Art Posts

Selective Focus: Swerty’s Visual Art

Dec 03, 2024 No Comments

Behind the scenes putting together the layout of Duluth-based zines and poetry collections is a visual artist creating works in several mediums. Sabrina Wertman, or Swerty, has paintings and other artwork available at Alt Creative, The Loch Cafe and Games, and recently had a display up at Wussow’s Concert Cafe. They created the poster for the 2024 Boubville event, where attendees can interact with a new art installation they’re curating. Their visual art can continuously be found in issues of On the Record, a local arts zine that they contribute comics and complete the layout process for. Photos of their artwork and an interview with Swerty can be found below.

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Martin DeWitt: Expressing Life With Creativity

Nov 25, 2024 No Comments

One can hear the anguish in Martin DeWitt’s voice as he talks about artists who are suffering. When Hurricane Helene hit Asheville, North Carolina in September, the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers came together with powerful force. The flooding devastated Asheville’s entire River Artist District.

DeWitt, who lived and worked in the Asheville area for more than a decade, had followed the hurricane’s path. “It wiped out the first and second floors of galleries and shops … the water totally demolished them,” he said. “Over 20 galleries and studios … the artwork of over 200 artists, were all destroyed.” The artists were DeWitt’s friends and colleagues.

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Selective Focus: Clowns, Jesters and Mimes

Nov 21, 2024 No Comments

A group of clowns at Cherry Koch’s clown karaoke birthday celebration at The Embassy. Photo by Jess Morgan.

Various arts experiences featuring clowns, mimes, jesters and circus-inspired shenanigans are having a moment in the Twin Ports arts scene. Some of those fools happen to be on the payroll at Perfect Duluth Day, which makes it the perfect journalistic inside-job for a feature marking the 10-year anniversary of PDD’s Selective Focus arts feature.

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Selective Focus: The Photographic Eye of Eric Sturtz

Oct 28, 2024 1 Comment

Left: Eric Sturtz self portrait. Right: Stony Point.

When looking at Eric Sturtz’s body of work, it’s clear the natural world inspires him. His photographic journey has taken him to the Grand Canyon and the hills of South Dakota, as well as out of the United States to places like Iceland.

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Minnesota Historical Society acquires Wing Young Huie archive

Oct 22, 2024 No Comments

A collection of 5,000 photographs by Duluth native Wing Young Huie will soon be available online through the Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. The images capture a view of community life in Minnesota.

The first part of the collection, 965 images and supporting material, is already available in the searchable Collections Online database and the Gale Family Library. The full archive of 5,000 photographs and related material will become publicly available over the next five years.


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Photography Tutorials from John Gregor

Oct 16, 2024 No Comments

When I served on the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, I was lucky enough to meet photographer and photography instructor John Gregor. John, through his company Coldsnap in Two Harbors, reviews equipment, leads classes and photography tours around North America, and of course takes amazing photos.

He has recently posted a video sharing his insights into taking night panoramas. It’s a great complement to his video introducing panoramic photography.

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Armory fundraiser event seeks art submissions

Sep 11, 2024 No Comments

The Armory Arts and Music Center is celebrating the 109th anniversary of the Historic Duluth Armory on Nov. 15. The fundraising event will feature 20-25 artists and their works, focusing on the theme of the evening: Preservation.

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North Shorror! 2024 Call for Art

Sep 08, 2024 No Comments

North Shorror! Logo

It’s time to reanimate those brains! 

North Shorror! 2024 will be taking place from Oct. 11 to Nov. 2 at the St. Louis County Depot in Downtown Duluth. The annual eerie event features regional artists of all kinds in celebration of the spookiest season. The aim is to create an extraordinary space to build community connections … while also giving visitors the chills. And the organizers are looking for art to fill up the Haunted Art Gallery and visitors’ senses to do just that. Check out the Call for Art to learn more, and see the Proposal Form to send in an idea. Proposals are requested by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22. Earlier submissions are appreciated.


Art, Music

The Slice: Minnesota Murals

Aug 29, 2024 No Comments

This video offers a look at select murals in West Duluth, Cloquet and Wrenshall.

In its series The Slice, PBS North presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.


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New Tweed director thinks of museum as classroom

Aug 27, 2024 No Comments

Tweed Museum of Art Director Julie Delliquanti.

The fall semester hasn’t quite begun at the University of Minnesota Duluth, but the new director of the Tweed Museum of Art has been meeting with faculty in disciplines across campus to examine how the museum can further contribute to intellectual pursuits.

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Art, News and Current Affairs

The state fair begins tomorrow

Aug 21, 2024 No Comments

Drawing of a Bucket of Cookes

The Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 22 to Sept. 2, and local artist Holly Rose has been counting down to the State Fair on her Instagram feed. Check it out and nerd out with me.

You can buy Sweet Martha’s cookies at Aldi and Cub, at least — maybe Super One too, I don’t know. They taste pretty good. And the line is shorter, and my god, I am old.


Art

Suggestions for a Minnesota Authors Class: Song Lyricists

Aug 09, 2024 4 Comments

I’m teaching a Minnesota authors class for the first time this year, and I want to make sure it’s hip and current and that it’s Duluthy. So I’m asking for help.

I want to do a brief (two-week) unit on song lyrics. I’m looking for Minnesota’s best song lyricists and their best lyrics.

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Art, Music

North Shorror! 2024: Immersive Space Call for Proposals

Jul 31, 2024 No Comments

Attention all artists! Submissions are being sought to create immersive art experiences to celebrate October, Halloween and all things creepy.

North Shorror! 2024 will take place in October at the St. Louis County Depot in Downtown Duluth. And with support from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, North Shorror! 2024 will offer stipends to a select group of participating artists to create immersive art experiences. Musicians, visual artists, storytellers, performance and other artists will have the chance to create unique, compelling and (somewhat) terrifying spaces where they can showcase their talents.

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The Duluth Artwork of J. W. Perry

Jul 15, 2024 No Comments

The photo of a painting above comes to Perfect Duluth Day via Dean M. Brickson, who wondered why there was no information online about the artist J. W. Perry.

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Villiard aims high with ‘Waiting for Beds’

Jul 08, 2024 No Comments

The Native American news website Buffalo’s Fire reports on Duluth artist Moira Villiard’s new project, “Waiting for Beds,” which looks at what happens to people who have to wait for a bed during a crisis, such as domestic violence, homelessness or addiction. The exhibit is on display at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth’s church at 835 W. College St. through September.


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