Month: April 2018
Selective Focus: Brenna Jordan
Brenna Jordan has nice handwriting. But she doesn’t just get complimented on it, she gets paid for it. And she’s a member of the International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers, and Teachers of Handwriting. This week, Brenna fills us in on the art of calligraphy and how she works a very analog art into the digital world.
“I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.”
-James Michener
BJ: When I’m not out enjoying Duluth’s many natural wonders, I work as a calligrapher/hand lettering artist in my home studio that officially opened in 2014. I use an assortment of inks, gouache, watercolors, chalk and colored pencils, and have lettered on all kinds of surfaces, including wood, rock, pressed leaves, canvas, walls, and even boats! I have been in love with letters and great quotes for as long as I can remember, and started learning traditional calligraphy as a teenager. Teachers and coaches hired me to do lettering on certificates and awards, which gave me a lot of practice. While I didn’t formally study art in college, I continued doing calligraphy for events on campus, along with wedding calligraphy for family and friends. For many years, calligraphy was more of a hobby, with occasional commissioned projects. (more…)
Cheers: “They don’t like the food at the airport in Duluth”
It’s been mentioned a few times in “Duluth reference” posts on PDD, but the clip has never been featured. So here it is, the cold open from season 2, episode 20 of Cheers. (more…)
Foreigner with the Dave Eggar Orchestra and Denfeld Maroon 16 Choir – “I Want to Know What Love Is”
Denfeld High School’s Maroon 16 choir sings “I Want to Know What Love Is” with Foreigner at Symphony Hall in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
Duluth Band Profile: Elysium Alps
Jamie Larson walks the line between ambient and ’90s era electronica as Elysium Alps. He explains how growing up in Duluth helped him avoid garden variety EDM. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Upcoming gig:
May 5 at Legacy Glassworks for the Homegrown Music Festival
Video Archive: Clammy after a night at the Red Star Lounge
From April 5, 2008, comes perhaps the weirdest video ever posted on Perfect Duluth Day.
It was originally published by the user “-berv” under the headline “Best watched while drunk, if at all,” and with the description “my sessile cephalopod friend gets drunk and vomits in the microwave.”
Video Primer: Frozen Four 2018
Thursday, April 5, 5 p.m.
UMD vs. Ohio State
Video Archive: God Rocked Trailer from 2008
Ten years ago today — April 4, 2008 — the trailer was released for the Duluth-made mockumentary … and on the 7th Day, God Rocked.
The teaser text reads:
“Who will you root for in this laugh-out-loud rockumentary about a Christian Battle of the Bands? Wrathful Old Testament hip-hoppers the Sons of Abraham or born-again hard-rockers Savior? Lapsed Catholic Angie Hynes, who’s gone from punk to country in search of success, or the folksy love-fest of harmony-laden trio Glory Authority?
A recording contract awaits the winner. Who that will be, only God (and perhaps the promoter) knows …”
Duluth-made feature film “Solatium” released online
To rent or buy Solatium through Vimeo on Demand visit vimeo.com/ondemand/solatium. (more…)
What’s Rick Steves’ deal with Duluth?
Does Rick Steves have a beef with Duluth? While I was doing a searching for something Duluth related, I discovered a PDD post from Nov. 22 titled “Rick Steves offends his Duluth friends.” Which surprised me, as I had just recently noticed yet another slight from Rick Steves regarding Duluth. (more…)
The Lamedog Video
Nearly a half-hour of circular-aspect iPhone video of Duluth skateboarding action featuring Carter Nguyen, Kaden Lindvall, Lloyd Fisher, Twan Brown, Jesse Ayers, Wyatt Lindberg, Josh Kuno, Simon Walters and friends. Shot and edited by Wyatt Lindberg.
Postcard from Skyline Drive at Night
This postcard image looking out from Skyline Drive at the city’s hillside, downtown, Aerial Lift Bridge, Minnesota Point, Lake Superior and so on has been used a few times as Perfect Duluth Day’s cover photo on Facebook, and more than once has been met with the question, “Who did this painting?” The answer is, we don’t know. Old postcards rarely credit the artist. But maybe someone out there knows. (more…)
Duluth Trivia Deck Sampler #10
Below are more items from an old trivia deck I bought at Savers. Some of the questions can be misleading and the answers wrong, but such is the way with history.
1. Name the master stone sculptor who carved the stone ornaments on so many Duluth homes and buildings.
2. What was the College of St. Scholastica’s earlier name?
3. Who were Bob Junkert and Don Rose?
4. In what year did the new Central High School open?
5. Where was the first junior college located in Duluth?
6. Which architect designed Endion School and the old Duluth Public Library?
7. What was the first building erected on the present site of the UMD campus?
8. What religious organization established St. Luke’s Hospital?
9. What was “Jeno’s Erector Set”?
10. A restaurant on Superior Street called Paddy Dorna’s was operated by Paddy. In what other career was Paddy locally famous?
11. Duluth’s first wedding, between Hester Crooks and William Boutwell, took place in what area of Duluth? (more…)
Perfect Duluth Day launching two new community websites — Perfect East Duluth Day and Perfect West Duluth Day
In an effort to better serve the community, Perfect Duluth Day announced today it will convert its nearly 15-year-old website into an all-advertising format, then launch two new websites to separately serve eastern and western Duluth with neighborhood-specific features and folksy tidbits. (more…)
Video Archive: Spring on the Duluth Lakewalk, 2008
This video was uploaded to YouTube ten years ago today — April 1, 2008. It landed on Perfect Duluth Day two days later, posted by someone using the screen name “Repur.” (more…)