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Lucas, Kansas: Grassroots Art Center

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Address:
213 S. Main St., Lucas, KS
Directions:
Downtown, on the west side of S. Main St. a half-block south of 2nd St.
Hours:
Summer M-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5; fewer hours off-season; or by appt. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
785-525-6118
Admission:
Adults $7.
RA Rates:
The Best
Save to My Sights

Grassroots Art Center.

Grassroots Art Center

The "visionary" artists of the U.S. have their own space in Lucas, with sculptures made from aluminum can pull-tabs and portraits made from wads of chewing gum.

Roadsideamerica.com Report... [07/17/2016]
Rock Art of Inez Marshall

Inez Marshall was a truck driver, mechanic, and preacher, and when she wasn't busy she carved nearly 500 sculptures out of solid limestone.

Roadsideamerica.com Report...

Visitor Tips and News About Grassroots Art Center

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Ornate bathroom.

Grassroots Art Center

Fifteen miles off of I-70, but worth the detour. I was expecting a lot, but this still greatly exceeded my expectations. I was expecting to see Tiny Town (but apparently that's gone). Instead, there's an artistic public toilet (very cool) and an amazing museum (which includes a tour of the Deeble House). All sorts of different (and impressive) folk art, enjoyable whether you're into art or not. Admission gets you a $1 discount at the Garden of Eden, but we just looked at the outside of that, having been satisfied by the Grassroots Museum.

[eric schansberg, 07/27/2012]
Grassroots Art Center - Pull-Tab and Chewing Gum

The Grassroots Art Center is a one-of a kind experience, only exhibiting work of self-taught individuals, who usually are retirement age. These people generally work for many years, using recycled material found locally to create an environment which is meant to be viewed as a whole.

"Outsider, Visionary, Trash, Naive, Intuitive" are all labels given to this type of art. The center has on permanent exhibit examples of 18 environments from across the state of Kansas. Exhibits include the pull-tab sculptures (a full size car, motorcycle, clothing, shoes, chair and table) of Herman Divers; over 100 painted limestone sculptures of Inez Marshall; to the cameo portraits created by Betty Milliken out of chewing gum and many others.

[Rosslyn Schultz, 06/25/2003]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Roadside Sideshow ExpoRoadside Sideshow Expo, Lucas, KS - < 1 mi.
Bowl Plaza: America's Most Artistic Giant ToiletBowl Plaza: America's Most Artistic Giant Toilet, Lucas, KS - < 1 mi.
Mini-Mount-Rushmore of Florence DeebleMini-Mount-Rushmore of Florence Deeble, Lucas, KS - < 1 mi.
In the region:
"Monarch of the Plains" Bison Statue, Hays, KS - 45 mi.

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