Your Guide to this Weekend's 'Wayzata Art Experience'

True to its name, the Wayzata Art Experience is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a hands-on community art project entitled Big Water Collective, a twisting tower of creativity and community spirit designed by sculptor Allison Luedtke.

Sponsored by the Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce, the 16-foot sculpture is being built by Luedtke with the help of the community and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. 

“As a student, Allison Luedtke quickly showed us her passion and dedication,” says Roxanne Heaton, executive director of the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. “With her many public art installations in healthcare and corporate locations, she represents the best of what can be achieved with community visual arts education.”

Inspired by the “big waters” of Lake Minnetonka and the spirit of the early native inhabitants of the area, Big Water Collective is inspired by the graceful curves and architectural lines of Dakota canoes and teepees. The three triangular arching columns of welded rebar were sculpted by Luedtke at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts and will be transported to Depot Park this week. There, volunteers and visitors will help Luedtke finish the sculpture by weaving organic and other materials on the outer planes of the columns and assembling bright, colorful art elements onto the inner plane. 

(The public is welcome to help, no experience required, Wednesday-Friday at the Depot, roughly 9 a.m.-6 p.m.) 

With a strong emphasis on repurposing items that would otherwise be waste (such as plastic bottles), the finished effect will be similar to an agate: earthy textures and colors outside with brilliant geode-like colors inside.

 “The Wayzata City Council is pleased and grateful that the Minnetonka Center for the Arts is providing us with this attractive and innovative piece," Wayzata Mayor Ken Willcox said. "For years Wayzata has included public art as a priority in its Comprehensive Plan. This creation represents one our first steps along the way to meet that objective. We hope that it will be the catalyst for more such artistic additions in the future."

The Wayzata Art Experience, with TCF Bank as presenting sponsor for eight of the 10 years, takes place on Lake Street in downtown Wayzata on Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., between Broadway and Barry Avenues South. 

In addition to 120 juried artists in both two- and three-dimensional visual arts (painting, drawing, pastels, photography, printmaking, fiber, glass, jewelry, clay, wood, metal and sculpture), the Wayzata Art Experience also includes garden art and landscaping, culinary arts and performing arts to experience. This year’s featured events, art and artists include:

• Rock balancing demonstrations at the top of each hour by local artist Peter Juhl (temporarysculpture.com). Blending elements of performance art, meditation and parlor trick, Juhl arranges natural stones found on location using only shape, weight and friction to achieve a unique composition. No glue, magnets or other artificial supports are used. The contrast between the strength of the parts and the fragility of the whole elicits feelings of tension, power and serenity. The works last a few minutes to a few hours at most. When not balancing rocks, Juhl is a database administrator for a major airline.
• Multilayered Landscape, a fiber arts demonstration and exhibition hosted by seven artists from The Textile Center and Women’s Art Resources of Minnesota (the WARM). Hourly demonstrations of contemporary textile and mixed media arts, emphasizing sustainability and recycling will include sewing on an antique treadle machine, indigo dyeing and surface design techniques for fabrics, such as natural dye bundling. Their location will be marked by a Living Quilt garden, designed by Cyndi Kaye Meier.
• “Random Acts of Art” performed by Wayzata-based CREO Arts & Dance Conservatory both days.
• Plein air painting by Outdoor Painters of Minnesota so guests may see art in action on Saturday and purchase finished works on Sunday.
• Garden art and landscape design ideas are presented by local landscaping companies, Outdoor Excapes, Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens, and Yardscapes, displayed in the exhibit endcaps along Lake Street.
• The Kids Zone, presented by Creative Kids Academy with hands-on art activities for children by Bloom Portraits, Fantastic Faces Facepainting, Hammer Residences, Inc., and Noodles & Co.
• Live music strolling along the lakeshore by “Registered Nurse & Rocker” David Kottke (wearing roller skates) on Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., and “Stringman” Paul Imholte on Sunday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Also featuring an African drumming group (Sat. 4-6 p.m.) and Wayzata Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Quartet (Sun. 2-4) at the Depot.
• Six special half-priced, 45-minute excursions each day on the Steamboat Minnehaha (departing from the Depot docks) providing guided tours of architecturally significant homes in the Wayzata, Deephaven and Woodland areas of Lake Minnetonka by author Bette Hammel and local long time residents Harriet Dayton and Dave Duff.
• A Saturday fitness “class on the grass” offered by the barre, a boutique Wayzata fitness studio.
• Culinary arts for snacks and lunch provided by popular food trucks in the Wayzata Depot parking lot, including Falafel King, Harvest Grill, Dandelion Kitchen, Sassy Spoon, Sushi Fix and Groveland Confections.
• Captain Jack Sparrow will visit again this year, roaming the event with his entertaining charm.

Please see the complete schedule of events at wayzataartexperience.com/events-schedule.

“The Wayzata Art Experience isn’t just another summer art fair, it is truly an experience,” says Becky Pierson, president of the Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce. “The Wayzata Chamber and Art Experience Committee has worked tirelessly to distinguish it from all others! We encourage the Lake Minnetonka community to celebrate … experience … enjoy all that this amazing event has to offer.”