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One of 51 gold-medalists chosen from a field of nearly 4,000, Curtis Sannerud finally claimed the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival’s (NVCAF) top prize on his eighteenth annual attempt.
And it’s a good thing, the 81-year-old, retired Clarkfield farmer turned artist, says. A long life on the farm has taken its toll upon his body and he admits that he’s getting to the point where he’s unsure of how many artistic creations he has left.
“I was hoping,” Sannerud said of the receipt of the prize... “Because I don’t know... I can’t use my arm very much any more.”
Turning into the driveway leading up to the farmhouse, one is greeted by a myriad of effigies that adorn Sannerud’s lawn... A cowboy leans against a tree, a gang of bears roast marshmallows at a camp fire and pheasants appear to emerge from the corner of a bean field.
All of these are but a few of Sannerud’s exterior creations. Inside the home they increase in numbers and diversity with painted canvases, ceramic figures, sun catchers and other pieces brought to life from within a mildly muddled room he uses as one workspace, and a calmly cluttered barn-woodshop that serves as the other.
Therein, he has spent much of his time tinkering away in recent years. He cuts his own wood and mixes his own paints – no less than seven hand-mixed browns were incorporated into the gold-medal eagle sun catcher dubbed “Freedom.”
Sannerud proudly presents that which is not tucked away, showing off creations such as the two sun catchers that earned him NVCAF silver medals in prior competitions and a small wooden chair, embellished with a heart, that he intends to replicate for each of his 11 total grand and great-grandchildren.
The start
and the finish
The mere abundance of art, all produced within the last two decades, makes it hard to conceive how Sannerud will ever come to stop. At least until he recounts his medical history.
Sitting at his kitchen table, a scar peaks from beneath his shirt and alludes to the open heart surgery he endured three years ago. The loss of sight in his left eye due to a clot that came six months earlier is less obvious, just like the twice surgically repaired shoulder that now troubles him to the point that he is ill advised to grab anything over five pounds and struggles to lift his limb over his head.
In some ways it’s a bit of an irony that such maladies may curb his artistic endeavors when it was a physical ailment that led him to realize his talent in the first place.
It was in 1994 that Sannerud, who served as an Army Combat Engineer from 1952 - 1954 stationed in Yugoslavia, checked into the Minneapolis VA Medical Center for back surgery. He wasn’t expecting a lengthy stay but a staph infection, requiring the extension of his visit to five-and-a-half months, changed all that.
As one would imagine, Sannerud had plenty of free time, part of which he filled with art classes offered to patients of the hospital. Practicing on a daily basis, it wasn’t too long before he figured it was something he enjoyed and that he wasn’t half bad. Little did he know, then, how well it would serve him when he retired from farming in ‘95.
“It’s something he really enjoys and something he needed to have to do after he quit farming,” said Sannerud’s wife, Jeannine. “I don’t know what he would do if he didn’t... he’d drive me nuts,” she said, before letting out a boisterous laugh.
One of 51 gold-medalists chosen from a field of nearly 4,000, Curtis Sannerud finally claimed the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival’s (NVCAF) top prize on his eighteenth annual attempt.
And it’s a good thing, the 81-year-old, retired Clarkfield farmer turned artist, says. A long life on the farm has taken its toll upon his body and he admits that he’s getting to the point where he’s unsure of how many artistic creations he has left.
“I was hoping,” Sannerud said of the receipt of the prize... “Because I don’t know... I can’t use my arm very much any more.”
Turning into the driveway leading up to the farmhouse, one is greeted by a myriad of effigies that adorn Sannerud’s lawn... A cowboy leans against a tree, a gang of bears roast marshmallows at a camp fire and pheasants appear to emerge from the corner of a bean field.
All of these are but a few of Sannerud’s exterior creations. Inside the home they increase in numbers and diversity with painted canvases, ceramic figures, sun catchers and other pieces brought to life from within a mildly muddled room he uses as one workspace, and a calmly cluttered barn-woodshop that serves as the other.
Therein, he has spent much of his time tinkering away in recent years. He cuts his own wood and mixes his own paints – no less than seven hand-mixed browns were incorporated into the gold-medal eagle sun catcher dubbed “Freedom.”
Sannerud proudly presents that which is not tucked away, showing off creations such as the two sun catchers that earned him NVCAF silver medals in prior competitions and a small wooden chair, embellished with a heart, that he intends to replicate for each of his 11 total grand and great-grandchildren.
The start
and the finish
The mere abundance of art, all produced within the last two decades, makes it hard to conceive how Sannerud will ever come to stop. At least until he recounts his medical history.
Sitting at his kitchen table, a scar peaks from beneath his shirt and alludes to the open heart surgery he endured three years ago. The loss of sight in his left eye due to a clot that came six months earlier is less obvious, just like the twice surgically repaired shoulder that now troubles him to the point that he is ill advised to grab anything over five pounds and struggles to lift his limb over his head.
In some ways it’s a bit of an irony that such maladies may curb his artistic endeavors when it was a physical ailment that led him to realize his talent in the first place.
It was in 1994 that Sannerud, who served as an Army Combat Engineer from 1952 - 1954 stationed in Yugoslavia, checked into the Minneapolis VA Medical Center for back surgery. He wasn’t expecting a lengthy stay but a staph infection, requiring the extension of his visit to five-and-a-half months, changed all that.
As one would imagine, Sannerud had plenty of free time, part of which he filled with art classes offered to patients of the hospital. Practicing on a daily basis, it wasn’t too long before he figured it was something he enjoyed and that he wasn’t half bad. Little did he know, then, how well it would serve him when he retired from farming in ‘95.
“It’s something he really enjoys and something he needed to have to do after he quit farming,” said Sannerud’s wife, Jeannine. “I don’t know what he would do if he didn’t... he’d drive me nuts,” she said, before letting out a boisterous laugh.
An honor indeed
Over the years, Sannerud has enjoyed producing art around his home and for his family as well as creating just to create. Entering his works for judgement in the VA competition serves as a gratifying added bonus, and the gold medal he will garner following the 2011 NVCAF will be his crowning achievement.
The annual competition recognizes the progress and recovery of veterans made through artistic recreation therapy programs, and raises the visibility of their creativity achieved despite disease, disability or life crises.
The event includes more than 53 art categories that range from oil painting to leatherwork and even paint-by-number kits. In addition, there are 120 categories pertaining to all aspects of music, dance, drama and creative writing.
In tandem with the gold medal, Sannerud was offered an expenses paid trip to the festival that is to be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas October 17-23. There, he was invited to showcase his work and partake in activities that are to include art classes, visits to local attractions and other happenings.
Unfortunately, Sannerud isn’t expecting to make the trip as the timing isn’t right for him to be able to travel with a needed companion.
“If it would’ve been in August I would’ve had all kinds of kids to drive me down, but October there, that’s corn picking and bean combining time and nobody can take that much time off,” he lamented. “It would be an honor to go.”
While it most certainly would, Sannerud will at least be able to take solace in acquiring the lofty recognition that comes with earning the events most coveted prize. And, of course, that prize is just a medal. Having experienced the joys innate in the development of a latent talent is the true reward – with fruits existing in perpetuity.
