Two things reshaped our plans for the day. We woke up to a cloudless sky and warm temperatures, clearly a day to be outside. Then, scrolling through Facebook, a follower suggested a stop in Hastings to see the work of Dale Lewis. Given his motto, “It’s okay for fine art to be fun,” I knew this was a place I wanted to see.
Thanks for the tip! The minute we drove up to the property where a dozen of his sculptures are situated I was entranced. I also realized I’d seen his work before, in Eau Claire, and had loved the couple of pieces on view. How can you not smile at a sculpture titled “When Pigs Can Fly the Wright Way,” a pig piloting a biplane? Or a monumental Ratatouille with satellite dish ears? You can see more of his work at https://www.artistdalelewis.com/
Now that we were in the countryside, I felt the urge to explore the area. A quick search led us to the Carpenter Nature Center, bordering the St. Croix River. The helpful staff suggested an easy trail leading to a lookout over the river. Spring is just starting here, so the trees were mostly bare. I didn’t mind, the open branches revealed the structure of the landscape in a way summer never would.
Back at the office, we asked about nearby restaurants. Not only did she suggest one with a terrace overlooking the river, she also pointed us toward more of Dale Lewis’s sculptures. A five-minute drive brought us to Prescott, where lunch on the terrace was as good as promised, with a view to match. A quick drive around town led us to Abe the eagle and an exuberant dragon perched on the roof of an art gallery.
Back in Hastings, a charming well preserved old town, we strolled on the Riverwalk. There we saw more of Dale’s sculptures displayed on the shore of the Mississippi River.
We returned to Minneapolis for an evening performance of Sleuth at the Guthrie Theater, trading open sky for stage lights. It was a serendipitous day, one good suggestion leading to another.
Note: I’ve had a change of plans and now have a few extra days before I fly home from Milwaukee on Monday. If anyone has suggestions for places to visit that might be on my route, please let me know.