Plein air painter Neil Sherman, who helped coordinate the Art Colony's Plein Air Competition, straightens a painting in the exhibit. Sherman will have his own plein air show at Sivertson Gallery, which opens on Saturday. (See below) Plein air painter Andy Evansen from Hastings is the juror for the competition.
Do you like plein air paintings? Realism? Images of the North Shore?
If you do, you’re in for a real eye feast at the Grand Marais Art Colony this weekend. The 7th annual Plein Air Competition exhibit opens tonight, Friday, at 5 p.m. with a fish fry and then continues on Saturday ( 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) with more than 100 paintings by plein air artists from all over the region as well as locally on exhibit and for sale.
It’s been a perfect week for painting outdoors, too — warm and sunny with picturesque clouds scudding across the sky from time to time. The artists (some are professionals, some are hobbyists) painted landscapes and boats and houses and flowers — whatever caught their fancy this wee k– and, from a quick, cursory view of the paintings on the walls at the Art Colony early Friday afternoon, there’s a fantastic variety this year. The artists obviously travelled all around the county to find spots to put up their easels and capture the light. It should be a wonderful show.
The fish fry at 5 p.m. tonight (tickets are $15) will feature fresh-caught herring and the awards ceremony will be held afterwards. It should be really fun.
Neil Sherman's "You and I" is one of the paintings that will be on exhibit at Sivertson Gallery for the opening reception on Saturday from 5-7 p.m..
Then on Saturday at 5 p.m., the opening reception for Neil Sherman’s plein air exhibit at Sivertson Gallery will be held. It also should be a wonderful show. Sherman has been living and working in Cook County for several years now and his images are quite wonderful.
Also at the gallery is an exhibit of new landscape photographs by Mark Tessier. Kari Vick said there are 14 new images. “When you look at his images, you go to a really serene place,” she said. “You know how you feel when you’re out in the woods? He really captures that beautifully.”
Other artists featured in galleries this weekend include Pennsylvannia potter Mike Yoder, who has apple bakers at the Blue Moose Gallery. Thbe gallery also has a new selection of enameled old coin pendants by Victor Lee of Ontario, Canada.
The 1910 Rock Shop has a new artist in residence. Kathy Peterson does 3-D stained glass with agates and other stones incorporated into the designs. She will be teaching classes and have supplies and books available at the shop as well. Kathy Helner, who co-owns the shop, is a jewelry artist herself and makes pieces from a variety of local and semi-precious stones. She has started a new line of ”fairy-glass” Lake Superior jewelry as well. And, Helner said, Howard Mckenzie has a new line of lamps at the Rock Shop made from stacked shale which are quite beautiful.
Naniboujou Lodge in Hovland is showing local artists’ work this year in the Solarium. Currently, Sandy Updike has an exhibition of her wildlife and nature photography until mid-September. Then Neil Sherman will show his work until the end of October.
Also, the very tiny Naniboujou Lodge Gallery has a number of local artisans’ work for sale: Tom Christiansen’s metal work, Gail Anderson and Ben Presley’s stone lamps, Carol Harris’ very cool quilted backpacks, Dave Woerheide’s agate and wood candle holders, Millie Spry’s jewelry, Judie Johnson’s baskets, Kay Grindland’s hand-made books, Denise Axtell’s jewelry, and Mary Brislance’s quilted table mats.
Tom Christiansen has a variety of new work at his gallery in Lutsen, Last Chance Gallery, too, which also exhibits the work of local and regional artists, from fiber art to pottery.
The Cross River Heritage Center in Schroeder is featuring the photography of Larry and Linda Dunlap through Oct. 3. In other news from the Heritage Center, David Hahn will teach drawing and watercolor classes Sept. 12-13. Call 663-7706 for more info and to register.
If you’re on your way down Highway 61 on Saturday, stop off at Knife River and catch the Knife River Art & Music Festival at the Knife River Lutheran Church. It will be quite an event this year with poets reading their work and musicians playing from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be food and open houses at the Dale Burton Forge, Laura Stone’s mosaic studio, the studios of Patricia Canelake and Frank Sanders, Lawrence Jones, Brad Nelson Jewelry and Playing With Yarn.
The Sivertones, with John Gruber and Liz Sivertson, play at 3 p.m . Other musicains include Arna Rennan and Georganne Hunter (Nordic music), Jim Madison, Billy Southern and Stone Circle, to name a few. Poets include Louis Jenkins, Sheila Packa, Bart Sutter and Ellie Schoenfeldt. For more info, visit www.kniferivermusicfestival.org.
There is lots of music again this weekend. Tres Amigos are playing at the GunFlint Tavern on Friday and Saturday nights and at the Landing on Sunday evening.
Singer/songwriter Michael Monroe will play at the Eight Broadway Stage from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The concert is free.
Red Gallager, who has been playing at the Birch Terrace over the Labor Day weekend for years, is back again this year. He’ll be playing at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Rod N Real play the Birch Terrace Deck on Sunday afternoon.
Tom Eckert is at the Howlin’ Wolf on Saturday night and Jim Hall plays at the Tavern on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
And this the last weekend of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. Show times are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Todd Sylvester
There are interesting art events happening up at the WTIP studios, too. Todd Sylvester is creating three mosaics at the front of the building to tell the story about how the radio station reaches homes all over the region 24/7. He is using objects donated by listeners as well as some of his own work. Stop by and see the work in progress. He hopes to be finished by the end of next week.
