Where does one even begin? Last night was simply wonderful celebration of the arts in our community. The Earth Day Gallery Hop has been a late April tradition here in the Twin Ports for many years, but this year's pre-party grand openings seemed to jump it up a notch, thanks to the enthusiasm and energy of our Duluth Art Institute.The festivities began in the Great Hall at the Depot and then spilled out into the various sections of the cities. The night, though brisk, was refreshingly late April.
I myself primarily took in the Superior galleries and events last night, beginning with Goin' Postal where I have been showing a lot of my paintings these past two years. John Heino had some new pictures including a spectacular piece of what appears to be driftwood, reflected and re-directed in unexpected ways. Carla Magnuson, Eric Horn, Tara Stone, Sharon Davis and others shared the space which is a business by day but has become something of a meeting place like the plazas in small Mexican towns where people gather to learn what's going on in the scene, courtesy Andrew Perfetti, proprietor.
Tonya Sells' productivity binge is nothing short of remarkable, much of it on display in one of two Phantom Galleries Superior, Ellen Sandbeck and Jim Grittner occupying the other.Saturday I will try to make it to the Canal Park galleries and mosey about the other downtown spaces where artists showcase their stuff.
As for the future, I was reminded of the Olympian city-wide Luci d'Artista that takes place in Turin as artists from all over Europe contribute to transform the city itself into a spectacle of arts and lights. As our local galleries continue to work together I see great potential for the enrichment of our Northland and beyond. For now, the future remains unwrit.
If at all possible check out your favorite galleries in this weekend's Earth Day Gallery Hop. Visit the Duluth Art Institute website for details.