Minnesota Months
It was a brisk, snowy winter day. The snow was falling and the sun was dazzling in the sky as I drove to the Marine Art Museum. As I was driving to the museum, I was wondering why it would even be in Winona. I thought that maybe because we have lakes and the Mississippi River that those may be a few of the reasons for placing it in Winona. Walking into the Marine Art Museum, I did not know what to expect. At first, all I saw were lots of paintings and artwork that dealt with water which is what I was expecting to see. As I walked further through all of the amazing artwork and looked around more, I saw one that caught my eye. It was very vibrant and colorful. It showed many details that represented Minnesota in multiple ways. The aesthetic of this artwork was quite different than all of the other art. This artwork was much more modern and colorful than all of the others. It also was not specifically related to water like most of the pieces that were in the museum. I was definitely not expecting to see anything like the Minnesota Months painting by Adam Turman. This artwork brought back lots of memories and shows details of just a few wonderful things that Minnesota has to offer.
Turman is a renowned artist, illustrator, and muralist based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Turman has been creating artwork for small local businesses in the Twin Cities since the early 2000’s. He started his career by making gig posters for aspiring bands who would go to the Twin Cities to perform. His bold styles attract many people and his pieces can be found worldwide. His style is quite different than a lot of artists which is why I think it caught my eye. He has even created art for large, well-known brands such as Red Bull, X Games, and even Children’s Hospitals. The bold, graphic style of the 80’s is what has influenced most of his artwork (adamturman.com). His Minnesota Months piece was influenced by the great outdoors and by all of things wonderful things that Minnesota has to offer no matter what month.
When I first saw Minnesota Months, I was a little confused. I did not know exactly what point he was trying to make. It contained many vibrant, eye-catching colors. It had twelve outlines of the state and inside were drawings of different things. As I looked at it for a longer period of time I realized how each outline of Minnesota represented a little something of what this great state has to offer each month. I looked at each outline and thought deeply about what each of them could stand for. Looking at this artwork brought back so many memories, the good and the bad. I grew up in St. Paul and I have lived in the Twin Cities my whole life. This artwork allowed me to connect to it on many different levels that other people may not experience if they have not lived in Minnesota before such as someone from Wisconsin. A Wisconsin Months mural might include things such as cheese, Green Bay Packers, beer, etc. Although the states are similar in some ways, there are definitely major differences as well. Many people may think that Minnesota has nothing to offer other than cold, brutal winters and construction during every other season but little do they know about everything else that there is here. A few details of his artwork that I connected with the most was the corndog in the month of August, the loons on the water in May, the apple in September, and of course, the snow in December.
The corndog represents the State Fair. The Minnesota State Fair is the largest state fair throughout the entire United States and is considered “The Great Minnesota Get-Together.” The fair is filled with lots of food, concerts, entertainment, and over two million people each year from all over the world. Every year since I was a little girl, I have been going with friends and family. They have every food you can think of and some you may not even think of such as deep fried alligator and spam sushi. The fair is a special time filled with laughing until you can’t breathe and eating until you cannot fit any more food into your stomach.
Another thing I like to do in the summer, is go to my cabin and going out on the lake. Spending time with my loved ones, going out on the boat on the water, jet skiing and tubing and of course watching the beautiful sunsets shine over the lake is something I look forward to each year. The summertime is my favorite season because I am able to relax and spend time exploring while not having the stress of homework and studying. Unfortunately, summer can only last for so long. As the green trees start to fade away and the bright red and orange leaves start to appear, there is one thing that I always love to do in the Fall.
The prime time for apples is in September. Going to apple orchards is one fall activity that I have always enjoyed doing with friends. Picking and biting into the juicy, crisp apples is one thing I always look forward too. Most orchards have many other activities at them as well such as corn mazes and pumpkin picking. The fall clearly represents the apple in the artwork. Apple orchards are only open for a few short months, usually until the brisk month of December comes around.
You never know what to expect with Minnesota winters. Some days the temperature is below freezing and then the next could be above freezing. Although it may be quite chilly most days, the shimmering snow makes up for it. I am in that scene that I described in the beginning of my essay. The sun makes the snow shimmer like glitter. I always love waking up in the morning when the sun is shining bright and looking out my window at fresh glistening snow. Minnesota winters has its good days and its bad but there are so many ways to have fun with it. I love going snowmobiling, skiing, ice skating, and so many more. The possibilities are endless. These are just a few examples of what his artwork depicts. Not only does this artwork represent Minnesota as a whole, but it also represents Winona in a few ways as well.
When I think of Winona, I think of festivals, ice fishing, and many other outdoor activities. This artwork depicts all of those categories. I believe festivals are represented by the month of April in the artwork. One big festival that is held here is the Mid-West Music Fest. This event is a non-profit and allows local artists to perform to promote their music and let their voices be heard by large crowds of people. People gather as a community and come together to support the artists and to enjoy themselves. The Mid-West Music Fest’s mission is to be the place where music and community meet. They will be holding the 10th annual festival this year (winonapost.com). Another thing that is popular here in Winona is ice fishing. Every time I drive past the two lakes in the winter the two lakes are filled with little shacks filled with ice fisherman. Ice fishing is just one the many outdoor activities that can be done here. During the summer months the lakes are filled with kayakers, swimmers, and paddle boarders. As you can tell, Winona is an active little town with lots of outdoor activities which relates to Turman’s artwork in many ways. Winona is a much smaller town than where I grew up and at first I did not know what to do most of the time. There are not as many restaurants and stores nearby as I was used to but as I explored more I realized how many things there actually is to do here. Winona is my new home nine months out of the year for the next three years or so, so it was important for me to explore and find new passions. There are so many outdoor activities here and I believe that fits into the Minnesota Months artwork because majority of the piece was inspired by the outdoors.
Minnesota is filled with many tremendous things to do no matter if it is bitterly cold or toasty warm outside, or gray skies or blue skies, there will always be things to do. This artwork represents Minnesota as a whole and all of the wonderful things this state has to offer. Turman obviously knows what it is like to live in Minnesota and all of the things it has to offer because he was born and raised here. Just through this one artwork, he was able to show spectacular things that happen here each month without even using words. It made me feel proud to be a Minnesotan and gave me the opportunity to reminisce on special moments that I have with friends in Winona as well as friends and family back home in the Twin Cities.
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