Before taking Judy to the airport, we squeezed in visits to two more Minneapolis art venues.
The first, The Northern Clay Center (NCC), had been a client many years ago. None of the people I know still work there, but it was fun to revisit it. NCC is a working and teaching studio, with a gallery and shop. I still long to get my hands into clay, but severe allergic reactions to glaze materials have put an end to that. Though they are now part of my past, seeing the potter’s wheels, pug mill, racks of drying pots, glazing room and kilns made me happy.
The gallery had interesting exhibits. The real star, however, was the shop. Both Judy and I purchased small pieces. I could happily have bought more but restrained myself.
Next stop was on the University of Minnesota campus to see the Weisman Art Museum, housed in one of Frank Gehry’s early commissions (1993). The only part that looks anything like his later work is the front façade. Unfortunately, there was construction right in front of the building making it almost impossible to see. The current exhibitions were just mildly interesting.
From there, I dropped Judy at the airport and headed south to Northfield and Carleton College. My grandnephew Tristan is a freshman there. While he was finishing class, I poked around the old part of town. It’s charming, filled with small shops, cafes, and restaurants. I wandered through several antique shops marveling that junk I threw away years ago now carried a hefty price tag.
It was a pleasure to see Tristan again after our trip to Taiwan last spring. He showed me around campus, we talked nonstop and had dinner together. Seeing him so happy and fully engaged in his new life was the perfect way to end the day.