The Meander Upper Minnesota River Art Crawl will celebrate its 21st year on October 4, 5 & 6. The three day self-guided tour of artist studios has established itself as a popular hometown adventure travel event. The work and studios of 42 artists from Ortonville to Granite Falls will be on display and for sale. Among those 42 artists, 15 were involved in the establishment of the very first Meander in 2004, including Gene and Lucy Tokheim of Dawson and Brad Hall of Granite Falls. John George Larson of Milan first experienced the Meander as a high school student and has now joined his fellow artists by offering one of the “must see” exhibits along the route.
When the organizers of the first Meander Art Crawl first conceived of the idea of a self-guided tour of area artist studios, the Tokheim Stoneware studio was first on their list to call. Established 50 years ago in 1973, Gene and Lucy had pioneered the concept of a regional destination studio. They already were hosting successful Spring and Christmas Open Houses and Meander organizers knew that if the Tokheims would participate in a Fall event, other lesser known artists could piggyback on the Tokheim draw. “You should have it the first weekend in October,“ Gene said at the time. “That is when the best weather tends to be.” It turns out that Gene was right and the Tokheim Studio continues to be one of the most popular artist sites along the route.
“The first Meander was a surprising success for Tokheim Stoneware studio pottery and continues to be so, bringing people together for what our region has to offer.” said the Tokheims. “We encourage visitors to use the maps that guide visitors to other Meander artists and craftspeople and to enjoy a fun inside look at the creativity inspired here by winding rivers, open skies and fields.”
Printmaker Brad Hall grew up in Granite Falls and found himself as a young man attending the American Academy of Art in downtown Chicago in the 1990’s. He returned to his home town in 2002 and purchased the old Episcopal Church built in 1889 to serve as his home and studio on Prentice Street in Granite Falls. Brad jumped at the chance to be involved in creating the first Meander. He created the block prints for the first Meander poster, was a featured artist and has played a strong role in the artists’ committee that has led the organization and promotion of the event ever since.
According to Hall, the first 20 years of the Meander have been “a wonderful journey.” “I’ve gone from creating the very first image for the poster to assisting artists with the yearly artwork. I’ve also grown with Meander and now compete in some of the most sought after art shows in the Midwest. I’m grateful for all that Meander has done for me and our community,” he added.
Sculptor John George Larson built his first kiln when he was 14 years old on his family’s farmstead in Stony Run township near Granite Falls. He learned from the Tokheims and was inspired by the culture of Upper Minnesota River Valley artisans as he left the region to serve as an assistant for Saint John’s Pottery in Collegeville, founded in 1979 by master potter Richard Bresnahan. His studies took him to Korea, Denmark and Estonia before he returned to a farmstead near Milan where he, his family and a permanent kiln, reside. Larson has been displaying his sculptures and pottery at the Milan Village Arts School during the Meander since 2013. The MVAS, founded in 1988, is regarded as the epicenter of the Meander event and Larson continues to serve as its most consistent exhibitor.
“The Meander brings me a sense of belonging to be a part of and supported by like-minded crafts people and artists,” Larson shared. “It connects me to regional art supporters and allows me to engage with other established artists with roots here.”
In addition to the studio tours, multiple events will also take place throughout the Meander weekend. A full list of these events, the participating artists, and a digital version of the brochure can be found at artsmeander.com. To obtain a free paper copy of the brochure call 1-866-866-5432 or request one from the website. Interested arts tourists can also visit the Meander Facebook page – facebook.com/MeanderArtCrawl – for more details.
The Meander is coordinated by the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission (UMVRDC). The UMVRDC works with local governments and helps implement programs in the region that stretch across city and county boundaries. Started in 2004 by a collective of local artists to spur economic development and showcase the region’s arts scene, the Meander draws more than 2500 visitors each year to Chippewa, Big Stone, Swift, Yellow Medicine, and Lac qui Parle Counties. The Meander’s name was inspired by the region’s many rivers— and from witnessing how local and national attendees love to spend the weekend meandering from studio to studio with family and friends.