Along the Shore

Cultivating a hobby

Thomas Spence’s photography journey

By Kalli Hawkins

TOFTE—For many individuals, it takes a specific motivating reason to get out of bed at 4 a.m. It may be to provide for your family, further your education, or for some, fuel an out-of-control hobby.

Thomas Spence, a photographer along the North Shore of Minnesota, considers himself in the latter category.

“The early mornings are my favorite,” Spence said. “It’s my favorite time of day as far as light goes.”

Fortunately, Spence lives and works in a location where the early morning photography opportunities are endless. Most of the wildlife or beautiful sunrises are found right outside his front door and not too far from his alarm clock.

Spence lives on the Sawbill Trail in Cook County, which he said “makes it pretty easy for me to get into the woods.” In addition, Spence works construction throughout the county, providing ample opportunity to scout to and from work. “I often, not always, but often bring my camera to work because the commute in the morning and evening can be pretty good for wildlife.”

While Spence’s photography is widely known along the North Shore for capturing stunning photos of Canada lynx, moose, or other critters in northern Minnesota, his path in photography started with capturing photos of waterfalls and the northern lights nearly 12 years ago.

“I liked the long exposure of waterfalls and how people would smooth out the water,” Spence said. “And I thought, I need to learn how to do that.”

In his early years, while developing his skill for photography, Spence spent a considerable amount of time exploring the woods, rivers, and lakes in the Superior National Forest with his Canon Powershot.

Spence said he hopes to offer photography workshops of his own someday.

| THOMAS SPENCE

“There was a bit of a learning curve, like knowing what gear to use, as well as the technical aspects of the camera,” Spence said.

It wasn’t long before he decided to upgrade his photography equipment to a Canon 660D and sign up for a workshop from photographer Bryan Hansel. “A workshop really came in handy. It helped to have a professional show you hands-on exactly what each setting does in relation to other settings,” Spence said.

After the workshop, Spence was hooked. “Ever since then, it’s kind of been an out-ofcontrol hobby that pretty much takes up all my spare time,” he said.

Throughout the past 12 years, Spence’s hobby has grown in notoriety along the North Shore and, more recently, internationally. In November of 2022, Spence received an email from a curator for the Art in Embassies program. The curator and the U.S. ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, wanted to feature wildlife in the United States inside the embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. The curator found Spence’s wildlife photos online and reached out.

Spence said he was “quite shocked” after opening the email and learning more about the program. “I mean, it’s quite an honor.”

He said he supplied the curator with a few of his favorite photos, and they spent time narrowing down which one to feature. Ultimately, Spence and the curator chose his favorite photo of a Canada lynx, the same photo that was featured in the Catchlight section in Northern Wilds magazine a few years prior.

“When I take these pictures, I never really know where they’re going to end up,” Spence said. “So, to go from having it sitting on my website or sitting on my hard drive, to in Nairobi on the wall of the embassy, it’s kind of mind-blowing.”

Throughout the past 12 years, Thomas Spence’s hobby has grown in notoriety along the North Shore and internationally. This lynx photo was recently chosen to be featured in the U.S. embassy in Kenya.

| THOMAS SPENCE

The selected photo derives from one of his favorite photography moments in the field. Five winters ago, Spence encountered a family of five lynx on a backroad and spent two hours watching the feline family hunt for snowshoe hares and relax in the morning sun. “That was one of the most incredible experiences,” he said.

Compared to other photographers, Spence explains he focuses more on the experience rather than checking a species or composition off a bucket list. “I’m more whatever’s in front of me,” he said. With that being said, there is one mammal that Spence would love to photograph, and he has taken a unique tactic to improve his luck.

“I told my sister that the fisher is probably the animal that I want to photograph the most,” Spence said. Two weeks later, he received a pair of socks with fisher illustrations. Spence said he now “tries to wear them when taking pictures as often as possible,” hoping to boost his luck.

While Spence has progressed in his skill and camera equipment, he often reflects on the impact of taking a workshop during his early photography years. “I kind of held off on a workshop or a lesson for a while, and it was one of the most valuable things I did,” he said.

Spence said he hopes to offer workshops of his own someday. In the meantime, he said, “I still feel like I have a lot to learn before I start teaching anyone, but I’m getting there.”

“It’s definitely something I’ll be working towards in the next five years,” he said.

In addition to the exciting news about his work featured in the U.S. embassy in Kenya, Spence shared he is preparing for an upcoming artist feature at Photography and Art at the Rock, a monthly rotating artist exhibit at the Split Rock Lighthouse. Spence is the featured artist this upcoming fall season, during September.

Java Moose

Sharing the weather, spreading kindness

By Rae Poynter

GRAND MARAIS—On the corner of Highway 61 and Wisconsin Street is Java Moose, Grand Marais’ beloved coffee shop. The Jorgenson family has owned Java Moose since 1999, back when it was a seasonal kiosk in the Trading Post, and have seen the business through many transitions, including moving to the new location and becoming a yearround operation. Sarah Jorgenson-Hallberg is in charge of operations at Java Moose, and among the many hats she wears, the one she is most widely recognized for is her role as social media manager. Through posting daily weather videos, she has become the face of the Java Moose business, and uses Instagram and Facebook to share all things weather, coffee, and kindness with Grand Marais and beyond.

Although Jorgenson-Hallberg had been using social media for her business for a long time, growing a substantial social media presence is time-consuming. As the only one on the team doing social media, she said she didn’t have the bandwidth to be a “content creator,” as that comes with a lot of pressure to continually generate new ideas. Then came the summer of 2021, when northern Minnesota experienced a summer of wildfires. Jorgenson-Hallberg took to Instagram to share updates on the fires. People watched them, and the start of Java Moose’s signature weather videos was born.

The Jorgenson family has owned Java Moose in Grand Marais since 1999, back when it was a kiosk in the Trading Post.

| SUBMITTED

“People online didn’t know if we were okay or if it was safe to come up here,” Jorgenson-Hallberg said. “It was hard for people to find up-to-date information specific to Grand Marais, so it started as a way to give reports on what was happening here.”

That summer was also the first of two summers to bring road construction to Highway 61 in Grand Marais, and Jorgenson-Hallberg also used their platform to give updates on the construction progress and how that was affecting both Java Moose and the broader community. Today, she shares a daily weather report on the Java Moose Instagram account, braving subzero temperatures, forceful winds, and whatever weather Lake Superior happens to bring. She also shares tips for exploring the local area and getting out in nature.

“I share activities that are accessible and easy for most people to do,” she said.

While weather reports might seem like a matter-of-fact topic, Jorgenson-Hallberg’s videos help people feel connected to a place they love. Many people who visit the North Shore develop a deep connection to Lake Superior, and staying up-to-date on the changing seasons through videos can help people keep that connection alive.

“The North Shore holds a special place in people’s hearts,” she said. “For example, a few months ago, we received a message from a girl who had lost her mother. She said that they watched our videos together every day, and they helped her through that time.”

On a deeper level, Jorgenson-Hallberg’s videos embody a message that’s close to her heart: the importance of being kind.

While weather reports might seem like a matter-of-fact topic, Sarah Jorgenson-Hallberg’s videos help people feel connected to a place they love: the North Shore.

| SARAH JORGENSON-HALLBERG

“I don’t shy away from showing that we care about each and every person,” she said. “I want people to know that everyone is welcome in our shop, and everyone who walks through the door will be treated kindly, fairly, and equally.”

This message on the importance of kindness was shared even more widely than usual this summer when one video of hers gained a large number of views. In this particular video, posted during the height of the busy summer season, Jorgenson-Hallberg shared how the Java Moose staff—particularly the young staff—had been treated poorly by customers. In the video, Jorgenson-Hallberg urged visitors to be kind, and to remember the true reason for any visit to the North Shore: the special beauty of nature. The video ended up being picked up and shared by regional news stations, and has been viewed over 41,000 times at the time of this writing.

“In situations like this, you have to keep your head up and keep integrity,” Jorgenson-Hallberg said. “In our culture, we’re taught that the customer is always right, and often they are, but not to the point of degrading staff or being mean.”

Despite that, Jorgenson-Hallberg said that the vast majority of customers are great people and that she’s incredibly thankful to be in her role.

“We have a wonderful job—we sell coffee and leave people feeling better. We want to get better every day and keep trying new things,” she said. “At the end of the day, people just want to believe that they matter, so be kind.”

Find Java Moose on Instagram and Facebook at: @javamoosegrandmarais.

Minnesota Children’s Press fosters creativity in youth

By Casey Fitchett

GRAND MARAIS—Grand Marais resident Anne Brataas is passionate about teaching and literacy. Armed with an intrinsic motivation to explain the natural world, the former Pioneer Press and Star Tribune science and environmental reporter wants to influence children to be stewards of their surroundings. Through her various engagements with youth while living in the Twin Cities, she quickly realized their deep capabilities and the way she could help them embrace their limitless creativity.

As the children she mentored expanded their minds through written and illustrated thought exercises on topics like ‘what makes a good community,’ Brataas knew there was more she wanted to do. In 2019, she decided to formalize her unique mentorship concept by creating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The Minnesota Children’s Press is an educational non-profit authoring and publishing collaborative that provides space for child authors, illustrators, designers, and editors to bring their ideas to life. The budding entrepreneurs interview, research, write, illustrate, edit, design, craft, proof, sign off, and publish stories from their perspective on the world around us.

Borrowing from the familiar phrasing of another popular youth group, the youth club participants call themselves “Story Scouts.” Instead of selling cookies, the Story Scouts sell the books that they have created.

“Selling our books helps fund life-improving community projects such as helping kids graduate from college free of debt, or designing more engaging playgrounds of natural, non-polluting and non-toxic materials,” says Brataas. “From our Ice Cream & Fish book revenues through March 2021, we donated to the Cook County Violence Prevention Center, several 12-steps groups, and funds for families facing food insecurity.”

The organization mentors kids ages 5-15.

| SUBMITTED

The organization has received a number of grants, including one recently from the Blandin Foundation. With these resources, they will be able to operate the new “Letteracy Deck” in Grand Marais starting this summer. Residents, visitors and passersby are welcome to pause for a moment of reflection and screen-free letter-writing while overlooking Lake Superior. The organization’s volunteers will supply the tables, chairs, space, all the fun papers, cards, inks, pens (even quills), stamps, envelopes and models of letters.

“Our goal is simple: from June 15 through September 15, we encourage visitors and locals alike to pause and reflect while inspired by the majesty of Lake Stupendous—ok, Superior—and let that energy empower them to connect with someone positively,” explains Brataas. “We want people to have a free, open place where they can contemplate beauty and communicate it.”

The Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation of Duluth also supported the group in its quest to write and illustrate a five-book series of 200 years of Cook County history. Starting in 2020, the Story Scouts teamed up with the Cook County YMCA to interview local elders and conduct research at the Cook County History Museum. The fourth book in the chronological series, written about the time period from 1930 to 1980, was a 2021 Minnesota Author Project Award Finalist. Not even a global pandemic could stifle the creativity and positivity of the Story Scouts. Between March and November 2020, the group produced a work entitled Safe and Healthy: A Child’s Field Guide to Thriving in a Pandemic. Donations from the “sale” of this pandemic project benefit the Litter Lab, a mapping and online Litter Museum designed to reduce public trashiness and Lake Superior pollution. Another grant-funded initiative, the Litter Lab youth participants sorted litter based on its type and GPS location to identify trends. Analyzing the data and reports encouraged the community to brainstorm ways to reduce the pollution. It was also the brainchild of Brataas.

With many, many years under her belt working with youth, Brataas has no shortage of memorable stories. Though every interaction touches her in a different way, there have been some that rise to the top.

Youth club participants call themselves Story Scouts, but instead of selling cookies, they sell the books that they’ve created.

| SUBMITTED

“I witnessed the very moment a child understood himself to be an artist and that he could tell stories through pictures. It was one of the best feelings ever—for me and for him,” she explains. “His drawing became the cover of one of our local history books, Berries & Beavers. He was so proud of his drawing. He asked me to keep it for him, and to ‘make sure you keep it up high so it won’t get wrecked.’”

The Minnesota Children’s Press, with Braatas at its helm, has its sights set on the long term. Setting up its Story Scouts for the future by making them more comfortable working and creating in the digital age is paramount. Beyond the collaboration required to write and illustrate a book with other members of the group, the Story Scouts is teaching the children lifelong entrepreneurial skills.

“That’s sort of where all this goes; they’re building a career portfolio whether or not they know it,” she says. “It’s an alternative way to learn important and practical things. These are really problem-solving skills in life.”

More information about the Minnesota Children’s Press can be found at: minnchildpress.org.