Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
THE HIGHLINE Corporation in Hurley offers this large-scale artistry within Art in the Park at Miners Memorial Heritage Park in Ironwood. Along with other art installations, the exhibit is part of the fourth annual Emberlight Festival. The Highline Corporation provides services, programs and employment for individuals with disabilities. Accompanying text to this exhibit explains that "music can transform darkness into light, pain into beauty, and inspiration to smile amidst adversity."
By DAMIIAN LANG
Ironwood - Every July and August in Ironwood, the Emberlight Festival makes a big splash.
Art in the Park - a large installation art show - is the first event of the festival, having started on June 29, but it lasts through Aug. 24 in Miners Memorial Heritage Park.
Artists from across the upper Midwest bring their original pieces, large and small, and create art installations nestled among the lush, green trees. Visitors will discover stunning, poignant, fun, fascinating, provocative, beautiful, mysterious and cool works of art, and all in the woods!
The festival theme this year is "Torch Songs and Rhapsodies," and these multimedia art installations are full of both. There's an exhilaration that happens when coming upon these works of art. It is a magical and connective experience.
Jen Werner of Ironwood was with her family members when we met at "The Elusive Lake Superior Agate" art installation, created by Terry Hudson.
Jen's niece, Katie Alderson of Cashton, Wisconsin, said this about the piece: "I like that they used different nature items, mixing the local area into it."
The information sign for the installation quotes the artist, "I used red clay and black sand from the cliffs and beaches of Lake Superior." Hudson also added, "The Torch Songs in my heart are about losing my mom. The Rhapsody of my life is because of my mother's influence and her encouragement of my art."
Emberlight's mission is to bring world-renowned artists to our community, and make the art they produce as accessible as possible to everyone.
Accessing the artistry is easy. You can walk the trail, or - if you prefer a ride with a guide - the Hurley Schools Booster Club has donated a golf cart for those who want to reserve a tour. The tours are available Tuesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Go to emberlight.org/park-tours or call the box office at 906-285-7101.
The Emberlight Festival is a volunteer-driven organization. Over the past three years, the volunteer team has produced nine art shows, 29 film screenings, 14 concerts, 20 performance infusions, one play, and 15 behind-the-curtain educational outreach presentations.
Coming up this summer, the Emberlight Festival will host its annual International Film Festival, along with cabarets, performance infusions, photography and chamber music.
"Art in the Park has grown from nine entries in 2021 to 20 installations in 2024. We are thrilled with the creative ideas that all the artists have shared and the wide range of mediums used in the installations," said Cindy Franck, creative producer of the festival.
She added, "The art is spectacular. The beautiful scenery that Mother Nature has given us as a backdrop is outstanding. We couldn't be more proud to have this venue that literally hundreds of community members and visitors are spending time in, enjoying and embracing the visual arts."
