Posts

Showing posts from July, 2025

A Salute to State Fairs

State Fairs: Growing American Craft   is the first exhibition dedicated to artists' contributions to the U.S. tradition. There are over 240 artworks, dating from the mid-19th century to the present.   A must-see is a life-size butter cow, created on-site by  Iowa State Fair 's official butter sculptor,  Sarah Pratt.  It should also be interesting to view the size 96 boots worn by  Big Tex  from the  State   Fair of Texas,  as well as  Rod Zeitler 's pyramid of 700 glass jars of preserved fruits and vegetables. While he's been a doctor for many years, Rod has also become a ribbon-winning ''canning superstar.'' The display opens on August 22 at the  Smithsonian 's  Renwick   Gallery  in Washington, D.C., and runs through September 7, 2026. A catalogue will be available to purchase at the museum's store or online. For more, visit   https://americanart.si.edu/ exhibitions/state-fairs .