(birds singing) - Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the citizens of Minnesota.

(bright music) (upbeat music) Coming up next "Off 90," an architectural gem that's the Winona Public Library, a man from Manorville who makes rustic metal art, a 105-year-old auctioneer in Rushford, and a 1909 visit to Austin by famed orator, William Jennings Bryan.

It's all just ahead "Off 90."

(upbeat music) (transitions whooshing) (bright music) (serene music) (cap popping) (brush stroking) - Hi, I'm Amber Rahe, and I'm a painter.

I use a lot of different mediums, and every medium has kind of reasons why I love it.

Oil paint is probably my favorite thing to paint with, just because of the way it moves across the canvas.

I like the feel of it.

(inquisitive music) I started making these things because I was making work that was really highly detailed and a heavier subject matter.

It was all about cancer, it had to do with the death of my grandparents.

And it became really stressful, (laughing) so I wanted to do something easy and a little bit destructive.

This current work is a lot more fun.

I get inspired to put something in my work if I find out a weird or unusual fact about an animal or a creature.

♪ Ah ♪ - One of the weirdest things I found out while I was making paintings was that there's a couple species of cockroaches that produce milk for their young.

(laughing) I could go on with the story, but it does get worse, but I don't think you want it.

(laughing) (dynamic music) I like very bold and saturated colors.

I'm not a big fan of pastels or a lot of lightness.

After I found these animals, or whatever they are, I started to think about the human impact in nature.

(bright music) My husband and I take a lot of walks, walking on a trail in a park, and you're coming across little bits of micro-trash, bottle caps, paperclips.

And I start researching that, I figure out what kind of micro-trash would go with it.

So I started incorporating these little bits of micro-trash.

It's a green bottle fly, and those are attracted to just garbage.

So if you looked closely at the fly, there's little tiny green bottle flies on the fly.

So it's called "Flies on Fly."

So it's basically the fly being attracted to itself because it's garbage.

(laughing) (upbeat music) I like colors that play between warm and cool, a lot of the times.

I have one that's a toad with bubblegum.

The reason I did the bubblegum with the frog is because of the way that they produce the sound.

(frog ribbiting) They kind of create their own bubble.

The micro-trash that went with it had to be something that maybe produced a bubble.

I wanted to do something light.

I had all these inks that I hadn't used in years, and I started pouring them on this paper that I had been using.

And it just, it didn't absorb into the paper, it just kinda pooled.

I needed something to move it across the surface, so I grabbed some rubbing alcohol that I had had in my studio.

And the ink actually repels from the rubbing alcohol.

So no matter what I do to it, sometimes I hit it, I blow on it, it'll just kinda do its own thing.

(Amber blowing) And I'm kind of drawing from nature.

It might just be an animal, it might be a flower.

So I'm kind of creating these environments for these things to live in.

I first knew I was an artist probably about the age of five.

(bright music) My grandmother was a painter, and she used to give me art lessons at the kitchen table.

And I kind of always loved to draw.

I once asked my mom what my favorite toy was as a kid and she said, "Crayons."

But I kind of was in denial about being an artist until I got to college.

I went to college thinking that I had to choose something that was going to make me money and was going to ensure that I was financially stable.

So I tried every subject that I could think of that wasn't art, until my second year of college, I took a ceramics class.

And the second I did that, I knew that that's what I had to do.

I absolutely love creating art.

I don't know what I would do (laughing) if I couldn't.

(upbeat music) (bright music) - We are at the Wanda Gag House in New Ulm, Minnesota, the home of Wanda Gag and the Gag family.

So when you come to the Wanda Gag House, I think there are definitely three spokes of this wheel that is the Gag family.

One are the books, the other one is the artwork, and it's definitely the house itself.

The house itself is a work of art.

The Gag House was built in 1893, it is a Queen Anne Victorian.

And there were seven children and two parents that lived in this house.

- Anton Gag, the father of this family that lived here, was one of the designers of the house.

There are seven colors on the exterior of the house.

There are seven shapes of windows in this house.

There are seven rooms in this house.

There were seven children.

And it's kinda strange that Papa died at 49 and Mother died at 49.

So we have a seven that runs through this family.

Here at the Wanda Gag House, we are trying to promote the legacy of the Gag family.

We have many historic artifacts in the house.

We have the Gag artwork from numerous family members, as well as a bookstore that promotes the books that the family has been involved with.

- First of all, they were the family of Bohemian immigrants, German Bohemian immigrants, and they were artistic.

And actually, I'd actually even go further to say that they are creative.

Creativity breathed in the walls of this house.

It's pretty amazing when you're here, you can feel it, it's all over.

(dynamic music) - So the Anton Gag family was a very artistic family.

Anton was a photographer, a painter, an interior decorator, a designer, anything he could make money at.

"He was a poor starving artist," is how he's often described.

His children were also very artistic, and that is all of them.

They were very musical, they would go with Papa, which was Anton, over to Turner Hall.

He would take his zither, which we have in the corner on display, and they would go sing at Turner Hall.

Wanda became famous for her children's literature.

And in 1928, the "Millions of Cats" was published, and it was a storybook for children.

Of course, Wanda loved fairytales.

- So this book, "Millions of Cats," is the oldest American picture book still in print.

It just went into the public domain, which has created a lot of attention for the book and actually now for the artwork itself.

- So the book, "Millions of Cats," was the first to have illustrations go across both pages.

Previous to that, children's literature was writing on one page and a picture on the next page, but that isn't how Wanda did it, she included both.

Wanda loved cats.

Grandma Biebel down by the river had a farm, and they often went down there and they played with the cats.

And yes, Wanda had cats.

We have pictures of her with her cat, Snoopy.

Yeah, she loved cats, she drew cats.

We have in our bookstore all of the books that Wanda has written.

One of the most famous one is "ABC Bunny," and Flavia actually wrote the music in the front of the book.

- As far as Wanda's artwork, Wanda's artwork is not indicative of anything of that time.

Even when I look at artwork that's comparable, Wanda's artwork really hums with life.

If you think about surrealism, sometimes it's taking almost a fantasy and creating it on a canvas.

What Wanda has done is taken everyday objects and changed them into a vibrating, whirling, kind of almost an air movement around them.

(inquisitive music) - Anton may have became a famous artist had he lived longer.

He died at 49 years old of lung-induced tuberculosis from lead paints.

He was a photographer, and we have many, many photographs that have his signature on 'em in his art studio.

But he also liked to paint, so many of the churches, all the way from Zumbrota to Sleepy Eye, have some of Anton's artwork in them.

It is important that people enjoy this house.

We would hope that you would take a greater appreciation for the local artwork, as well as for Wanda.

And she wasn't just a local artist, but she is a world-renowned artist.

The Wanda Gag House is open for visitation from mid-May, until mid-October.

You can get a tour on Saturday from 10 until four, and on Sundays from 11 to two, and then weekdays, by special appointment, by calling the house and arranging for a docent to meet you to give you a tour.

- I think when you visit the Wanda Gag House, you're feeling the presence of history, but it's history that actually moves into the present.

And there's a story here that needs to be told.

And the story is this, how many of us have been told, "You can't do that?

That's never gonna work out."

That was Wanda's story, and she kept doing basically her own thing, and that is her character.

(upbeat music) (bright music) - [Gina] Pay It Forward is a community collaboration that we just help people in need in the community.

Pay It Forward on its own does smaller projects throughout the year, different things, people in need, from prescriptions, to help with funeral costs, to other repairs in the home, a wide variety of things.

There's really kinda no limits to what we do outside of the bigger project.

The bigger project is a collaboration of multiple companies within Mower County, even some probably international companies that are involved.

So for candidacy to be qualified to be nominated or have a nomination sent in, the rules are pretty simple.

I mean, as long as they're occupying the house and we have to see that there is a need.

We wanna know what the need is.

Sometimes there are programs within the county or the state can help some people.

And typically, actually, the people that we help do not qualify for any type of state or county assistance.

These are usually a husband-wife family, they're working, just what needs to be done and the repairs or the modifications are beyond their financial ability.

So this year's project for our 11th season, primarily, it was for Tim Staver.

His wife Samantha had nominated him for assistance.

So Tim was in a very bad snowmobile accident five years ago this past February, and injured his back to a degree that he will have lifelong struggles with back pain and back issues.

And putting a walk-in tub for him, I think, was probably my number-one priority.

When we walk in a house, we look at, "What else can we address then?"

And when we walked into the kitchen, I was noticing the kitchen was original, it was from 1975.

'Cause if we have the power and the time and the finances, we like to address as much as we possibly can.

And the kitchen was in need of some optimization.

So if everybody's on board, then Todd says, "Everybody will do whatever Gina asks for five days."

(laughing) So as long as I can get away with it, then why not, why not take it just a step further?

(bright music) Pay It Forward will exist as long as, I guess I should say, I can physically do it, and continue to have the support that I have in the community, and beyond that.

I don't see that Pay It Forward is gonna stop.

I hope it continues beyond me.

I hope, at some point, when I will no longer be able to move forward, which I hope I'm doing this when I'm 80, even if I'm just lining the stars up for people.

Then I'll pass the torch on to someone who actually can do the harder leg work.

But I guess I don't see an end to it, 'cause the need is always there.

The nomination letters are always coming in.

I get multiple requests every week about just little things like this, "I can't even fix this," or, "I don't have heat in my house."

So it'll keep going as long as I can possibly financially do it.

I'll find a way, there's always a way to do it.

And God's got my back, so.

(upbeat music) (dynamic music) (dynamic music continues) (dynamic music continues) (dynamic music continues) - This is the 15th anniversary festival for Mid West Music Fest.

It's been going on since 2009, and became a nonprofit organization shortly after.

- (laughing) Mid West Music Fest is an annual downtown takeover of Winona, Minnesota, with over 70 bands, seven venues, over two days.

♪ Stop ♪ (lead singer faintly singing) (upbeat music) ♪ You've never been a beauty ♪ ♪ And we all see ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ - We bring in bands from everywhere, from our backyard, to halfway across the country, to really showcase and celebrate the arts and culture of Southeast Minnesota.

- My Grandma's Cardigan has been together for 12-ish years.

We have gone from being a folk band, to getting pretty groovy.

And yeah, we're just a group of friends that like playing music together, constantly growing and constantly changing.

(upbeat music) ♪ Gotta get going, I'm leaving ♪ ♪ I'm heading downtown ♪ ♪ Piled in the back of the car like an alley of clowns ♪ ♪ Why you always watching me go with a smile and a frown ♪ (indistinct) ♪ And I'm gonna paint the town ♪ ♪ Oh me, oh my ♪ My Grandma's Cardigan has been playing at Midwest for almost 10 years, and it is exactly where we got our start and where we fully felt like we were becoming a part of the music scene and being accepted into a music community.

So I think it is that for a lot of people, a lot of musicians, and a lot of the bands you'll see.

(upbeat music) ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Gotta get outta this house ♪ ♪ Gotta get outta this house ♪ ♪ Before I die ♪ ♪ Before I die ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ - A-one, two, three, four.

(drumsticks clacking) (upbeat music) (audience cheering and clapping) - We have all these different organizations and businesses that host live music at the festival, but also are supporting live music throughout the year.

And we love to see the collaboration really of everyone coming together as a community to see and discover new bands, and hang out together.

A lot of people call it somewhat of a family reunion, among the community and among artists that are all getting to be in one space at one time.

♪ See where you are ♪ (indistinct) ♪ You are there ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ - Thank you.

(audience clapping) (audience cheering) - First time working on the festival was in 2017, where I was working as a photographer for The Current up in Minneapolis.

And then in 2018 and 2019, we started hosting shows at our shop in Downtown Winona, booking the bands and organizing those.

And then in 2022 was when we formally got brought on as the production director and the creative director of the festival.

- Every year, there are add-ons, things to do during the day, like yoga, marketplace, and then also these panel discussions that are discussing everything from pressing records, to budgets, to music business 101, all that kinda stuff.

And so I think it's been a really cool experience to not only be a part of it, but witness it.

If you're not excited about what you're doing, I can't get excited about what you're doing.

So you gotta believe in yourself and actually do something to show the world that you want to do what you're doing.

(laughing) ♪ Yee-Haw ♪ (upbeat music) - For those of you who do not know about Black Widows, we are from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

We are a all-femme surf punk band who plays a combination of surf standards and originals.

And we tour and we stay close to home, we do it all.

♪ It's the day of P-P-Peter Pan ♪ ♪ I'm not your mama or your baby ♪ ♪ I'm not even your friend ♪ ♪ Drink up all the honey like a bear in a tree ♪ ♪ No, no, no, no, no ♪ ♪ No, no, no, no, no ♪ ♪ Not everything in life ♪ ♪ Not everything in life ♪ ♪ Not everything in life ♪ ♪ Not everything in life ♪ ♪ Is free ♪ ♪ Is free ♪ - Shout-out to Mid West Music Fest.

Nate and Maggie, give it up for Nate and Maggie.

(audience cheering) I don't think they're here, but doing this for so long, they have done such a good job of building this cool thing every year.

- It was started as an AmeriCorps project in 2009 by Sam Brown, as a way to give back to the community, and initially, to bring a plethora of new talent every year.

But it's really become and honed in on a focus of supporting and uplifting our regional arts and music.

♪ I don't wanna be famous ♪ ♪ I just want you to know my name ♪ ♪ I don't wanna be nameless ♪ ♪ I don't wanna be known for fame ♪ There is a flourishing art scene here, music scene here, that is so appreciated and that is so supported by the local Minnesotans here, or even some of the people who've migrated here, like how I did from Atlanta.

There wasn't a lot of rock music in Atlanta that I saw of at the time that I really wanted to emulate after or anything like that.

Moving to Minnesota and being a songwriter, meeting all of the group members of Timisarocker at McNally Smith, and just seeing how talented the Minnesota locals here are with music, with art, and how eager they are to just get out and just to celebrate each other's talents.

It's really, really cool.

(dynamic music) ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪ This be ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ We like to give a really good show.

I think a lot of our stage presence is what makes Timisarocker the band Timisarocker.

It's fun over here, I promise.

(laughing) (upbeat music) ♪ Shock me like a wall socket ♪ ♪ With a knife sticking out it ♪ ♪ I just wanted to touch something cool ♪ ♪ I think you're a good person ♪ ♪ But I fear who you're becoming ♪ ♪ I'm afraid it's calling ♪ - The reason why Mid West Music Fest is special is because it is so centered on this community.

And that's why we love it so much, it's always been about the people, the places, businesses, the artists, and being able to come together and celebrate each other and celebrate the scene and kinda show why we're proud to be in Southeast Minnesota and be in the Driftless.

I think that's kinda the biggest thing.

There's always plenty of good times at every festival, but I think it's all about the spirit for me.

- Yeah, and I've been involved in just about every different part of the organization of the festival, and seeing kind of all the different strengths it takes among our community to make it actually happen is kind of inspiring.

It's a lot of moving parts.

So the structure of the festival is very unique and works really well in these smaller communities that are able to come together to support it and get the job done.

We love our volunteers, we have a ton of folks who come from sound, staging, bars, I mean, literally everything.

- I mean, pretty much every aspect, yeah.

- Yeah, so there's people with experience in all these different areas coming out to support us.

We are a nonprofit, so there's a lot of help that we need throughout the year and at the actual event.

We just wanna thank everybody who's supported the fest for 15 years, that's a major milestone and for everyone who is able to come and celebrate that with us this year.

(upbeat music) ♪ Here I come ♪ ♪ Here I come ♪ ♪ Here I come ♪ ♪ Here I come ♪ ♪ Here I come ♪ ♪ Here I come ♪ ♪ Here I come, yeah ♪ ♪ Here I come ♪ ♪ Here I come now, yeah ♪ ♪ Here I ♪ (audience cheering and clapping) (indistinct) (upbeat music) (bright music) (birds singing) - Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.