Brian Barber
Selective Focus: St. Louis River Alliance Virtual Art Show
The St. Louis River Alliance is posting photos, poems, illustrations or other art inspired by the St. Louis River and Lake Superior to its Facebook page. The organization will have a virtual art show on its website on April 21.
Artists and writers can submit creations until Wednesday, April 15. Send submissions to stlouisriveralliance@gmail.com. Include the image, along with your name, title of the piece, location of the piece and any further details you want shared.
Links:
Facebook page with more info
St. Louis River Alliance website
Selective Focus: Kari Halker-Saathoff
Scheduled to open at the Duluth Art Institute, but postponed to a date to be determined later, is the work of Kari Halker-Saathoff. She combines methods such as ceramics and graphite drawings to reinterpret stories from the point of view of lesser-known characters. In the DAI show, she explores Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, her situation in The Odyssey, and connections to modern-day events.
KHS: I am a multidisciplinary artist and educator. My teaching role requires me to be well versed in all of the core artistic mediums so I will often combine drawing with ceramics, drawing with sculpture, metalwork with ceramics and so forth.
I’m very inspired by stories, although reading was always a struggle for me. I have dyslexia that went undiagnosed until I was in college. After being diagnosed, the literary world opened up to me. Stories became my drug and — as an artist — my mind went wild illustrating the stories in my head. I soon discovered that the heroes of narratives were not always the most interesting characters and that I was more interested in “minor” characters — often female ones. Those were the characters who spoke to me and to my struggles.
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Selective Focus: Virtual Cinema from the Zinema
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnTRcRtlML8
Tired of the choices on Netflix and Amazon? Zeitgeist and Zinema and doing some innovative programming; you can buy a pass and they will email you a link to see a streaming movie. View it with or without the chat comments of other viewers. They streamed one of the absolute worst movies I’ve ever seen on Wednesday, Love on a Leash. I won’t go into it, but it was bad. But the experience was fun, and organizer Matt Dressel was modeling it after a Midnight Movies event where the expectation is that the movie sucks, the entertainment is crowd reactions. As terrible as the movie was, the virtual event was a hit. The programming also includes movies that aren’t terrible.
Zinema’s April 3 feature is a film by a local director, Gravedigger Dave’s Halfway House. Filmmaker Keith Hopkins will also be doing a Q&A. (more…)
Selective Focus: The Big Coloring Book of First Avenue
You or your kids who are stuck at home can color your own versions of Minnesota musicians including Lizzo, Babes in Toyland, the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Har Mar Superstar, Trampled by Turtles, and of course, Prince.
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Selective Focus: Sue Rauschenfels
Painter Sue Rauschenfels uses bold shapes and rich, colorful textures to define the people and objects in her watercolor and acrylic work. She has a show scheduled for April – July at the Duluth Art Institute Corridor Gallery. This week in Selective Focus, she gives a preview of the show and talks about the ideas that go into her work.
SR: I began painting fulltime in my home studio after retiring from the University of Minnesota Duluth Continuing Education department in 2009. My studies in Sociology, Criminology and Psychology influence my subject matter as does my love of nature and the outdoors.
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Selective Focus: Virtual Duluth
Started on Facebook by Matt Dressel, Virtual Duluth is people posting live, streaming arts and music happenings.
Selective Focus: #perfectduluthday
It’s been a tough week – daylight savings, changing seasons and lots of ice and mud, Friday the 13th, not to mention current events. Take a step back from it all, and we’ll enjoy a few recent #perfectduluthdays.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9MgZZxHW4n/
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Selective Focus: Twin Ports Terror
If you’re into spooky stuff, horror, or Halloween, you may be interested in a new project, Twin Ports Terror: A Haunted Duluth publication. It may seem a bit out of season as Spring approaches, but organizer Brooke Zarn fills in the details, and explains that they’re hoping to gather written and visual material before Halloween.
What is it?
Twin Ports Terror is an effort by the curators of the Haunted Duluth website (Matt Rasmussen, Sean Zarn and Brooke Zarn) to provide a platform for local writers and artists to share their stories, poems, artwork and photography within the horror genre. These items will be published on the Haunted Duluth website starting on Half-Halloween (the end of April), and continuing on as the Halloween season approaches. We’ll also look to host some story-telling events and perhaps publish a printed zine if there’s enough interest.
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Selective Focus: Random Critters
Instagram
66 likes, 0 comments - richhoeg on July 21, 2019: "Our Yard Raccoon waiting for dark. It hangs out in a big white pine about 30 yards from our deck
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#raccoon
#wildlifephotography
#wildlife
#mammals
#puppies
#captureminnesota
#captureduluth
#destinationduluth
#lakesuperiorland".
instagram.com
Select Instagram photo of various critters. (more…)
Selective Focus: Josh Rude
Josh Rude’s work through his company Glørud Design (his family’s original Norwegian name), is probably most visible in the stylish paddles he’s been making and selling at various locations around the area. He also works that style and attention to detail into larger and smaller-scale pieces such as cabinets, tables and vases. This week, we look at some other pieces that he has made, and a brief history of his path as a woodworker.
JR: Glørud Design is a wood shop in Duluth’s harbor front that focuses on custom woodwork and furniture, as well as paddles for canoe, kayak and stand up paddlers. I’ve been doing this for five years.
I grew up in a small town in northwest Minnesota, where working with your hands was a way of life. I always found great joy in being outdoors, spending time on my grandparents farm or being in the woods. The natural environment was always a draw, setting the stage for my work.
There is not a single route that led me to this work. While in university and graduate school I worked with a small construction company owned by my uncle, giving me an understanding of the use of tools. In the summers I would work as a canoe guide on the Gunflint Trail, setting the stage for paddle making. The first summer I guided is where I also met my wife, Natalie (Studio Haiku), for whom the first paddle was made. (more…)
Selective Focus: Member Show at the DAI
Tonight (Thursday, Feb. 6) from 5-8 p.m. is the opening of the annual Duluth Art Institute Member Show. It’s a great way to see and meet people from around town who make all kids of art. From painting, to sculpture, to photography, to mixed media, there’s a wide variety of mediums and experience on display until March 1 in the Great Hall of the Depot. (more…)
Selective Focus: Elizabeth Pawlik
Liz Pawlik is a self-taught metalsmith, making jewelry under the name “Fond of That.” She describes herself as a “curious, full-fledged dabbler” also exploring photography. Her love of photography shows in the product photos for Fond of That. The pieces thoughtfully displayed, and the textures, scale and unique qualities of each material are beautifully highlighted.
EP: I’m the metalsmith and jewelry designer behind Fond of That. Mere curiosity and the desire to create made me start my self-taught exploration of metalsmithing. I’m drawn to the challenge of turning raw materials into wearable art through the movement of my hands, fire and strength. I will not stop learning, experimenting and adding to my literal and figurative toolbox. You’ll find common shapes in my work, as well as texture, asymmetry and organic flair sprinkled throughout. Mobiles have recently been added to my collection after I created one for my son’s nursery.
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Selective Focus: Yarrow Mead – Silversmith, process video
Yarrow Mead and her jewelry work were featured on Perfect Duluth about one year ago. This video by Keegan Burckhard shows what goes into her process of working with silver.
Links:
Selective Focus: Yarrow Mead
Yarrow Mead Metals
Keegan Burckhard
Selective Focus: Tommy Kronquist
Tommy Kronquist began his career as a graphic designer, and combined his minimal, classic aesthetic with a love of skate / snowboard culture and Lake Superior activities like hiking, biking kayaking and the occasional surf session. His company, The Medium Control is know for screenprinting and apparel with bold, clean graphics. He has a show at the Duluth Art Institute, and will be hosting an opening reception and artist talk Thursday, February 6, 5-8 PM.
TK: I grew up in the country on a hobby farm with horses in Annandale, MN (near st. cloud). Here my love and inspiration of nature was born. I lived outside exploring, creating and building with my brother and friends. My mom worked at Powder Ridge ski area, which somewhat became our daycare while starting skiing at age three. This is where my passion for snow sports thrived. I was heavily inspired and involved with the snowboard / skateboard culture; sports that respect and promote creativity and the individual. A strong innovative community was developed here mainly due to the fact that my friends ran the skate/snow shop in St. Cloud (Sticks / Youth Shelter Supply). My parents were very supportive in my creative outlets and allowed me to travel for snowboarding. Inspired by travel I would get up to Duluth / Spirit Mt. for snowboard competitions and for fun. Which led me to cast my college decision of UMD quite easy with Spirit Mt. being so close.
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Selective Focus: Duluth-area Film Festivals in 2020
If you’re a fan of film or an aspiring filmmaker, here’s a quick list of festivals in the area you can get involved in by attending or submitting your work. Each has a different focus and flavor, but for those interested in the art of filmmaking, there are opportunities for involvement at many of levels beyond being an audience member. (more…)
Selective Focus: Carly Jandl
Carly Jandl is an artist still exploring all the options, currently working in painting and jewelry. She also helps others get their work in front of an audience by hosting pop-up events. This week in Selective Focus we get a close-up view of her small-scale artwork and bigger goals.
CJ: Northern Exposure Art is an ever-changing endeavor. My passion began with acrylic painting, and slowly continues to morph as I find other projects to satisfy my creative brain. I am currently focused on commissioned paintings, crafting rainbow earrings, and designing logos. I basically take whatever my creativity tells me to do and run with it. (more…)
Selective Focus: Sid Boyum
Sid Boyum was born in Duluth in 1914, and lived most of his life in Madison, WI. He was an industrial photographer, graphic artist, folk artist, and sculptor. (more…)
Selective Focus: Santa Claus
Instagram
19 likes, 0 comments - cascadevacationrentals on November 29, 2019: "An impending snowstorm didn’t stop Santa from arriving in Lutsen for #lightuplutsen this afternoon! The Christmas season kicks off in both #lutsen and #grandmarais with Oh Ole Night today!".
instagram.com
Select Instagram images of jolly old St. Nick. (more…)
Selective Focus: Michelle Truax
Michelle Truax has worked at TV stations, for the Duluth News Tribune as a videographer and journalist, and is now on her own doing advertising and documentary work for her own clients. Her videos are filled with gorgeous camera work. This week in Selective Focus Michelle talks about how she started and how she got to where she is in her career.
MT: I’d consider myself a visual storyteller with an emphasis on video. Most recently, I’ve been producing promotional video content for clients in the Twin Ports area.
I really love working in a short documentary style. As a kid, Thanksgivings were spent following my mom around the kitchen with a big Sony camcorder. She wasn’t particularly fond of this tradition, but I figured the drama made for better TV. I’ve always loved capturing all the little, human moments.
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Selective Focus: Thanksgiving Weekend Snowout 2019
Small Business Saturday was essentially snowed out. The snow stopped falling on Sunday around noon. According to the National Weather Service, Duluth received 21.7 inches — the ninth snowiest two-day storm in the city’s history. (more…)
Selective Focus: Holiday Pop-ups
The Thanksgiving weekend blizzard wreaked havoc on Small Biz Saturday and some of the Pop-Ups in town, but we have tried to update this list with the rescheduled events.
These are the true “get ’em while you can” offerings, pop-up markets where a wide variety of art, food products, clothing products and more are on display. There are usually snacks, maybe some hot chocolate, and lots of other people milling about, so the atmosphere is a lot more fun that adding things to your online cart.
Some are small, some are huge. Each market has its own vibe, check the websites and event pages for special instructions on parking, hours etc.
Let us know what markets we’ve missed in the comments, or by sending an email.
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Selective Focus: Drinksgiving Storm of 2019
Instagram
193 likes, 1 comments - morganann987 on November 27, 2019: "It’s only 9am and he’s already been outside for two hours. I think it’s safe to say he loves the snow ❄️".
instagram.com
The city of Duluth is advising no unnecessary travel until further notice. “Plows are out in full force, but warm ground temperatures and rain have forced drivers to use chains to travel safely,” states a news release from the city’s communications office. “Please respect plow drivers and maintain a safe distance behind them.”
Meanwhile, here are a few of the sexier pics on Instagram. (more…)