We went down to the American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery to see their exhibit of crafts made for state fairs around the country.

This particular piece, created by Liz Schreiber of Minneapolis, MN, from various kinds of seeds, was crafted for the Smithsonian to evoke the spirit of the fair.

From the Renwick website:

“A culmination of five years of on-the-ground and behind-the-scenes research, State Fairs: Growing American Craft is the first exhibition dedicated to artists’ contributions to the great U.S. tradition of state fairs with more than 240 artworks on view, dating from the mid-nineteenth century to the present.

“Each gallery in this exhibition considers personal stories of craft found in different areas of the fairgrounds, from the art exhibits and heritage villages to the parades, dairy barns, and rodeos. Ribbon-winning artworks and engaging craft demonstrations illuminate the lives of the artists—their families, memories, honors, and struggles. It offers a perspective on the social power of fairgrounds across the United States and dispels stereotypes about rural communities. Artists and 4-H clubs from 43 states and tribal nations are represented, with all 50 states represented in a photo gallery.”

US Secret Service running toward scene of shooting, posted earlier: