The trajectory of butter sculpting was nearly derailed decades ago with the cancelation of art class. "In high school, I didn't have art classes. They had cut the art program," says Gerry Kulzer, the current Princess Kay of the Milky Way butter sculptor at the Minnesota State Fair. "But then I got to UMD and I took a ceramics class... the tactile experience, just being able to feel it and squish it, I just fell in love with it."
Before taking over butter sculpting duties a few years ago, Kulzer "auditioned" by being placed in a dark cooler with a 90-pound block of butter and three photos. His only prior butter-sculpting tutelage was from watching his predecessor (Linda Christensen) through the glass at the Dairy Building during the State Fair. "The butter block carving that Linda was doing was very subtractive," says Kulzer. "It was a real good learning experience for me."
Although the artistic practice is part of the thrill for Kulzer, finding common ground with his subjects is also a point of interest. "It is so fun to talk to those young women. They're like the CEOs of companies... they're passionate about dairy," says Kulzer. "I grew up on a farm... It's interesting to see the difference in farming from 50 years ago when I was growing up on the farm to what they are doing today."
You can hear Community Connection every Tuesday and Thursday at 8am on Northland Morning. This edition of Community Connection is made possible in part by Lakewalk Surgery Center.
