The Northwoods Fiber Guild show opens at the Johnson Heritage Post June 26.

The Northwoods Fiber Guild opens it’s biennial show with a reception on Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the Johnson Heritage Post. The show features more than 100 pieces of fiber art, from handmade socks to tapestries, felted hats to silk scarves, just to mention a few of the items crafted by the talented members of the guild.

The show is also considered a giving-back-to-the-community by the Fiber Guild, and members have prepared special hors d’oeurves for the occasion. Needless to say, it’s an event that shouldn’t be missed.

Everything in the show is handmade, including these socks.

Also this weekend, the Grand Marais Playhouse’s production of  the thriller, “The Final Twist” with Nathan Borka, Bob Carter and Molly Hicken, opened at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts for a two-weekend run. The opening was Thursday night with an after-play reception  with the cast sponsored by Lola’s Sweet Life Bakery. The play is a must … after all, with a cast like that, how could you mss?

Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday June 25-28 & July 2-5. For tickets, call 387-1284 or on the Web.

Another exhibit is opening this weekend — the photography of Anders Bjorling at the Cross River Heritage Ccnter. The opening is Friday, June 26. Bjorling will talk about his photography at the opening reception, which is from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center in Schroeder. He has traveled throughout the world, including a trip to Iceland with Ely photographer Jim Brandeburg. He also has many images from Sweden and Norway. The exhibit will be up through the summer.

Music this weekend includes Chastity Brown at the Gunflint Tavern starting at 9 p.m. Friday and Joe Paulik at the Eight Broadway Stage at 1 p.m. Saturday and at the Tavern at 8 p.m. Sunday.  And there’s a 50s & 60s Weekend at the Grand Portage Casin0 Friday and Saturday nights.

The Grand Marais Art Colony’s Saturday Community Art event this week will focus on learning to draw with Sandi Pillsbury Gredzens. It’s $5 to cover the cost of materials and is from 9 m. to 11:30 a.m. Sandi asks that if you have a small object you would like to draw, you should bring it so that she can help you draw it.

And Betty Hemstad will be signing her fantastic wildflower book at Drury Lane Books at 5 p.m. on Saturday. She will also talk about how the book evolved after years of photographing wildflowers.

For those travelling to Duluth this weekend, the two-day Park Point Art Fair is this weekend and is usually a pretty spectacular affair, especially if the weather is great. The white tents are all set up near the end of the Point.

Here’s something to look forward to: Randy Lee, saxophone player for the Big Time Jazz Orchestra in Duluth, will be guest musician for the launching of a new Wednesday night Summer Jazz Series at Caribou Highlands from 6:30-9 p.m. starting July 1. Lee will perform with the Sky Blue Trio (Mike DeBevec, piano,  Nathan Baker, bass and Brett Jones, drums.) Check it out.

And last, but not least, Corgi worlds.

Painter Tim Young is developing a series of  fantastical paintings about Corgis, a Welsh herding dog. Young is sharing many of his latest paintings on his Facebook page, but you can find them all in their high-definition glory on his blog.

Corgis Below the Surface

Tim’s tongue-in-cheek explanation for “Corgis-Below-the-Surface” –

“July of every year, packs of corgis mysteriously appear below the surface of the Grand Marais Harbor. They swim and dance below the waves like fat otters. Fat, slow otters. Fat, slow otters without tails or webbed feet. OK, not much like otters at all. But they seem to enjoy it.”

Detail "Corgis Below the Surface"

Detail: Corgis below the surface

Here’s another in the Corgi series. He calls it “Corgis in Grand Marais.”

Tim: “Those crazy Corgis. They come up north in their gas-guzzling station wagons and take all the best parking spots. They’re cute though.”

Detail: Corgis in Grand Marais

Detail: Corgis in Grand Marais

Young has a show coming up at the Johnson Heritage Post at the end of July but hasn’t decided yet if he’ll include these paintings or not.

His “regular” work can be seen at the Angry Trout and the Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen.

It’s a fun show with all kinds of work from the wide variety of talented artists living in the Hovland area. 

Here are a few examples of the work you’ll see. The Heritage Post is open Thursday through Sunday afternoons until 4 p.m. Check it out!

Joel Lewis' "Angry Trout."

Sandy Updyke's "Baby Fox."

Lou Pignolet's "Stunning Bark Rim Birch."

Virginia Danfelt's "Wave Crest." a hand-painted photo.

Lee Ross' "Bremen Town Musicians 2."

Maxene Linehan's "Beijing Opera," recycled wood & styrofoam.

Neil Sherman's "Hovland Dock."

Barb Wiltz' "Fern Shadows."

Mary Jo Flack's "Leather Vases." She also has a selection of pyrographic art.

Julie Kean's "Red Osier Dogwood with Lake Superior Driftwood."

David Hahn's "Point Waves."

Terry Lewis' "Wind Chime."

 
The Hovland Artists Group show opens at the Johnson Heritage Post Friday, May 8 with a reception from 5-7 p.m. The artists are pictured above and include, first row from left, Sandy Updyke, Terry Lewis, Mary Jo Flack, Julie Kean and Virginia Danfelt. Second row: Bruce Updyke, Lou Pignolet, Barb Wiltz, Maxine Linehan, Lee Ross, Dan Ross, Joel Lewis, and David Hahn. Not pictured: Neil Sherman. The show will feature a wide variety of work including oil and watercolor paintings, photography, pottery, baskets, woodcrafts, jewelry and more. The public is invited. The Johnson Heritage Post gallery hours are from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday through June 1.

Also this weekend, “The Roadhouse,” which is aired on WTIP Community Radio  every Friday from  5-7 p.m.,  will feature an interview with Mike Berg  about the Fishing Opener this weekend and an interview with city officials in Ely about their bid for the Summer Olympics. (!) Trail’s End band will also be on the show. The Roadhouse is hosted by Bob Carter and Buck Benson.

The Full Moon Reading around the fire at Drury Lane Books will be from 5-6 p.m. Saturday. Bring your own work or others’ work to share.

For music this weekend, check out Pete Kavanaugh playing solo acoustic at the GunFlint Tavern on Saturday starting at 8 p.m. 

Max Bechel will be playing at The Pie Place for Mother’s Day on Sunday between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. All of your favorite restaurants in the county are open for Mother’s Day and many offer special menus. Call  them for more information.

If you have an item for ArtScene, e-mail me at joan.farnam@gmail.com.

I

There's lots of stuff happening at the Grand Marais Jazz Festival.

The Grand Marais Jazz Festival is on Memorial Day weekend this year, May 22-24. For the complete schedule of concerts and more, visit www.grandmaraisjazzfest.com. There are lots of other activities planned for galleries and other venues during the event, too, including live music.  Sivertson Gallery kicks off the festival with the Si!vertones on Friday night. The Spring Underground Show featuring work by more than 40 local artists opens at Betsy Bowen’s Studio Saturday, May 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jazzman Chris Gillis will play. And the Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen will feature Gordon Thorne on Sunday afternoon from 2-5 p.m. The gallery will have hand-painted canvas rugs and hand-painted canvas place mats by Fran Rubinstein of Milwaukee and hand-dyed and assembled clothing by Deborah Murphy of California as well as new work by gallery artists.

The Clearwater Hot Club will play at the Gunflint Tavern May 22-23, and Michael Monroe will hold a Log Cabin Concert May 23. For info, e-mail mm@michaelmonroe.info.

This pyrographic (fire-writing) piece by Mary Jo Flack entitled "Hidden Strength" will be exhibited at a show of Hovland artists at the Johnson Heritage Post. The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. May 8.

Also this month, 13 Hovland artists will have a show at the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery with oil and watercolor paintings, photography, pottery, baskets, woodcrafts, jewelry and more. Participating artists include Dan and Lee Ross, Mary Jo Flack, Virginia Danfelt, David Hahn, Julie Kean, Joel Lewis, Terry Lewis, Maxine Linehan, Lou Pignolet, Sandy Updyke, Bruce Updyke and Barb Wiltz. The show opens Friday, May 8 with a reception from 5-7 p.m. The Grand Marais Playhouse will hold auditions for two plays this month: “The Final Twist,” May 12 at 6:30, and “Some Enchanted Evening,” a collection of songs from Rogers and Hammerstein, May 14 at 6:30. Scripts are available at the office, which is open 9-4 weekdays. Call 387-1284 for more information.

Several local artists have handmade jewelry at the Lake Superior Trading Post including Val MacFarlane, Jan Johnson, Katherine Hellner and Maryanne Cordes. Copies of “Becoming a Boundary Waters Family:Woods Wisdom Shared by the Outfitters of the Gunflint Trail,” published by the Gunflint Trail Association with illustrations and activities by Kelly Dupre, graphic design by Kathy Hellner and edited by Sue Ahrendt, are available at the store as well as Tim Cochrane’s latest, “Minong – The Good Place; Isle Royale.” The forward is by Norman Deschampe, chairman of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Drury Lane Books opens for the season May 1. Story Hour with the Muffin Man will be held Saturdays at 1 p.m. The first Full Moon Reading will be from 5-6 p.m. May 9, outside around the fire. On Saturday, May 23 at 5 p.m., author Mary Ellen Ashcroft will launch the season’s Salon, reading from her book “Dogspell” and discussing reading and writing. The Salon continues on May 30 with Bonnie Bhallbetter and Arvid Lloyd Williams reading from their book series, Sophie’s Hawk and Hawk’s Quest.

"Cascade Cedars" by Mark Tessier. Tessier shows his work at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais.

Stepan Hoglund will be exhibiting photographs of Oaxaca, Mexico at the GunFlint Tavern this month.

Kah Nee Tah Gallery in Lutsen has new work by three regional potters: Donna Best of Webster, Wis., Kerry Brooks of Minneapolis and Bridget Donahue of Excelsior. Potter Bryan Johnson of Bayfield, Wis., is new to the gallery this year.

Raku potter Kristi Downing has just returned from a workshop on naked raku and alternative firings in Arizona. She will be holding a number of raku workshops at North House Folk School this summer.

Pleine air painter Neil Sherman was one of the artists featured in the St. Paul Art Crawl this year.

Duluth potter Karin Kraemer will teach a 2-day workshop on painting tiles with colorful majolica glazes at the Grand Marais Art Colony May 16-17. She will also hold a Paint-A-Tile fun night at the Art Colony on Friday, May 15. Cost is $10. The public is invited. For workshop information, call the Art Colony at 387-2737.

Three new workshops will be held at the Grand Marais Art Colony in May. Duluth potter Karin Kraemer will teach a workshop on making colorful tiles May 16-17, award-winning watercolorist Howard Sivertson will give a week-long painting workshop May 25-29 and Minnesota potter Bob Briscoe will spend a weekend throwing pots and talking about them May 29-30 (He has asked for 250 pounds of clay to throw). A public reception is set for May 28 from 5-7 p.m. For more information, see www.grandmaraisartcolony.org or call 218-387-2737. The Attic has received new handmade journals, handmade walking sticks by Roger Williams of Missouri and hand-blown glass decorative vases.

A new multimedia exhibit, “Poverty in Thunder Bay: This Is Realty” opened at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in Thunder Bay, Ontario and continues through May 17. Other exhibits at the gallery include “Cascade,” a multimedia installation by Roly Martin, ”Immortal — Recent Meditations by Atikokan’s Joseph Fredrick, through June 14; and selections from the art gallery’s permanent collection.

The reggae band Rock Steady Saturday May 2,from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. on the main stage at the Fort William Gardens as part of the Thunder Bay Multicultural Centre's Folklore Festival. They will play two sets heavy on danceable Jamiacan reggae grooves

Also in Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association’s Folklore Festival 2009 featuring great music, food, exhibits, children’s activities and more will be held at Fort William Gardens May 2-3 starting at noon May 2. One of the bands which will be playing Rock Steady, which plays reggae in the style of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Band members include Clay Breiland on guitar and lead vocals,Rory Bohler on bass, Dave Campbell on drums and vocals and Gord Ellis on guitar and vocals. For more info, see http://www.folklorefestival.ca/.