The Roadhouse

Local artist Betsy Bowen visited Uganda in 2009 and 2010. While there, she met artists and taught art to kids. An exhibit of work by Ugandan wood block artists Fred Mutebi and Hassan Mukiibi, as well as woodcuts by more than 20 kids Betsy worked with, opened recently at Betsy Bowen Studio. Betsy joined Dick July 3 to talk about her experiences in Uganda. The exhibit runs through July 19, and you can learn more here.

The eighth annual Woodland Chamber Music Workshop took place the last week in June at Surfside Resort in Tofte, with a record number of people registered for workshops. The event's creator, conductor and cellist Josh Aerie, talked with Dick about chamber music, their philosophy of teaching all levels, and the several concerts open to the public that weekend. You can learn more or register for next year's workshop here.

Greg Breining is a journalist and author who focuses on travel, science and nature. He recently wrote an article about how species are increasingly interbreeding to survive human activity and climate change. Buck chatted with him about it June 26. You can find  the full article here.

The MN State Fair just announced new foods for this summer's fair, including Snicker Bar salad, deep-fried ribs, and walleye-stuffed mushrooms. Dennis Larson, the lucky guy who gets to choose the new offerings, chatted with Dick about all things food at the fair. You can see the mouth-watering complete list here. This year's fair runs Aug. 27 through Sept. 7. Photo courtesy MN State Fair.

Willie Waldman brought a few friends, Clint Wagner on guitar and Tofte-ite Bill Hansen on dobro, to our Wooden Boat Show broadcast to play great jazz and spin a few yarns. Willie and Clint were just back from a week-long canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. You can learn more about Willie and his music here.

Judy Zugish, a professional nurseryman and basketmaker, combines her two passions as a teacher of basketmaking. She talked with Dick at the Wooden Boat Show live from North House about her craft and the classes she teaches. You can learn more about Judy here.

Angela Robins, former intern at North House, was back in town to speak at the Wooden Boat Show about Japanese boatbuilding, which she observed and studied along with researcher/boatbuilder Douglas Brooks. She spoke with Dick June 19 at the live remote broadcast of The Roadhouse from the North House campus. Angela currently works with Urban Boatbuilders in St. Paul, and you can learn more about her here.

Local singer-songwriter Maria Nickolay stopped by Studio A June 12 to share original music, as well as stories about past and upcoming mission trips to Ireland and other locales. 

Visitors to northern forests in coming decades will probably see a very different set of trees as the climate warms, a recent U of MN study shows. Rebecca Montgomery, associate professor in the forest resources department and one of the researchers on the study, joined Dick June 12 to explain.

Throughout his career, Guy Davis has dedicated himself to reviving the traditions of acoustic blues and bringing them to as many ears as possible. He was in Grand Marais June 5 & 6 to perform at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts, as well as conduct a special program for kids at the Grand Marais Public Library. We were lucky enough to welcome him to the station, where he played several songs and WTIP blues host Carl Solander chatted with him.