Clogtown: The Art Shanty Projects 2020!

 I've never been in Minnesota when the Art Shanty Projects have bee on, as it's usually in the depths of winter, and I've already returned to Venice from the holidays. This year, I'm here, it's on, and I finally got to go on what was maybe the coldest day of the year so far out on the ice of Lake Harriet.

The Art Shanty Projects are a big group art show out on the frozen lake, kind of like ice fishing houses that are all pop-up art galleries. I've read about it and seen photos for the last few years, have just been dying to go, and it was just as good as I thought it would be.

Art in public spaces is always at the top of my list (Art for Everyone!), and this experience is among the coolest - literally and figuratively. It's quintessential Minnesota for a whole bunch of people to come out on a freezing cold and super windy day to see art on the ice, and have a blast doing it.

It had snowed the night before, so there were shoveled off lanes to get to each of the structures in the Shanty Village. It was so cold you kind of had to hustle to each one to get inside and warm up before hitting the next one. In addition to the art shanties, there are also performances, games, and plein air painters out capturing it all.

As I was walking from one shanty to the next, a group of Russian babushkas (Nitka) strolled past, singing an enchanting folky song that made me feel like I was enjoying a Siberian winter.

A few of the shanties were working on time-slots, so I need to return to enjoy some of the ones I didn't get in to, like the Minnesauna! A five person sauna out on the lake! I love it so much.

There is an activist, educational vibe to several of the shanties (which is clearly all the way up my alley), and one of my favorites was the "Pollinator Shanty", all about creating gardens for pollinators to help save our Earth.

You could strap on a helmet and see through the eyes of a pollinator, you could learn about butterflies and what to plant to attract them, and create butterfly puppets. I loved all of that, but I especially loved the chimenea that warmed me up to get to the next one.

There was a rocking boat (Rocky the Rocking Sea Shanty) ...

And a giant kaleidoscope from Spectra Gigs you could stick your head into ...

There was a adult sized Lite-Brite shanty ...

Where inside you could move the pegs to create your own vision (while you kind of warmed up).

There was the excellent "Shanty Of People Who Know Things", showcasing the work and wisdom of people over 55 years old. Nice.

There was a Seed Bank, featuring the native plants of Minnesota (where you could take seed samples with you and plant them when all this ice melts) ...

There was an "Opticon", a camera obscura that showed you how that works and check out the sights outside on the ice ...

There was a shanty for you to show your love for our regional parks (for every five love letters written to the parks inside the shanty a tree will be planted!) ...

Another favorite was the Glass Half ______ Shanty, a factory for stories! The brightly painted shanty was already fun from the outside, but then you went to a roll of paper sticking out, where there was either a phrase or a picture, and you would either write a new phrase for the picture above, or vice versa.

You then went inside where the roll of paper is creating one long story - with pictures! - made by everyone who participates at this shanty.

 It would be cool for them to make a real book out of it at the end of it all, because what I saw and read was pretty beautiful.

Another touching shanty was The Archive of Apologies and Pardons. You went inside and wrote an apology and a pardon for whatever you're feeling, then leave them behind inside among all the others, for a collective body of remorse. By writing both, you admit that you are capable of both receiving and committing harm. Split up into areas like "Sexism" and "Racism", it was very moving to see what people contributed, and it got very deep for a whimsical day on the ice. You could almost see the load come off some people as they emerged from the little hut.

One fun interactive one was Nauticault: A Cautionary Tale. Steampunk style explores have gotten their ship stuck in the ice of Bde Unma (Lake Harriet) and are in terrible need of rescue. They're desperate and need a guide to get them out to safety.

I played along, as they were looking for a mermaid to help, and we all know I am one (part-time). The lady inside said they needed a lock of mermaid hair, and I thought she was kidding, but she really did reach back and snip off a good inch of my hair. I can't really tell where it was (in the back), but they better get rescued if I gave up my real hair for the cause. Wow. Pretty sure I get the Good Sport Award from them.

Of all the shanties that I saw (and there are a few remaining that I still need to check out - like the one from our friends at the Franconia Sculpture Park!), it will come as no surprise that my favorite of them all was the -7 Degree Entry Danceteria (a play on our beloved 7th Street Entry at First Avenue).

If you were cool enough to be on the list (and I was SUPER COLD!), you went inside to see a full-on dance party, complete with D.J. spinning and a light-up dance floor!

A perfect way to get moving and warm up, I shared a song with a family with little kids, and we all just jumped around for a bit, laughing and smiling the whole time that we were at a dance party in an ice house on Lake Harriet! I could not have loved it more.

It was such a delight to see all the hearty people out enjoying art and fun and winter, despite the cold. Most of the men I saw had their facial hair full of icicles, but they were smiling. As was everyone. This super special spectacle is on weekends through February 9th, Saturday and Sunday from 10am- 4pm. It's a free event, but they ask for a $10-$20 donation to keep it going for years to come, yet no one will be turned away.

This is the perfect way to put a smile on your face in the dead of winter, and I hope everyone gets the chance to get there, because it will truly make your day. Thank you to all the artists, staff, volunteers, and Minnesota Nice people that make the Art Shanty Projects so cool! You're doing a wonderful thing.


Art Shanty Projects 2020
Weekends through February 9th
10 am - 4 pm
Lake Harriet (Bandshell side)

Farewell, 2019! Moving Forward With 20/20 Vision ...

What a year. It's almost hard to believe we made it ... but we did. This is the longest I've not posted on Blogtown, and it's for very good reasons - mainly having to do with my Mom. What a year of learning. What a year of loving. What a year for realizing what is most important ... Time with loved ones.

I was taking an end of the year reflection walk, and noticed at the south end of Lake Bde Maka Ska (formerly Calhoun, and well past time to get over that) there is a new public art installation recognizing the area's Native American roots with sculpture and words. Dakota words that mean Perseverance. Generosity. Courage.

Of course I had to look them up, but once I did, I thought, Yep. That's what we all need, and that's what I want my new decade to be about. This past year has been a nightmare dealing with the American healthcare and insurance systems (scams), and has certainly required perseverance. And will continue to.

Friends and family have shown generosity in the most unexpected ways, making me want to be more generous myself, both with my time and anything else I can provide. Generosity is the only way I see our country moving at all forward, with income inequality, greed, and capitalism having nearly ruined everything good about this "Democracy". It's time to share, and to look out for each other, because with the climate crisis already ending certain ways of life, we are all going to have to chip in way more to help each other out. There is no choice.

Dealing with all of the above, as well as a zillion other issues, (like electing a less corrupt national leader {they all are to a degree in that racket}, and figuring out how to TRY to save our planet.), is going to take a lot of courage. That's one thing I'm not that worried about. Most people I know are brave enough to do what any dire situation takes ... and things ARE dire. But they're not without hope.

Beauty persists. In nature, and in our hearts. The holidays usually bring out the best in people, and I've seen a lot of grace both personally and in the news in recent days. People WANT to help. They know it makes you feel better inside. They know it makes the world better outside. We CAN make our world a happier place to be in for everyone, I just know it. It starts with ourselves, and I vow to carry the banners of perseverance, generosity, courage, as well as LOVE throughout the roaring decade of 20's we're about to kick off. On my honor.

It looks like I'll be in Minnesota longer, as there's no way I can leave my Mom when she needs me (we might end up going back and forth together, if possible, for the best of both worlds, but that remains to be seen). That alone has been very hard on me, as I haven't been away from the Ocean and Venice this long in 25 years, and that thing gives me my peace every morning. I can find peace in Minnesota in the woods and the lakes, but it's not the same to my heart. It's also hard to find work here, so if my L.A. people can throw me some gigs this upcoming year, or help me find a publisher for my Blogtown collection book - that could be some of your generosity (or a year end donation to @CJGronner on Venmo if you've loved a story this year!).  Thank you!

2019 - and the Teens in general - was super hard, but also super beautiful at times. I suppose that's like life every year, but this one seemed to be in the extreme. I'm heading into the new decade with gratitude above all, but also hope and some serious determination - to make things better for EVERYONE. Happy New Year 2020! Happy New Decade! True love to all until I can give it to you in person myself! X

Back To School/Real Life!

Hi Friends!

I had a wonderful vacation home to Minnesota, and now it's time for back to school for the kids here - and back to real life for me. I'm still in Minnesota, but the chill part must come to an end as I figure out what I'm going to do next in my crazy life.

Minnesota has been fully showing off, with absolutely perfect weather every day, and all the most fun things happening around this time of the year as the good NICE people of Minnesota try to cram in as much Summertime as they can. It's funny, it's the day after Labor Day, and it's like the state knows it. It's instantly about 20 degrees colder, and you can tell people are already beginning to think about hunkering down for the long winter.

It's been a little strange being here and watching the scorching heat wave and wildfire news coming out of L.A. I mean, Venice almost never gets HOT, and I've seen all my friends back there freaking out about it. I currently have a sweater on, with a blanket on my lap ... but the windows are open.

My roots, my family, and my hometown friend and favorite spots have all been making me feel so welcome and at home, that I'm actually feeling pretty torn as to where I really belong. After looking at a studio with a hot plate in Venice for $3,000 a month (!), super awesome Minneapolis pads for nowhere near that are starting to sound more interesting. But I've made Venice my home, it's super important to me, and I don't really know  - I don't know! Anyone who would pay that much for a shithole apartment in Venice is an idiot ... and I don't fancy myself to be one.

There are so many cool things to do in and around Minnesota, just as there are in California. I was here for the State Fair this year, and it's truly the very best one around. The people watching alone!

The crafts, the food, the animals, the art ... it's all just so great. Everyone loves it, and is so happy to be there, you can feel it in the air. And it's been said many, many times, but the people are SO nice here (aside from murdering cops, but that's another story). Just checking out at a store can launch a brand new friendship - and often does.

There is so many good music and art shows that it really does rival L.A. In fact, I'm currently torn between watching some bands here or there - as better seats can often be had here. The Walker Art Center is top shelf, and I checked out the newly renovated sculpture garden during their Garden Party with my Mom, and it was great - in fact, every precious moment I get to spend with my beloved Mother is great, and that's a big part of it too. When you're away a while ... you can tell that time is passing too quickly. And that time is increasingly precious. My love swells, and I can't imagine leaving. And then I can't imagine not ...

The Jimmie Durham exhibit inside the Walker was fantastic. What a cool artist that I didn't know of before! Very witty, very insightful, very cool.

As was the interactive exhibit by Teamlabs that let you color your own art, scan it, and immerse yourself in it as it bloomed all around you in a dark room. Frrrresh.

The natural beauty is art unto itself in Minnesota, and it's everywhere you look. 11, 842 lakes beckon you every day, and you can't go very far without falling into one of them in your path.

My dearest friends are big boaters, and I've spent a bunch of time the last couple of weeks on both the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers ... and at this spot where the two meet. The Mississippi mud makes it very clear which one is which!

I spent my birthday on the Mississippi too, clinking glasses with dear friends from high school, college, and from my time in Hawai'i, and when I looked around at their wonderful faces, my heart felt full. Well, almost full, as my Venice/L.A. friends weren't there, and I've spent nearly half my life there now too. Where do I belong?! I'm thinking maybe both ... !

So now it's the Tuesday after Labor Day ... the freelance job I was going to rush back this week to start has been pushed once again. I don't have a new place yet in Venice (again, not willing to shell out 3 G's a month for basically a storage space to live in!), so there's really no rush to get back ... other than that I miss it and as of today I'm already freezing here in the North Star State.

I've spent a lot of time in my life thinking in the woods at Wood Lake Nature Center. It always helps me, calms me down, makes me feel better, and I'm so grateful for this wonderful resource of nature right in the middle of my hometown of Richfield. It's exquisite, and the place where I get a lot of my best ideas. It will likely provide me with the answers I'm searching for within this story, and within myself.

A gentle rain has just started up, and I can hear a little roll of thunder in the distance, as well as a train horn further off. The high school marching band was practicing earlier and I could hear their instruments in the wind, and a massive wave of nostalgia nearly made me cry. Then I saw some Venice photos on social media, with all those friends having a blast over Labor Day weekend, and I felt extra left out. I've gotta figure this out. Thank you for your patience and support, and your love and friendship, as I navigate a very unsettled and strange time in my life, though it's also one that is very liberated and wide open and possibly exciting. I've been thinking, we only get one turn in this body, maybe it's time to live somewhere foreign? Be a Dreamer somewhere else? Why not? This planet only has so much time left, if we're being honest, so maybe live nowhere and just check it all out? Or explore SPACE!!! Lots of thinking, I tell you what.

I promise, I will always continue to be your very own Pueblo style storyteller Kachina doll, wherever I may be. But Venice ... I sure hope I'm back with you very soon!

Love.

Minnesota, Hats Off To Thee!

I just returned from a much needed jaunt home to Minnesota, because there is really no place else as lovely in the Summer. And this year, it's really showing off.

The weather was absolutely perfect the entire time, no humidity, no mosquito bites, I'm really not sure what was going on, but the whole state was working overtime to lure me back. I've never seen bluer blues or greener greens in nature ... no filters required. My first stop is almost always Wood Lake Nature Center, and that's when I know I'm truly home. The trails and animals and nature and people you cross paths with are all just quintessential Minnesota. I was happy to find out that you can now purchase maple syrup and honey at Wood Lake, both tapped and harvested right there in the woods. Perfect.

Apart from the nature, the main reason for going home is always the People. The family and friends that have been there for me my whole life, and never fail to make me feel stronger and real, real lucky. I saw my friends from high school, my friends from college, and friends that I hadn't seen in two decades, including my Augsburg College professor who had saved my senior project documentary on Paisley Park all these years! It was all incredibly special, and I was once again reminded of how fortunate I was to grow up where I did, with these wonderful people.

Wonderful People ... I had not been home since the death of Prince, and was not really prepared for how strong the emotion still is, or how big of an impact his passing still (and always will) has on Minneapolis. We went to pay our respects at First Avenue at Prince's star, and found that the city has placed pianos with Prince themes all over town. We sat down at the one at First Avenue and played a little song for Prince Rogers Nelson, as rain feel around us (not purple, but still symbolic).

Even more moving was the scene at Paisley Park. I was all choked up as we walked the fences surrounding the compound where Prince both lived and was found lifeless. Scores of fans are still there paying their respects, and the fences hold memorials from all over the world. It's really something to see, and provides a glimpse into just how much this legend meant to so many people - globally.

We brought our purple flowers with purple ribbons, and watched a man paint a portrait of Prince with a pancake for his third eye. Parents brought their children and grandparents, and you saw representatives from all walks of life, all equally affected, and all respectfully quiet. It was a beautiful day, and all I could hope was that Prince can somehow see how many lives he touched in his time on Earth ... and will continue to do so through his music (which all of the Minneapolis fireworks were coordinated to yesterday!). I read long stories (encased in plastic) from people who had life-changing encounters with Prince, and felt the weight of the loss even more. It's still so sad, it still makes no sense, but I somehow feel a little better for having gone to see it all. It's something else.

Summer is so precious in Minnesota, and everyone knows it. No one takes it for granted. You hear everyone saying, "Isn't it a beautiful day?!" and know that they all know that these days of Summer are fleeting and must be enjoyed to their fullest. It's a kind of forced Zen, with a whole state of Buddhas, all living in the very moment, and loving every bit of it.

White puffy clouds fill the sky like nowhere else I've ever seen. The blue of the sky and water is so bright it almost hurts to look at. The green of the grass and trees is so vibrant it doesn't even seem real. And no one wants to be inside. Outdoor restaurant patios are full all Summer, backyards become dining rooms, and it's tempting even to sleep outside, if not for that state bird, the mosquito (though I did return with not even one bite!). We're all aware of what a special time it is, with even the radio announcers gushing daily about how beautiful it is outdoors.

Minnesotans spend the Summer near or on water the whole time, mainly because you can't avoid it with 11,842 lakes, major rivers, ponds, swimming holes, creeks, and pools everywhere. We spent the weekend on the St. Croix in our friends' gorgeous boat ("Worth The Winter"!), and it was excellent. I slept in a comfy bed under a skylight, looking up at the zillions of bright stars until I fell asleep on the gently swaying boat anchored in the middle of the river.

We awoke to see a hot air balloon festival get underway, as if things needed to be even more picturesque. The days are filled with water sports, eating, drinking, and generally just feeling total happiness.

Boats fill the river, and the sunsets rival the fireworks that are blasted off over the water. The sunsets that don't even happen until ten at night because Minnesota is so far north. I think that might be my favorite part of it all ...

There are several must see and dos for me whenever I'm home, from special things to eat to special locations that mean a lot to my family and I. I always have to go around the city lakes, and give my love to my favorite one of those, Lake Of The Isles.

I don't know many cities like Minneapolis, where even in the middle of the city, you never feel very far from nature. The lakes are everywhere, and you could be anywhere, except you glance up and there's a skyline for a major Metropolis there too.

I try to always visit Minnehaha Falls when I'm home, because it's always beautiful no matter what time of the year it is, but also because we have a lot of family memories there, and I can still feel them. Summer is the best there though, because you have Seasalt, the great seafood restaurant owned by my Augsburg friend, Jon Blood (whom I also had not seen in like 20 years!).

It's the best to celebrate Independence Day in Minnesota, for all of the above reasons, but also because it just feels like all of the best things about America. I needed that. The real Americana. The real people. The real stuff that makes our country great. I had to leave before all of the festivities got under way to get back to L.A. for work, but what a joy to celebrate freedom and justice for all in both of my home sweet homes, the lands that I love. 

Thank you and LOVE to everyone and everything back home! I carry you in my heart everywhere I go. There's nothing like you.