Ontonagon Area art students exhibit Community Collaborations murals at Arts Center in Hancock

HANCOCK -- Community Collaborations, an exhibit of murals inspired by folk art, is on display in the Youth Gallery at the Copper Country Community Arts Center in Hancock during the month of January.

An art project created by Ontonagon Area Schools 7th grade art students, the murals, or "3-D paintings," depict four of the communities included in the Ontonagon Area School District: Ontonagon, White Pine, Rockland, and Mass City/Greenland. Students created the collaborative works during approximately 30-55-minute art class sessions. The project was a labor of love and included the help of many people.

Ontonagon 7th grade art students work on a "3-D painting" of their community. (Photos courtesy Community Arts Center)

"With this type of team teaching opportunity, we could tackle more ambitious and complex projects," said Jill Miesbauer, a teaching intern from Northern Michigan University assisting art educator Melissa Hronkin.

Next, guest artist Randy Wakeham inspired the students with his paintings and professional advice. Board of Education President Dean Juntinen took photographs of the landmark buildings in each of the communities for the students to use as reference. This really helped the students with their realistic drawings of the buildings.

Ontonagon art students exhibit their mural of the Mass City/Greenland community.

Scott DeHut, an aide for some of the students, provided guidance and leadership for some of the groups. This art project was about collaboration and community building at many levels. Artists in the real world do not work in isolation: there are many types of skills involved in their process. The folk-art-inspired 3-D paintings mimicked this real-world process and provided students and teachers with many opportunities for reflection and higher-level thinking skills to solve the challenges that presented themselves each day.

The Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock and is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Call 482-2333 for more information.

"Embracing Mortality" course to begin Jan. 19

HANCOCK -- "Embracing Mortality," a five-week course that will explore the end-of-life options available here in the Copper Country, starts at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at First United Methodist Church in Hancock. No particular religious faith will be promoted.

"Facing the enormity of our own term limits need not be frightening or morbid. In fact, we laugh a lot in this course!" says instructor Carolyn Peterson. "In the same way that a childbirth class helps expectant parents overcome the fear of giving birth, knowledge and preparation can lessen the fear of dying. A major goal of the course is to add joy and meaning to whatever time we have left to live."

A collaborative effort of the Community Coalition on Grief and Bereavement, the course is designed to help people approach the end of life without fear. Participants can expect a supportive atmosphere; group discussions; and guest speakers that include a physician, Hospice nurse and funeral directors. Class size is limited to 25 people.

To obtain more information and to pre-register, contact instructor Carolyn Peterson at 482-4696 or ccpeter650@hotmail.com.

Volunteers needed for Library Restaurant Keweenaw Nordic Ski Festival Jan. 16-17

HOUGHTON -- Volunteers are needed for the upcoming Library Restaurant Keweenaw Nordic Ski Festival to be held Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 16-17, 2010. The Copper Loppet is on Saturday and the Copper Island Classic is Sunday. The festival will also include the Talvi Tohinat Skijor race on Saturday, Jan. 16.

The Copper Loppet has two distances, 13 km or 26 km, at the Tech Trails, including portions of both the upper trails and the Nara Trails. Start time is high noon on Saturday, Jan. 16. The Copper Island Classic on Sunday, Jan. 17, beginning at 12:50 p.m., includes a 2 km youth race plus the traditional 5 km and 10 km distances at the Chassell Trails. In the 5 km and 10 km, you can either race for time and age group awards, or you can guess your time and the closest to the actual time wins!

Or, enter the Paradise Pursuit and ski the 13 km Copper Loppet and the 10 km Copper Island Classic. Prizes will be awarded for combined times.

There will also be Great Lakes Division Junior Olympic (JO) qualifiers for youth racers both days and a shorter race for 12-13-year-olds on Saturday. The Jo qualifier on Saturday begins at 9:30 a.m. on the Tech Trails; the JO qualifier on Sunday is at 10 a.m. on the Chassell Trails.

Race organizers are in need of volunteers to help at the finish line, timing and start line for both days. The days are divided in half, so people don't need to commit an entire day (although if you'd like to do so, they certainly won't turn you down). Here's the scoop:

Saturday, Jan. 16 -- Tech Trails -- high school/middle school races -- 8:30 a.m. -11 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 16 -- Tech Trails -- Copper Loppet (13km and 26km) -- 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 17 -- Chassell Trails -- high school/middle school race -- 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Sunday, Jan. 17 -- Copper Island Classic -- Noon - 3 p.m.

If you are available to help, please send Dean Woodbeck an email at deanwoodbeck@gmail.com.

Talvi Tohinat Skijor race to be Jan. 16

The annual Talvi Tohinat Skijor race will be held Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010, on the Michigan Tech Trails as part of the first annual Library Restaurant Keweeenaw Nordic Festival. Skijor races will again be contested over two distances: 5k and 10k. The 5k race will be twice around the Isle Royale and Superior loops; the 10k race will include one lap of the Isle Royale and Superior loops, interrupted by a trip across Pilgrim Rd. for a lap around the Pilgrim Rd. trails. The 5k race is for one-dog teams only; the 10k race is open to both one- and two-dog teams. The 5k race will get underway at 12:30 p.m.; the 10k race will start after the 5k race has concluded (target time: 1 p.m.).

Details on the race can be found online at talviskijor.com.

Details on the Library Restaurant Keweenaw Nordic Festival are available at www.keweenawtrails.com/KeweenawNordic/.

If you're interested in helping with the Talvi Tohinat Skijor race, please send Chris Schmidt a note at cts@xmatic.com.

A Soldier's Heart, exhibit by Steve Wahlstrom, to open Jan. 7 at Community Arts Center

HANCOCK -- This month the Kerredge Gallery at the Copper Country Community Arts Center features Marquette artist, Steve Wahlstrom. Through his paintings, Wahlstrom tells his personal experience as a Vietnam veteran in his exhibit, A Soldier’s Heart.

Painting by Steve Wahlstrom from the exhibit A Soldier's Heart, opening Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Community Arts Center in Hancock. (Photo courtesy Community Arts Center)

A reception and gallery talk with the artist will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Community Arts Center.

The exhibit, which continues through Jan. 30, will include "Heroes," a portrait series honoring his comrades with respect and compassion. Wahlstrom, who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, explains that he ran out of words to describe what he was going through and started painting a year and a half ago. He found through creative expression a gratifying path to healing for himself, and by exhibiting his work a way for others to heal as well. The Copper Country Community Arts Center is honored to present this thought-provoking exhibit.

The Copper Country Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Call 482-2333 for more information.

Stupak to hold town hall meetings Jan. 5, 6, 7

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) is holding town hall meetings in Ironwood, Ontonagon and Houghton this week. Congressman Stupak invites constituents to attend the following town hall meetings to discuss current national issues:

Tuesday, Jan. 5, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. (CST) at Gogebic Community College, David G. Lindquist Center Cafeteria, E-4946 Jackson Road, Ironwood, MI.

Wednesday, Jan. 6, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. (EST) at Ontonagon Area Jr./Sr. High School Cafeteria, 701 Parker Avenue, Ontonagon, MI.

Thursday, Jan. 7, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. (EST) at Michigan Technological University Memorial Union Building, Ballroom B, Houghton, MI.

At 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7, Stupak will have an informal meeting with Houghton Democratic Party members and supporters. Participants will meet the Congressman in the breakfast area of the Super 8 Motel in Houghton and may bring some light refreshments to share if they wish (optional). (Note the change of time to 8 p.m. for this meeting.)

Portage Health ski, snowshoe group begins Jan. 6; Tech Nordic Ski Club offers lessons

HANCOCK -- Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 6, the ski and snowshoe group sponsored by Portage Health will be hitting the local trails as a group at 6 p.m. each Wednesday.

"Each week we will alternate between the Swedetown Trails in Calumet and the Michigan Tech Trails in Houghton," says Arnie Kinnunen, Portage Health Community Outreach Coordinator. "We will break into two groups each week. One group will snowshoe, the other group will ski (classic or skate, doesn't matter)."

Here is the schedule so far:

Jan. 6 -- TECH TRAILS: Meet by the Waxing Center off Sharon Ave.

Jan. 13 -- SWEDETOWN: Meet by the chalet.

For more information contact Arnie Kinnunen at (906)483-1558 or Akinnunen@portagehealth.org.

Cross Country Ski Lessons at Tech Trails

HOUGHTON -- The Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Club will hold two sets of cross-country ski lessons for adults: One starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons, Jan. 17, 24 and 31, and one starting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, Jan. 13, 20 and 27.

Each set is a series of three one-hour lessons. Lessons will start at the Waxing Center at Tech Trails. Skiers can choose from skate or classic technique; and the lessons will be taught at the beginner, novice or intermediate level based on the skier's ability.

"This is our sixth year of providing lessons," says Blair Orr, Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Club Faculty Advisor. "Our thanks to the Keweenaw Community Foundation, which helped us get this program started years ago."

The cost for a set of lessons is $25. More information is available at ski.mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech to compete in American College Theatre Festival; free performance of winning plays to be Jan. 2 at Rozsa

HOUGHTON -- The two one-act plays recently produced by Michigan Technological University's Visual and Performing Arts Department (VPA) -- "The Bald Soprano" and "The Lesson" -- have been selected to be performed at the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival (KC/ACTF). The Region III festival will be held at Saginaw Valley State University from Jan. 5 to 9, 2010.

In case you missed the October performance in Houghton, the cast will give a free performance of these two Eugene Ionesco plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, at the Rozsa Center.

"The Bald Soprano," a hilarious look at communication in daily life, and "The Lesson," a tragicomic view of communication between a teacher and a student -- or any authority figure and any innocent person -- were pioneering plays in the "theatre of the absurd." Eugene Ionesco, of Rumanian and French descent, is one of the best known playwrights of this literary movement, popular in the 1950s and 60s.

In 2007, the Théâtre de la Huchette in Paris celebrated 50 years of presenting these two plays, titled in French "La Cantatrice chauve" and "La Leçon." This very small, intimate theatre proved to be a successful venue for the plays, perhaps because of their intense, tragicomic qualities.

According to director Patricia Helsel, Michigan Tech assistant professor of theatre, the plays "tantalize with colorful and musical language in a circular plot full of contradictions, ironies and comical constructs," even as their meaning is easy to grasp.

In announcing the awards, the KC/ACTF selection committee cited Helsel’s creative interpretation of the Ionesco plays and her unique stylistic choices, as well as "outstanding production values and use of technology," particularly the play's use of projections and its scenic, sound and lighting designs.

Helsel joined Michigan Tech’s faculty in 2006. She has directed several plays, including the spring 2009 musical, "The Robber Bridegroom." Set designer Brock Nummerdor, lighting designer Frank Sopjes, costume designers Simone Boicourt and Esther Chuah, sound designer David Nichols, and stage manager Mike McKeller, plus the crew and eight of the nine actors, are Michigan Tech undergraduates.

"If we do well enough (in Saginaw) we perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC," notes cast member Charles Wallace. "We are trying things out on a new stage and we need audience members for support!! Hope you can make it!"

Pictures of the production can be seen on the web at www.vpa.mtu.edu.

Editor's Note: Portions of this article are thanks to cast member Charles Wallace and to Dennis Walikainen, Michigan Tech News senior editor. Click here to read Walikainen's complete article about the Kennedy Center / ACTF honor.