The Face Of Winter, Medicine Lake, Minnesota, February 2008, photo
© 2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
When photographer Peter Haakon Thompson came up with the Art Shanty Projects in 2003, he never meant for it to become a huge event. The original plan was to take a break from work, build his own ice shack, and hang out with a couple of friends. When Liz and I attended the event last February, during some of the coldest winter days on record, it was obvious his idea had caught fire in Minnesota.
Midwesterners are known for creative ways to weather the dark winter seasons. If we stayed inside through the long months of winter (we had an end of March blizzard just last weekend), we’d surely go insane. To break the lethargy of cabin fever, we are prone to brave the elements and get our butts outside. What better way than a venture into the Arts.
In a 2005 MPR article on The Art Shanty Projects, Peter explains how he got started: “I just really liked the idea of small spaces that you can fit everything into,” says Thompson. “I’m a sailor and I really like sailboats and how everything fits into that small space.”
Once Thompson’s friend David Pittman heard about the project, he immediately saw potential. The Art Shanty Project, co-curated by Pittman and Thompson, was born.
Artists dove deep into their right-brain imaginations to reinvent the ice fishing house. What’s limnology? What about a portrait in the Snap Shot Shanty? Or a visit to the Shanty of Misfit Toys. This year, Old Man Winter would have been chuckling under frigid, billowing puffs of breath. Because on the coldest day of Winter 2008, Minnesota families of all ages showed up at East Medicine Lake Beach to do the bunny hop.
“Part of the idea I think for us is that this is not an intimidating gallery environment,” says Thompson. “So I think people are more willing to come and look at stuff if it just doesn’t have that quiet gallery atmosphere. It’s outside and there’s kids and dogs running around and snowmobiles.”
The Art Shanty Project is over for the season. But the memories linger. The Karaoke Shanty, Postal Shanty, Cubicle Shanty (created by a group that designs parking structures), Foreclosure Shanty, and Black Box Theater are closed for the year. The Freeze Pop pullover has been retired. The track for the bicycle ice races, melted into lake. But the Art of Ice lives on in these photographs.
Angles, Medicine Lake, Minnesota, February 2008, all photos © 2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
To view more photographs and press of the Art Shanty Projects, check out these links:
- Art On Ice Photographs – 2008
- Art Shanty Projects: Slide shows, information, archives
- WCCO Video- Art World Braves Winter in Shanty Town by Esme Murphy
-posted on red Ravine, Sunday, April 6th, 2008
These photographs are wonderful, QM, and they’re so fun the way you laid them out.
It does seem like a good way to get people out, both to make the shanties and to see them. I love the image on the door of the first photo in the series.
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Hey, thanks yb. I had started this post a while ago. And when I posted it last night, it felt like it was late in the game, since it’s almost spring. But then this morning, here it is at April 7th, snow flurries and 32 degrees. It’s a crazy month.
The Art Shanty Project was a lot of fun this year. I’d never been before. And I couldn’t believe I was trekking across a frozen lake in below zero temps, taking photographs, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Liz also took some wild video of that day. It was windy and the snow was flying. Moonrising, sun setting.
About the arts though, I like to cover arts that break open our ideas of what art can or should be. This project expands the definition of art and opens it to families who might not otherwise get to an art gallery or museum. There are lots of community projects here that do that and I like to support them.
“Art” is so much bigger than we imagine it. The possibilities are limitless. If we have an idea, believe in it, put effort into it, it happens. And the community is a better place for it.
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great photos. I wondered what you all did in Minnesota to entertain yourselves during the long, dark, cold winter. Now I know of at least one thing.
I too like art that isn’t the traditional “go-to-the-gallery” art. The world is full of that kind of art if we only look.
Today on the way home from lunch I walked past the Nelson-Atkins Gallery of Art, the huge art museum, here in the city. On one of the stone walls someone had built a little rock sculpture out of found stones. Itwas tiny and easy to overlook, but as beautiful (and a little more intriguing) than the massive Heny Moore sculptures that fill the sculpture garden next to the wall.
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QM, tonight on the news there was a story about a blizzard that hit this weekend in northern MN. I thought about your Ice Shanty piece and the timing of it, how spring has a whole different feel for folks up north. High 60s here today. Too hot, in my opinion. Last year this time it was much cooler still.
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Bob, I’ve really been enjoying your comments. You always sound so grounded. The fact that you noticed that little rock sculpture tells me you are right there, feet on the ground, out in your environment.
Hey, I’ve always wanted to ask, what are the winters like in Missouri? Is it spring there yet?
Believe it or not, it rained in Minneapolis all day Sunday. We were moving into the studio space and trying to keep photos and drawings dry in the space from the car to the palette where we were loading them. It was pouring, yet the ground was too frozen to absorb it all. So HUGE puddles. Then yesterday is snowed and turned cold.
I saw on the news last night, that same rain we had Sunday was actually 32 inches of snow up in Hibbing (on the Iron Range where Bob Dylan is from). Can you believe that – 32 inches in April!
Like ybonesy said, spring is a whole other experience here in the North. It’s very unpredictable. And tornado season is just around the corner. Last week, I saw the first billowing thunderclouds of the season. There is always a certain look to the skies this time of year.
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Great work. Fun what creative work the long cold winters of Minnesota will bring.
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Joe, thanks. You’ve got some great wedding photographs on your webpage. I like the black and whites, close-crops, and blurred movement in some of your photos. You also capture some unusual expressions on people’s faces. Fun.
Hey, if you check back here, I was wondering if you ever get requests to photograph a wedding party outside in the Minnesota winters. And how you work with that. Just curious.
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These are wonderful shots. We had a bit of shanty art on the 4 lakes in Madison, but nothing like this extravaganza. BTW, I think it’s snowing. 🙂 Yep.
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I really enjoying a glimpse into your world.
What a wonderful idea for a gallery with kids and dogs running around instead of stuffy uncomfortable people whispering to one another.
Thanks for sharing.
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Bo, you definitely got more snow than us this year in Wisconsin, hands down. But we got this crazy cold that just won’t let go! There’s a winter storm watch on the WeatherBug as I write, for Thursday through Saturday morning. The sun was out for bit today…but it’s clouding up!
gypsy-heart, it’s a strange land, this place of ice, wind, and snow. But I sure do love it here.
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2009 Sixth Annual Art Shanty Projects!
Hey all you Winter Lovers! Wanted to drop a comment here that the Sixth Annual Art Shanty Projects, live from Medicine Lake in beautiful Plymouth, Minnesota are opening THIS SATURDAY, and will run from Saturday, January 17 through the Closing February 14, 2009.
It’s great family fun and we might just have to drop by again this year. Here’s the link to their website which includes the new schedule and everything you need to know (including the current temps which are -3 degrees):
2009 Sixth Annual Art Shanty Projects Official Website (LINK)
Luckily, the weather is supposed to warm up a little this weekend. I should note here, too, that we are coming off one of the coldest weeks of winter we’ve had in the Twin Cities for years: -21 degrees air temps with -30 to -36 wind chills at my place. One person I know reported -36 degree air temps from his home this morning. And on the flat lake bed, it will be much colder and windier. Dress for the cold!
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QM, sounds like the extra-cold week will also ensure that no one will fall through the ice. 8)
How far is Plymouth from where you live?
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yb, it’s only a hop, skip, and jump from where I live. Only a few miles. Medicine Lake is beautiful and it’s just outside the Twin Cities. You mention the thickness of the ice and, you know, they talk about that a lot on the Minnesota news, especially in the beginning of the Winter season. I had to look up the rule of thumb and found a good article on WikiHow:
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How to Know When Ice is Safe on WikiHow (LINK)
Ice begins to be “safe” at around 4 – 6 inches thickness. Do not even walk on ice 3″ or less in thickness. However, even at a 4″ – 6″ thickness, there may be unforeseen hazards such as a flowing current underneath that is ceaselessly weakening the underside of the ice. In this instance, even the thickness is not a good indicator of safety, as the ice could collapse at any time.
In general, the rules for ice thickness measurements are:
3″ (7 cm) (new ice) – KEEP OFF
4″ (10 cm) – suitable for ice fishing, cross-country skiing and walking (approx. 200 pounds)
5″ (12 cm) – suitable for a single snowmobile or ATV (approx. 800 pounds)
8″ – 12″ (20 – 30 cm) – suitable for one car, group of people (approx. 1500 – 2000 pounds)
12″ – 15″ (30 – 38 cm) – suitable for a light pickup truck or a van
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There are tons of other links and bits of information on the Wiki page. Ice thickness is nothing to sneeze at. Every year we have a few people here (or their vehicles or ice houses) who fall into one of the 10,000+ lakes. In fact, there was a tragic case this year of a woman who tried to save her friend’s dog from drowning and fell through the ice. She didn’t make it, a very sad story. She had been walking the dog who must have gotten into trouble. It was during a period when the ice had thinned, some warmer days.
During this January cold snap, it’s definitely not an issue though. I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing the lake ice right now is at least a couple of feet thick. It’s always kind of an eerie feeling though to know that all that deep inky water is right under your feet.
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The Ice Shanty Projects are kicking off right at this minute (starting at 11am CST!) I realized I had gotten a newsletter from the Art Shanty organizers and there’s a lot going on for opening day today. I’m pasting it below.
We thought about going over this morning but it’s a little cold and windy still (19 degrees with 8 degree wind chills). And it’s gray. I think I might want to wait until a sunny day, and take some more photographs. Maybe it will be sunny and cold tomorrow!
Oh, ybonesy, according to the newsletter, Medicine Lake is about 20 minutes from downtown Minneapolis (closer to us though). There are over 20 shanties this year. And check out these events. I love the Word Shanty, the Black Box Theater, Radical Mapping Shanty, and the world’s largest cribbage board! Hope people can make it over there today! (There are links to many of the shanties and how they created them on the official website link I added a few comments before this one.) Minnesotans always make the MOST of Winter!
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The events on Saturday kick off at 11am near the Art Car Taxis on the shore, with a community blessing by Kari Tauring, a visiting Volva (Norse priestess). Starting then, there will be writing games all day in the Word Shanty. At noon, the Norse Shanty opens for all your karaoke needs, and the dICEHOUSE will being their “Big Drill” project,” augering holes in the lake to create the world’s largest cribbage board.
The Black Box Theatre presents Frozen, a puppet performance, at noon, followed by music from Captain Yonder at 2pm. Follow these up with a mapping party at the Radical Mapping Shanty at 1pm, and a lake-wide dance performance called The Fisherman, the Fish, the Runner, the Astronomer and the Explosions at 2pm.
All day long on various places on the lake, Andy Sturdevant will be performing his interactive Retroactive Minnesotan with the help of visitors.
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QM, I meant to tell you that I really enjoyed reading about the different guides on ice thickness. Amazing to think of a lake frozen about a foot down. I would still feel awfully scared about driving a car across a lake, even if it were that solid.
Wow, a blessing by a Volva! That seems fitting, doesn’t it?, being as how the Norse were from such a frozen place themselves.
I don’t know about the cribbage board. Seems all those holes would weaken the ice. Not sure I’d be hopping around playing cribbage if I were there.
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ybonesy, have you heard of the post-rock band Sigur Rós? They are from Iceland and the amazing thing about their music is that it captures the feel of the landscape and climate of the place they are from. Liz introduced me to them and she recorded a documentary on Sigur Rós that we recently watched. Some great footage and music.
I was reminded of them because you mention the Norse being from a frozen place. I think the constitution, behaviors, art, writings, music, and personalities of people are partly formed from the places where they grow up and live. After you live in Minnesota for a few winters, you start to understand the endurance of all the different peoples who lived and settled here years and years and ago, since the beginning of time. And when you go to Southern climates, a whole other set of environmental elements and creatures to contend with in the heat and humidity. I love the power of place.
Here are a couple of links to the band. I read that their name is taken from Jónsi’s younger sister Sigurrós (which when translated into English means ‘Victory Rose’), who was born the same day as the band was formed.
Sigur Rós Official Website (LINK)
Sigur Rós Official Fansite (LINK)
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[…] annual Art Shanty Projects kicks off on Medicine […]
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Last day for the Art Shanty Projects — Valentine’s Day. Liz said one of her coworkers went last weekend (it was an unusually warm weekend) and it was completely mobbed with people! We thought we might drive by when we go out today.
It’s 16 degrees and warming. The lakes actually melted quite a bit last week, but then froze up more towards the weekend. We were even wondering last week, if you’d be able to walk on the puddles of lake. But it turned out okay. Should be a fun last day at the Art Shanty Projects. Happy Near End of Winter!
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@ QuoinMonkey
Thanks for your comments on my work.
I’ve personally never shot a wedding out on the ice… but winter weddings are very cool. You simply have to deal with the cold (grin and bear it, extra batteries, etc) — and it makes for some very unique images. My own wedding was during the winter – my wife ended up laying in the snow!
Most of the stuff is inside anyway, so the fact it’s winter isn’t a huge deal — that having been said, anyone willing to have their ceremony outdoors in winter can call me and get a discount. I’d love to get some images from that.
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Surely there are hardy (hearty?) Icelandic lovers out there. Maybe a good place to recruit would be the Polar Bear Club. 8)
Glad that you popped in. QM will be pleased to see that another artist whose work she’s featured has discovered themselves on red Ravine.
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It’s that time again! The Art Shanty Projects on Medicine Lake for 2010 start on January 16th! Everything you need to know is at the Art Shanty Projects 2010 website (LINK).
Here’s a blurb:
It started with one shanty on the frozen Medicine Lake. In this feral environment, the project has grown to include 20 art shanties and 15 mobile performances. Art Shanty Projects 2010 promises an interactive, engaging art community. ASP is free and open to the public on weekends from January 16 through February 7, 2010.
Hope you enjoy the little bit of history about the project in this post. Liz and I are already making plans to go out and photography the Art Shanty Projects this year to add to the Art On Ice set (LINK). Ice is inspiring! Hope to see you there.
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Liz went over take photos are opening day of the Art Shanty Projects 2010! She said it’s really hopping over there. Each year the project on Medicine Lake becomes more and more well-known in the Twin Cities.
They have even unveiled an Art Shanty custom postage stamp this year! So the U.S. Postal Service is in attendance and Liz is coming home with a few commemorative items. Here’s a photo at her latest Tweet from the Art Shanty Projects:
Art Shanty Project unveiling of custom postage (LINK)
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[…] Other Local Color posts from Minnesota & New Mexico: Mysteries & Myths: In Search Of The Lake Creature, Sidewalk Poetry — Public Art At Its Best, Spirits In The Bosque – Patrick Dougherty Leaves His Mark On Albuquerque, Wet Cement (It Only Takes A Second), virgin cottonwood haiku, A Little Less War, Birthday Of Mabel Dodge Luhan, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Birthday Celebration, A Journey For Bill, A Taste Of Ghost Ranch, Bats, Beautiful Bats!, the lawrence tree haiku, Natural Wonders: A Pentagram, Frieda Lawrence – ‘Til Death Do We Part, Gearing Up For The MN State Fair — Artist Leo Stans, “K” Is For Kramarczuk’s, The Art Of Ice (Art Shanty Projects) […]
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Had a blast at the Art Shanty Projects 2010 this afternoon. It’s the BlackBerry 365 photo of the day. I took Canon Powershot photos, too. Have more FoneFotos to post in the coming days from the Art Shanty Projects. Will come back and put a link to my Flickr set when I finish updating the photos from this year. Getting quite a collection.
Liz took some great photographs this year. She visited Medicine Lake twice over the last few weeks. There were a lot of people out in the zero weather today. Next weekend is the last! Get out and see the art shantys. The Ace Stellar astrology shanty was fun. And the Dance Shanty rocked!
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[…] 50 degree days in the Twin Cities last week. I don’t miss the shoveling, but wonder how the Art Shanty Project will take place on Medicine Lake in January. Where is the frozen Minnesota tundra? I leave behind a […]
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[…] organized, funded non-profit with a website, a hotline and some modest ability to provide grants. (Here is an excellent historical summary with lovely […]
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The Art Shanty Projects 2012 are next weekend on Medicine Lake. We’ll be there! They skipped 2011, one of the coldest and snow packed Winters ever. Can’t wait to see what happens this year.
Here’s a link to all the info at their website:
ART SHANTY PROJECTS 2012 (LINK)
Open January 14 – February 5, 2012
10am – 5pm weekends
On Medicine Lake, Plymouth, Minnesota
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Art Shanty Projects 2012 starts today! Luckily, the weather took a turn for the colder! Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 5pm on Medicine Lake. Here’s a link to their site with directions and all the events going on:
ART SHANTY PROJECTS 2012 (LINK)
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