OK, part two of our roadtrip through North Central Kansas…We traveled south from the World’s Largest Ball of Twine to Lucas, Kansas.
This town looks like other farming communities we passed on the highway….but once you wander off the main road - there’s a treasure trove of mammoth and quirky art installations. Civil war veteran SP Dinsmoor cracked open the door for artistic souls in Lucas when he started building his cabin in the early 1900s.
Dinsmoor’s concrete masterpieces are an early example of grassroots art: art pieces created by folks with no formal training. Some folks call it primitive art…or art brut…or just plain weird. In any event, Lucas is home to several prime spots celebrating grassroots art.
We stopped in Linda’s on Main Street for a drink and a snack.
Your basic domestic choices…Bud and Bud light. We also indulged in childhood favs, tater tots…and a neat deep-fried twist on a classic fav, macaroni and cheese bites. Yum. Linda’s is a basic local hangout. A Harley Davidson crew mosied in to whet their whistles after their road trip. Neato.
The Grassroots Art Center is down the street from Linda’s. It just got a grant to develop this Courtyard Gallery of limestone and post-rock sculptures…They’re meant to compliment the Postrock Scenic Byway on Highway 232 between Wilson and Lucas.
Our friendly guide from the art center took us inside Florence Deeble’s house….a few blocks away. Another artist, Mri Pilar, covered all the walls with silver insulation and Mylar. She transformed the interior into a gallery space for her “Rebarb” works - composed, of Barbie dolls, board games, computer parts and other recycled items.
Our guide was quite friendly. She completed her college studies in art and she admitted that grassroots art was a tough one to come around to…but eventually, she became an expert and a fan of the genre.
From the religious treasures inside the art museum, to the Mona Lisa inside the Lourve, to Michaelangelo’s David inside the Galleriea Dell’Accademia….art is about expanding your mind…and I wonder what art historians will say about this re-invented Barbie doll - a few centuries from now.
We stopped for dinner in Manhattan…home to K-State. We followed Penner’s recomendation to the Little Apple Brewery.
The Pale Ale was the special brew of the day…going for $1.50 a pint. Yum!
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