Lots of Art this Summer in the Keweenaw!

June is here and the season of art fairs, farmer’s markets, and outside art opportunities has started. I believe that Copper Country summers are among the best in the world!

Bridgefest will be extra special this year, with the dedication of the Houghton Portage Lift Bridge as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. There will be bronze plaques received by both cities, Houghton and Hancock, to commemorate the completion of the bridge in 1959. The ceremony will take place on June 17 at 10 a.m. at Bridgeview Park in Houghton. 

On the same day, from 3 to 5 p.m. there will be a plein air painting session at Porvoo Park in Hancock. Aspiring artists will be gathering with their own favorite medium to create an impression of the Bridge, and all are welcome. It’s interesting to paint or draw from the perspective you get from viewing real objects rather than photos, and it’s also fun to create in small groups; share the experience, and see what others are doing. 

After the plein air painting, simply walk up the hill to the CCCAC to enjoy the closing reception for the Bridge Community Exhibition from 5:30 to 7 p.m.. This show includes pieces of art inspired by our famous lift bridge and will run from June 7 to June 17. It’s fascinating to see all the different perspectives on a single object. When I see this variety, I think about the prints Chris Schmidt of Studio 13 has created, portraying our famous bridge from several different angles; truly a celebration of architecture.

The parade will follow the gallery show at 7:05 p.m. and will go from Downtown Hancock into Houghton. 

The 2022 celebration of the summer solstice, Juhannus, will be celebrated from June 20 to June 25. On Wednesday, June 22 at 7 p.m. at the Finlandia University Gallery in the Finnish American Heritage Center on Quincy Street in Hancock, there will be a show exhibiting the work by students and instructors this year from the Finnish American Folk School. Local and guest artists inspired and taught local students an abundance of creative techniques in a wonderful diversity of art forms, and these will be on display. Folklorist Hillary Joy Virtanen will be speaking, and Sara Pajunen, violinist, composer, and visual artist from the Iron Range in Minnesota, will be performing an original composition commissioned by the Folk School. Pajunen will also be teaching a workshop during the festival, and weaver Wynne Mattila will be teaching a 5-day rug weaving workshop. Check the Juhannus website for complete information, at https://www.finlandia.edu/juhannus/, or call 906-487-7549. 

On Saturday, June 25, from 10 a.m. to noon, there will be folk school demonstrations on the Quincy Green next to the Finnish American Heritage Center. Instructors and students will be demonstrating traditional arts. In the same location, there will be a Finnish Song Workshop with Sara Pajunen from 1 to 3 p.m.. Instruction on words and melodies along with the stories that go with the songs will be included in this fun class. Admission costs $20 and you have to register ahead. Even if you can’t take the class, it might be enjoyable to watch if you happen to pass by.