Departments

Sculpture culture

By Megan Malugani

FLIGHT OF FANCY
Blue Herons, Winona

The idea for Winona’s blue heron statues took flight four years ago, but the birds—painted and embellished by local artists—weren’t unveiled until Earth Day in April of this year. The herons will be on display in downtown Winona through October 13, when they are expected to fetch more than $2,500 each at an auction benefiting the Winona Fine Arts Commission.

Number Of Herons: 15. Height: 7 feet. Symbolic Value: The great blue heron was chosen because “it is one of the most popular and recognizable birds of the Upper Mississippi River” and is common in the bluffs surrounding Winona. How They’re Decorated: Colorfully and creatively. Three examples: “This Little Birdy Went to Market” is painted with potatoes on the breast, an avocado plume, and watermelon wings. “Here-On the Mississip” is painted to look like a wildlife mural, with mallards, eagles, Canadian geese, and other native animals. “Falling Apart at the Seams” resembles a patchwork quilt. Biggest Crowd Pleaser: The “Elvis Haaron Presley” statue, which was painted to look like the king of rock ’n’ roll. ’Wow’ Factor: The level of detail in these works of art suggests that they were lovingly and painstakingly created. How They Stack Up: Compared to the boots in Red Wing and the waterskis in Lake City, the herons are very professional and polished (and devoid of company logos). Take A Walking Tour: Seven of the herons are clustered in an easily-walkable six square-block area downtown. (Get a map of heron locations at www.visitwinona.com.) While you’re downtown, be sure to take a walk along the river and view the Julius C. Wilkie riverboat, which is grounded in the downtown park. If you’re a fan of the blue heron motif, stop in at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse, 162 W. Second St.

Visit http://www,cityofwinona-mn.com for more information about the Blue Heron Auction.

SPLASH DOWN
Waterskis, Lake City

Lake City residents and businesses had a blast decorating waterskis (actually lightweight replicas of the first waterskis, which were invented by a local boy 85 years ago) for the community’s annual Water Ski Days in June. The skis (some singles, some pairs) are now displayed inside and outside stores around town.

Number Of Waterskis: 25. Height: 6 feet. Symbolic Value: Lake City is considered the birthplace of the waterski. In 1922, 18-year-old Ralph Samuelson strapped $2 worth of pine boards onto his feet and was pulled behind a bi-plane on Lake Pepin (off the shores of Lake City) in the world’s first display of waterskiing. How They’re Decorated: Who knew waterskis could be artistic? Some of the waterskis simply bear company logos, while others are decorated thematically. Lake City’s newspaper, The Graphic, took old headlines about Water Ski Days and hodge-podged them onto a ski; the town’s video store shrunk down the photos from dozens of DVD covers—including Clueless, Jaws, Caddyshack, and the Great Escape—and displayed them on a ski. Winning Waterskis: About 200 votes were cast (at $1 a vote, with the money earmarked for the town’s annual fireworks display) for the best waterski. The winning waterski, decorated by 15-year-old Emma Ulen-Klees, is a 3-dimensional mural featuring a nature scene (and using sticks to make a bird’s nest). The winning ski is displayed in the office of Hok-Si-La campground, two miles north of downtown Lake City on Highway 61. How They Stack Up: Compared to other Southeastern Minnesota cities’ outdoor sculptures, Lake City’s waterskis—created for the most part by regular folks rather than established artists—are the most folksy and down-home. See The Skis: There is no official map marking the locations of skis, but wander around downtown and you’ll find them displayed at such locations as Lake City Federal Bank, Lake City Appliance & Video, the Lake City Chamber of Commerce, Rather Bee Quilting, Mississippi Home Furnishing, Treats & Treasure, and other stores.

FULL OF SOLE
Boots, Red Wing

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Red Wing Shoe Company in 2005, 35 four-foot high replicas of Red Wing Shoe Company’s famous boot style #877 were created, decorated, and displayed around town. Today, only a handful of the big, rugged boots remain standing around town (many with flowers popping out the tops), along with one renegade giant Skecher’s sneaker.

Number Of Boots: 7 or so are still publicly viewable. Height: 4 feet. Symbolic Value: Red Wing. Boots. Red Wing=Boots. How They’re Decorated: One boot is dedicated to city employees and depicts City Hall, construction workers, snowplow drivers, garbage collectors, police officers, firefighters, and others who keep Red Wing ticking. Another boot, in front of Red Wing Shoe Company’s corporate offices, is just a plain brown #877 boot. Other boots have kids’ handprints and impressionistic paintings. How They Stack Up: Red Wing’s boots get points for not only their sturdy, rugged appeal but for originality; they have been around for two years and served as an inspiration for Lake City’s skis and Winona’s herons. See The Boots: Three of the boots are stationed in front of Riverfront Centre on the corner of Bush and Main. Others remain at Josephson’s, Corner Drug, Lawrence Realty and Applebee’s.