Love summer with all its spontaneity. We started our first creative project with the kids in April. We were inspired by the Trashtastic Yard Art competition at the Charles H MacNider Art Museum. Our family started the concept of building a pedestal outdoor kaleidoscope from recycled parts.
Karl took one child to the Saab Graveyard at Meyer Saab. There they found gaskets for the eyepiece and a fabulous transmission gear shaft that makes up the central part of the pedestal. Karl took our other child to another junkyard where even more parts were found. The next evening, I did a U Turn to pull a couple of ceramic urns out of a ditch. Those are in the backyard because they just didn’t fit the scope.
Extra parts from a C Bennett liquid suspension object cell were adapted into the these car parts with a new, longer mirror system. This YouTube video is of the scope from which we scavenged the object cell. Flag Liquid Suspension Kaleidoscope by C Bennett
A couple of old disc blades out of my Dad’s farm machine shop and an AWESOME rusty capitol column also found in a dusty corner…..
Funky Junky Trashtastic Kaleidoscope
So we invite you to come explore the arts in North Iowa with us either in person or virtual! We also have another little hidden gem here in North Iowa. The Unionhurst Gallery is the only gallery in the world that features the paintings of Atlanta Sampson.
And a fabulous renovation has reopened the last standing designed hotel by Frank Lloyd Wright; the Historic Park Inn. At Kaleidoscopes To You, we may be out in the middle of a cornfield, but we are surrounded by diverse history and art.
