The craftsmanship of poetry.  The craftsmanship of architecture.  The craftsmanship of purposeful sculpture.  The craftsmanship of saddle making.  These four segments of Nebraska Stories definitely show art in alternative forms.  Some of the topics this week are a bit more intense, so this whole episode may not be appropriate for children.  The great thing?  You can watch Nebraska Stories online.

  • “The Point Is Poetry” from the largest poetry slam festival in the Midwest, see high school teams from Ogallala, Waverly and Omaha (Duchesne Academy and Skutt) performing with humor and gut-wrenching personal stories for the Pop-Tart Trophy.  This story warmed my teacher’s heart.  I love the dedication that these students demonstrate toward their mission of crafting words.  No topic seems to be off limits which is why this may not be the best episode for the younger set.  Unless you do not mind exploring complicated situations … I am glad that there are competitions like this available for those who excel in expression.
  • “2000 Souls” profiles a University of Nebraska-Omaha student who draws attention to the 2000 Nebraska victims of sex trafficking by creating a flock of ceramic birds.  What a striking way to highlight this growing problem.  This young woman’s dedication to creating all of these miniature birds is also admirable.  This again could be a tough topic to explain, but the art is worth seeing.
  • “The Sutton House” in McCook is the only home in Nebraska designed and built by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Meet current owners Van and Janet Korell for a tour and learn about the contentious relationship between Wright and Elizabeth Sutton.  We have considered moving to a new location to help our family business.  When my kids saw this picture up on the screen, they thought maybe this was a house we were considering.  I would be glad to relocate to this beautiful house even if it is a few hours from where we live currently.  But I am pretty certain  that this house will not be for sale anytime soon.  This house involves any interesting story.  
  • “The Saddle Maker” profiles second-generation saddle maker Lyle Henderson and his wife Lynda of Kearney who have turned a long-time tradition into an international business.  This company’s craftsmanship is outstanding!  Seeing what can be done to decorate saddles is fascinating.  Do you think my husband would care if we had a saddle sitting in the middle of the living room?

Author: neodyssey

My name is Gretchen Garrison. I started this blog about Nebraska in 2013. So far, I have written three books about Nebraska and Lincoln.