World United States South Dakota Brookings

Trevor's Graduation Trip 2010

Terry Redlin Art Center, SD Art Museum, State Agricultural Heritage Museum, McCrory Gardens & Arboretum Aug 7, 2010

Aug. 7 Watertown, Brookings, Flandreau, SD Terry Redlin Art Center, SD Art Museum, State Agricultural Heritage Museum, McCrory Gardens & Arboretum This morning we went to the Terry Redlin Art Center. We walked part way up the road and were picked up by a volunteer in a golf cart. They have a wonderful day planned. Food vendors, story time for the kids, 4 live concerts from 4pm to 10 pm then fireworks. I’m ready for a wonderful day of relaxing right here. We walked through the beautiful building his son designed. Terry Redlin is a well-known wildlife painter. We had not heard of him, but we don’t get wildlife magazines. He has many of his paintings on covers of Ducks Unlimited and other wildlife magazines. He’s well known out west. He uses light like Thomas Kinkaid and the detail is awesome. His son wanted him to save all his original oils and they are displayed in this gallery. He is also known for his America the Beautiful Collection of 8 paintings. A DVD plays and has him explaining each and every one. It starts with the old days right up to present day. Each one has a family with a boy and girl. The first “oh beautiful for spacious skies” is the family in the covered wagon and the life of years ago on the prairie homesteading to the present “sea to shining sea” with the boy fishing and the girl looking out at a lighthouse looking to the future, but not forgetting the past. He also explains some of the names of places he used in the pictures. Many were places in town or places he remembered as a child. Downstairs is set up like the old ice cream parlor his wife’s family owned. They owned and operated the Langenfeld dairy and ice cream parlor. They have many antiques from the place. Everything is free. He is giving back to the City and State for the scholarship he received to an art school after he was injured in a motorcycle accident many years ago. He painted from 1985 to 2005 when he retired. What a gifted man! We walked back to the coach to rest and Karl said where are we going next? Gosh, I’ve been doing the pushing and now it’s him. He doesn’t want to sit and stay for the concerts. He wants to get on the road. And I thought I was tiring him out? So on to Brookings about 35 miles south. First, we went to the SD Art Mus. on the SD State Univ. campus. They had one room with Harvey Dunn oil paintings and a gift shop. This gallery was free also. Many of the prints sold of his are raising money for the awareness of the preservation of the grasslands. His paintings were so different. They weren’t nearly as detailed as Terry’s are. The other part of the gallery was closed while they are adding on. The wonderful volunteer said be sure to come back in a couple of months when it’s finished. We had a wonderful visit with her. She told us about the college and that it’s the only one around that still teaches dairy and farming. From there we went only a block further to the other side of the campus to the State Agricultural Heritage Museum. They had many old pieces of farm equipment donated by surrounding families. The plaques tell the year and how many are left in SD. Many were the only ones left. Some of this equipment we had never seen. They also showed the life on the prairie and things that are made in SD. Then we went to McCrory Gardens and Arboretum. What a large place! And what beautiful plants and flowers! There were 4 wedding parties there doing photo shots. It was a beautiful day and an especially beautiful setting for the brides. Now it’s getting hot. We noticed the difference this morning when we got up. It’s the first night the heat hasn’t come on in the RV. Usually it’s been 57-62 when Karl gets up and today it was 72. And it was 91 when we pulled into Flandreau to the campground around 4 pm. It was so windy driving today (pushing from the side). We’re in here early. Wow, look at all we did this afternoon instead of resting at the Art Center. Tomorrow we’ll go to the Pipestone NP not far from here in MN.

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