Wednesday, June 30, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 3
Cornfields a canvas for Lawrence man
John Pendelton, center, and his wife, Karen, orient their position according to the map of a turtle maze in a corn field at their farm east of Lawrence. Crop artist Stan Herd, right, has
Continued from page 1A
mind that this was a beautiful canvas, " Herd said.
Since that flight, Herd has created over 20 large-scale works of art using agriculture and the earth as his canvases. He has completed most of his work on Kansas soil, although England, Australia, Texas, Oklahoma, New York and Nebraska have also been venues for his unique art.
designed and is in charge of creating this five-acre maze which is expected to be open to the public by mid-July. Photo by Lisa John/KANSAN
His first earthwork was a portrait of the Kiowa War Chief Satanta. Herd's interest in Native Americans began when he was a young child growing up on his family's farm in Protection, a small town in southeast Kansas, near the Oklahoma border.
"I could walk out the front door of the farm house to the Bluff Creek bank and find arrow points," he said. "I realized there were a people on the land before my father and grandfather."
Herd's interest in indigenous peoples continued as he grew older. Born in 1950, Herd latched onto the tail end of the '60s radical movement as a teen — a movement characterized by protests against the destruction of the natural environment and the displacement of indigenous peoples.
"I was a rabid environmentalist before I even knew what it was. I just had a sense that we were living wrong." Herd said.
So far, Herd has created four Native American portraits. He also has collaborated with faculty members at Haskell Indian Nations University, creating a medicine wheel design on the university's campus. The semi-permanent work, "The Wheel," is used by students for ceremonies and meditation. The site has become a major point of contention in the debate about the proposed South Lawrence Trafficway.
Art as a living
"The Wheel" is unusual because most of Herd's earthworks are no longer available for viewing. Since he creates most of his images in fertile fields, they are often plowed under at harvest time. Despite the time and effort he pours into his projects, Herd said he viewed the ephemeral nature of his art as a strength.
"I felt it was a statement of respect about the natural landscape, "Herd said. "I don't think anything I've ever done or ever will do, will surpass the beauty of the land itself."
Herd said that he tried to avoid involving himself in commercial projects but that he has been forced to set aside his idealism on more than one occasion. He completed the final version of "Absolut Landmark" in 1990. This earthwork, which appeared in an Absolut vodka ad, consisted of an Absolut vodka bottle against a star guilt pattern.
"The line I used to draw between what I would and wouldn't do has changed because I'm just trying to survive." Herd said.
Herd has done commissioned work for Beck's beer. Northwest Airlines and others. He also created the cover art for Garth Brooks' album "Fresh Horses."
Herd has also created massive field still life artwork using multiple crops and other natural materials, including his famous "Sunflower Still Life," which survived
STAN HERD
Occupation: Environmental Artist
Residence: Lawrence
Residence: Lawrence
Age: 48
Published Work: Crop Art and
Other Earthworks
Website: www.stanherd.com
in a field outside of Lawrence for three years. The image was three sunflowers in a vase against a patchwork background. Herd used native Kansas sunflowers to color the still life sunflowers with a bright yellow hue.
Herd said that he is currently putting the finishing touches on his "Ancient Fish Maze" on a hilltop field on the outskirts of Lawrence. The design for the maze was inspired by the fossil of an 80-million-year-old fish, "Xiphactinus," which archaeologists discovered in Kansas in the 1930s. KU's Natural History Museum houses a specimen of the 30- to 40-foot fish.
Herd stays extremely busy, often
working on several field projects simultaneously.
"I feel like I'm caught in the rapid part of a river, and I'd really like to get on the bank and try to relax." Herd said.
He said he was afraid he wouldn't be able to slow down for a while. In addition to working on the fish maze and the turtle maze, he is salvaging trees for an upcoming project and working on mural designs for a Topela library.
He said that the turtle maze should be finished sometime this week. The Pendleton's, who are hoping the maze will bring more patrons to their place of business, said they would charge admission to walk through the maze.
Soon, the corn will be bristling with voices as people navigate through the twisting maze. But the voices will disappear when harvest time rolls around and the turtle is returned to the earth.
— Edited by Mike Miller
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