Nordic Center
Tangled Up in Beauty: Retrospective for Jeffrey Kalstrom
Tangled Up in Beauty is a posthumous exhibition of the sculptures and prints of Jeffrey Kalstrom. It is on display at Prøve Gallery and the adjacent Nordic Center during this opening reception and on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Aug. 25.
Kalstrom made art, taught art and curated shows in Duluth for more than 30 years. He had a BFA from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis and an MFA from the University of Southern California. He was one of the founders and mainstays of the North Shore Iron Pour and was an active member of the iron-casting community worldwide. He was recently given a teaching award from the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he taught art and led the Art Rats art club, an artmaking consortium open to all students.
He defined himself as a creator of beauty; he also had a great love for the lakes and forests of the region. He died unexpectedly while on a camping trip on the boat he had outfitted for camping, on Fish Lake, a beloved location for him. He is mourned by the many people he knew in this region and far beyond.
More work can be seen at jeffreykalstrom.com. The exhibition can also be viewed by appointment and is available for preview Aug. 1-7 by emailing annklefstad @ gmail.com or calling 218-393-9149.
Embracing the Nordic of the North Shore
American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. (Photo by Julia Guttenfelder)
The overall culture of Minnesota connects to a broad array of ethnic backgrounds. From the indigenous Anishinaabe and Dakota people to the influx of European immigrants and more recent growth of Black, Hispanic and Asian populations, the state is becoming more and more diverse.
Still, it seems Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish traditions hold an outsized influence on what’s considered Minnesotan. Those traits — most famously the “Minnesooota” accent — took hold in the 20th century and remain prevalent. (more…)
Miniatures Display at the Nordic Center
The Nordic Center, 23 N. Lake Ave., is now open to public visits on Fridays from noon to 4 p.m.
The current display features miniature Norwegian churches and dwellings by Jerry Sime who passed away in 2012. The results of Jerry’s love of Nordic structures and woodworking are on full display for the next three weeks.