(bright playful music) - [Grace] I can't remember a time that I wasn't making art.

It's always been just a really big part of my life and yeah, it's just always been a constant for me.

I started taking my art to our county fair in Madison and showing it there as a 4H'er and that was really rewarding, really fun.

(playful music continues) I've always been really drawn to any art medium that is very tactile.

I love the texture of clay.

I love how in, and it's a easy medium to just pick up and start working with.

It's not like, there's not a lot of prep, there's not a lot of cleanup.

It's so, and since I make art all the time in polymer clay specifically.

'cause when you're more into the pottery side of clay, that can be like, I mean it's a big area of mess that you create when you're like throwing on a wheel.

So I love polymer clay.

I love how easy it is to just grab and start creating.

That's also why I like watercolor 'cause it's not as much prep as oil paint or something like that.

(bright upbeat music) So I make miniature sculptures of the national parks in necklace pendants.

So that is the basic description of what most people think of when they see my art.

That's what most people know me for is the National Park sculptures.

And I do describe myself as a miniature sculpture artist, but I am very, like, I love every, every kind of art medium I can get my hands on.

So I'm not just a sculptor, just a painter.

But when people talk to me about my art, they always comment on the texture and the depth in it.

Especially with the clay work.

I love creating something that looks like one thing from far away and then as you get closer, it looks like another thing.

We have been to about half of the national parks and we're constantly just checking more off our list.

(bright upbeat music continues) So I just feel like if there weren't national parks, I would not have a lot to be inspired by.

And I'm so thankful for those places that you can go hike and that I can go explore and take pictures and whenever I come back from a national park, I am so like newly inspired and ready to create.

And that's why I love them and that's why we want to continue to support them too.

Because it just feels, it feels right.

Like they're the reason that I have inspiration to create and I should give some of that back to continue to conserve those areas for future generations.

(light ethereal music) Art fairs are awesome.

They're such a great way to meet the people that I have connections with online or have purchased my artwork on my website.

Everyone is always so happy at an art festival.

It's just kind of infectious.

Like every booth is so different that when you are attending an art festival as a customer, you feel like you are going into everyone's little world.

(ethereal music continues) And the social media side is nice too, 'cause once people do meet you at an art festival and they want to continue on your journey with you and seeing what you're doing, they can follow you online.

And I love it.

I think that every part of what I do, I try to make it a really creative experience.

(uplifting music) Hello there.

This is me at the Stone Arch Bridge Festival.

I'm sculpting bison today.

And I thought, what the heck?

I should show you how I do that.

So here I am, sculpting bison.

Gotta put a little tail fluff on it and a little horn.

And Randy came by and he said hello.

He was wearing one of our hats, totally cute on him.

And then I found out I was in the Star Tribune and I was like, wow.

Also Sydney bought an Isle Royale print, that was so fun.

I think I smelled my board.

This is called a still life.

Jordan was looking for his long wispy hair on his leg.

He said it was just flapping in the wind.

And then I think, yep, it's done, wow.

Look, they're all done.

Pretty soon, walk with me, walk with me.

They're gonna be on necklace chains and then you can wear 'em everywhere you go.

My husband brings me to the art fairs.

I don't plan the festivals.

He plans the festivals.

I am so not good at that part of the business.

He's very great at organizing.

He loads up our trailer, he knows where we're going, he knows where we're parking, where we're staying, the times of everything.

I'm along for the ride.

(energetic music) - For Earth Clay, I am kind of the logistics guy.

I figure out art shows and where we're going and how to get there and what we do for setup and everything.

I build all of our displays.

So I kinda get the inspiration from Grace, what she kinda would like or what she has in her mind for like what would look good.

And so then I break out my grid notebook and I start drawing stuff and figure out, you know, how big everything can be and how it should fit in the trailer and how big our booth space is and how to display stuff and try to make everything as streamlined as possible.

So when we get to shows, it's quick to set up.

(energetic music continues) I love that we are our own bosses.

I love that we get to come and go as we please.

And we also travel a lot because of it.

I know I like the freedom of it and I like the people that we meet through it.

It's good.

Yeah, it's a pretty good pairing between Grace and I and just how our different abilities and talents kind of work together, I feel it has created a pretty unique opportunity, I guess for us and (bright uplifting music) We're just trying to see how far we can take it.

- [Grace] I love so many things about living in the Midwest because we do so much traveling and we're in really busy cities all the time, there is nothing like coming home and just the peace and quiet of this place and just, it's definitely my happy place.

I've lived here my whole life and I love it.

I love the community, too.

(bright uplifting music continues) I love creating artwork, but equally as much, I love it when people love my work.

It's really important to me that my artwork brings joy to other people.

It would be hard for me if people did not like my artwork.

And so that's why the entire process, like the creation process is so, so interesting and fun.

And I'm constantly creating, whether it's with clay or watercolor or drawing, I'm constantly making art.

But then to have others enjoy it is, that's just, it's just a full circle experience.

I love it.

(bright uplifting music continues) - [Narrator] "Postcards" is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Additional support provided by Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

Mark and Margaret Yackel-Juleen on behalf of Shalom Hill Farms, a retreat and conference center in a prairie setting near Wyndham, Minnesota, on the web at shalomhillfarm.org.

Alexandria, Minnesota, a year-round destination with hundreds of lakes, trails, and attractions for memorable vacations and events.

More information at explorealex.com.

The Lake Region Arts Council's arts calendar, an arts and cultural heritage funded digital calendar showcasing upcoming art events and opportunities for artists in West Central Minnesota, on the web at lrac4calendar.org.

Playing today's new music plus your favorite hits, 96.7 KRAM, online at 967kram.com.

(bright soft rhythmic music)