Selective Focus: Photos on Film

Photography exhibit in the windows of 313 West Superior St.


There’s a temporary photo show hanging in the windows of the old Bagley Building downtown, 313 West Superior St. The photos are all shot on film – a variety of formats from an equal variety of cameras.

Saturday at the Urban Farm was a blast

Northern Expressions Arts Collective leader paints cool rocks in the hot sun. 

I attended the event held Saturday at the Urban Farm at Lake Superior College. It was a blast, bringing together vistas from Eco3 and volunteers from Northern Expressions Arts Collective. NEAC is an amazing organization that blends creativity, community, nutrition, and health for families.

Previous coverage of this weekly event is wdio.com. The Eco3 Urban Farm was also very alive during Earth Week. Maybe I’ll see you there on a coming Saturday?

Advertisements from the Duluth Public Library Nostalgic Newsstand Sale: Sealex Linoleum Floors

The Duluth Public Library’s Nostalgic Newsstand Sale was a source of many things to write about. Here is another advert from my collection of now-recycled magazines.

Iron Range Outlaw Brigade – “The Ballad of Jimmy the Outlaw”

Iron Range Outlaw Brigade is working on a new EP, but singer/guitarist Kirk Kjenaas has compiled the nostalgic video embedded above, which features a smattering of band photos from the past 15 years.

The song is from the band’s 2011 debut album Shootin’ Shells & Raisin’ Hell, but this version was recorded live in 2014 by Andrew Lambert at Yo’r Mudders Place, which is now the Ore House, in Gilbert.

Kirsten Aune puts kaleidoscopic spin on textile folk art

Kirsten Aune is preparing work for a group art show she co-organized with her sister for the Nordic Center for FinnFest. “Inspiraatioita: Finnish Art and Design in Minnesota” will be on display July 27-30. Read more about it from MPR News.

Two Harbors healthcare organization wins national attention

The Commonwealth Fund spotlights Two Harbors’ Wilderness Health in its recent feature on “How Regional Partnerships Bolster Rural Hospitals.”

Hidehiro Otake, Photographer of the Northwoods

Hidehiro Otake first passed through Duluth in 1999, following a literal had-while-sleeping dream. He had been a college student and budding photographer living in Tokyo when he dreamt one night that he was in a cabin in an evergreen forest and outside was a wolf gazing back at him.

EmbalmingEva – “RBMK”

Duluth synth act EmbalmingEva‘s debut video is directed and edited by Marcel Hones with creative direction and styling by Catherine Karakas.

MN Moder – “Love Letter”

The new video from Duluth-based hip-hop artist Zachary Moder, aka MN Moder, is a love letter to music with visuals by Montclair Media.

MN Moder performs at Wussow’s Concert Cafe on June 7 as part of the weeklong Pete Fest.

Minnesota Historia: Boomtown!

The history of Minnesota’s Iron Range is full of boomtowns. That word usually refers to any town that grows rapidly due to economic prosperity. But in the case of Eveleth, “boomtown” took on a more literal definition. Twice.

Minnesota Historia is a PBS North web series dedicated to Minnesota’s quirky past. It is hosted by Hailey Eidenschink and produced/edited/written by Mike Scholtz.

Postcard from the Passenger Station at Duluth circa 1910

This early 20th century postcard shows the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Passenger Station, which was located in Duluth’s old waterfront warehouse district — basically between Amsoil Arena and the Ordean Building where I-35 is now.

Duluth kids use miniature nuclear reactor for stickball backstop

Duluth is name-dropped in the new Netflix action/comedy series FUBAR, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which premiered last week. In episode 4, titled “Armed & Dane-gerous,” the regional Central Intelligence Agency director informs a team of operatives that a medical glass manufacturer in Duluth went bankrupt and left a miniature nuclear reactor in the basement, where kids used it as a backstop for their stickball game.

Lake Superior Writers 2023 writing contest winners announced

Lake Superior Writers has announced the winners of its 2023 writing contest. There were nearly 200 entries focused on this year’s theme of “Connections.” First place winners in each category received $200 and their works can be read online at lakesuperiorwriters.org.

Navigating at Home

Katya Gordon of Two Harbors is in the new Minnesota Women’s Press.

The 2023 Half-Moon Pack of Wolf Pups

The 2023 Half-Moon wolf pack has seven pups and all appear to be in good shape.

The Voyageurs Wolf Project is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in Voyageurs National Park, about 100 miles north of Duluth. Donations to its annual fundraiser help study how many of these pups survive to adulthood and pays for the equipment that captures footage like this. Donations can be made via crowdfund.umn.edu.