"Useful" Art

One of the things that I have noticed while working in the sales gallery is the visitors' desire to buy things they can use. While they may connect with a painting or absolutely love a piece of sculpture, in these economic times many people justify their art purchases by getting something "useful."

Because it is wedding season, many people are on the hunt for beautiful yet functional gifts. These beautiful wood sushi trays and bowls by Bob Carls are very popular and despite my love for sushi, I think these would be great as cheese trays or even to hold a few of my favorite pieces of jewelry.

Since working at the Arts Center and being in such close contact with the beautiful work, I cannot tell you how much I enjoy (and look forward to buying) handmade ceramic dishware. I adore the colors of these beautifully-glazed pieces by Ken Chin-Purcell:

As well as the traditional look of these pieces by Nate and Hallie Evans:

Because I'm a college student who lives in a dorm and the microwave is the only real cooking tool I have access to, I really want a mug like the one pictured below (also by Nate and Hallie Evans). I love the organic look of the clay and I have a hunch that this shape would keep liquid hot for a long time.

In fact, you will probably be able to find me at the Luther library armed with an art book and this mug full of green tea all too soon!

Standard Issue Iron Pour 2010

The Standard Issue Iron Pour was one of the most exciting projects yet this summer, held
on Saturday, July 24, 2010, in Sylvan Park. Two workshops allowed 25 participants to carve a design into a scratch-block mold, which was then filled with molten iron at the Iron Pour.

In addition to the workshop participants, local artist and Iron Pour producer Karl Unnasch and a group of artists in residence worked on their own sand molds the week prior to the Pour. On the day of the Pour, these artists melted iron scraps and poured the glowing liquid metal into all of the molds. It was a very cool (though extremely hot!) project and we were all thrilled with how wonderful the cast iron looked after the sand molds were broken and the molten iron was cooled.

Here is a sombrero made by one of the artists in residence:

And here is the line-up of cooling plaques made by the 25 workshop participants:

Holding the Iron Pour in a public space like Sylvan Park was a very good way to attract people from off the streets who many not be exposed to it otherwise. I think most people are very curious about art, but may not think they have enough knowledge or courage to participate in a workshop or class. By hosting the Iron Pour in the park on a busy Saturday, we were able to teach people a lot about the creative process of casting iron -- and hopefully get them excited about future projects.

Rhub-ART!

My first official day as an intern was Saturday, June 5, 2010, when the Arts Center sponsored the “Rhub-ART” booth at Lanesboro’s annual Rhubarb Festival. During the festival, visitors painted rhubarb leaves and used them as extra large stamps, making beautiful prints on their own piece of mat board. The activity was a nice addition to the performances and games at the Rhubarb Festival (held every year the first Saturday in June) and notably popular because we had to make a run for supplies to keep up with the flow of kids (and some fearless adults)! The project served as an energetic beginning to a busy season for the organization and was also a very fitting activity to jumpstart my endeavors as an intern because who has a more sincere excitement for art and creativity than children?

Save for a few courageous kids, most children tiptoed up to the table entangled in their parents’ limbs, too timid to ask for their own board to paint on. However, after sitting down with a rhubarb leaf and paint in hand, the smiles leaked out all over the place. It was also quite refreshing to see so many parents encouraging their children and letting them get a little messy during their outing! I overheard some parents talk about other projects they could do with their children over the summer; of course this was especially exciting for me because with just a little bit of paint, we were able to stimulate a string of creativity that will continue with the participants all summer long.

Using rhubarb to make art was perfect for the Rhubarb Festival, but many different leaves, flowers, and produce could be used to create beautiful (and easy-to-clean-up) prints. Start by gathering up kid-friendly paint, some brushes, a piece of canvas (or other sturdy board), and an assortment of your favorite leaves and flowers:

Then, use the brushes to paint on the veins of the leaves and the tips of the flower petals.

Carefully press the freshly-painted plants onto the canvas.

Continue to use and re-use the plants until you get the look you want!

Here's Katrina and Madelyn's finished product:

Happy painting from the Lanesboro Arts Center!

Greetings from the Lanesboro Arts Center!

As the summer 2010 intern, I would like to introduce myself and the latest addition to the Arts Center’s online presence: our very own blog. In this space we’ll give you information and insights about current events, as well as a few features on our wonderful artists’ work, art projects for children, and my personal experiences working at the Lanesboro Arts Center.

My name is Courtney Bergey, a proud Lanesboro native and the newest staff member at the Lanesboro Arts Center. I am a junior at Luther College in Decorah, IA, where I’m majoring in Communication Studies with an emphasis in arts management courses. In the future I hope to combine my appreciation for art and my love for studying it by obtaining a graduate degree in art history. In addition to my status as a self-professed art geek, I am also a foodie who loves to travel, attend concerts, and read in my spare time. I am absolutely thrilled to be working at the Arts Center this summer, and hope that with this blog, we’ll be able to reach out to fellow art-lovers and supporters of the organization.