One
folk art version of crop art is called
seed art, a
visual art form created in
mosaic-style, similar to the technique of
pointillism in painting, or
needlepoint textiles. Seed mosaic images are created by fixing
vegetable matter, especially
seeds, to a background. Coleen Sheehy, in
Seed Queen quotes a classic text on the subject:
Decorating with Seed mosaics, Chipped Glass and Plant materials (first pub.1960) by Elenor Van Rennslaer "...mosaics are tiles, glass, or stones set in mortar. Instead of these you can create a different kind of mosaic using such plant materials as seeds, tiny pods, and flowers" (Sheehy 49).
Sioux City Corn Palaces One prominent example of seed art is corn palaces. Originating in
Sioux City, Iowa in 1887, corn palaces have been a part of American culture for over a hundred years. The first corn palace ever built took roughly 240 people to build and decorate, and it was decorated with imagery of gods such as
Mondamin,
Demeter, and
Ceres. Howe's murals were designed in his own unique art style which is described as "modern Indian art"
. Seed art was used to do this because it demonstrated that there was an excess of food within the state. In more modern times, the seed mosaic portraits by
Lillian Colton are examples of seed art at the fair. Her seed portraits of celebrities were exhibited in the strictly defined "Crop art" category at the
Minnesota State Fair beginning in 1966. Rules for entry of Crop art allow "only seeds from Minnesota-grown farm crops or cultivated garden flowers, fruits, and vegetables" with no wild plant seeds permitted. Colton continued to teach and make Crop art until her death at age 97 in 2007 (Sheehy 2).
Modern Day A new generation of Crop, or Seed artists, known as the "Postmodern School of Minnesota Crop Art" (Sheehy 90) is continuing this folk tradition. Some of these artists are "Cathy Camper, Alan Carpenter, Kim Cope, Linda Koutsky, Nancy Loung, Suzy Mears, Laura Melnick, and David Steinlicht" (Sheehy 90). There is a custodial aspect and preservation ethic associated with this plant-based art form. Making Crop art is not only a way preserving and rejuvenating a vibrant folk craft but its practice foregrounds the need to collect, store, and value the lore and varieties of seeds. In Los Angeles, the
Tournament of Roses Parade floats employ the flowers of plants in a similar collage or mosaic style. ==Crop circles==