Louise going in deep into her love of sunflowers… (St. Francis Music Center Workshop, From Craft to Fine Arts)

If I had known, as a rural Minnesota artist, that Keillor had only spent 3 years in a small town in my county, and benefited more than four decades characterizing my region, I would have likely not spent time listening to his show, quoting his politics, or feeling bad he had a “face made for radio.” While there is, admittedly some accuracy in the fictitious people in his stories, it still set an interesting stereotype in a public radio stone, that is hard to shake. He was given a medium that could be spread throughout the nation, through storytelling and song. I do not know if I feel thankful or annoyed.

Out of sincere concern a friend said, "There's a part of my brain panicking and wondering how you do this without a brick and mortar job. So fun to read about the lifestyle..." 

Am I a creative loiterer ? Is there even a purpose to my work, if it is not being acquired by the general public? I know I do work, and I get paid for the work I do, but is the end game the sales of visual art for someone's wall a way of showing one's success?

I love being a teaching artist. I'm not creating work for someone else. I'm facilitating the creative process for young people (in this case... adults in other cases). That's a big difference.

If you think that an artist is not qualified to make a statement about the logistics for the rail to reach all the way to St. Cloud, as it originally should have been, then maybe this post isn't for you. But if you think there's an economically beneficial, socially equitable, and/or geographically wise reason for extending the rail to St. Cloud, then enjoy my perspective... my story: