Digital Art Workshop for Youth

The Digital Methods in Art Education class and professor Betsy Hunt are gearing up for the third year of the Digital Art Workshop for youth ages 11-14! This workshop focuses on animation techniques including Photoshop animation and stop motion animation using clay, sand, collage, and various other materials. Students will also work with digital cameras, edit video, and add original music tracks to their films.

We are now registering new students for the workshop. If you or anyone else you know is interested you can find more information including the registration form, dates, and cost here.

For more information: Betsy Hunt — bjhunt @ d.umn.edu

Executive Director’s Going Away Party — Duluth Art Institute

The executive director of the Duluth Art Institute, Samantha Gibb-Roff, is off to the East Coast and she needs one last Duluth party before she leaves! Help us celebrate her nine years at the DAI with food, drink, music and of course, friends.

5:30 p.m., Thursday Oct. 6
Lincoln Center (2229 W. Second St.)

Zombies invade UMD Oct. 27

Join us for a zombie-themed symposium that is free and open to the public. Six UMD professors will give talks about how their work relates to zombies. Refreshments appropriate for the topic will be served. BYOB (Bring Your Own Brain).

Correct dates for “Resurrection Blues”

There was an incorrect ad in a Duluth Playhouse playbill last month, so local theatergoers may have gotten misinformation about the dates of The College of St. Scholastica’s production of “Resurrection Blues” by Arthur Miller. The dark comedy, directed by Tony Barrett, runs Oct. 14 through 23.

Democracy is not a spectator sport

YMCA Youth in Government is a youth-led, experiential learning opportunity that involves 1,800 middle school and high school students each year.  The Duluth Area Family YMCA Delegation is still accepting participants. 

Google features Angela’s Bella Flora

Google has been increasingly active in Minnesota lately. It joined the Minnesota High Tech Association, has been hiring, and held a series of workshops in St. Paul.

I’m tickled … Angela’s Bella Flora has been featured as part of Google’s Minnesota Get Online initiative.

Worst. Miniature. Golf. Ever.

Spirit Mountain Mini Golf | is hands down the worst miniature golf course I have ever played. It is not “unique” nor an “outdoor adventure” – it comes across as under-challenging, half-assed, simple and incomplete. The next time I want to play on an unfinished-looking, masonite-smooth play surface(!), no challenge or engagement of a rat cubicle 9-hole course, you’ll be the first to know, Mr. Salmela. Seriously. I like your houses. Stick to that. A complete rip-off at $4.

First Thursday Motorcycle Ride

Hey everyone, I don’t have a fancy flyer to post tonight, but we’re getting together at the Co-op tomorrow at 5 for a ride. Usually we take off at 6, but we’re gonna shoot for a little earlier departure to get more daylight. So get out the bike, it’s supposed to be super nice, and soon it will be winter and you will be wishing you had gone on that last ride in October…

Pinball in the Ports

With Collector’s Connection’s recent addition of a pinball lineup I have gotten the bug again for this lost art. I was wondering what machines are in the area and what condition the machines are in. Can be private or public.

Collector’s Connection has a decent lineup of Solid State

  • Data East’s Laser Wars
  • Williams’ Junkyard
  • Stern’s Magic
  • Data East’s Tales from the Crypt (The only good machine Data East made)

Even though none of those games are my favorite, it is a solid and much appreciated lineup. All the but the Stern machine in good condition.

Other machines, or Port pinball stories to share?

Mapping Inequality in Duluth

Mapping Inequality in Duluth

Hey everyone! This is a map I made in college a couple years back that shows patterns of income and racial segregation in Duluth. I have been going through all the files on my computer and figured the fine folks at PDD would appreciate this one. If you want to see more, I have started a photoblog: http://codiemaps.wordpress.com. I will try to post something new every couple of weeks. (Spoiler: My next map is a pseudosociological breakdown of Minnesota’s core regions.)

Looking for WIGL Jingles

WIGL radio was a daytime Top-40 music station covering the Duluth-Superior market from 1961 to 1964. I am a collector of radio jingles, and have many from WEBC and a couple of early WAKX ones. However, WIGL has been elusive. I e-mailed Lew Latto about it (who owned the station for a while), and he regretfully replied that he was unable to help me. I know some people taped the radio back then (I did) — maybe there’s an aircheck out there with a WIGL jingle or two.  I remember they had purple promo signs on the backs of the city buses during that era, and their jingles always ended with “Wiggle!!!” Posting this in case somebody is unknowingly sitting on a piece of Duluth-Superior broadcasting history.

Lions & Creators – “Growing”

Lions&Creators just released their album in Duluth on Saturday and now the whole thing is up to stream on our Bandcamp, which is here. You can buy it there for only $5! (and it comes with a few extra surprises too). Physical copies will be available at The Electric Fetus soon.  All hand made, designed by the band.

Fair Trade vendors in the Twin Ports area?

I’ll be organizing the Neighbor-Made “glocal” art & gift fair Dec. 10 to be held at St. Michael’s Church. The local artists part is about filled but there are spots for Fair Trade vendors. Anyone/any groups seeking to do fundraising for other countries in need — Japan relief help, Central America, South America, other humanitarian global efforts? Reply in an email.

Also, just a reminder to check the PDD calendar. There is a new local art and gift fair this Saturday at the Peace Church – Fall for the Northland and Get to the Point next weekend at Lafayette Building, Park Point. Organized by WendyUpNorth.com.

Nickels, Dimes and Quarters Parking

New Duluth meters now accepting nickles, dimes and quarters

After scrambling around through the spare change pockets in my car for quarters, I got to the meters outside the St. Louis County/MN State Office building only to find that I don’t need quarters there anymore!

This week: Turtles, apples, beer train, and boo at the zoo

My computer is back and better than ever after a brief stint of illness (thanks to Mr. Lundgren for taking the calendar helm for a few days) and I’ll be able to highlight some of the upcoming events this week.

Wednesday, Oct. 5
The Chester Park United Methodist Church will host its annual Roast Beef Dinner which will also feature homemade apple pies.

Thursday, Oct. 6
Trampled by Turtles will take the Clyde Iron Works stage with Charlie Parr opening and Mayor Ness hosting the event with all proceeds going to music programs in Duluth Public Schools. Bayfield’s 50th Annual Apple Festival kicks off today and promises apples, music, apples, art, and more apples.

Friday, Oct. 7
Coyote, a side project of Marc Gartman and Jerree Small, will have its CD release party at Teatro Zuccone with Yester opening.

Saturday, Oct. 8
There will be many Halloween events coming up. To kick it off, Saturday is the first day of Boo at the Zoo at the Lake Superior Zoo. Bring the kids out in their costumed glory to see the animals. After you’ve worn them out, hop on board the Fall Beer Tasting Train, a 2.5-hour ride featuring local breweries and brewpubs.

There are plenty of other events going on in the area this week and I’m adding new ones every day so keep on checking the PDD Calendar and keep on sending me events that you’d like to see included in the calendar.

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