Jessica Morgan
Selective Focus: Brenna del Junco’s Knit and Crochet Creations
Brenna del Junco in front of a yarn display in her new store, Moki Stitches. (Photo by Jess Morgan)
Before moving to Duluth, Brenna del Junco ran a yarn store in Toronto. One of her creations can be found at the Museum of Human History in Ottawa, while others are modeled and worn by loved ones. Whether she is creating a knitted sweater for her dog Button, preparing a stitch pattern to share with others, or piecing together a teeny tiny gnome, she is often spotted with a project in hand. Check out the interview below about her creations and new store, Moki Stitches, that is opening in Duluth. (more…)
Selective Focus: Brad the Sheep
A painting of Brad the Sheep by Annmarie Genuisz.
In the fall of 2024, Brad the Sheep was sold by a farm in Carlton to a farm in Two Harbors. Determined to return home, he wandered the North Shore of Lake Superior, through Duluth and back to Carlton. The journey spanned three weeks — from Oct. 29 to Nov. 20. Along the way, Braaaaaaaaaaad was occasionally spotted. Photos and videos appeared on social media — most famously of Brad tromping along the rocky shore at Brighton Beach. A series of Brad-based memes hit the internet at the end of 2024, and two children’s books were published in early 2025 telling Brad’s story.
For this edition of “Selective Focus” we’ve brought back an interview with Brad’s owner, Ryan Osvold, conducted shortly after his return home last year. For imagery we’ve added some of the altered photos from an anonymous source, speculating about all the places Brad wandered to during his 40-mile journey. (more…)
Selective Focus: Emma Warmanen’s Chain-mail Accessories
A chain mail necklace made by Emma Warmanen, worn at the Dollhaus event at The Main Club on June 21. The headpiece worn by the model was created by Cherry Koch. (Photo by Jess Morgan)
Duluthians who attended the Dollhaus event this past June, or wandered to a punk or clown-themed show in the area, may have spotted one of Emma Warmanen’s chain mail pieces. What started as a project to create budget-friendly chain-mail pieces for herself turned into a practice of crafting additional pieces for fashion shows, local artists and selling to customers in large cities from her Etsy page. Read more about Warmanen’s designs and process in the interview below. (more…)
Selective Focus: Birdie Knox-Rose’s Mixed-Media Art
Birdie Knox-Rose at Studio Café. (Photo by Jess Morgan)
Churning curiosity and feelings into art since a child, Birdie Knox-Rose has explored many different mediums on a path toward healing. Whether creating dolls out of several different textile materials, dioramas out of found objects or exploring encaustic painting, many of her pieces center around authenticity, finding a place in the world or speaking gently to a younger self. She shares more about her work and upcoming gallery display, below. (more…)
Selective Focus: Kai Murphy’s Visual Art
Working mostly with Copic markers, digital drawings and occasional oil paints, Kai Murphy has created commissioned artwork for Duluth Superior Pride, Trans Northland, the H.O.T.D.I.S.H. Militia and more. Murphy started their practice making fan art in online communities, and has since branched out from there. Readers can view their artwork and learn more in the interview, below: (more…)
Selective Focus: Puppets and Poetry with Promontory Palace
Atlas posing at Studio Cafe with one of his puppet heads. Photo by Jess Morgan.
Since moving to Duluth from the South about two years ago, Atlas, or the artist behind Promontoy Palace, has been interweaving his solo artistic practice into local arts projects. His work can be found at the upcoming Dollhaus event, as well as an upcoming show in August at Studio Cafe. He utilizes puppets, poetry, paintings and ambient music to tell stories through a variety of mediums. To learn more about his current and upcoming work, check out the recent interview below. (more…)
Selective Focus: Reverie with Kathryne Ford
Utilizing a variety of different mediums, including mirrors, projection, paint and a mold made for her actual teeth, Kathryne Ford curated “Reverie,” an installation exploring “thoughts and visions that rattle through my mind at 2 a.m.” The exhibit, containing images and objects nostalgic to childhood, are intended to make the audience feel both “lost and found,” said Ford, as “surreal moments are in a real medium.” To learn more about the Reverie art installation, open at Prøve Art Gallery through June 21, check out the interview with Ford below. (more…)
Selective Focus: Robert Wildwood’s Outdoor Poetry
Outside the Poetry Dome in Chester Park. (Photo by Jess Morgan)
Duluthians wandering through Hillside-neighborhood parks or using the bus may have stumbled upon one of Robert Wildwood’s poetry collections hanging from a tree, or in other precarious or magical places. Wildwood shares about his latest outdoor poetry display in the interview below. (more…)
Selective Focus: Alex (Alby) Breilein’s Family Portraits
Inspired by time spent sifting through family albums, Alex (Alby) Breilein creates photo-drawing collages from old photographs. The drawings are from snapshots taken before Breilein was born or formed memories. “I never knew them, yet they are a part of me,” she says of her grandparents’ pictures. Her artwork can be viewed at Wussow’s Concert Cafe throughout the month of June. Below is a recent interview with Breilein, as well as photos taken at her recent exhibit at Hemlocks Leatherworks: (more…)