Art
Tremont Hotel
Poem by Sheila Packa; video by Kathy McTavish.
PDD Banners
On June 29 PDD will be awarding $100 to the person who submits the best new banner. Everyone who has submitted one since Jan. 1 will be eligible. Pre-2013 banners will be pulled from rotation on June 29, but will be kept in archival storage and maintained by nice librarians with white cotton gloves at Google Plus. Banners from 2005-2009 can be found here.
We’re also looking for new Homegrown banners. Those submissions will be eligible for the same $100 prize. For full details on banner submissions, click here. The basic info is the image must be 960 pixels wide by 167 pixels high. The Perfect Duluth Day logo will be added by PDD’s art department. Send them to banners @ perfectduluthday.com
Poetry Motel’s Don’t Know Shit
Patrick McKinnon’s Poetry Motel released Don’t Know Shit on Bandcamp the other day.
Perfect Duluth Sound
The “Lake Superior ice sheets breaking at Brighton Beach” post reminded me how much I want some clean recordings of the amazing things the lake does with its ice. Does anyone in our PDD community have some field recording gear (418, 702 or the like)? And would this person be willing to head out on a sound hunt for these phenomena? We could barter some of my recordings or work something out. That crazy ice stuff just doesn’t happen in Seattle. I was back in Duluth in December with gear, but the conditions weren’t right. Here’s hoping…
Merch Madness
Kate and I walked downtown for Merch Madness and we found some friendly shopkeepers, some great deals, and some yummy food. (more…)
Magic Smelt Workshops
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The smelt are coming!
The Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe is pleased to announce the opening of our 2013 Smelt Run Puppet Parade workshop, at 134 W. 1st St, between Pineapple Arts and Bella Flora! (more…)
Everyone in the arts was out last night
There were openings at Ochre Ghost, Washington Gallery, and Prøve. I spent the night at Prøve listening to Snöbarn.
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Local artist is IFP new media finalist
Catherine Meier, new media artist and local filmmaker, is a finalist for the Independent Filmmaker Project New Media Project Grant. Only one of these is awarded for the whole state. (more…)
4x photo submission deadline extended
The 4x (meaning “4 by” as in 4×6 print, or 4×26 print) exhibit at the Duluth Photography Institute has extended the deadline for its call for submissions until Monday, March 4. This exhibit is open to everyone. Just attach your 4xsomething print to a stiff backing, put your name and contact info on the back, and drop it off or mail it to the DPI. We are accepting drop-offs on Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m., and Monday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. For more important details, please see the “Events” page of the DPI website or call Brian at 218.393.2468.
Duluth Art Institute seeking volunteers
If you love art and want to get involved in your community, why not become a Duluth Art Institute volunteer? The DAI is currently seeking individuals to assist in its galleries and to help out with its docent program. Visit the website to learn how you can help out.
Claire Stewart – “Duluth, My Home Town”
A nifty animation by Dave and Jean Kirwan set to a 1961 jingle about our fair city. This took first place in the 2013 Playground Short Shorts Film Festival this weekend.
An official Magic Smelt transmission
Last week, Neptune was spotted by a PDD contributor making various proclomations. If you were wondering what was up, it’s this video. The Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to put on free workshops for people to build puppets, masks and costumes for the Smelt Parade on April 21st.
The Kidnappers Foil: 1938 Duluth Footage
Starting in the 1930s, Melton Barker traveled across the United States filming The Kidnappers Foil for the next 40 years. No, he did not take this long to film one movie, instead he filmed the same movie in every town that he visited, perhaps hundreds of times. I’m not sure if this was part of a “home movie” business plan, or if he was ripping people off with promises of fame, but nonetheless, it’s now part of movie history.
In 1938, he stopped by Duluth to film, and though the main film is missing, there are two scenes featuring Duluthians. Maybe you have a famous grandparent and never knew it? (more…)
David Bowen exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Duluth mixed-media artist and associate professor at UMD David Bowen has his “Underwater 2013” exhibit on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. (more…)
Sea creature proclaims smelt cometh
I saw a commercial being made for the upcoming Smelt Festival while walking in Canal Park today. The sea creature character was booming out a pretty funny pronouncement from the Smelt Queen promising puppetry, puppet making and smelt-y fun in exchange for funding.
It’s stuff like this that makes me love this town.
Seeking: Homegrown Photos
The Homegrown Music Festival is seeking photos from the 2012 festival for use in the Field Guide. Large, print quality photos, please – most camera phone photos are not going to cut it.
Please send photos / more information / mailing address for discs: transistormag [at] gmail [dot] com.
Thank you, fans!
Gage Salyards’ Healing Journey
Duluth photographer Gage Salyards is battling papillary thyroid cancer, but he still has plans to study with one of the most famous and renowned travel photographers on the planet, Trey Ratcliff, in New Zealand. Obviously all of his financial resources of late have been invested into regaining his health, so he’s doing what all the artsy folks are doing these days and reaching out to the Internet for help.
See his gofundme.com campaign to make a donation, and check out his portfolio and more information about his photography at eyeamgage.com.
His workshop begins on Feb 6, so the clock is ticking. As of this posting he is 3/4 of the way to his $10,000 goal.
Women’s Words on KUMD
I love this new(ish) show on KUMD. Check out recordings from past shows here [Jill Hinners, Deborah Cooper, Cheryl Reitan, Sheila Packa, Gail Trowbridge, Meredith Cornett (total self-promotion, please forgive me), and many others!]. “Women’s Words” airs at ~1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Sundays as part of the Women’s Music Show. If you are a (woman) writer willing to do a short reading from your work, they want to hear from you!
“Duluth is Horrible” Casting Call
Everyone’s upcoming least favorite film is having auditions Jan. 30 & Jan. 31. Here is the notice with all the info about the film & characters. If interested, please send me an email with any acting experience you have, a pic, and what roles you prefer. Acting experience isn’t necessary. Just be willing to work and have fun with it. Thanks and I look forward to meeting with you.
Prøof Magazine
Prøof Magazine is proud to announce the online release of its second issue, (re)collection. This issue addresses the role of memory in the creation and perception of art. The issue features a rich variety of contributors, from the poet laureate of the state of Rhode Island to a teenaged graphic designer from Minneapolis. The art and writing within this issue is stark at times, funny at others, but all of it pulls at the threads of time and self, a craft exemplified by the work of the featured artist, Mayumi Amada. The issue is available online in its entirety, free, and, for Duluthians, come by to check out the print version next week at Prøve Gallery.
“Duluth is Horrible” Kickstarter
This February (maybe), filmmaker Vincent Gargiulo will be coming to Duluth to film a short movie titled Duluth is Horrible. Chip into the Kickstarter here, and/or follow the news on their blog.
Prøve Gallery open call for art
Prøve Gallery is seeking artwork for its “Fragility” exhibition, opening Jan. 11. The show is focusing on the beauty, uncertainty and fragility of winter.
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Medium Control Renovation in Canal Park
The Medium Control has an Indiegogo Campaign to help fund the renovation of a new store.
We made an old-school Super8 video so you can learn who and what the Medium Control is and more about the new store renovation in the second floor of a Canal Park building that sat empty for 20 years. We’re so excited to share this with Duluth.
Tommy+Kristy
The Medium Control
Asking for two pieces of advice
Two questions:
First: I am working with a journalism student on a news article and in it, the student mentions that a person used to work at a sporting goods store named CZ Wilson. Does that ring any bells?
Second: My daughter is an artist and has created watercolor paintings on seasonal cards (this is not an ad, don’t worry). Now, she would like to take those cards and have them printed on nice stock paper or whatever I really mean to say. Are there good local printers who do that work that people would recommend?
Thank you.