Ksmq's - Off 90 - Episode 503

FUNDING FOR OFF 90 IS PROVIDED IN PART BY THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND AND THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA. CRUISING YOUR WAY ON THIS EPISODE OF OFF 90: LOOK INTO THE FAST-PACED WORLD OF YOUNG STOCK CAR DRIVER ANNA BROUWERS SEE HOW ONE COMMUNITY COMBINES ART AND THE ART OF GARDENING TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL SYMMETRY LEARN ABOUT AN ARTIST WHO SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF FARMING, THE SEED. IT'S ALL JUST AHEAD, OFF 90. ♪ {THEME MUSIC PLAYING} ♪ HI, I'M BARBARA KEITH. THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON THIS EPISODE OF OFF 90. ON FRIDAY NIGHTS IN THE SUMMERTIME, YOU CAN HEAR THE ROAR OF RACING COMBUSTION ENGINES FOR MILES AROUND THE SMALL TOWN OF LANSING. THE SOURCES OF THESE THUNDEROUS SOUNDS ARE THE STOCK CARS RACING AROUND THE CHATEAU RACEWAY. ONE OF THOSE RACING IS ANNA BROUWERS. RIDE ALONG WITH ANNA AS SHE TEARS UP THE TRACK. ♪ {MUSIC} ♪ EVERYBODY GETS ON THE TRACK. YOUR ADRENALINE'S RUNNING. JUST DO WHAT CLICKS, WHETHER THAT'S RUN UP TO SOMEBODY, OR START THROWING PUNCHES, DO WHATEVER IT IS... I'M ANNA BROUWERS. I RACE STOCK CAR. I REALLY LIKE GOING FAST. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A RACING FAN. DAD WAS ALWAYS A RACE FAN, SO I GUESS I GREW UP WATCHING NASCAR WITH HIM. DAVE, HIS BUDDY, WAS ALWAYS A RACER. IT WAS ACTUALLY HIS MOTOR THAT WE'RE RUNNING IN THE CAR NOW. I WAS 16, 17 AND HE'D KIND OF MENTION YOU SHOULD JUMP IN THERE. NEVER DID, NEVER DID, AND FINALLY WE'RE ALL SITTING AROUND AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT? WE BETTER GET THE CAR OUT. YOU BETTER GET IN THERE." I'M TODD BROUWERS. I'M ANNA'S FATHER. WE RACE AT A SMALL RACETRACK IN LANSING, MINNESOTA, CALLED CHATEAU RACEWAY. IT'S A 1/3 MILE TRACK...DIRT TRACK. IT'S A LOT OF GOOD OLD BOYS HAVING FUN. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SKILL IN DRIVING ON DIRT VERSUS RACING ON NASCAR. THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED IN THOSE GUYS. NASCAR GUYS, THEY JUST GO HUNTING AND FISHING AND SHOW UP ON SUNDAY AND DRIVE. THE CAR IS AN '82 MONTE CARLO. WE'RE RUNNING A 350 SMALL BLOCK CHEVY ENGINE IN IT. ZERO-ZERO WAS ALWAYS MY SOCCER NUMBER THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL, SINCE I WAS A KID I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE GOALIE IN SOCCER. THE GUY WHO DID MY DECALS CAME AND HE WAS LIKE, "HEY, WE NEED A NUMBER. I'M MAKING DECALS TONIGHT." I WAS LIKE, "I DON'T CARE. JUST THROW ZERO-ZERO ON THERE. THAT'S FINE WITH ME. SOUNDS GOOD." WHEN WE GET THERE, WE HAVE OUR HOT LAPS, WHICH ARE OUR VERY FIRST PRACTICE LAPS. I JUST GO OUT THERE AND GET YOUR CAR ALL WARMED UP. THEN YOU HAVE YOUR HEAT RACES, WHICH ARE LIKE YOUR QUALIFYING PRACTICE RACE. TOP FIVE IS IDEALLY WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO FINISH. THEN FROM THERE THE DRAWINGS GO OUT, AS FAR AS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE POSITIONED FOR THE FEATURE RACE, WHICH IS YOUR MAIN ONE, WHICH IS 15 LAPS FOR OUR CLASS. I RACE IN THE PURE STOCK CLASS. IT'S KIND OF A BEGINNER'S LEVEL. I HAVE NOT WON. I FINISHED 3RD TWICE IN MY HEAT RACE. 7TH WAS MY BEST FINISH IN A FEATURE RACE. WITH THE POINT SYSTEM, AT THE END OF THE SEASON, WE ENDED UP FINISHING 5TH, WHICH FOR MY FIRST SEASON, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY WITH THAT. "GOT IT? OKAY." BEING A KID, SHE'S NEVER REALLY DRIVEN A REAR-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. MOST VEHICLES ON THE ROAD TODAY ARE FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE, SO THEY HANDLE A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE VEHICLES I GREW UP DRIVING, REAR-WHEEL. I WORRY A LITTLE BIT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, SHE'S PRETTY SAFE IN THERE. THOSE CARS ARE PRETTY SAFE, SAFER IN THAT RACECAR THAN SHE IS ON A STREET. WHEN I'M SITTING THERE LINED UP WAITING TO GET OUT ON THE TRACK, JUST GETTING STRAPPED IN THERE, PULL YOUR SEATBELTS TIGHT, GET EVERYTHING, GET ADJUSTED SO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. SAY A QUICK LITTLE PRAYER; HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR THE BEST. THE BIGGEST THING YOU LEARN IS THAT A HUNDRED THINGS ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING THROUGH YOUR MIND AT ONCE. YOU GOT TO KIND OF PRIORITIZE AND REMEMBER THE BIG THINGS FIRST AND AS YOU CATCH ON TO THOSE START PICKING UP ON THE LITTLE DETAILS. THE BIG THING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON WAS FOR ME AS THAT I JUST KEPT LOOKING IN FRONT OF ME, BUT YOU GOT TO LOOK FARTHER BEYOND THAT. YOU GOT TO LOOK AT WHOSE GOING INTO THE TURN LONG BEFORE YOU GET TO THE TURN. DIRT, THERE'S A LOT LESS CONTROL. PAVEMENT, YOU TURN THE WHEEL AND IT'S GOING TO GO THAT WAY. YOU GET ON DIRT AND YOU'RE TURNING RIGHT WHILE YOU'RE MOVING LEFT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE MOVIE CARS BUT HE EXPLAINS IT PRETTY PERFECT: TURN RIGHT TO GO LEFT. YOU GOT TO SLIDE INTO IT. ONCE YOU'RE GOING SIDEWAYS, THAT'S WHERE I MESSED UP IN MY FIRST RACE I KEPT IT SIDEWAYS TOO LONG AND I ENDED UP LOOPING AND GOING INTO THE BEAN FIELD. FIRST RACE GOT STARTED LATER THAN WE PLANNED. THE SEASON WAS SUPPOSED TO START APRIL AND ENDED UP MID-MAY. SO WE HAD A VERY WET SPRING. LOTS OF SNOW MELTING MAKES FOR A WET INFIELD IN THE EARLY SEASON. THEY HAD THEIR LAKE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL IT, OUT IN THE INFIELD. RIGHT OUT OF THE GET-GO, WE HAVE OUR DRIVER'S MEETING. THEY TOLD US STAY OUT OF THE LAKE. IF YOU GO IN THE LAKE, WE'LL THROW YOU THE TOW HOOK BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO HOOK IT UP YOURSELF. I WAS GOING INTO TURN TWO, AND I GOT A LITTLE ANTSY, SPUN OUT, AND THERE I WAS RIGHT AWAY BEGINNING OF THE RACE, RIGHT AFTER THEY TOLD US NOT TO GO IN THE LAKE, THERE I WAS IN THE LAKE. LATE IN THE SEASON, EVERYBODY'S KIND OF GETTING USED TO THE FEEL OF EVERYTHING AND IT'S STILL DEFINITELY MY FIRST YEAR, YOU COULD TELL. I WENT INTO SOME TURNS. WE DID SOME BUMPING. WE HAD A DRIVER I GUESS NOT TOO HAPPY WITH ME, NOT TO HAPPY WITH THE WAY I WAS DRIVING AND CAME OVER TO THE PITS, CONFRONTED ME ABOUT IT. "YOU STUPID {BEEP}, WHEN YOU RAN INTO ME, I THINK THAT WAS {BEEP} YOU! ALL THE PURE STOCKS... YOU DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT {BEEP} LINE!" WHETHER IT'S HER FAULT, MY FAULT, WHOEVER, AT THE END OF THE DAY THERE WAS BUMPING DONE AND PEOPLE WEREN'T HAPPY WHEN THEY GOT OFF THE TRACK. IT'S ALL THE NAME OF THE GAME I GUESS. "AND ALL THE PURE STOCKS WANT YOU TO JUST DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE, PLEASE!" WHEN SHE CAME OVER, I'D HAVE TO SAY I WAS EXPECTING IT. "EVERYBODY HAS A FIRST SEASON." "I KNOW, BUT I DIDN'T CAUSE AS MUCH WRECKS AS YOU." IT HAPPENS IN THE PITS QUITE A BIT WHERE PEOPLE CONFRONT EACH OTHER. SEE HOW SHE HANDLED HERSELF, IF SHE WAS GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OR JUST KIND OF LET THE GIRL BLOW OFF STEAM AND MOVE ON. THERE WERE CAMERAS AROUND ME! HAD YOU GUYS NOT BEEN THERE, WORLD WAR THREE WOULD HAVE BROKEN OUT. YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HAVE THOSE CONFRONTATIONS IN THE RACE, HEAT OF THE MOMENT. CONFIDENT THAT I'M DOING WHAT I CAN DO, DOING MY BEST, IMPROVING EVERY WEEK AND I DON'T WANT TO COME OUT HERE AND WRECK ANYBODY ELSE'S CAR, BUT PEOPLE COMING OVER AND GETTING MAD AT ME... WHAT DO YOU DO? IT'S AN ADRENALINE RUSH, THAT'S FOR SURE, A GOOD ADRENALINE RUSH. GUESS I LIKE RUNNING RIGHT UP THERE NEXT TO EVERYBODY AND WONDERING WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET AHEAD OF THEM. WHAT CAN YOU DO? I CAN'T REALLY SAY EXACTLY HOW OTHER DRIVERS THINK OF ME. I KNOW BEING A ROOKIE, THAT AUTOMATICALLY PUTS ME IN A LOWER POSITION. THEY ALREADY LOOK DOWN AT ME, AND THEY'RE MORE EXPERIENCED DRIVERS AND I'M KIND OF IN THEIR WAY. AND THEN, LIKE YOU SAY, BEING A FEMALE, I GUESS I'VE KIND OF FACED THAT MY WHOLE LIFE, IN CONSTRUCTION OR WORK, ANYWHERE I GO, I SEEM TO BE ONE OF FEW GIRLS. I THINK EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH THAT THEIR FIRST SEASON WHERE YOU'RE THE ROOKIE. NO ONE'S GOING TO LIKE YOU. I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT IT I'M NOT THE BEST DRIVER OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S MY FIRST SEASON. EVERYBODY HAS TO START SOMEWHERE. AS FAR AS FANS, WE HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY, FAR MORE THAN I COULD HAVE EVER DREAMED OF, HAVE BEEN OUT THERE SUPPORTING FOR THE FIRST SEASON. I THINK I SOLD 200 T-SHIRTS THIS YEAR. I MEAN IT JUST BLEW ME OUT OF THE WATER WHEN PEOPLE KEPT COMING TO ME. NOW I SEE STRANGERS WEARING MY SHIRT THAT HAS MY NAME ON IT. THAT'S WEIRD HAVING KIDS IN THE PITS COME UP TO ME ASKING FOR MY AUTOGRAPH. WHO AM I TO BE AUTOGRAPHING ANYTHING. IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO HAVE A DAUGHTER RACING. IT'S A LOT OF FUN. I'M PROUD OF ANNA BECAUSE SHE'S WILLING TO DO SOMETHING SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AND IT'S MOSTLY MEN OUT THERE DOING IT, BUT SHE'S WILLING TO GO OUT THERE COMPETE WITH THEM AND HAVE FUN DOING IT AND MAKE A FEW MISTAKES BUT KEEP GOING BACK AT IT. TO KIND FLASH BACK AND BEING IN THE LAKE ON MY FIRST NIGHT TO THE LAST NIGHT THAT WE DIDN'T HIT THE WALL, WHICH WAS FROM THE BEGINNING OF MY SEASON THAT WAS A HUGE STEP UP. EVERY DRIVER HAS THEIR OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS ONCE THEY GET OUT THERE. SOME DRIVERS LIKE TO HAVE EVERYBODY AROUND THEM. SOME ARE LIKE ME, THEY LIKE TO GET IN THERE AND DO THEIR OWN DEAL AND I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY I AM WITH ANYTHING, WORK OR ANYTHING THAT I DO, I JUST DO IT ON MY OWN. I DON'T NEED SOMEONE THERE HANDING ME MY HELMET OR FLIPPING THE SWITCH FOR ME. {MUSIC} THE BEAUTY OF NATURE WAS COMBINED WITH THE BEAUTY THAT PEOPLE CREATE IN THE ALBERT LEA ART CENTER'S ART AND GARDEN TOUR. ON DISPLAY WERE PAINTINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND SCULPTURES, MINGLED WITH FLOWERS, SHRUBS, AND TREES. IT WAS A LOVELY RECIPE FOR VISUAL DELIGHTS. WE MET WITH SOME OF THE GARDENERS AND ARTISTS THAT MAKE THIS TOUR POSSIBLE. {MUSIC} LUTHER BURBANK SAID, "FLOWERS ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY SOUL," AND SO I THINK THERE IS THAT PERSONAL PART OF GARDENING AND FLOWERS AND I THINK THAT BEAUTY IS ALL AROUND US AND WHAT WE CREATE IS ALSO HERE IN NATURE. THIS IS THE ALBERT LEA ART AND GARDEN TOUR. IT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT. WE HAVE GARDENS WITH ARTISTS AT EACH PLACE, WHICH IS WHY IT'S CALLED THE ART AND GARDEN TOUR. IT'S A FUNDRAISER BUT IT'S ALSO TO SHOW THAT ART COMES IN MANY FORMS. IT'S NOT JUST PICTURES ON A WALL. IT'S AN OUTLET FOR ARTISTS AS MYSELF, I DON'T PAINT, I DON'T DRAW, I DON'T SCULPT, BUT I LOVE FLOWERS AND I LOVE THE DESIGNING AND THE LANDSCAPING PART OF IT AND THE COLOR, THE WAY PEOPLE PUT COLOR TOGETHER, AND I SEE IT AS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO SAY WE ARE ARTISTS TOO. BUT JUST IN A DIFFERENT SENSE. THERE ALSO IS THE BIGGER PURPOSE OF GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TOO. THIS ALSO WORKS AS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE ALBERT LEA ART CENTER. ARTISTS, WE TRY NOT TO REPEAT, AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE MEMBERS OF THE ART CENTER EITHER. WE'D LIKE IT IF THEY WERE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO REACH OUT AND TO SHOW PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY WHAT WE DO. WE ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS, AND ONCE IN A WHILE WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO GET VOLUNTEERS. MOST OF THE TIME, IT'S A NEIGHBOR WHO SAYS YOU SHOULD CALL SO-AND-SO, AND WE DO. OF COURSE THEY ALWAYS SAY IT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH, AND SO WE HAVE TO PERSUADE. I HAVE A NEIGHBOR AND SHE KEEPS AN EYE ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND SHE VOLUNTEERED MY YARD EVEN THOUGH IT'S HALF FINISHED. WELL MOST PEOPLE KEEP THEIR YARDS IN RELATIVELY GOOD ORDER. THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S NICE FOR US. SO THIS YEAR, WE REALLY HAD TO WORK QUITE A BIT TO GET IN TIP TOP SHAPE. IT'S JUST AS IF PEOPLE ARE COMING OVER TO YOUR HOUSE FOR THANKSGIVING, YOU JUST CLEAN IT UP, HIDE A FEW THINGS THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE. SO IN ORDER TO BE JUST REASONABLY PRESENTABLE, MY HUSBAND PUT ON A YARD LIGHT, AND I WORKED 11, 12, 1 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO GET THIS DONE, AND IT'S STILL NOT FINISHED. I'M GOING TO BE FINISHING AND PUTTING IN PAVING STEPS WHEN WE FINISH THIS INTERVIEW. I THINK IT'D BE KIND OF FUN IF WE COULD MEET OUR ARTISTS AND THEY COULD MEET THE YARDS. BUT THE WAY THEY DO IT, IT'S JUST KIND OF OUT OF THE HAT SO IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THAT WAY. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'RE GOING TO GET. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A BLIND DATE. I GOT DUSTIN DEBOER. HE IS A NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER OUT OF AUSTIN. AND I ACTUALLY GOT INVITED TO PARTICIPATE THROUGH THE ART CENTER THAT I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF ON AND OFF HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND I'VE DONE SHOWS AT THE CENTER SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW ME, AND THEY ASKED IF I WOULD WANT TO PARTICIPATE, AND IT WENT FROM THERE. HONESTLY, I THINK IT'S A VERY NATURAL CONNECTION, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS, BECAUSE IT'S THE LOVE OF THE LAND. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY TOUR THE GARDEN, BUT TO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE THE ART FACTOR WITH IT. COMBINE THE TWO, AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR 90% OF THE PEOPLE. I THINK THE ART AND GARDEN TOUR CREATES A PRESENCE FOR ART IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I ENJOY, AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO INCREASE, MAYBE NOT OUR MEMBERSHIP, BUT AT LEAST OUR AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY. {MUSIC} LILLIAN COLTON WAS A CROP ARTIST WHOSE WORK HAS BEEN PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR FOR MANY YEARS. HER WORK WAS USUALLY PORTRAITS OF PUBLIC FIGURES MADE FROM AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS SUCH AS WILD RICE AND HAY GLUED TO CARDBOARD. LILLIAN FIRST ENTERED CROP ART AT THE STATE FAIR IN 1966 AND SHE WENT ON TO WIN SEVERAL RIBBONS. HER ART WAS REGULARLY DISPLAYED AT THE HORTICULTURE BUILDING WHERE SHE GAVE DEMONSTRATIONS. LEARN HOW HER LEGACY OF UNIQUE ART CONTINUES TO LIVE ON. {MUSIC} I REALLY THINK THAT CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS ARE ATTRACTED TO LILLIAN'S WORK AS I THINK A LOT OF THEM LOOK AT IT AS A CONTEMPORARY PERSON, BUT SHE'S MAKING PORTRAITS. I THINK THEY LOOK AT HER WORK AS SOMEONE THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY APPROACH WHO WILL ACTUALLY MAKE THEIR PORTRAIT, SO I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST INITIAL ATTRACTION. BUT I THINK IT BUILT MOMENTUM OVER THE YEARS AND THEY ACTUALLY SAW THE QUALITY OF THE WORK THAT SHE WAS DOING. I DON'T THINK MY MOTHER EVER THOUGHT THAT HER ARTWORK WOULD BE NOTICED BY SO MANY PEOPLE, AND I CAN SEE THAT IT IS VERY GOOD. SHE'S CAPTURED PEOPLE'S PERSONALITIES VERY WELL. THIS IS WHERE SHE USED TO WORK, AND THE WALLS ARE A LITTLE BARE NOW, BUT SHE HAD MANY, MANY PICTURES. THIS PICTURE IS WE ARE THE WORLD WHICH MY MOTHER DID BACK IN THE LATE 80S, I BELIEVE, WHEN THE SONG HAD COME OUT, AND SHE HAS CAPTURED SOME OF THE PEOPLE VERY WELL. WELL MY MOTHER WAS REGARDED AS QUITE AN ARTIST BY PEOPLE WHO ARE ARTISTS THEMSELVES, AND SHE ALWAYS WAS WONDERING WHY THEY THOUGHT HER ARTWORK WAS SO SPECIAL, AND SHE SAID, "I'M JUST DOING MY HOBBY THAT I LIKE TO DO." WE WOULD GO TO THE STATE FAIR EVERY YEAR, AND IT WAS A HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR FAMILY BECAUSE IT WAS A DAY AWAY FROM HOME, A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AT THE FAIR, WE WENT ON RIDES, WE HAD ALL THE FUN FOOD AT THE FAIR. MY MOTHER NEVER MISSED A STATE FAIR FROM THE TIME SHE WAS SEVEN. THERE WAS A COUPLE YEARS THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE OF WORLD WAR II AND THE POLIO EPIDEMIC. BUT EVERY OTHER YEAR SHE WOULD GO TO THE FAIR. NOW I HAVE HER JOB OF DEMONSTRATING AND I HAVE PEOPLE COMING BACK SAYING THAT THEY ALWAYS CAME TO SEE HER AND HER ARTWORK AND THE OTHER CROP ART AT THE FAIR, AND THAT'S HOW THEY KNEW HER, JUST FROM THE FAIR. I'VE BEEN DOING CROP ART 44 YEARS. I'VE ENTERED EVERY YEAR EXCEPT TWO, SINCE 1966. IT STARTED IN 1965. WHEN I WORK IN FRONT OF A LOT OF PEOPLE, I JUST KEEP WORKING. I'M USED TO DOING THIS NOW. WHAT PICTURE ARE YOU MAKING? RIGHT NOW I'M MAKING A PICTURE OF A BOY AND GIRL. IT'S A FOLK ART DESIGN. IN THIS PICTURE IT'S ALL NATURAL SEEDS. THIS IS WHITE MILLET AND RED MILLET AND GERMAN MILLET... SHE STARTED DOING CROP ART THE SECOND YEAR THEY HAD IT AT THE STATE FAIR. SHE HAD SEEN IT THE YEAR BEFORE WHEN SHE WENT TO VIEW IT, AND THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I THINK I CAN DO THIS. I'M ACQUAINTED WITH SEEDS, AND I'LL ENTER THE NEXT YEAR. SHE ENTERED FOR 22 OR 23 YEARS IN THE COMPETITION, AND SHE WOULD ENTER EVERY CATEGORY SHE COULD, WHICH WAS EIGHT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. THERE WERE A COUPLE CATEGORIES THAT WERE ARRANGEMENTS WITH PLANTS PLUS THE ACTUAL PICTURES. WELL MY MOTHER WON GRAND CHAMPION WHICH WAS A LARGE TROPHY AND SHE WAS VERY PLEASED THAT SHE WON THAT. SHE THOUGHT SHE REALLY HAD A PRIZED POSSESSION WITH THAT TROPHY AND SHE WENT ON TO WIN MANY MORE TROPHIES, WHICH WAS BEST OF THE SHOW. MY MOTHER DID FEEL THAT SHE WAS WINNING THE BEST OF THE SHOW SO MANY YEARS IN A ROW AND THAT IT WAS NOT FAIR, AND SHE WANTED TO STEP DOWN FROM THE COMPETITION. WHICH, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE FAIR FELT ABOUT IT, BUT MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT HER TO. BUT THEN THE FAIR PRESENTED HER WITH THE JOB OF DEMONSTRATING SO SHE COULD TEACH OTHER PEOPLE HOW ENTER AND TO DO CROP ART. WE WENT TO THE STATE FAIR EVERY YEAR, AND WE ALWAYS WENT INTO THE CROP ART BUILDING TO LOOK AT THE CROP ART AND TO LOOK AT THE SEEDS AND LOOK AT THE CORN, AND SO I KIND OF GREW UP WITH LILLIAN AND AS I GOT OLDER, I ALWAYS HEARD STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO GO AND SEE THE CROP ART AND MEET LILLIAN AND HAVE HER DO THEIR PORTRAIT IN SEEDS, AND SO IT BECAME THIS LEGEND. HER ART REALLY DEVELOPED BECAUSE, AFTER SHE WAS CUTTING HAIR, SHE TOOK CLASSES ON PAINTING. SHE TOOK DRAWING CLASSES AND PAINTING CLASSES, AND SO YOU CAN SEE, THEY STILL HAVE SOME OF THESE PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS THAT SHE DID IN HER STUDIO. BUT WHAT REALLY POPPED FOR HER WAS WHEN SHE WENT TO THE STATE FAIR, AND SOMEONE SUGGESTED WHY DON'T YOU APPLY TO DO THE CROP ART BECAUSE IT HAD JUST KIND OF STARTED. I REMEMBER MOM SAYING THE HIGHLIGHT OF HER SCHOOL YEAR, OR THE WEEK, WOULD BE HALF AN HOUR ON FRIDAYS WHEN SHE COULD DO SOME ARTWORK, AND MY MOTHER REALLY LIKED THAT. SHE STARTED DRAWING AND SKETCHING ON HER OWN ALL THROUGH GRADE SCHOOL AND INTO HIGH SCHOOL. SHE DID SOME THINGS FOR HER SCHOOL AND SHE WAS RECOGNIZED AS BEING AN ARTIST. COLLECTING IS A TREASURE. THERE'S THAT HUNTER-GATHERER AND I THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE HAD THAT, AND HERS IS MORE OBVIOUS WITH SEEDS. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HUNTING AND GATHERING, AND I HAVE THAT SAME THING, BECAUSE I LIKE TO COLLECT FOUND OBJECTS, SO IT'S THAT FINDING THAT SEED THAT YOU NEED THAT'S GOING TO LOOK JUST PERFECT FOR THAT PERSON'S HAIR FOR LILLIAN. SHE DID IT OVER YEARS. SHE KNEW WHAT TYPE OF SEED SHE NEEDED. SHE NEEDED THE MILLET OVER HERE; SHE NEEDED LIKE A PORCUPINE FOR THE CERTAIN HAIR. BUT HERE'S ANOTHER SECRET ABOUT LILLIAN: THAT SHE LIKED TO COLLECT FRAMES. SHE WOULD HAVE HER SON GO TO GARAGE SALES ALL THE TIME TO LOOK FOR FRAMES, AND SHE WOULD USE THESE FRAMES... BEHIND THE SEED CLOSET WAS THE ATTIC, AND IT WAS JUST FILLED WITH LAYERS AND LAYERS AND LAYERS OF FRAMES. I GET THAT A LOT WITH MY ART WHEN I WORK WITH FOUND OBJECTS THAT PEOPLE THINK I JUST LIKE SHOVED A BUNCH OF STUFF IN A TUBE OR I JUST PUT A BUNCH OF GLUE ON SOMETHING AND ROLL IT AROUND AND STUFF, AND IT'S LIKE SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH. THAT WAS MY FAVORITE PART: LETTING HER MAKE HER ART WHEN WE TALKED TO HER, AND SHE USED A TOOTH PICK WITH EACH SEED AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF GLUE, AND KNOWING THAT EACH THING THAT IS PLACED IS VERY CAREFULLY PLACED, AND IT'S PURPOSEFUL. SHE KNOWS WHERE THAT BELONGS AND WHETHER IT BELONGS THERE OR NOT, AND SHE REMOVES IT IF IT DOESN'T. WATCHING THAT PROCESS HAS BEEN A HUGE INSPIRATION FOR MY ART. THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EPISODE. THANKS FOR WATCHING. SEE YOU NEXT TIME OFF 90. {THEME MUSIC PLAYING} FUNDING FOR OFF 90 IS PROVIDED IN PART BY THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND AND THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA.