IF YOU’RE LIKE ME and grew up in a rural area with minimal access to the arts, you appreciate every affordable opportunity to experience art as an adult. For that reason, I often showcase the arts here.
I want you to be aware of the wonderful arts opportunities right in your own Minnesota backyard. To you readers who live elsewhere, I expect you will find local or regional artistic venues unknown to you or unexplored by your for whatever reason.
A snippet overview of Franconia shows “The Harris Project” by Ohio artist Araan Schmidt in the foreground.
That brings us back to the Franconia Sculpture Park which, since its founding in 1996, has supported 735 national and international artists. Impressive. It offers an artist residency program. And to think I’ve never explored this 25-acre park with 100-plus oversized sculptures southwest of Taylors Falls until a few weeks ago.
But then again I’ve never been to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden either and that’s been around since 1988 and its even closer to my home than Franconia. I really must tour the Minneapolis park sometime. It’s my lack of fondness for urban traffic and urban areas that’s kept me away.
Minnesota artist Mary Johnson’s “Lizard Lounge.”
Give me rural any day, one of the reasons I appreciate Franconia so much. It’s located in Franconia Township, which nestles the St. Croix River. The park runs flat and open and stands next to farm fields.
With these hours, there’s ample opportunity to tour Franconia.
Yesterday I offered you a photo tour glimpse of Franconia, which is open dawn to dusk every day. Here’s one more peek at the art you’ll find there.
Donations are encouraged to support the park.
Admission is free, although donations are encouraged.
ONWARD, INTO THE TOUR:
It’s interesting to study the light reflecting on these triangles. New York City artist Ryan W. Turley created this sculpture which he calls “Spectacle.”
There’s something about the bend of this sculpture and its positioning that drew my eye. And, yes, that’s a cornfield in the background.
There are a few, what one would consider, more traditional sculptures like this haunting one.
Art in progress.
I couldn’t figure out if this was art or the home of a resident artist or both.
Maryland artist James R. Long calls his sculpture “Vessel with Orbs.” To me it looks like BINGO balls minus the numbers and letters.
My impression of this sculpture: escape.
CLICK HERE TO READ my first post about Franconia Sculpture Park.
© Copyright 2014 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
This place really is interesting! How many hours could be spent here, right? I love the Lizard Lounge!
Lots of hours. And I feel like we rather hurried through the park as Randy wasn’t quite as interested as me. Maybe has something to do with me and my camera and my general overall higher interest in the arts. But he’s always a good sport about visiting artsy venues.
“Haunting” is certainly apropos for that more traditional piece. “Riveting” would, also, apply, hmmmm?
I wish I could remember the name of this sculpture. And I couldn’t find it on the Franconia website. It’s probably there; I simply did not look long enough. Same goes for the other sculptures I did not ID. This sculpture made me think of Vietnam, for whatever reason. And the image shows only two of the four, I believe, men in the piece.
That trailer camper is confusing.
OK, so I’m not the only one confused by it. License plates were current, according to my husband, so we’re thinking an artist “lives” in it.
Perhaps a mobile domicile adorned with sculpture components.
Now you have me rushing to the dictionary…
That lizard lounge is a hoot! Then add the camper with what appears to be a bug crawling up on it and u have dining and sleeping with creepy crawly things!
Great interpretation on the camper. And I do love that Lizard Lounge, too. It was the first sculpture I noticed upon arriving.
The sculptures are quite amazing. I want to conjure up a name for each one I look at.
I know what you mean, Deanna. I wish I had jotted down the names and artists so I could have published that info here. But I was in the zone photographing and neglected to do so for most.
Love the last one and the lounge lizard is pretty cool too – thanks so much for sharing – Great Captures 🙂 Happy Day!
Always fun to show readers the places I discover.
My favorite…the spectacle. Such an interesting place, I could see myself standing for hours in awe (and wonder) 🙂
And taking lots of photos…
Well of course 🙂