We’re looking for host and guest artists! If you’d like to participate in the 2021 Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour click on the “Call for Artists 2021” at the top of this page. The tour runs on September 24th, 25th, and 26th (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) this year.
Application deadline for new host and guest artists is May 21st. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share this with them. Thank you 😁!
We’ll be looking for pop-up artists a bit later this year. . .
We’re cautiously optimistic that the tour will happen this year! Exciting things are in the works for the 2021 tour, so stay tuned here on and our Facebook pagefor updates.
Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour in 2020 is Cancelled
We regret to inform you that we have cancelled the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour in 2020 due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. After careful consideration we determined it was not possible to adequately predict how to best maintain the safety of all of our artists and visitors this fall. This decision was not taken lightly. Our greatest concern is for the well-being of our communities and all of the people who make this tour happen. We will be very excited to see everyone again in 2021!
Because we know that the growing number of cancellations of art shows and tours is greatly impacting each and every artist financially, we will be researching options for presenting online tours, demos, and sales during what would have been the regular tour weekend, September 25, 26 and 27. We will share our revised online tour plans as soon as they are ready! Please check back for updates.
Stay healthy and safe, and keep supporting local artists and small businesses!
Best regards,
Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour Coordinators
What can we say, we had a wonderful tour and we’re thrilled we had so many new and returning visitors to see the artists! We hope all of our guests enjoyed their adventure up the north shore of Lake Superior finding all of our studio stops, and we hope you’ll visit us again soon.
We’d also like to extend a huge thank you to our gracious studio hosts, who opened their studios to other artists and to the public to share art with our community. A special thank you to our host artists Sarah Brokke, Corine Buechner, Christian Dalbec, Shelley Getten, Dave Gilsvik, Helen Hartley, EJ Klepinger, Lisa Kosmo, Jen Murphy, Gail Rosenquist and Paul Zoldahn.
It’s every coffee lover’s dream: FREE COFFEE! And a lovely piece of glass art makes a great keepsake too! You could win a free bag of coffee and glass art courtesy of Mocha Moose, just by visiting all 10 studio stops on the tour this weekend.
DURING THE WEEKEND OF THE 2019 Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, GET YOUR PASSPORT STAMPED FROM ALL 10 STUDIO STOPS AND ENTER OUR FABULOUS PRIZE DRAWINGS! NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN; COMPLETED PASSPORTS CAN BE DROPPED AT YOUR FINAL STUDIO STOP. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FACEBOOK!
We love our local businesses that support the arts and their communities. We’re proud to have Mocha Moose as a sponsor for this year’s tour. They’re a local favorite an a staple to the Two Harbors art community!
Mocha Moose is a family business focusing on made from scratch organic baked goods, breakfast, sandwiches and appetizers with gluten free, vegetarian and vegan selections. They serve Duluth Coffee Company Coffee and Espresso and have a wide selection of unique and original espresso drinks along with wine and beer.
“Our goal is be sustainable in our day to day practices with composting, recycling and growing organic produce for our menu and purchasing what we do not grow from local farmers in our region. Our inside spaces-the shop and the vacation rental focus on art displayed throughout for purchase from local and regional artists. We want to continue our support for arts in our community by hosting gallery shows, donating to events like 20/20 studio tour and providing a space for artists to display their work.”
Mocha Moose can be found along the beautiful North Shore Scenic Drive, at 543 Scenic Dr. Two Harbors, MN.
Sarah Flicek is a returning guest to this year’s Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, known for her gorgeous jewelry. We asked her a few questions about working as an artist and visiting the North Shore.
What do you like the most about visiting the North Shore?
The North Shore is our playground! I live west of Minneapolis with my three boys. We are an adventurous family and we love our journeys to the North Shore. We like to say the North Shore is our stomping grounds and definitely our favorite place to get away!
Sarah Flicek and her fantastic jewelry!
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
I was invited to join this tour as a guest artist in 2016 and have been coming back ever since. I love this show for many reasons: I get to meet amazing artists & see their work, seeing others’ creating spaces is always interesting and the settings and vistas are delightful! I love the intimacy of this studio tour on the North Shore.
Silver pendants by Sarah Flicek
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
Creating is my passion. The process of working in metal answers my innate need to be precise and the freedom and creativity of being an artist. I come to the studio with an idea and allow it to transpire as I create into a beautiful design. I am most often inspired by life’s adventures, nature’s beauty and the kindred human spirit.
Sarah can be found at studio stop CB. Click the button below to learn more:
We have wonderful sponsors for the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour who support the arts and our community! Cedar Coffee Company is a must stop spot in Two Harbors. At Cedar Coffee Company you’ll not only find good coffee but also a great breakfast and lunch menu that you can enjoy while tucked away in a comfortable and contemporary cafe among beautiful cedar trees. We hope you’ll visit them during your adventures on our tour.
It could be your lucky weekend- Castle Danger Brewery in Two Harbors, MN has provided us with a fantastic prize you could win just by visiting all ten studios on our tour! Their prize pack includes:
4 Castle Danger printed Pint Glasses
4 Drink Vouchers good for a pint at the Castle Danger taproom
4 Castle Danger Stickers
4 Castle Danger Bottle Openers
1 Castle Danger Can Cozy
Not a bad way to end the annual Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour. Good luck!
DURING THE WEEKEND OF THE 2019 Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, GET YOUR PASSPORT STAMPED FROM ALL 10 STUDIO STOPS AND ENTER OUR FABULOUS PRIZE DRAWINGS! NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN; COMPLETED PASSPORTS CAN BE DROPPED AT YOUR FINAL STUDIO STOP. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FACEBOOK!
Thank you again, tour sponsor Castle Danger! Find them in downtown Two Harbors, MN.
We’d like to thank our sponsor, Castle Danger Brewery for supporting our tour. They are an integral part of our Two Harbors community, and we love that they support the arts! THANK YOU!
Blackwoods has donated a $50 Gift Certificate, and you could win it just by attending our event!
DURING THE WEEKEND OF THE 2019 Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, GET YOUR PASSPORT STAMPED FROM ALL 10 STUDIO STOPS AND ENTER OUR FABULOUS PRIZE DRAWINGS! NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN; COMPLETED PASSPORTS CAN BE DROPPED AT YOUR FINAL STUDIO STOP. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FACEBOOK!
We love our local businesses that support the arts, and they’re an integral part of our community! We asked our tour sponsor, Blackwoods, to describe a little bit about what they do and why they chose to sponsor our tour:
“Black Woods has been a family owned and operated restaurant group for more than 24 years, and it all began with our first location in Two Harbors, MN. We are a local favorite because we believe in treating our guests like family. We provide exceptional service and quality food in an atmosphere that is unlike any other. From an award-winning Happy Hour, offered twice daily; to our diverse, locally sourced menu items; to our fresh list of cocktails and tap beers, brewed right in the Northland, we offer something for everyone. We are proud to support the community we serve, and we look forward to taking care of you and your loved ones!”
You can find the original Blackwoods location on our tour map ( 612 7th Ave, Two Harbors, MN), and look for coupons for Blackwoods at each studio stop!
PASSPORT PRIZE VALUED AT $50 by jewelry artist Michelle Gratton donated by sponsor, 47 Degrees Gallery in Knife River, MN.
This gorgeous pendant could be yours if you are our lucky winner! Thank you 47 Degrees Gallery, located at 243 Riverview St. in Knife RIver, MN.
DURING THE WEEKEND OF THE 2019 Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, GET YOUR PASSPORT STAMPED FROM ALL 10 STUDIO STOPS AND ENTER OUR FABULOUS PRIZE DRAWINGS! NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN; COMPLETED PASSPORTS CAN BE DROPPED AT YOUR FINAL STUDIO STOP. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FACEBOOK!
A big THANK YOU to Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour 2019 Sponsor, 47 Degrees!
We’re thrilled to receive support from local businesses that invest in the arts and in their community. We’d like to thank another sponsor, Superior Log Restoration, for providing support for the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour.
Superior Log Restoration provides log home and cabin maintenance, preservation and restoration services in Northern Minnesota. They have an annual maintenance program and specialize in structural log repair and replacement as well as remodeling, among many other services. They spend a lot of time working along the North Shore and thought supporting our annual tour was a nice way to encourage others to get out and enjoy the area.
Superior Log Restoration owners Tad Taivaloja and Stephen Brown
We are fortunate to have such generous businesses who know the arts are an important part of the fiber of our North Shore community. We’re happy to introduce you to Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour 2019 sponsor 47 Degrees, a delightful gallery in Knife River, MN. Featuring local art and gifts, it is a sweet little find along the shore. They’re open June through December, Friday through Sunday, 10-5. Owner Michelle Gratton is also a local artist who makes beach stone jewelry which you can see in the gallery!
We hope you’ll pop in and see the beautiful collection of work available!
During the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, hosts open their studios to guest artists. But as a bonus opportunity for our visitors to see more art, they also invite pop-up artists who make small batch work or are just starting out. We are thrilled to welcome a very talented Wisconsin based fiber artist, Denise Hooper to the tour this year! She will be featuring a special small batch display of her whimsical, perfectly crafted felted figures that you have to see in person! Their charm will absolutely delight!Read her interview below.
What do you like the most about visiting the North Shore?
The beauty of the landscape and the power of Lake Superior are two of the things I like the most about living here. This area also seems to attract creative people of all types so it is stimulating and nurturing to be among them.
“Birch Fairy” Felted figure by Denise Hooper
“Sprout” Felted figure by Denise Hooper
As a new artist in the tour, what are you looking forward to?
I am excited to spend time with the visual artists that will be participating in the tour and to share my needle felting with the public.
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
One of the things that I enjoy when I am needle felting, is handling the wool. As a tactile person who loves working with natural materials, I find it to be an amazing fiber to use. It’s really satisfying to sculpt and form a lofty mass of wool into a solid figure with needles. As well, because this kind of felting involves a lot of repeated motions, it helps it to become a meditative process.
Denise is a pop-up artist at Corine Buechner’s studio. Click the button below for more infomation about studio CB!
Michael Kapsos is a jewelry artist living and working in Brimson, MN. He once again joins the the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour as a guest artist at studio GR/PZ. His metal work is known for the dynamic and elegant movements of line and shape. When he is not creating his jewelry he also works as a certified massage therapist!
What do you like the most about living and working near the North Shore?
Living up here gives me creative space for my mind and spirit. It keeps my creative juices flowing being surrounded by nature. I’m also a Tai Chi addict and the ability to walk out my door and exercise being surrounded by nature is a life long adventure and a creative inspiration.
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
I love sharing my designs with people and it’s great to see their reactions and get feedback. It’s also so different from working in the studio alone trying to create something from nothing. People like to know what goes into creating the designs and it’s fun to share that, it also gives me more ideas for future designs. You know what they say about teachers learning more from their students than the students learn from them. I think it’s the same with artists, we learn a lot from the people who see our work.
Jewelry by Michael Kapsos
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I started my art life as a printmaker/painter, but when I started making jewelry and realized the endless possibilities of design I was hooked. I also enjoy the complexity of building each design and the never ending challenge. Jewelry is such a personal expression. So when I see people wearing my pieces I feel honored and to know they wear them often is even better.
For more information about guest artist Michael Kapsos and Studio GR/PZ, click the button below:
We have some fantastic local businesses who are supporters of our community and the arts and as sponsors are helping to make our tour possible. Look for our sponsor highlights coming next week. We’ll also be sharing some special prizes visitors will be able to win thanks to some of these generous folks!
2019 Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour Sponsors:
We are thrilled to introduce our visitors to another newcomer in the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour. This year Duluth artists Rita Morris and Barry Sands, talented duo behind Burdock Ceramics, will be joining us with their gorgeous ceramic work. The work is elegant and functional, featuring delicate nature drawings of plants and animals. We asked them to share a little bit about their work and connections to the North Shore.
What do you like the most about the North Shore?
We love so many things about the North Shore. All the beautiful places to go hiking around here are a constant inspiration. The amazing rocky shores of Lake Superior are the perfect place to sit and reflect. All the amazing artists that live here form such a vibrant community and we love getting to be a part of it.
As an artist in the tour, what are you looking forward to?
We’re excited to connect with people who love the North Shore and all the plants and animals that call it home as much as we do. We’re looking forward to being part of such a fun studio and art tour!
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
The possibilities are endless with clay. We are constantly challenged, humbled and in awe of the many things that clay has to teach us. Also, It’s the perfect canvas for our paintings. It’s so rewarding to attempt to transform a functional everyday object into a thing of wonder and beauty.
Plate by Burdock Ceramics
Burdock Ceramics can be found at studio stop EK with host artist E.J. Klepinger. For more information click the button below:
Maria Brown will be joining the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour again this year as a guest artist at Gail Rosenquist and Paul Zoldahn’s studio. Maria is involved in the community as a teaching artist and art vocational specialist for adults living with disabilities in Duluth, MN. She recently moved from Duluth to Two Harbors where she is working on setting up a new home studio. She was excited to share what it is like to live and work as an artist on the north shore!
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
I love the constant inspiration that comes from living near the sight and sounds of Lake Superior. It does wonders for creativity to have such a constant source of awe in view. I also have a soft spot for old pines and the many lovely creatures of the northwoods, so it helps me feel invigorated to have it all so near.
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
I have really enjoyed meeting such a wide variety of people in one place. It’s fun to share a love of art with so many different people, and to find out what moves them to want to bring a piece of art into their lives, or just what they love about it. So many stories!
Maria Brown and pit fired pig
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
Although I do love other mediums, there is something very special about clay. It feels very raw and primal to work with mud! I’ve enjoyed playing in it since I was very little, so why stop now? I like how it can simultaneously teach patience and spontaneity. Such a treat to always feel like your medium has a life of it’s own, and I feel most successful when I try to keep that expressive nature alive in my forms.
Maria will be a guest at studio GR/PZ. For more information click the button below:
We are very pleased to welcome another new host to this year’s tour. Known for her intense and vibrant portrait work, Sarah is bringing an exciting opportunity to learn more about her dynamic work in the place that inspires her. Sarah is an art instructor at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth and has been showing her work in the area for many years. She is also involved with her community through the Mural Initiative Project, including a recent mural painted with students at CSS and the kids at our local North Shore Community School, where it can be found!Sarah shared what it is like to live and work as an artist on the North Shore.
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
The beauty of the lake, the ever-shifting colors of the landscape, and the people who live here are continual sources of inspiration. I spend time in the woods everyday, and I never cease to be amazed by the sensory experience of just being among the trees in the fresh air.
What are you looking forward to during the tour?
I’m a veteran 20/20 attendee— I’m always amazed at the incredible breadth of work made on the North Shore. This year I’m honored to be a part of a group of artists who call such a beautiful place ‘home’. I’m also thrilled to host such amazing artists at my studio.
“She is Mid Winter” by Sarah Brokke
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I have a deep love for painting due to the richness of the color and the physicality of the paint. Painting for me is both meditation and escape and helps me to understand and digest elements of the world around me. It is an absolute gift to be able to make the kind of work I do.
The finished mural at the North Shore Community School
To learn more about Sarah’s studio stop, click the button below:
Corine is a returning host artist for this year’s Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour. She will be opening her studio to visitors, welcoming them to the gorgeous textures and ethereal colors in her delicately composed mixed media paintings. Not only a painter but a talented fiber artist as well, Corine shared what it is like to live and work on the North Shore, and gave some exciting details about what to expect at her studio stop!
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
I love to walk in the woods and with my dog Bijo and look for wild flowers and fungi.
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
I’m excited to see all of the lovely people who visit our show. We’ll have music all day Saturday again this year so I’m looking forward to that as well.
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I enjoy creating art through combinations of texture and color.
Beautiful textured artwork by Corine Buechner
For more information about Corine’s studio stop, click the button below:
We are thrilled that Lisa Kosmo is once again a host artist for the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour. She instills her love of nature in every aspect of her work, from plein air painting to book illustration. Her work is vibrant and full of life! We asked her to share what it is like living as an artist on the North Shore.
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
I like that I can be in a quiet space right outside my backdoor.
Lisa Kosmo’s “March, Amber Flow”
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
Visiting with people that appreciate your art and art in general. Many of the people that take these tours are such giving people, they are looking for gifts for someone else and want to support local artisans.
“Walleye”, a sneak peek at upcoming illustrations by Lisa Kosmo in “Love of a River” by Darby Nelson
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I worked in acrylics for many years, but the last couple of years I’ve returned to oils. I love the richness, the smell and texture.
Lisa Kosmo’s “New Moon Rising”
A great selection of Lisa Kosmo’s work can be found at her studio stop on the tour. It’s a stop you won’t want to miss! For more information on Studio LK, click the button below:
Sandi Pillsbury is a longtime participant to the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, and after a brief break is returning again this year as a guest at Christian Dalbec’s studio. Sandi is invested in her community, and can be found participating in workshops up and down the North Shore, as well as investing her time among numerous arts organizations. We asked her to share what it is like being a painter on the North Shore!
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
I have always been drawn to nature and the peace and solitude that the North Shore has to offer. I have been coming up to the North Shore of Lake Superior ever since I was a baby, so it has been an integral part of my life for almost 70 years! I cannot think of anyplace else I would rather live. I feel incredibly blessed to have a home ON the big lake, which has been a dream of mine for a long time. My husband and I bought our home 24 years ago, and we share it with our two Samoyed fur babies: Magic and River.
Sandi painting plein air on Agate Bay in Two Harbors, Minnesota
What are you most excited about for this year’s tour?
I am most excited about the new direction that the tour is taking this year! We have a GREAT team of new curators with great skill sets that provide the tour with more of a 21st Century look and connection via social media and web presence! I am excited about being back in the tour after taking a year off. It’s going to be a great event with new artists on the tour, new studios and a new logo design!
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I work primarily in oil paint. I like to be able to come back to a painting after letting it “sit” over night and being able to still add/subtract to/from the image. I sometimes will use alkyd paint which is a synthetic oil that dries faster than regular oils. This way, I can layer and glaze my paintings to give them further depth and meaning.
Summer Day Lester River, Oil Painting by Sandi Pillsbury
For more information about Sandi’s work and her host studio location, click the button below:
Helen Hartleyis a longtime participant of the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour. She hosts the group of artists at the stop along the Scenic Highway at the Larsmont Schoolhouse. Helen is an active member of the Two Harbors art scene. Her work carries a distinct charm and expressiveness, no matter which medium she pursues.
Helen Hartley and just a small sampling of her art
“I’ve always loved doing art—it was my voice when I was young. My subject matter still “draws” from my soul. I helped others create art as a therapy in my medical profession for 30 years. Personally, I have continually learned new techniques by taking classes and workshops. I have seen variety in my style; my favorite might be the more whimsical, but I am challenged with portraits as well. So here I am with pieces of my work; pieces of me—putting watercolor to paper, alkyd to canvas, and releasing expression from a hunk of clay. All of this makes me smile.”
~Helen Griffin Hartley
For more information about Helen Hartley’s stop on the tour, click the button below!
We are very pleased to welcome Aaron Kloss to the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour this year! He is joining us as a new guest artist on the tour but is already well known throughout the region for his lively and expressive paintings featuring scenes of northern Minnesota. We asked him to share what it is like to live and work on the North Shore.
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
After growing up in the twin cities area, I appreciate the fact that I can walk out my front door in Duluth and be on the shoreline of lake Superior in a few minutes. The wilderness and wildlife, along with the changing seasons, always provides more than enough inspiration to keep my paintbrush going.
“The King of the Blues” painting by Aaron Kloss
As a new artist in the tour, what are you looking forward to?
Since this is my first time on this tour, I look forward to visiting people and artists on the tour, learning about other artists and hearing of the adventures of folks traveling up the shore.
“Springtime” painting by Aaron Kloss
“Fall Fiesta” by Aaron Kloss
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I enjoy painting in an expressive style, and feel like this style is my voice to share my many adventures in and around Duluth, MN. I also love color and contrast, and the process of watching a new work reveal itself on the canvas.
“Starry Spring Lake”, painting by Aaron Kloss
For more information about Aaron’s work and where to find him at his host studio for the tour, Studio JM, click the button below:
Sue Stavig is a returning artist to the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour. Her luxurious knits are something to see, feel, admire, and wear for many years to come. The brilliant colors seamlessly blend with the beauty of the North Shore landscape she calls home. We asked her to share what it is like living and working with such beauty and inspiration!
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
It’s been over 30 years since we fell in love with the Lake Superior area. We purchased a forlorn log cabin on 40 acres, near Finland, MN, and dreamed of how this tiny space could be a seasonal retreat for our growing family. We loved the simple life it afforded us, nestled in a beautiful place in the country. Beauty came with challenges. A towering but too-close tree fell on our roof. The shifting logs offered invitation to woodland guests. We tolerated flies, ants, snakes and mice. And then bats. (Our toddler alerted us to a “Mousie on the ceiling”). The final goodbye to the “old cabin” came when Mama Squirrel birthed a litter in a kitchen drawer. Enough. In 2008, we built a new cabin. Still tiny, but tight. No unexpected visitors. My favorite place is the porch, where I sit in a rocking chair that looks a bit like a snowshoe. I’m surrounded by luxurious yarn and buckets of stones I’ve collected. I never tire of the routine: coffee, clicking needles, creativity. All savored with a view of Sawmill Dome. We love it here!
Sue Stavig’s home in the woods, where beautiful knits are created.
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
Most of the year, knitting is a solitary adventure. While I enjoy the quiet company of yarn and needles, I look forward to meeting other artists and visitors. I knit what brings joy to me as an artist, with the wish that its recipient will find their own warm connection in color and fiber.
Knit by Sue Stavig
Knit by Sue Stavig
Knit by Sue Stavig
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
After 30 years of commercial design work, I said goodbye to computers, clients, and deadlines. I now listen to the whispers of tall trees, shoreline stones, and deep water. I take photos of nature’s designs to remind me of their distinct colors and textures. These photos become inspiration that link the just-right yarn from my collection to interpret the scene. Yarn is my palette – I design and knit what I love.
Sue Stavig’s work can be found at host artist Dave Gilsvik’s studio on the tour. For more information click the link below!
We are pleased to introduce you to an artist who is hosting a beautiful new studio stop on the tour. Although he is new to us this year, E.J. Klepinger is already known in the community for his artwork and for teaching the popular weekly “Brushes, Beans, & Brews” art classes at the Mocha Moose along the Scenic Drive. We asked him to describe what it is like to live and work next to Lake Superior!
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
Nature is the greatest influence to my art, both through a shamanic spiritual connection and through the beauty of nature. Having lived most of my life in Colorado, I have always appreciated the natural world and its life forms from the time I was a small child, and have celebrated my love of nature through my art and poetry. I have learned that all life, both wild and domesticated, has an energy and being able to connect to that energy and portray it is one of the greatest joys I can imagine. It is also important to me to support the community and other artists, and I have loved being a part of this area and its people. This is the very first time in my 54 years of life that I felt like I was truly home. I have been very blessed to have many avenues to be an artist, from teaching, illustrating books, commission works and creating art to be enjoyed by collectors.
Acrylic Painting by EJ Klepinger
“Dolly” By EJ Klepinger
Book Illustrations by EJ Klepinger
As a new artist in the tour, what are you looking forward to?
Honestly, I love seeing people look at art, really absorb it and be intrigued by it. When this occurs with your own art, where they really take time to look at it and enjoy it, that is the greatest gift I can imagine related to my art. If they purchase my art, that is beyond amazing and I feel so blessed to have moved them enough to want include it in their space and their lives. I focus so much on the energy of the subject, and for viewers to feel that energy, to often comment on it, and to even be moved to tears by it, is an incredible experience to witness. I live in a very magical place and to be able to share that with folks on the tour is wonderful. To feel the energy of the artists that will be on the property and to share that energy with visitors is truly a blessing.
EJ Klepinger at work in the studio.
What is it that you enjoy about working in your mediums?
I was taught, and I think many artists are taught, you have to focus on one medium. I fully disagree with this ‘rule’. I so appreciate artists that do, however for me, each medium has challenges and opportunities that might better serve the subject. To limit myself to just one medium is to limit my subject’s ability to express itself through my art. Being able to work in acrylics, oils, watercolor, soft pastel, pencil and pen and ink gives me many tools to honor my subject, and many forms of expressions to stimulate the viewer. I see the medium itself as a technique or artistic choice, what I enjoy the most is how the medium honors the subject, and I enjoy using the medium to do so. My enjoyment is less about the medium and more about the subject. There are times when I started with a medium and I completely abandon it and start over in a different medium. I is all about the subject for me and celebrating its energy.
Scratch art by EJ Klepinger
Notes about the studio…
I amvery much into the environment and nature, and am continually doing things to support my respect and love. I have a very difficult time killing anything, including the ‘dreaded’ tick and mosquito. My humble cabin home is rustic, and though I am slowly updating areas, I also love the ancient history it contains. This year I have also been playing with not mowing the yard fully or as much, and have thoroughly enjoyed seeing what forms of flowers, grasses and other plants grow, and what types of animals and insects it attracts. I have never seen so many monarchs as I have this year, so I have also begun planting butterfly and bee friendly plants in the organized beds, and am going to be planting a Swamp Milkweed patch in part of the yard. This has been a fun learning process of how to successfully germinate milkweed from seed. Hopefully by the time the show is here, others will see the fruits of my attempts.
Wolf by EJ Klepinger
For more information about E.J. Klepinger’s studio stop on the tour, please click the button below!
Paul Zoldahn is one of our hosts for the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour. Paul has many years of ceramic experience, and loves to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with artists and art admirers alike. We asked him to describe his work and what it is like to work from his studio tucked in the woods of the North Shore.
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
Working in clay, I realized the need to keep creative by slowing the pace- foot powered wheel for forming work- eliminate breakage in glazing and once firing dry clay work. The North Shore lends itself to a slower pace, living far enough from Lake Superior seems to temper the high and low lake effected temperatures at our studio. Most days studio work begins with a trail walk in the Red Pine woods at our pottery.
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
What excites me the most about sharing a host site on the 20/20 Studio & Art Tour is the returning and new customers that will visit our site. Also the addition of new artists and new energy added to the well established tour.
Paul Zoldahn at work.
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I mix the clay used in my functional work. Clay really has a life of its own. At first the claybody seems a bit short and needs some finesse to ease that living pot out of the lump of clay. After 2 to 3 weeks of aging the clay becomes more workable and easier to move and create forms. Many clay work sessions are a series of forms sometimes very similar yet never identical, dictated by the consistency of the clay lump. An idea can be brought to life in clay through that series of work; usually it starts as a sketch on paper.
My pottery is carried by two galleries in Duluth Mn. -The Duluth Pottery in the west end arts district and Lizzards Gallery downtown and in Grand Marais Mn. at The Big Lake shop.
For more information about Paul’s studio stop on the tour, click the button below:
Meet Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour host artist Jennifer Murphy! Jennifer’s studio will be open for visitors during the tour, where you can meet her and see her beautiful work in person. We asked her a few questions about being a working artist on the North Shore.
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
I love that any direction I go there are places to explore with amazing wildlife, plant life, and geology that give a never-ending supply of inspiration. The natural spaces energize and comfort me, and my work has been evolving to reflect that since moving to the area almost 3 years ago.
The studio of Jennifer Murphy
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about? If you have not participated before what are you looking forward to?
This is my second year as a host on the tour. What excites me most about the tour is meeting the people who support and appreciate the arts. I also love to give people a look into my studio space. I feel it helps people to be more connected with the artwork if they can see where it is made.
I’m also excited because I was awarded a technology and equipment grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council this year, and I cannot wait to reveal the new work I’ve made with the equipment I purchased with the help of this grant.
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
I love working with clay because it is tactile, malleable, and always challenging. The successes are always something I celebrate, and the failures are always a learning experience. Clay gives me the freedom to continually evolve my work and try new things, there is never a shortage of techniques to discover. I also get to play with fire, which is awesome!
Jennifer’s work at the Park Point Art Fair 2019
Find out more about Jennifer and her studio stop on the tour, STUDIO JM, by clicking the button below.
Dan is a longtime guest artist of the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, known for his exceptional woodworking skills and his generous spirit, giving back to his community by donating the proceeds from his sales during the tour to our local food bank. We were thrilled to interview him about his participation in the tour and being an artist on the north shore!
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
I love the north woods. It is so fresh and beautiful. I spent a large part of my life paddling and guiding in Quetico. That’s where I met Alice, my paddling partner for life. I can’t canoe anymore but I know it’s just right there. So now I enjoy Lake Superior. That’s about as beautiful as it gets. Now instead of paddling I walk the lake shore remembering all the wonderful adventures Alice and I enjoyed together.
Dan and friend.
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
The 20/20 has become a major part of my life. The people traveling the tour are interested in more than just what they can buy. They enjoy traveling the back roads to find quaint studios hidden in the woods where they get to meet delightful artists who enjoy their work. Talking with these people is so enjoyable. Of course they want to learn about my playing with wood. But they also enjoy talking about other artists they have met and beautiful things they have seen. Then of course my final pleasure comes Monday morning. I make a considerable amount of money and Monday morning I get to take it to the food shelf where it gets used to make many people happier and healthier.
Woodwork by Dan FIndley
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium?
My dad was of the old school where when you needed something you made it. Often he used wood. After I got married money was scarce. So to help out my dad and I made custom lightweight canoe racing paddles. We spent many hours together in his basement working with wood. Very often when I am playing with wood I think of those times.
Woodwork by Dan Findley
Woodwork by Dan FIndley
Woodwork by Dan FIndley
Woodwork by Dan Findley
Find more information about Dan Findley’s participation as a guest artist at studio stop LK by clicking the button below:
Check out our interview with silkscreen artist and seamstress Natalija Walbridge, guest artist!
What do you like the most about living and working on the North Shore?
I am lucky to live on the bay side of Park Point, tucked behind Hearding Island. I am inspired by living close to nature, especially migrating birds and the otters who live on the bank of the island and swim near my shore at sunset. Recently a pair of Canadian geese took over the eagles nest in the tallest cottonwood tree on the island. A curious sight indeed! Nature is a constant source of wonder and my soul is nourished every day by the beauty that surrounds us.
Artist Natalija Walbridge
As an artist in the tour, what are you most excited about?
If you have not participated before what are you looking forward to? One of my favorite things about the tour is the relaxed setting which allows more time for conversation with each visitor. It’s rewarding to meet so many people who are interested to learn about my creative and technical process.
Sling Bag by Natalija Walbridge
What is it that you enjoy about working in your medium(s)?
My passion is to create functional, wearable art, combining technical design with imaginative prints. Since everything is made from start to finish in my home studio, I am able to create the art in proportion for each bag style. In this sense, the canvas for my art becomes a 3D object with the process of sewing and the result is a functional bag that will be enjoyed as part of someone’s daily life.
Silkscreen in progress
Silkscreen in progress
Silkscreened image
Finished product!
Find Natalija at studio stop LS! Click below for more details.
This year when you attend the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour you will not only have a chance to meet artists and check out all of the wonderful artwork, you will also have a chance to win some pretty great prizes!
All you need to do to be entered in the daily drawings is to attend the tour, pick up a passport card, and have your passport stamped at all ten tour stops. Every stop will have a drop for your filled passport, and that’s it! Simple!
We will have daily drawings September 27-29 for great prizes. Check back closer to the tour to find out what we have for you courtesy of the tour sponsors below:
September 27th, 28th, and 29th, 2024. Friday and Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 10am - 5pm 