Art Posts

Carved Stone Project Placement Experiment

Mar 01, 2015 1 Comment

Stoneworker Sean MacManus and I hatched a plan to use his Celtic stonework pieces to fashion an underwater stone garden, geocache, and/or orienteering course. This video is footage of my experiment to test the feasibility of lashing the stones around the base of a boulder. I had two of the stones, each identical with backing mounts affixed with mortar, and I had two ropes. I found this project much more difficult than I imagined, and it failed as a proof of concept as the mortar weakened and would not hold the ropes. This was in addition to simply being deucedly difficult to accomplish even in just a few feet of water. The shot of the stones towards the end by the green leaf is after the mortar failure when I decided to abandon the attempt. I was beat and so left one the stones overnight. The final shot is me retrieving it. After this, I experimented with trying to wedge the stones in place but that didn’t work either. The entire project (still evolving towards this summer) generated a lot of footage of me swimming around enigmatically with these stones, which has already been released here.


Art, Outdoors, Videos

Economic effect of the arts in Minnesota is big

Feb 26, 2015 10 Comments

DSC05985 2A couple weeks ago Creative Minnesota went on a road show to promote the findings of a major study. The data showed the arts have been having a major economic effect in Minnesota. The Arrowhead is the second-most vibrant region, though it is only the fourth largest in population. Here’s more information on what was presented.


Art, Events

Moving the Infinity Stone

Feb 15, 2015 No Comments

Art, Outdoors, Videos

Raising the Celtic Mandala Stone

Feb 15, 2015 No Comments

Art, Outdoors, Videos

Diving with the Triquetra Stone

Feb 14, 2015 No Comments

Summer 2014 placement experiment with MacManus Stoneworks’ triquetra stone, towards an eventual permanent placement in an underwater orienteering course or geocache concept. More deets in summer 2015.


Art, Outdoors, Videos

Selective Focus: Love

Feb 13, 2015 No Comments
Kip Praslowicz

Kip Praslowicz, untitled

Some very sweet images this week, and I’m genuinely glad to see so many of you contented, but there must be angst, some “sturm und drang,” yes? The theme isn’t all rainbows and unicorns- this love business, as a salient hair band once averred, it “scars, it wounds and mars.” How we suture the injuries we sustain and those we inflict defines us more than any cleaving to cloying ideals.

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Art, Photos

Underwater Carved Stone Portraits

Feb 12, 2015 No Comments

Collaborating with Sean MacManus of MacManus Stoneworks, our plan was to create an underwater geocache or orienteering course of his carved stones in Lake Superior. The summer of 2014 saw me performing initial placement experiments. This failed to yield any permanent way to affix the stones underwater, but it did generate several video portraits of the stones in situ. A follow-up video will detail the work I did to try and place these stones underwater. Summer of 2015 will see more progress and additional ideas. Meanwhile, enjoy~


Art, Outdoors, Videos

The Duluth Film Collective

Feb 09, 2015 1 Comment

The Duluth Film Collective is looking for filmmakers. All aspects of film production: directors, writers, producers, editors. (We’re also always looking for film lovers, as well.)

We hold monthly meetings at the Zeitgeist and Creative Coffees: a creative work-shopping opportunity to discuss scripts and other projects you might be working on. Coming up: the director of the Duluth Superior Film Festival will be coming to speak at our official March meeting.  Hope to see you there!

Any questions, please email duluthfilmcollective @ gmail.com.


Art, Events

Tim Kaiser Inferior Planets Double 7″ EP Crowdfunding

Feb 08, 2015 3 Comments

Tim Kaiser is releasing a Double seven-inch EP on vinyl this Spring and is doing an Indiegogo fundraiser. Why a double seven-inch and not a full-length LP? Because the music is done in such a way that you can play more than one of the four sides at the same time! Crazy! Big thank you to Lakefront Films for shooting the video.


Art, Events, Music, Videos , , , , , ,

Selective Focus: Capers

Feb 06, 2015 No Comments
Kip Praslowicz

Kip Praslowicz, untitled

Maybe I slant toward the unorthodox, but I know that images exist of regrettable tattoos, cow-tipping episodes, and numerous other lapses in sense. Not that I’m remotely disappointed with this week’s submissions; stunts, escapades, etc. were very well-represented (ask Richard sometime for the story behind those axes and puckish grins).

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Art, Photos

ARAC seeking new board members

Feb 05, 2015 No Comments

I have been a board member at the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council for, like, four years now. It has enriched my life immensely. Immensely. Consider joining as an Duluth member, at-large.

ARAC is currently accepting applications for the upcoming term starting in June. Positions that will be available include a board representative from Koochiching County and at-large members from any of the seven Arrowhead region counties.

For more information on becoming an ARAC board member and how to apply, click here.


Art

ARAC Organizational Grants Awarded

Feb 05, 2015 1 Comment

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council awarded a total of $93,840 in two-year operating support grants in January. There were eight organizations awarded out of 11 applicants. The program awards up to $12,000 over a two-year period to established nonprofit regional arts organizations to maintain their ongoing operating needs and services. The following is a list of organizations granted:

  • County Seat Theatre, Cloquet
  • Lake Superior Community Theatre, Silvery Bay
  • Matinee Musicale, Duluth
  • Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, Virginia
  • Nordic Center, Duluth
  • North Shore Music Association, Grand Marais
  • Northern Lights Music Festival, Inc., Aurora
  • Twin Ports Wind Ensemble, Duluth

ARAC also awarded a total of $39,090 in rural and community art project grants. There were nine organizations awarded out of 10 applicants. The program provides grants up to $5,000 to nonprofit, regional arts groups to support community- or artist-initiated arts activities that will affect the group and/or the community it serves. The following is a list of organizations granted:

  • Chalk.a.Lot, Two Harbors
  • Cook Area Chamber of Commerce, Cook
  • Friends of B’nai Abraham, Virginia
  • Good Harbor Hill Players, Grand Marais
  • Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus, Grand Rapids
  • Grand Rapids Players, Grand Rapids
  • Great River String Ensemble, Aitkin
  • Itasca Choral Society/Itasca Community Chorus, Grand Rapids
  • Minnesota State Old Time Fiddle Championships, Virginia

Art

Perfect Play or Musical of 2014: Renegade’s Red

Jan 31, 2015 1 Comment

PDDPerfectPlay-MusicalLogo2014It was close, and it has to be considered an upset. Renegade Theater Company’s two-character biographical play, Red, staged in the roughly 100-seat Teatro Zuccone theater, was the winner in Perfect Duluth Day’s poll to name the best play or musical of 2014. It edged out the Duluth Playhouse’s centennial-marking, big-budget musical production of Les Misérables, which was staged in the 2,200-seat Symphony Hall at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.

Best Play of 2015 - Red - Renegade Theater Company

Renegade Comedy Theater - Red - 2014

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Duluth Grants Available

Jan 24, 2015 No Comments

The Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund is issuing more grants this year. The endowment has already donated almost $34,000 over the years. Go to the website for information and application information. Deadline to apply is Feb. 1.

The DLEF supports valued Duluth community programs. Anyone from a group involved in these areas should consider applying:

  • Arts and culture
  • Beautification
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Human service
  • Parks and recreation

Art, Music, Outdoors ,

Woodblind – “Big Voice”

Jan 23, 2015 7 Comments

Some Woodblind for your weekend.


Art, Music, Videos
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