It’s a bumper year for the Minnesota State Fair’s crop art exhibit.
Artist Liz Schreiber, a veteran of the crop art competition, is this year’s State Fair commemorative artist. That means her work appears prominently on the fair’s official poster seen around the grounds, as well as on display in its original form.
Another case in point, Superintendent of Farm Crops Ron Kelsey — whose collection of vintage seed bags adorns the walls of the crop arts hall — was elected to honorary life membership in the Minnesota State Agricultural Society. The society is the governing body of the fair.
The crop arts exhibit continues to be a fair favorite. This year’s exhibit features hundreds of entrants who have submitted in over two dozen categories. The seed mosaics include tributes to Barbie, memorials to the late comedian Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman and cheeky turns of phrase in praise of seed art.
‘It’s meditative’
Made from 29 kinds of seeds, Schreiber’s commemorative art pays tribute to what she loves most about the fair: its iconography.
“It’s an amalgamation of a lot of different things that are very Minnesotan, like the variety of grains we grow, and our long winters, when we have more time on our hands and need something to keep us occupied,” Schreiber explained in June.
Encircled by a Ferris wheel and Skyride cars, the poster features a Guernsey cow. She drew inspiration from the cattle on a Como Avenue sign — a reminder that “even in the dead of winter, the fair is coming.”
Entering the competition for this year’s commemorative art, Schreiber made a small departure from the rules governing the seed art contest.
“A friend of mine’s mom knew that I did crop art. And she sent me this giant jug of palm seeds. She put a piece of tape on it and wrote, ‘For Nancy’s friend.’”
The friend’s mom had collected the large oval seeds from palms in Arizona.
“I took a little liberty there,” the artist said.
The original piece, which consumed 300 hours, not including the time spent crafting the frame, will be on display through Sept. 4 in the Fine Arts Center.
On the steamy first day of this year’s fair, she affixes the tiny seeds using a toothpick and Elmer’s glue.
“It’s very meditative. It’s kind of like doing a puzzle,” Schreiber said. “I like the challenge of trying to make something look like someone or something three-dimensional.”
‘We’re very much corn people!’
Another familiar face in the Horticulture building, Ron Kelsey, superintendent of farm crops, is back for his 76th year. His father entered corn in the fair for 52 years. Kelsey began attending the fair alongside his dad beginning at age 7.
“We’re very much corn people!”
Kelsey told an audience he is proud of his 1,400 cloth seed bags. “But who’s counting?”
On the first day, Kelsey rolls up his sleeve to reveal a forearm tattoo of an ear of corn — a gift from his children last year.
“If you get a tattoo at this age, and you don’t like it, you don’t have to live with it that long anyways,” Kelsey joked.
The crop art exhibit is visited by over 200,000 visitors each year, Kelsey, the organizer said.
As in the past puns abound. Rapper Snoop Dogg extolls viewers to “crop it like it’s hot.” A sandhill “grain” takes flight across a pond. A silver train darts by on “high seed rail.”
There are plenty of honorific portraits. In addition to Pee-wee Herman balanced on a bicycle, there’s a laughing Tina Turner and a side-smiling Prince. Pieces celebrate trans people and Minnesota women in politics.
Source: mprnews.org
Photo Credit: Minnesota State Fair
Categories: Minnesota, Rural Lifestyle