A new exhibition at Cider Gallery will celebrate four decades of works by Stan Herd.
Herd is a muralist and painter, but he is perhaps best known for his incredible crop art — or earthworks.
According to Herd’s artist bio, the Kansan has been active in promoting the prairie through films, music and the arts in America’s heartland, and he has produced earthworks that “grip viewers around the world.”
“Herd’s artworks have spanned 40 years and include works with major companies in commercial endeavors alongside his monumental fine art earthworks in China, Cuba, Australia, Brazil and in 13 states in the US,” according to the bio.
Herd has created several earthworks near Lawrence over the years. In the summer of 2020, he created a portrait of then-vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a field at Juniper Hill Farms north of town.
In January 2021, at the request of the Biden-Harris inauguration team, he shaped and burned the message “America United” into another field. (Read more about that from KCUR at this link.)
In December, Herd completed a portrait of Maya Angelou in Atlanta, as seen on his Instagram:
“The artist’s activism and community involvement has helped define this new art form while embracing his love of the Land and the first Native Peoples of the Americas whose embrace of nature defined their culture,” Herd’s bio states. “As a progressive activist Herd has embraced this community driven art form to bring attention to a multitude of issues showcasing the environment, science, sustainable agriculture and the humanities which all connect on a common theme regarding the ‘human condition’ in the world today.”
The public is invited to a free opening reception set for 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 31 at Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania St. in East Lawrence’s Warehouse Arts District.
Herd’s band, The B Team, will perform at the reception. Food and drink will be available from a Minsky’s food truck, Cleo and Leo Baking Co, Bon Bon Cocktail Club, “and as always there will be a cash bar,” according to the Cider Gallery’s Facebook event page.
The show runs through Friday, April 21. Cider Gallery is open to the public from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays unless it is booked for a private event, according to its website.
Learn more about Herd and see more of his work on his website, stanherdarts.com.
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