Duluth Band Profile: Kaylee Matuszak
Kaylee Matuszak’s aspirations for music began on the playground. With the release of her debut Stirring Skies, she isn’t stopping anytime soon. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Empty Bowls
It was good to go to the Empty Bowl event tonight. For $20, every year, I get a handmade pottery piece. I have more than a half a dozen of these small bowls holding change and keys and so on. I also get soup — tastings of clam chowder, chicken spaetzle, chicken noodle from the best restaurants in Duluth. A local food pantry receives the cash.
And this year, among the bowls, there was what appears to be a spoon rest for the stove top, or possibly a small bowl for after-dinner chocolates, or possibly just a cool thing. (See picture.)
If you know OAR, the signature on the back, mention I adore the work. It made me so happy. If OAR is a practicing artist, I’ll edit this to add info. Love the work.
Empty bowl was a salve. Empty Bowl reminds me that I can do the right thing, I can make positive change, in a way that rewards me and the world. Hoping for more of that.
Bent Paddle bends into Wisconsin
Duluth’s Bent Paddle Brewing has announced a partnership with Dean Distributing of Green Bay. The relationship will expand the availability of Bent Paddle’s beer into the Wisconsin counties of Ashland, Iron, Oneida, Vilas, Forest, Langlade and Price.
Distribution to those areas will begin this week with events marking the expansion. On Wednesday, April 12, representatives from Bent Paddle will be offering samplings in Rhinelander at Trig’s Cellar from 3 to 5 p.m., followed by a tap event at Bucketheads Sports Bar & Grill from 6 to 8 p.m.
There will be more samples in Hurley on Thursday, April 13, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Town and Country Liquor and at the Ashland Super One Liquor from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 14.
Postcard from the Hiawatha
The stamp was removed from the back of this postcard, and the postmark went with it, but it appears to be circa the 1960s. The caption reads: “Daily excursions during season from Grand Portage, Minn., to Isle Royale National Park. For further information write the Sivertson Bros., in Grand Portage or Duluth, Minnesota.” (more…)
UMD Profile: Matthew Knudson
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
For a digital storytelling class in the journalism program at the University of Minnesota Duluth, junior Kevin Ott produced this short profile of senior Matthew Knudson. (more…)
Gin Street – “High Life”
Duluth band Gin Street released a two-song cassette in February titled Singles. The opening track, “High Life,” is featured in this new music video.
“We made it with an old box television set and no money,” says director Quentin Stille. “Also shouts out the titular beer, High Life, which we are all trying to live.”
Gin Street plays May 6 at Blacklist Artisan Ales during the Homegrown Music Festival and June 11 at Beaner’s Central during Pete Fest.
Lake Superior Surfing Near Lester River
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
Jasper Meddock Productions shot this video at the mouth of the Lester River in Duluth on April 10. The song is “How Low” by José González.
Duluth Band Profile: Mama’s Stolen Horses
Kristoffer and Abby Jo Robin of Mama’s Stolen Horses steal the stage with their bend of folk and Americana. But, it’s how Abby Jo stole Kristoffer’s heart that keeps this duo alive. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Hungry Jack Lake Moose Rescue
Members of the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department, along with several area residents, rescued a moose that had fallen through ice 100 yards from shore this morning on Hungry Jack Lake, about 30 miles north of Grand Marais. Forrest Parson, owner of Hungry Jack Lodge, tells the story in the audio clip above from WTIP North Shore Community Radio.
Birth of a Blog: Back-to-Back Mornings at Duluth Coffee Spots
It was probably midwinter when I decided on starting a blog. But as with most things, I hadn’t felt enough motivational surge to pull the trigger and actually do it. With the coming of spring I finally found the well and pumped myself up for back-to-back mornings at two of my favorite hometown hangouts. On the hunt for good vibes, yummy breakfast food, the world wide web and a cup (or three) of coffee, my plan was to spend the majority of both days two-fold: putting together a website and taking photos in anticipation of somehow capturing the weekend in a blog to gain some much needed content. (more…)
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Tape
High-concept video by Dave Johnson.
Electronic magazines published in the Duluth area
I’ve been thinking about the energy and quality writing that have gone into electronic magazines in our region. There are the two I have looked at lately — Split Rock Review and New Theory. What publications am I missing? (more…)
Bjorklund half-marathon entry auction to benefit Damiano
Once again Security Jewelers is auctioning one of its sponsor entries to the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon on eBay. This year the proceeds will go to the Damiano Center, a Duluth nonprofit that provides emergency services to low-income and homeless people. The auction ends April 13 at noon.
Lottery registration for the 2017 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon closed Oct. 31. The race is at capacity with 7,000 participants. The entry cost via the lottery was $95. Typically the auction price lands around $225, but the previous time the Damiano Center was the charity of choice the entry raised $1,000.
Vulgar Graffiti
The most common word in graffiti is “fuck.” It often appears by itself — a single word left for others to ponder for decades or else paint over. It is probably meant to express general dissatisfaction with life. An expanded version of the sentiment might read: “I wish to say ‘fuck you’ to every random person who passes here. Such is my anger with the state of affairs in this world and the specific circumstances I deal with in my personal life. Though most people are not necessarily responsible for the things that upset me, I nonetheless hold everyone in contempt.”
It is also not uncommon to see the word “shit” spray painted as a one-word message, which leads me to believe the act of graffiti is often more about exercising the ability to be profane in a public and semi-permanent way than about getting across an idea. At least, I hope so. It seems unlikely that graffiti artists write “fuck” and “shit” as instructions to encourage public fornication and defecation. If they did, they could be much clearer by writing, for example, “shit here.”
There are actual graffiti artists who paint brilliant and thought-provoking murals on concrete pillars, the sides of train cars and so on, but their rebel collages are a bit less common than the scribbled words of the artistically challenged. (more…)
Rachael Kilgour in City Pages
Duluth’s Rachel Kilgour plays the Aster Café River Room in Minneapolis on April 8. She shared the story behind her new songs over tea and a light dinner in Uptown with Youa Vang for a story in City Pages:
Rachael Kilgour stands up for herself on ‘Rabbit in the Road’
Power to the Peeps
Selfless promotion: my family and friends created this art while I was working. Check it out, on display at Hannah Johnson Fabrics in Lakeside. (more…)
Selective Focus: Kirsten Aune
Kirsten Aune just hung a show of her bright, colorful work at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 835 W. College St. She talks about her process and inspiration.
K.A.: I work on cloth to create wall-hangings, garments, toys, table linens, hand bags, lampshades, quilts and lots of other goodies. I create original designs using stencils I cut by hand and then I arrange my visual compositions using bold blocks of color and repeat designs. I have also been using silkscreens to create yardage. However, I have been limited to one color for my designs. I will be implementing a rail system that will enable me to line up multiple screens which will open up more dynamic designs using this medium. Recently, I have been projecting my designs in installations in Duluth, Bergen, Norway and Aarhus, Denmark. Currently, I am planning to incorporate some digital animation for an exhibition at the Nordic Center in the fall. (more…)
Walking My Portrait Home
Retrieving my portrait from the Duluth Art Institute, where it had been part of artist Sarah Brokke’s “Portrait of an Artist” show. On the walk home I stopped a few places, got my taxes done, and had some drinks. That’s my friend Troy there at the end.
The official invite to the Duluth Film Collective
Do you love talking about movies? Or are you a filmmaker? Do you live in or around Duluth? If so, this will be right up your alley.
The Duluth Film Collective was launched by award-winning Duluth screenwriter Matthew Dressel and, as any member can tell you, it’s great to be around such enthusiastic people. But don’t take my word for it! Dressel himself explains the whole group much better in the video above.
Interested? Awesome. The Film Collective meets regularly through its Meetup page. Sign up, find a day that works and join the fun!
Where to dump road salt and dirt in Duluth
The spring ritual of sweeping up excess road salt from sidewalks, curbs and boulevards leaves some Duluthians wondering what they are supposed to do with their bucket of grit.
The city of Duluth’s communications office recommends four dump sites. (more…)
Spring 2017 Duluth-area Beer Festival Primer
The United States now boasts over 5,000 craft breweries as the thirst for quality beer continues. The Twin Ports are clearly part of the trend. Duluth and Superior are home to eight breweries, with two more planning to launch in 2017. Several others dot the north and south shores of Lake Superior. The great news for beer aficionados: there’s no shortage of local beer and opportunities to taste the latest batches. The next three major swillfests are highlighted here.
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Duluth Band Profile: Jacob Mahon
Jacob Mahon developed his songwriting skills playing bars and backyards across central Minnesota. Since his arrival to Duluth, he’s learned how a single compliment goes a long way. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Costello Block rubble of 2007; Wieland Block of 2017
The top photo is from April 5, 2007; the bottom is from the same spot on April 5, 2017.
Ten years ago the Costello Block was a pile of bricks, brownstone and timber at 22-24 E. Superior St. It was demolished to make way for A&L Properties’ redevelopment and expansion of the Wieland Block, which incorporated two century-old structures to the east of the Costello Block — the Hayes Block and the Wieland Block, shown in both images above. (more…)
The view from Duluth’s “House of Rock”
Perhaps second only to Glensheen Mansion in fame among Duluth homes is the Arthur and Ella Cook House at 501 W. Skyline Parkway. For those who have looked at the property and wondered what the view of the city is like from that bluestone stairway, the postcard above offers an illustrated perspective from roughly the 1930s. (more…)