Amanda Cashman’s seed recreation of an iconic Japanese work hung in the museum after placing at this year’s State Fair

By Kinsey Gade — Community Reporter (gade0032@umn.edu)

A Roseville resident’s crop art was shown at the Minneapolis Institute of Art after placing in this year’s Minnesota State Fair.

Amanda Cashman, student affairs manager of the Create [space] at the University of St. Thomas, placed fifth at the Fair in her category: Class 3, Amateur, Artistic Dyed or Painted. Her piece was one of 10 chosen by the Mia to be shown in the ”Cream of the Crop: A Minnesota Folk Art Showcase,” which ran from Sept. 6 to Sept. 28.

This is Cashman’s second year competing in the State Fair’s Crop Art Exhibit. She chose to replicate the 1831 piece “The Great Wave” by Hokusai, after the Mia introduced a new ribbon for crop art pieces inspired by well-known artworks. The piece is a combination of colored mustard seeds, quinoa, chia seeds, wild rice, lentils, yellow split peas, amaranth and millet, on an 18-by-24-inch canvas.

The State Fair’s Crop Art Exhibit has been around since 1965, according to the Minnesota State Fair website. The art pieces submitted must be made from Minnesota-grown seeds, stems and plant parts.

Cashman said she finds the art meditative and fun, and appreciates the creativity of crop art.

“I think it’s fun to express yourself and to turn something so simple into something really cool to be a part of the State Fair,” she said.

Over the course of a month and a half, Cashman spent over 150 hours working on the piece, much of which was completed after the workday, late into the night. She was first introduced to crop art by her sister, Nancy Jane Cashman, who has been participating in the State Fair exhibit for the past six years.

Cashman said she can’t wait for next year’s Crop Art Exhibit and hopes to do multiple pieces.

“It’s such a great tradition, and to be featured in the Mia is really cool, especially because this is a Minnesota agriculture folk art, and then to be amongst the fine art was just really special,” she said. “It’s just been a really cool whirlwind.”

Top photo: Amanda Cashman holds her winning piece. Courtesy of Amanda Cashman.