Month: February 2015

This past weekend proved to be a cold one! Sunday morning the temperature was -18˚F with whipping wind! I thought I was completely covered as I headed out to the start of the WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race in Ely, Minnesota. Apparently, the only thing showing were the apples of my cheeks, which became wind-burned before I even got to the gate. Only staying for a few minutes in the morning had me grin and bear the frigid conditions.

It’s always the end of the races that have me snapping the most images. The dogs are born to run and love it! The mushers know how to dress to stay warm. Though most cross the finish line with ice crystals adorning their smiles!

Did you make it out to the BoatHouse Brew Pub Saturday night?! The first annual Great Nordic Beard Fest took place right there in Ely, Minnesota. Contestants came from neighboring states, including the great state of Colorado, which awarded contender, Tom Roller the trophy for Beard From Afar!

The trophies were true works of art, created by Nathaniel Strayve of  High Street Creations.

A list of all the winners can be found on the facebook fan page!

If you want to smile, you need to check out all of the photos taken that night! Click on the images here to see a larger version!

Interested in purchasing a print? A portion of the proceeds will go directly to The Great Nordic Beard Fest, to make next year even more of a success!

A special thanks to Shaun Chosa of Super Mega Beast Productions & Wicked Son Designs for his vision and follow through which has brought a great new event to Ely!

Looking for some great new artwork for your wall? Ely, Minnesota is the place to find what you’re looking for! The city’s Winter Festival is officially underway beginning today and running through February 15th.

Part of the festival includes the Ely ArtWalk where artists are encouraged to share their creative talents. Storefronts clear out their windows to make space for these works of art during the festival. Not all, but many of the pieces are for sale.

I got a sneak peek over the weekend of a young artist’s work. This will be her first time participating in the ArtWalk, and certainly not her last! I was immediately drawn to her sense of style and the meaning behind her pieces. I knew in an instant that I wanted them hanging on my office wall! You can view her artwork in the windows of the Goodwill store 40 N 2nd Avenue East. After the ArtWalk you will need to make an appointment with me, to see them in all of their glory!

These pieces represent the three stages of Inspiration.

This year I entered one piece into the ArtWalk. It will somehow be incorporated into the  new Raptor Exhibition at the International Wolf Center beginning this May. The nine days spent with a Northern Hawk Owl family has been a highlight of my photography career. I chose this owlet, peering out from its nest cavity to be my selection.

The piece has a custom-made frame by local artist, Barbara Jones. The frame is made up of wood harvested from her property and made to look like an extension of the of the image. You can view this piece in the window of Steger Mukluks 33 E. Sheridan Street during the ArtWalk.

A special thanks to Steve Voiles, Alanna Dore and everyone else who works tirelessly to pull this event together. It’s a winter favorite enjoyed by all!

Saturday afternoon Chris Koivisto provided some hands-on instruction at the International Wolf Center for anyone wanting to learn more about the art of carving snow. Having a background that includes snow and ice carving, I was interested in taking a peek at what they were doing.

Since I also made myself available to talk about the Aurora! exhibition, I spent quite a bit of time chatting with folks from around the country who happened to stop in that day.

Here I am with my friends Susan and Wayne. They stopped in on their way home to Texas.

The bright & sunny afternoon was perfect for brats, s’mores, hot chocolate & learning to carve!

I believe a fun day was had by all!