Art
There’s nothing to fear from independent cinema…
Free Range Film Festival
July 29 & 30
freerangefilm.com
The Chicken Hat Plays, sponsored in part by Pizza Luce!
This Saturday, come see 8 plays that don’t exist right now.
Eight writers draw their prompts from hats full of suggestions on Friday night. (Odds are pretty good that someone will get “wiener.”)
Eight directors and a bunch of actors show up Saturday morning. Each director draws a script from a hat, then their cast from a hat, then they all go away.
Saturday is spent memorizing lines, finding costumes and props, and general cramming.
Saturday night at 7pm, you get 8 original world premiere plays from the area’s bravest theatrical artists.
All of this for ten bucks.
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Duluth Int’l Film Festival This Week
A friend of mine said that when he went to the Duluth Film Festival last year he was blown away. His expectations were modest, but after the first film he couldn’t believe what he just saw. Then he took in the second, and the third. Ultimately he attended 11 films and participated in many of the dialogues with directors that can be part of a film festival experience.
Two weeks ago I met Richard Hansen, director of the event, and was sufficiently impressed with his vision and enthusiasm to make sure we had lunch together last week. I now understand why an international film festival would make its home in Duluth. It’s my hope that Hansen and associates are sufficiently successful to make this the next Sundance.
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Four Poems by Ray Smith
Four poems by the late Ray Smith, director of the Superior Public Library, 1971-75, and visiting lecturer in English at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, 1975-83, have been posted by the Wisconsin Academy Review.
Mayor’s Mix: 17 pretty great local songs for $5
So yeah, you can find it at the Electric Fetus. If you’re like me and you think it’s pretty neat that our little city produces so much incredible talent, maybe you should buy this CD. It has a low-key vibe to it, good for your family BBQ this summer … (more…)
Proctor artist Scott Murphy’s Duluth Public Library mural
The artist who created the Duluth Art Institute rotunda mural in 2010 is at it again!
Bob Dylan Manhole Design Contest
Common Language is sponsoring a competition for an artist interested in designing Bob Dylan-themed cast-iron manhole cover for Bob Dylan Way in Duluth, Minnesota. The manhole cover will be cast at the 10th North Shore Iron Pour, which will be held this summer in Duluth.
The artist selected will be given free instruction at the North Shore Iron Pour seminar and an honorarium of $300. They will see their cast iron manhole cover installed on Bob Dylan Way.
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Sound Unseen Duluth Festival Trailer
Coming June 8-12 at multiple locations around the Twin Ports. Visit soundunseenduluth.com.
Review of The 39 Steps at the Duluth Playhouse
I won’t go into a lot of detail about the intricately convoluted plot of The 39 Steps, largely because the plot resists description, but also because part of the delight of this cinematic play is to see how it all unfolds. Needless to say, it involves the usual trappings you’d expect of Hitchcockian suspense and film noir: a femme fatale, foreign espionage, and false murder accusations. With a cast of four playing innumerable characters, The 39 Steps lovingly lampoons the genres of noir (and even, at times, screwball comedy), with many winking references to Hitchcock’s oeuvre. (more…)
The Life of Riley – Trailer!
Sneak Preview
Monday, June 13
7:15 p.m.
$10 suggested donation – RSVP on the FaceBook Event Page or by emailing [email protected]
Dark Winter Nights Vol II.
Has the summer heat possibility of it someday being warmer than 70 degrees been getting you down? I thought so, so why not think back to better months and come to my art exhibit of winter photographs this Friday?
The opening runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Duluth Photography Institute. 405 E Superior St. Or for those of you who do better with landmarks, halfway between the walk from Fitger’s to Carmody. I know you’ll be going to one or the other, so you might as well stop in and grab a free cup of cheap wine or good beer.
All the images were created in the dead of night on Zenith City streets and alleyways using World War II camera tech. Make it even more fun and turn the evening into a hip live-action version of “Where in Duluth?”. If you are thinking that “On the shore of Lake Superior!” will get you any points, you won’t.
END:CIV with Director Franklin López
END:CIV
This culture will eat you alive
Fight back; resist & survive
Screening at Zinema 2 on June 7 at 7pm. (more…)
Free Youth Design Workshop
This Saturday the Duluth Art Institute and the Southern St Louis County 4H program are teaming up to bring Jeff Johnson to town. Jeff is founder of Spunk Design Machine based in Minneapolis and New York and he is giving a free workshop on design for youth grades 5-12.
Saturday, June 4
1 – 3:30pm
Duluth Art Institute Depot
Call to register: 218-733-7562
Haiti Worthy Cause Concert
Haiti Worthy Cause Concert – Music! Storytelling! Food! Free! Donations accepted!
June 5 @ 3 p.m. – Chester Park United Methodist Church – 819 N 18th Ave E – 724-4969 (more…)
Opening Night of Reasons to be Pretty
Opening night of Reasons to Be Pretty is Thursday, June 2, at 8pm. Stick around after the show for the after party in the Zeitgeist lobby featuring food from the Zeitgeist Cafe and music by Mae Martin. Then, stick around for a free Long Form Improv set from the newly formed Long Form Team of Renegade Improv.
And if all that wasn’t enough, opening night is pay what you can! Only have $1? That’s fine! Feel like the show is worth $100? We will totally accept!
But come out and celebrate with us. Whatever you decide to pony up to see Reasons to Be Pretty also gets you free food and music, plus a free late-night improv set. Because we think you are all awesome and we like hanging out with you.
Call to Duluth Artists! Ideas!
NHS is looking to pay some artists up to $750 for each design if they’re selected. We’re looking to get some bike racks, public benches and trash cans. All of these will be placed along Fourth Street between Mesaba Avenue and Seventh Avenue East. More information can be found by clicking here. Where would you like to see a bike rack, bench or trash can in this area? I can think of a few…
North Shore Photography Club artists!
Image by Marvil LaCroix
Wednesday, May 25, from 4:30 – 8pm at the Duluth Photography Institute at 405 E. Superior St. Come and chat with the artists about their photography (and photography in general)! For more information on the club go to, or call Brian at 218.393.2468.
Does anybody circuit bend in Duluth?
I just moved back here. I’m looking to learn from someone who knows.
Also, any 8-bit musicians around here?
The Life of Riley – Sneak Preview
At long last, 4 Track Films is having a sneak preview of its latest feature length film, The Life of Riley. Come on down to the Zinema on Monday, June 13, and be the first to see the film. The Life of Riley not only shows off the beauty of Duluth and the North Shore, but also features many local (and a few from the Twin Cities) actors, technicians and designers. Also featuring homegrown music from Low, the Black-eyed Snakes, Charlie Parr, Haley Bonar, Mary Bue, the Alrights, the Very People, Cars & Trucks, the Keep Aways, Kathy McTavish, Crew Jones, Equal Xchange and Minnesota-grown Martin Zellar.
This screening will be a fundraiser to help us get a jump start on our festival circuit. $10 suggested donation with Q&A and informal reception afterward.
If you have any questions, please email Carrie at carrie @ 4trackfilms.com
Thanks for all your support!
Random Questions
- Where can I get a fresh House of Donuts style donut? I’m craving one something fierce.
- Are there any flea markets in the area? I used to love going to the one in Superior until it went up in a big toxic poof of smoke.
- Is anyone else having problems with the PDD comments RSS feed? I’m not seeing new comments and am wondering if it’s just a problem with my reader.
- Are there any local artists who create palladium jewelry?
- What weird or interesting new thing did you learn today?
Thanks for your time! Now back to your regularly scheduled PDD.
Free Tour and Talk
“Esther Bubley: On Assignment”
Free Tour and Talk
Tuesday, May 17, 5:30pm
Duluth Art Institute Depot Galleries
The Duluth Art Institute just opened a retrospective of the work of Esther Bubley, a golden age photojournalist who worked for Life, Look, Ladies Home Journal and happened to grow up in Superior, Wisconsin. Come hear about her life and career from Teddie Meronek of the Douglas County Historical Society and Superior Public Library. Free and open to the public.
The 2nd Annual Sound Unseen In’tl Duluth Film+Music+Art Festival
Sound Unseen International Duluth is proud to announce its second annual International Film, Music and Art Festival, presented by Maurices, from June 8-12 in Duluth. Unlike our festival in the Twin Cities, the Duluth festival allows us to expand our programming beyond “films-on-music” (although still included via our In Competition music films) and brings world-class cinema, art and music to the Twin Ports area.
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Show off your Photography and win $$$
The Duluth Photography Institute’s 2011 Photo Contest has five categories, each with a $100 cash top prize: Fine Art, Natural World, Human Influence, Creative Expression, and Student Work. Deadline is July 1. To register and for more information go to duluthphotographyinstitute.com.
Photography Exhibit of the North Shore Photo Club
(Photo by Marvil LaCroix)
Opening reception Saturday, May 14, from 5-8pm at the Duluth Photography Institute, 405 E. Superior St. Free, and refreshments will be served. Come on down and see the wonderful work of this local club, plus the Duluth-Superior Camera Club! Two for the price of none! For more information on these clubs or the DPI go to:
13 – Last Weekend
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhFvFmqGtlc
You may have already read the glowing review of this musical, or heard people raving about it in the DNT or on Facebook, but let me add my own two cents.
Don’t go see this show because you want to show your support for aspiring young talent. Don’t go because you think it’s important to support programs like this that enrich our youth and enliven our community. Don’t go out of a sense of duty.
Go because this show kicks ass. Go to be thoroughly entertained. Go to enjoy yourself. I promise you will be humming the songs for at least a week afterwards.
These young performers in our community are not the “up and coming” talent. They’re already there. Take notes.
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