Hi. I’m Scott Winter, Director of the Walker’s Annual Fund. I am basically responsible for all of the Walker’s membership programs (15 at last count), as well as raising money for the annual Garden Fund (but that’s another story).

As one of my many duties, I am often asked to accommodate groups of donors visiting from other institutions with a tour. And so there I was this past Saturday morning, sharing the wonders of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with a group of 20 or so donors from the Yale University Art Gallery.

As we reached the Palm Room of the Cowles Conservatory, I noticed something odd.

Standing Glass Fish was not standing in a pool of pitch black water. Nope. SGF was standing in crystal clear water, where the bottom of the pool was showing its age.

An inquiry to our intrepid Registration Deptartment set the record straight.

The pool is typically filled with water along with a special ink that dyes the water a densely saturated black, providing a strong reflection of SGF to those peering in. The bottom of the pool is also home to a dark lining that aids in the cause.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, who maintains the pool, has reported a small leak in the pond that requires the pool to be constantly refilled. To keep from losing the dye as well, they are waiting until the pond can be repaired before returning it to it’s murky glory.

So now I have a tale to tell the group of donors from Chicago who will be joining me for a private garden tour THIS Saturday!

And so do you.

My first Walker blog post contained a blurry photo of the bird family in Arikidea.

Fellow blogger Paul was kind enough to send me a much clearer photo of the bird family, taken by Walker photographer Gene Pittman. I bet Gene didn’t fall off the swing platform while taking the photograph.

During the August Free First Saturday program (August 5), Yoga instructor Jessica Rosenberg will lead an interactive movement tour through the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Its not only visitors bodies that move in the garden, look closely and you’ll find some sculptures that are pretty active themselves.

A favorite for kids is Mark di Suvero’s massive Arikidea. For more than three decades di Suvero has been creating large-scale metal sculptures, often with moving parts made from balanced steel girders. Many of his sculptures invite viewers to swing on a suspended seat, flatbed, or tire. Arikidea is a sculpture you can stand under, sit on, or walk around. When you sit and swing on the wooden seat, three tons of balanced steel gently sways on cables.

Di Suvero admires a spider’s ability to build a web in space. The name of this sculpture is closely related to the Greek word for spider, arachnid. Next time you’re in the garden with a young friend, ask them:

How is this sculpture like a spider?

How are the wood swing and steel girders connected?

Which parts move?

How do you think this sculpture would look different in the winter?

… and we’re gonna get ma-a-arried. Gee, I really love you and we’re gonna get ma-a-arried…

In my nearly six years as a Walker employee, I’d never seen a wedding take place in the garden, though I’ve seen countless prom kids come by during the late springtime dusk to have their photo taken. That all changed last Friday when my longtime friend E.L. decided to get married in front of Spoonbridge and Cherry. What a gorgeous day for a wedding — bright, sunny, and warm with a cool breeze. Afterwards, we headed inside to have a post-ceremony late lunch at 20.21 Restaurant and Bar by Wolfgang Puck. General Manager Mark Latz was fantastic about accommodating our last-minute lunch reservation (for a party of 14, no less!) and our entire party agreed that the food and service were superb.

Last month, Eric blogged about Weblog Usability, specifically, how Walker blogs do not contain author bios nor photos. I’m taking the plunge now — that’s me in the white and red dress, second from the left. Hi, I’m Masami and I’m from Japan. My educational background is in modern European history, musicology, and French language and literature. I drank the Walker Kool-Aid in July 2000 and I’ve worn a number of hats here: Sales Associate, Assistant Manager, Membership Associate. I currently work in Development and am also a volunteer Tour Guide.

Last week-end families took the garden by storm to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Free First Saturday. Perhaps the most popular event of the day was the art-making activity, called “Salty Scene”, where both kids and parents learned that mixing salt and watercolor paint results in some pretty cool textural effects. We also supplied oil pastels, (similar to crayons but softer and oil-based) which created a resist with the watercolor paint so kids could write their name and combine drawing with painting.

This project is surprisingly simple and engaging to all ages. I was recently babysitting a 3- and 5-year old, and we spent a half hour at the table making “artistic chemistry”. To try it at home, you’ll need iodized table salt, watercolor paper (posterboard, card stock, or any heavy-weight paper will work), a watercolor paint set, brushes, crayons, and water. Follow these simple instructions:

1. First make a drawing or write something in crayon.
2. Then apply washes of watercolor paint. (The paint will not adhere to areas where crayon was used. )
3. While the paint is wet, sprinkle salt onto the paper. A light dusting works best. Too much salt will form into small balls and could damage your paper.
4. As washes dry, the salt crystals will suck up pigment gradually, creating light star-like shapes. (Start another painting while waiting for the first one to dry.) Once the painting is dry, brush off excess salt with your hand or a dry sponge.
5. Experiment with various types of salt for different textures: sea salt, kosher salt, rock salt, etc. Crush larger salt crystals first before applying to paper.

Check out these salty scenes!

Do you think of it as the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, or the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden?

I’d venture to guess that many feel it’s the former and not the latter, but perhaps you’ll reconsider? Take a look at the varied and colorful flora in the Sculpture Garden.