Minnesota State Fair Poster Art, detail of art by painter Leo Stans, St. Paul, Minnesota, June 2009, all photos © 2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
The century-old Grandstand stood quietly in the distance when I rounded the corner by the historic J. V. Bailey House. I was driving to St. Paul for an ice cream social at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The occasion was the June 11th unveiling of the 2009 State Fair commemorative painting by Belle Plaine artist Leo Stans.
Summer cottonwood flew through the air when I lined up for my root beer float. A few minutes later, I walked into the historic Bailey house and literally bumped into my friend Teri who works at the Fair. She introduced me to her coworkers, we talked a little Minnesota State Fair history, then she led me over to meet the artist.
Like poet Ted Kooser, Minnesota artist Leo Stans started out as an insurance salesman, dabbled in art, and began painting full-time in 1980. He painted wildlife, golf courses (he’s an avid golfer), and eventually transitioned into historical street scenes. In a newspaper quote, he said: “My thinking was that if you wanted to buy something nostalgic or historical, the only thing being offered was small towns and barns. I thought I would create a niche.”
According to an article by John Brewer in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Stans said he had been trying for the last 5 years to get a booth at the Grandstand to sell his work during the Fair. Ironically, that led to his applications making their way to the Fair staff and to his being awarded the 6th commission in the commemorative series last November.
Artist Leo Stans & Minnesota State Fair 2009 Commemorative Oil Painting, Minnesota State Fair Commemorative Oil Painting (Detail), St. Paul, Minnesota, June 2009, all photos © 2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
I shook Leo’s hand and immediately began asking him about the 28″ x 42″ oil painting. He said he did the research for summer’s “Great Minnesota Get-Together” in the dead cold of a Midwest winter. It took him 3 weeks to sketch it out, another 3 weeks to put paint to canvas.
He explained to me that the painting moves back in time as you walk from the Grandstand to the Ferris wheel, blending clothing styles of the past with those of the present. And like Hitchcock who appears in many of his films, Stans paints himself into all of his paintings. (If you stare long enough at the top photograph, you can spot him walking down the Midway.)
For many, the Minnesota State Fair is about making memories, a family tradition going back for generations. By choosing the 100th birthday of the Grandstand as the central theme for 2009, and including other historic icons like the carousel and mascot Fairchild, Stans captures and brings those memories to life through paint.
I’m a history buff and drawn to his dreamlike Twin Cities street scenes. The 2009 Fair painting has much the same feel and has been reproduced on postcards, posters, and buttons with proceeds benefiting the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. (The State Fair has a long history of being independently funded and has not received government appropriations since 1949.)
Minnesota State Fair Postcard, Minnesota State Fair Poster Art (II), St. Paul, Minnesota, June 2009, all photos © 2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
The Minnesota State Fair 2009 begins August 27th and ends September 7th. And if you become one of the Friends of The Minnesota State Fair you will receive exclusive benefits including gate tickets, pre-sale access to Grandstand shows, bricks, benches, and more. Purchasing a $50 Yellow Ribbon package by August 1st, 2009 grants you the following:
- Friends of the Fair card
- FunFair news
- Invitation to annual pre-fair event
- Hospitality invitation to J.V. Bailey House during the State Fair
- 2 State Fair and/or parking admission tickets
- 1 State Fair annual pin
- 1 Blue Ribbon Bargain Book with 100 great State Fair deals
There are also Green, Red, Blue, Purple, and Silver packages to choose from. Liz and I are looking forward to this year. Happy Fair going!
Thanks to Leo Stans for permission to photograph him and his work, to Teri for reminding me about the art event, and to John for providing me with the newspaper clipping from the June 12th St. Paul Pioneer Press article by John Brewer – Painting Celebrates Fond Fair Memories.
Below are links to past red Ravine posts and photographs about the history, foods on-a-stick, and fun available to all at the Minnesota State Fair. And if you check the comments on several of the posts, they are dripping with little-known Fair facts, trivia, and nostalgia from a mutual friend of ybonesy’s and mine, Teri Blair. For more of the Fair experience, you can also view my Minnesota State Fair Series on Flickr.
- MN State Fair On-A-Stick
- MN State Fair On-A-Stick II – Video & Stats
- Nightshot – Carousel
- MN State Fair On-A-Stick (Happy B’Day MN!)
- On-The-Go List Of Must-Haves (MN State Fair)
- Mary In Minnesota (haiku for yb)
- food on-a-stick haiku
-posted on red Ravine, Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
What a great post, QM. Let’s see…how can we get it to Leo? I think he’d be honored!
The poster is hung everywhere around the fairgrounds now, along with all the vintage posters from years gone by. John had Leo’s specially framed for the entrance to our office.
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The poster is so vibrant. I love the color.
Is the scene at dusk? It evokes the feeling of the fair at night, although the sky is not dark.
Is Leo the man in the green shirt, from behind?
I’m curious about the fair posters. Do people collect them?
When I used to work at a frame shop, many moons ago, people collected Albuquerque Balloon Festival posters. we framed a lot of different annual event posters, come to think of it. Newport Jazz Festival, for example.
I love that the Minnesota State Fair does an annual poster. Puts their money where their mouth is insofar as valuing and supporting arts.
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Thanks, Teri. Cool about John framing the poster for your office. Maybe Leo will Google his name someday and run into this post. 8) I enjoy talking to all kinds of artists and writers and learning how they got started, how they make it all work. Was fun to be at the Bailey House that day.
ybonesy, I’ll have to ask Teri but I do think some people collect the Fair posters and memorabilia. We have a Winter Carnival in St. Paul every year and I know people collect those buttons. Liz and I found a couple in a geocache once. They were from the 60’s Winter Carnivals.
That’s a good guess about which one in the painting is Leo. I would have guessed that, too. If I remember correctly, he’s the one in the beige coat a little further down (in front of the girl in white). I like that he paints himself into the paintings. I imagine quite a few artists doing that with more representational work like this. BTW, we did have a short conversation there about representational art versus abstract art. I like talking to artists about subjects like that. There is a place for all art in the world. And historical memories seem to lend themselves to a blend of the representational and the dreamy.
I’m not sure what time of day it is. The colors do look kind of dusk-like. That’s one of my favorite times at the Fair. Well, one of my favorite times in general, the space between day and night. Dusk. Twilight. The light seems clearer at that time. I like transitional feelings. At the Fair, the hot days are so different feeling than the cool and crazy nights. It gets really crowded at night!
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BTW, ybonesy, I like that Minnesota puts its money where its mouth is for the Arts as well. The Twin Cities have a long history of that going back almost to their founding. Corporations have been taught to tithe to the Arts. And since people pay attention to money flow, that helps make everyone more aware in general of how important the Arts are to a community.
You’ve probably read it, but the NEA 2009 Grant Awards were announced, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act where “nonprofit arts organizations are receiving grants to support the preservation of jobs that are threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.”
Here is a listing by State:
NEA 2009 Grant Awards: State Listings (LINK)
In Minnesota, Children’s Theatre Company and School, Graywolf Press, the Guthrie, Heart of the Beast, the Loft, Milkweed Editions, MPR, Mixed Blood, Penumbra, and Springboard for the Arts are just a few great organizations that received funding. Here’s a breakdown of Minnesota funding:
25 Minnesota arts groups receive NEA stimulus grants at MinnPost (LINK)
It looks like in New Mexico, National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe Art Institute, and Working Classroom, Inc. are among those who received funding. There are a couple of more. Every little bit helps.
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Oh, so that’s him?! It’s kind of hard to tell from behind. Any of the three men who you see from behind, from the one I thought to the one you point out, look like they could be Leo.
I like both representational and abstract art. As you know, I’m a fan of surreal art. But one of my favorite pieces is an abstract piece that hangs in my great room. I love abstract art, to buy and/or enjoy, but I’m not sure I’d know what to do with a canvas if asked to paint an abstract piece. I might paint a completely nonsensical representational scene, in which case it’s not realistic at all, but it is comprised of things that you could identify.
So, QM, are you and Liz gearing up for the Minnesota State Fair? Any insight yet as to new foods-on-a-stick for 2009?
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I very much enjoyed reading this on so many levels.
The artist really captured the spirit of the fair, and it brought back memories. I loved how he kept trying to get a booth and ended up being awarded the 6th commission!
I found your post not only informative but very inspiring!
Thank you for sharing this, QM!
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I just enjoyed looking back at the photos of the painting. The postcard version of it is great. Love the big, bold, round-faced font. Is that the Minnesota State Fair logotype? It goes so well with Leo Stans’ image.
Also, I keep flipping between the photo of the oil painting and the photos of the two printed images, the poster and the postcard. The oil painting has a different tone or lightness. It’s definitely lighter. Is this a trick of your camera, QM, or did the print version of the painting add more yellow tone to the image? I like both the original and the print versions.
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ybonesy, it is hard to tell. I think he likes being discreet when he paints himself in. Part of the mystery. 8) Yes, Liz and I are gearing up for the Fair. She likes to go more than once. We’ll keep you posted. I kind of want to take the motorcycles this year to avoid parking and traffic. But we’ll see. It can be tiring to head home at the end of a long Fair day on a motorcycle!
I did hear about two of the foods, Pig’s Cheeks and Fry Dogs I think they were called. I’ll keep you posted on the foods. I smell another Minnesota State Fair post when it gets closer to the Fair. Summer is flying by though. It seems to be coming fast!
About the art, I like all kinds of art, too. There is room for all, a place for all in the world. One of the things we were talking about was how in art schools you are pushed to create conceptual art which can be kind of out there sometimes. It’s a good stretch to learn to do that. But it’s not for everyone. I love Outsider Art where people are self-taught and do what comes naturally from their hearts. Conceptual art, when one is true to oneself, comes from the heart, too. But I remember some grueling art critiques when I was in art school. You have to develop a strong stomach for criticism, mostly constructive.
I guess it’s the same way with writing. Not everyone will like the work. And I’ve heard of workshops where writers who are teaching really tear the student writing apart. That would be tough, wouldn’t it?
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Suz, thanks so much for the feedback on this post. I so appreciate your comment. I was struck by that as well, how he kept trying to get a booth at the Fair so he could sell his work, then ended up getting the commission for the Fair painting. It really speaks to how artists (and writers) have to just keep trying, keep going, never give up. At some point, we land where we are supposed to land and doors open up for us.
One other thing I like about Leo is that he’s got several series of work going: the city street scenes, the golf series, the wildlife series. I have been thinking more and more about that lately and how important it is to fill a few different niches, express different sides of your artwork. What appeals to one person, might not to another. You kind of get to follow where the art leads. And if you do it long enough, the different areas will reveal themselves to you. Thanks again for stopping by!
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ybonesy, I’m heading over the studio but wanted to answer your other question first. I just realized I missed it. I knew you’d notice the different tones between the oil painting and the postcard and poster. Isn’t that fascinating? One of the first things I noticed, too. Nope, it wasn’t my camera, but the way the print versions pumped up different color tones. The oil painting has more warm tones and a kind of glow to it. The printed version does add more yellow tone to the image. Or it seems to me like the blues pop more.
I’ve noticed that a lot in magazines, too. How the original photos are pumped up in print tones to really pop on the page. I, too, like both the original and the print versions and I think they serve different purposes. Whenever you have your original work reprinted though, I think it’s fair to say you’ll experience slight variations in color, tone, hue.
One of my favorite parts of his oil painting is the area of white on yellow in the center, the part he’s kind of walking into. I like how that part of the painting kind of glows. Like walking into the night through the light. 8)
I’ll have to find out more about the Minnesota State Fair logotype. I don’t know if they had that font created especially for them, or they are using a certain font. Maybe Teri knows someone who can answer that question. Maybe the designer of the cards and posters chose the font. I wonder if Leo had any say over how the posters and cards and buttons were reprinted? Or if that was all decided by a designer.
Last night I went to a reading with Susan Marks & Garrison Keillor at Common Good Books in St. Paul. Susan had two books out and one of them was a book of historic Minnesota photographs that she wrote the copy and text for and the publisher created the book. One of the things she was talking about was that she had no say over the actual Minnesota photographs that were chosen for the book; even though she’s the one that lives in Minnesota, the publisher chose the photographs. One they had left out was the Mayo Clinic and I think she said she convinced them to leave that one in. It just makes you think about how artists’ and writers’ works are influenced by the designers and publishers that many times fund and take the work public.
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QM, Brant & I read this post & he thinks we can just fly to MN & join in the festive events. (He doesn’t know about my fear of flying & I don’t want him to have the same fear.)
What a cool poster & of course all the mouth watering food on a stick. Gosh, Summer is moving along too fast for me. Next week-end back home for my brother D’s big summer party. Having Brant for the Summer is great, but I can tell how much I’ve aged. He’s so full of energy!
Interesting post BTW. D
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diddy, oh my goodness, that’s so cute, isn’t it? Yeah, best not to get him afraid of flying. You know, I saw Whoopie Goldberg the other night on either Conan or Jimmy Fallon and she talked about her lifelong fear of flying and how she has gotten over it. I couldn’t remember how and had to Google it. Found this on YouTube:
Whoopi Goldberg was treated by Dr. Roger Callahan with Thought Field Therapy (TFT) for her fear of flying. Her fear of flying and treatment are discussed on the television show The View.
Here are the links:
Whoopi Goldberg treated by TFT on The View, part 1 (LINK)
Whoopi Goldberg Fear Of Flying Cured The View, part 2 (LINK)
She said she feels completely over it. Maybe it would help. The tapping seems kind of like EMDR. Many say it works with all kinds of different fears.
Yeah, we are looking forward to the Fair this year and all that good food. I, too, am bowled over by how quickly the Summer is moving along. It’s almost scary. The relativity of time sure does change with age. And how much energy I have. Not to mention all the body aches and pains. I sound ancient! Really, it’s all part of life. One day at a time. Have fun next weekend at your brother’s party!
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I think we’re going back to Minnesota and will see the state fair this year. I want to see the Twins one last time at the Dome, see the Saints in St. Paul, and go to the Fair.
I’m not a big fan of crowds, but there is something unique about that Fair. Biggest in the country, I’ve heard, and the venue and sense of history, the architecture, are a big part of it. I also love all the old concession wagons and trucks, colorful art deco and neon signage. I love how relaxed it is, not pretentious, just big grin fun.
Oh, and what the heck, I like a lot of the fried stuff, too! Mrs. O still talks about the first deep-fried snickers bar of her life. (I’m going for the walleye pike.) Once a year, I figure, once a year.
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Oh, Ben, I think I must have missed your comment. So you’re coming back to Minnesota for the Fair? Sounds like a treat. The MN State Fair is the real deal. You are right, unpretentious and a lot of fun. Maybe Liz and I will bump into you there this year.
It’s hard to believe the Metrodome is not going to house the Twins anymore, isn’t it? Liz and I drove by the controversial new stadium last week and it’s really coming along. It’s in that spot where there used to be a HUGE open parking lot and rises from the sky like a phoenix. (I used to park there for cheap when I worked at a downtown bookstore.)
The St. Paul Saints are fun, too. I hear good things about them but I don’t think I’ve ever been to one of their games. I hope you have a good trip and a great time back in Minnesota!
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QM, just yesterday I read a post online about the 10 strangest foods served at state fairs. MN was named twice, once for the spahetti & meatball on a stick , & again for key lime pie on a stick. I wish I had copied a link to the post. Hey, 2 out of 10! Pretty impressive!
I’m looking forward to this years post! D
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Speaking of food-on-a-stick, last week I spoke with potential fair employees. One of the ice-breaker questions I asked was, “If you could eat only one food at the fair, what would it be?” After the huge grin, and some expression of, “Oh, I could never eat only one thing!” 95% of the people had the same answer. One I never would have expected.
Fried Candy Bar on-a-stick.
Oh, I should also say, most of these were kids between 18-20 years old. I suspect their parents may have a different response.
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Teri, that was exactly what my guess was going to be! The Fried Candy Bar. And you know, that would not be on my list. I’m much more into the old traditional food-on-a-stick like Pronto Pups or Corn Dogs. It makes sense though that the young ones would crave deep-fried sugar! What’s your favorite food-on-a-sitck again?
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diddy, I did try the spaghetti and meatballs on-a-stick last year. A person I was with ordered it and I had to try it. It was actually pretty good! Can’t remember if I’ve had the key lime pie. But I love key lime pie. I bet I would like it.
One of the people we went with last year has already told Liz she wants to go with us again this year. She’s a hardcore MN State Fair person. I used to have a boss that went 3 or 4 times every year. He couldn’t get enough of it!
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QM, the fried candy on a stick was also featured in the post, but from othe state fairs. The post also featured a how to do it yourself recipe for every item. Not sure I’d be ready to attempt any of them, but I would try so many different ones if I could attend. D
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diddy, wow, a do it yourself recipe for every food-on-a-stick item? That’s amazing. I’m surprised the vendors would give out their recipes. But maybe they weren’t recipes from the vendors. Maybe someone punted on them. I would think they would guard their recipes like crazy. Some of these vendors have been around for years. Maybe someday you’ll make it out here for the MN State Fair, diddy. I can’t remember what the Pennsylvania State Fair is like. I think we only went once growing up and I don’t remember it at all. I do remember the Montana State Fair (I think it was the State Fair) in Missoula. Or maybe it was only a county fair. I’ll have to look that up. It was fun but tiny compared to Minnesota’s!
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QM. our biggest fair is in York & I believe the big one is NW of us. Our biggest thing is the Farm Show in Harrisburg, but that is in the winter. I think that the York Fair is a county fair, but it is huge! Haven’t been to that one in years, though, they also offer terrific musical groups every night in the grandstand. This year ZZTop will be there & as much as I would love to see them, I probably won’t.
I’m sure the foods I saw in the post were just a take of what they thought would be the homemade version.
Long day today with Brant. I’m so tired & yet tomorrow is another day! We had so much fun! He was running around in the scattered rain we had. Wish I had his energy! Oh, & it is raining as I type! D
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I tried the deep-fried candy bar two years ago: Snickers. Actually, I was with my niece who loves to eat “on the edge” at the Fair. She bought one, and I had a bite. It was surprisingly good. I thought I would spit it out. They reminded me of s’mores at a campfire. No kidding.
My two non-negotiables at the Fair are: Pronto Pups (from the original 1957 stand, not some sorry knock-off), and a malt from the Dairy Building: chocolate or blackberry.
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Teri, I know you’ve told me this before — but which stand is the original Pronto Pup 1957 stand? Is it in the same place every year?
diddy, ZZ Top at the York County Fair this year? How can you pass that up! 8) Don’t know if we’ll go to any musical events this year. Last year, we saw Gnarls Barkley with Cloud Cult at the MN State Fair. Liz was up out of her seat dancing. 8)
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[…] own blog partner, QuoinMonkey! So here you go, QM. I’m hoping you can pass these on to the Minnesota State Fair and get them queued up for next year’s menu of foods on-a-stick. Because if it doesn’t […]
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QM, I’m getting psyched for our trip! My wife is looking forward to the food on a stick–she still talks about the deep-fried candy bar on a stick she had years ago. I guess because it sounded so disgusting to her, yet she enjoyed it so much–until she had consumed two thirds of it and couldn’t take any more.
Myself, I want the walleye. With wild rice. I’ll see if they still sell it at the same place.
In fact, in addition to seeing the Saints, Twins, visiting friends in three different towns, maybe visiting Ft. Snelling and a few old haunts, the theme of this trip for me will be *walleye.* I plan to eat it early and often. With eggs when possible, in sandwiches, on dinner plates.
I’m considering bringing my SF Giants cap, so if you see a guy with a red beard and SF cap eating walleye pike, feel free to say howdy-do. 😉
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OmbudsBen,
I highly recommend the walleye cakes at Giggles. They were vote “Best New Fair Food” the year they came out. They’re a little pricey, but worth every bite.
I work at the campground right next to Giggles; I’ll be watching for someone in a San Francisco get-up.
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Ben, you have quite the trip to Minnesota lined up! How exciting that you will be at the MN State Fair. I, too, will be watching for someone with a red beard in a San Francisco Giants cap eating walleye pike! 8)
The candy bars on-a-stick are so rich and sweet. Now that everyone’s been talking about them so much, I’m craving one. I might have to split one with Liz and the other couple we are going to the Fair with. They are always game to try new foods.
I’m gearing up for my annual MN State Fair post. I was researching a bit this weekend. Can’t believe how close August 27th is. Right around the corner! Not sure if we are seeing any music at the Fair this year. Have to ask my events planner. 8)
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[…] August 27th and runs through September 7th. Be sure to stop and enjoy the crop artists and the work of painter Leo Stans. You’ve got one more day to purchase your Blue Ribbon Bargain Book and save a little cash. […]
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[…] show seemed of a higher caliber this year. We saw some great work in the Art Building, including the commemorative painting from artist Leo Stans displayed front and […]
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[…] 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 […]
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[…] Pig Cheeks On-A-Stick, the fine art of Princess Kay of the Milky Way (and the Butter Queens), Minnesota State Fair poster artists, the history of Fairborne and Fairchild, and the tradition of Tom Thumb […]
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[…] Pig Cheeks On-A-Stick, the fine art of Princess Kay of the Milky Way (and the Butter Queens), Minnesota State Fair poster artists, the history of Fairborne and Fairchild, and the tradition of Tom Thumb […]
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Rest in peace, Leo. I remember you describing to QuoinMonkey and me how you created the wonderful light in your 2009 Minnesota State Fair Print.
Gone too soon. Too young.
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Teri, I feel very sad about the death of Leo Stans. Even though I only spent a short time with him, talking about his art, and about the MN State Fair work he did in 2009, he was open and warm and willing to share about his life and his process around his art.
I wanted to come back to this post and provide a link and a few sentences of what was published in the Star-Tribune on March 27th, 2011.
Leo W. Stans Obituary (LINK)
Stans, Leo W. Age 57, died Tues., Mar. 22, 2011. Interment Sacred Heart Cemetery Belle Plaine. Survived by wife Janet; children, Lea & Paul Stans. Memorials preferred to the Stans Family, P.O. Box 174, Belle Plaine, Mn 56011.
Words seem inadequate. But I did want to mention one thing I remember Leo saying about the painting I published at the top of this post. He paints himself into his work. See the guy in the brown jacket (his back to us) in the middle of the painting, about half way down the Midway? That’s Leo, walking through time toward the Ferris Wheel and the distant lights.
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Liz pointed out to me that there is a write-up about Leo’s life on the Kolden Funeral Home site and a guest book you can sign. I’m providing a link here. I was moved by these lines, a tribute to his art: His great love of beauty was expressed through his many paintings, which were and will continue to be recognized for their rich colors and attention to fine detail. He had great faith in his own talents, and a drive to share those talents for the benefit of others. His family is comforted by the fact that his legacy will continue on through his artwork.
Leo W. Stans – Obituary at Kolden (LINK)
(April 12, 1953 – March 22, 2011)
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[…] (2011 marks the 40th year sculptor Linda Christensen has carved their likenesses out of butter); Minnesota State Fair poster artists; mascots Fairborne and Fairchild; and the tradition of Tom Thumb Donuts. To change it up this year, […]
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