231/365: wheat
Saturday we visited the Mill City Museum & Farmer’s Market. We got a free threshing lesson using a method called flailing – basically beating a pile of dry grain stalks with a simple log and chain tool until the seeds come out. We were surprisingly good at it. But, then, we’ve been flailing for years.
The Mill City Opera is one of our favorite dates of the year. Now in it’s fourth year, the opera is staged among the ruins of the former Gold Medal Flour factory (now Mill City Museum). Sitting under the stars on a warm summer night with a cold beer, gorgeous music, and my best guy beside me: pretty much heaven on earth.
197/365: mill city opera 2015
One of my favorite new traditions of the summer: the Mill City Summer Opera staged in the Mill City Museum courtyard under the stars. I can’t imagine a better way to spend a summer evening.
203/365: mill city ruins courtyard
This year, the Mill City Summer Opera performed Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.
I’m nearing the end of the 30 Days of Creativity project. It has been such a joy to get back in the habit of creating something every day. I have to admit, at the start of June, I had hoped to create lots of different things, not just photographs. So, I did some food, and a mosaic with my kids, but mostly I made photographs. And that was great because I love making photographs!!
For Day 27, though, I was excited to pin something non-photographic – a layout I created for the Growing Strong Art Contest. Due to a couple withdrawals and some logistics we had to change things at the last minute but I was rather proud of the layout I had designed TO SCALE in Photoshop. As in, I created something and also did math. 🙂 I had the honor of judging this contest and I am always thrilled to experience and promote other people’s creativity – in this case, inspired (as I so often am) by the farmer’s market!
Day 27: Art Exhibit Layout
The finished display of art contest winners:
Just a quick reminder that my show at Mill City Museum is ending soon. The main Growing Strong exhibit will be on view through July 22nd. But my fine art exhibition in the rail corridor ends June 24th. Once my pictures come down, we’ll be installing winning selections from the Growing Strong Art Contest. I was honored to co-curate this community art show. Stay tuned for some really great market-inspired artwork heading to the rail corridor in July!
text
Tomorrow is opening day at Mill City Farmers Market!
It’s no secret that I LOVE this market. And, yes, the market is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Growing Strong exhibit. But there’s more! I have a whole new show opening tomorrow at Mill City Museum!!
This show features a dozen of my favorite vegetable beauty shots from the farmers market. It’s right next to ‘Growing Strong’ in the museum’s Rail Corridor. So, come on down for fresh veggies, great music, Growing Strong, and art that’ll make you drool. Hope to see you there!
See you there!
P.S. When I say ‘there’ I mean tonight’s Opening Reception of Growing Strong – Tonight from 7-9pm. Live music, snacks, cash bar.
P.P.S. Next week I promise to share some new work. I’m thinking ‘signs of spring’…
Last Thursday was a big day for Growing Strong. I was there in the Mill City Museum loading dock to greet the delivery truck, and watch as the exhibit panels were unearthed from their cartons. It was exciting to see the result of all our hard work as the exhibit became a physical reality. Here is a little taste of the action and a sneak peak of the exhibit. Please join us Thursday night at the opening reception to experience the whole thing in living color!
Exhibit panels arriving at Mill City Museum.
Mill City Museum Second Street Entrance.
Exhibit panels emerging…
Installation tools.
Exhibit installation with Mill City Museum exhibit tech, Jan Struck, on ladder.
Mill City Museum lobby (Mill Corridor) with Growing Strong exhibit in the background.
Visit www.growingstrongexhibit.com for more information.
Consider yourself invited!
I don’t know about you, but I am counting the days till market season returns. I yearn for the farm-fresh goodness, the cardamom mini donuts, the good vibes. Until then, the photos will whet our appetites as we dream of things to come.
Please join us as we celebrate the farmers market April 19th.
Growing Strong is an exhibit about the benefits of farmers markets that I’ve been working on (with a really cool group of people*) for the past year. The whole idea started nearly two years ago with a casual conversation. I’ve been shooting the pictures ever since. At times, throughout all the discussions and planning, the whole thing seemed like just a beautiful fantasy. So I am truly thrilled to announce that it’s really happening! The exhibit opens at Mill City Museum in just a few short weeks.
Please mark your calendars for April 19th – I would LOVE to see you there! More details to come…
*David Nicholson & Marjorie Hegstrom (North Node Consulting), Jeff Berg (Hello Industries), and Jill Randerson (Kidzibits) in partnership with Mill City Museum and Renewing the Countryside.
Primary funding for this project was provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
avant garden 365 