Senior Connections Senior Connections May 2019

View farming dioramas, sculptures at Dassel History Center Two new exhibits opened at the Dassel History Center, 901 1st Street in Dassel, April 20 – “Brodin Studios: the Brodin Brothers – Rodger, John and Neil;” and “Manthei Farm Dioramas.” The Dassel History Center is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and closed Sundays and Mondays. For more information, call the History Center at 320-275-3077. • “Brodin Studios: the Brodin Brothers – Rodger, John and Neil” is an Art on Four exhibit and will be at the History Center through Saturday, June 15. It tells the story of the Brodin Studios, a family busi- ness, from the early 1970s to the present. A Dassel family, the Brodins moved to Minneapo- lis in 1955. The company, Brodin Studios, was estab- lished to support Rodger’s personal art life, a sculptor who produced art for art’s sake. “The family hoped to turn his talent into some- thing that could sustain itself,” stated Neil of Litch- ﬁ eld, the only brother still living. Because John and Neil had served as Minneapolis police ofﬁ cers, the decision was made to honor uni- formed law enforcement, ﬁ reﬁ ghters, and the military with the art. There are hundreds of Brodin sculptures exhibited as public art. “We have public sculptures in almost every state,” Neil noted. A few that Minnesotans may recognize are “Hubert Humphrey,” located outside the old Min- neapolis Courthouse; “George Mikan,” located in- side Target Center; and “Price of Freedom,” located outside the front entrance of the Minneapolis VA Hospital. In its collection of works by Rodger Brodin at DAHS are portraits of Dassel’s well-known, long- time school superintendent, the late Carl Moe, and long-time piano teacher, church choir director and organist, the late Louise Guhl. They, along with one by Rodger, “Jesus and the Mustard Seed,” which was donated to the DAHS by John Brodin will be exhib- ited also. • The Manthei Farm Dioramas include 12 min- iature scenes of farming, such as plowing, planting, harvesting, and the farmyard. The dioramas were created by Chuck Manthei, a former Dassel resident. His hobby was collecting toys and recreating miniature scenes of farm life. Originally from Minneapolis, Manthei spent many summers with relatives in the area, helping on farms, and he developed a love of farm life. He and his wife, Marion, lived in Dassel in the early 1960s when he worked for Pride Hybrid Seed Corn Company. Manthei Farm Dioramas will be exhibited with “Seed Corn: from Maize to Amazing,” on level three, through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2. Danielle Rodgers and Neil Brodin installed the sculpture exhibit at Dassel History Center. Sculptures pictured are ““George Mikan,” a former Laker basketball player; and Louise Guhl, a piano teacher from Dassel. This diorama portrays a garden, calves, and harvested produce. 12 Senior Connections May 2019 Senior Connections HJ.COM

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