Fish Out of Water

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

The Wandering Art Historian is on her grandest adventure yet… life in the Midwest!

This fall I traded the Sunshine State for the North Star State and the Minnesota welcome has been incredible. It feels pretty amazing to live in a state that willingly and proudly funds the arts.

Public Funding for the Arts in the Midwest: 2025 by the Numbers

I haven’t been a Midwesterner for very long but I’ve already seen how the arts are seamlessly woven into everyday life. Yes, Minnesotans have an abundance of art museums and galleries but they don’t stop there. This is a state that works hard to make art accessible to everyone, often in unique and exciting ways.

Anoka, MN – the Halloween Capital of the World – has a plethora of public murals.

I attended an event at the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center, where anyone – including kids – can take classes on everything from blacksmithing to metal casting and welding.

https://www.cafac.org/

There were thousands of hand-carved pumpkins on view at the Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular hosted by the Minnesota Zoo!

Silverwood Park in St. Anthony, MN boasts an art gallery AND a sculpture trail! Plus, they offer a variety of art classes that are led by naturalists and arts educators, ensuring that every participant is learning and creating at the same time. I’ve already taken a class and have another on my schedule for next month!

https://www.threeriversparks.org/location/silverwood-park

I am also pleased to share that I have scheduled multiple lectures and classes for 2026 and some of my partner organizations have already opened registration! To view all The Wandering Art Historian learning opportunities coming to the greater Twin Cities area, please visit my 2026 Lectures & Classes page here on the blog.

2026 Lectures & Classes

I’ll be updating this page as more learning opportunities become available, so check back often!

4 thoughts on “Fish Out of Water”

  2. So nice to get an email from youThe Wandering Art Historian! You will love living in the midwest! I’ve missed your postings. Will look forward to more updates.

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  3. Happy to hear that you are on a new adventure in a wonderful place! Central Florida will certainly miss you and your mind expanding presentations though. Best of luck!

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  4. Hi Adrienne,Happy New Year!  I hope this finds you well.  I was thinking of you as I attended Winter Mini Fringe, which was fantastic and way too short.  And, as I read all the news out of Minnesota, I

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The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.