a percolation taking place in the arts scene here, the kind that precedes something big emerging. There's an electric vibrancy under the surface, he said, like a breaking dawn, not a twilight like other places he's been.

Thursday night this sense was fully in evidence at the Duluth Art Institute 60th Arrowhead Regional Biennial which was held in conjunction with the Biennial-Themed Collection at the North Shore Bank of Commerce. The Biennial showed us the variety, strength and sensibilities of our current crop of artists while John Steffl, who curated the North Shore Bank show, pulled out all the stops to make it evident that this town has had a vibrant art scene long before now. The artists who have contributed so much locally have laid the foundations for the rest of us who strive to make a contribution to the arts community going forward.

Earth Scraper by Susan Kachor Conlon

The DAI's Arrowhead Regional Biennial—the longest running biennial in the Midwest—is a juried show assembled this year by Diane Mullin, Senior Curator at the Weisman Art Museum at the U of MN in Minneapolis. The reception took place from 4 - 7 in the DAI John Steffl Gallery and Great Hall of the Union Depot. The Biennial included prizes sponsored by Lizzard's Art Gallery & Framing ($250), CPL Imaging ($500) and the North Shore Bank of Commerce ($1000).

The DAI's interim director Dana Mattice thanked the sponsors and introduced juror Diane Mullin who acknowledged the challenges of selecting the final works to be displayed. The diversity of contributions was only a part of that challenge.

It was intended to be an "evening to remember" and for those who were out last night it was indeed that. The 2014 Arrowhead Biennial featured artists from the entire Midwest including Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, and Ontario, Canada. Mediums included photography, sculptures, mixed media and painting. It's considered and important show and inclusion can be a significant moment in the career of featured artists. The exhibit, now on display through February 15, 2015, features 26 works of art.

George Morrison paintings and drawings created a buzz.

In addition to the Biennial, the George Morrison Gallery featured a George Morrison exhibition, which I considered surprisingly impressive and very different from what I expected. The Hallway Gallery features Jo Wood's Meaning of Home.

In short, there's much to see if you can find a way to get down to the Depot and/or to the North Shore Bank on Superior Street.

The photos on this page are from the Duluth Art Institute event. Tomorrow I'll share pictures from the fabulous collection at the North Shore Bank of Commerce.

Collage 4 (Family Memories) by Carmen Gutierrez-Bolger

An abstract expression by George Morrison.

DON'T FORGET tonight's art events... An opening reception for Broc Allen and Michael Smith at the New York Building in Superior, 5-7 p.m. It's a new Phantom Galleries show with what is certain to be some exceptional work.

At Trepanier Hall be sure to see Leah H. Yellowbird's show in the Gimaaji Building (former YWCA). Over at the PROVE Gallery on Lake Avenue this month's theme is Plys with Purpose. And up top of the hill Lenore Lampi's 2-Day Holiday Sale. Why wait till Black Friday to start your Christmas shopping.

Speaking of Christmas... it's never too early to order copies of my new children's picture book for your children or grandchildren. It's A Remarkable Tale from the Land of Podd.

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

Throwback Thursday: Spotlight on Georgio De Chirico

While looking at a very cool art blog I noticed there some paintings by Giorgio de Chirico, a highly influential artist in the early modern period. I myself was attracted to his early work as were many of the budding surrealists of his own time period, men whom he influenced who went on to make names for themselves. For some reason, even though he lived close to a century, the modern art crowd seemed interested only in the strange worlds he painted in his youth.

Here is the opening of an essay about de Chirico which I just stumbled upon after looking at some of his paintings.

"The case of Giorgio de Chirico is one of the most curious in art history. An Italian, born in 1888 and raised partly in Greece - where his father, an engineer, planned and built railroads - he led a productive life, almost Picassoan in length; he died in 1978. He had studied in Munich, and in his early twenties, under the spell of the Symbolist painter Arnold Böcklin, he began to produce a series of strange, oneiric cityscapes. When they were seen in Paris after 1911, they were ecstatically hailed by painters and poets from Picasso to Paul Éluard; before long de Chirico became one of the heroes of Surrealism.

Later, this essay shows how his work was often misunderstood.

"De Chirico is often said to have used Renaissance space in his pictures, but as Rubin points out, this is a myth. De Chirican perspective was not meant to set the viewer in a secure, measurable space. It was a means of distorting the view and disquieting the eye. Instead of one vanishing point in his architectonic masterpiece, The Melancholy of Departure, 1914 there are six, none "correct." This cloning of viewpoints acts in a way analogous to Cubism. It jams the sense of illusionary depth and delivers the surface to the rule of the flat shape, which was the quintessential modernist strategy. In color, in tonal structure and in its contradictory lighting, Rubin argues, de Chirico's style up to 1918 "was as alien to its supposed classical, fifteenth-century models as it was dependent on the Parisian painting of its own moment."

What amazes me to this day is how many of the artists and writers whom we encounter in museums and libraries seemed like they were some previous moment in time, but in reality overlapped our lives and had we made an effort we might have met them, even befriended them. Bob Dylan did that. When he first went to New York from Minnesota, made it an aim of his to meet the legendary Woody Guthrie, who was then dying in a nursing home. Perhaps he wanted Woody's songs, or perhaps he wanted to carry on the torch for him to a new generation.

Artists, musicians, writers... they shine for a while, and many times end up forgotten. Today's tribute is to an artist whose work spoke to me for a time, Georgio de Chirico.

Here is a page with links to many of his paintings. And here is another. Bookmark these pages so you can return to them soon.

NOTE: The picture Metaphysical Interior with Biscuits has been used without permission and will be replaced if requested by the copyright owner.

This post was originally published in May, 2010.