1/18/2006 – News
Volume 122, Number
Fiber glass horse being decorated by Oberon artist
BY RICHARD PETERSON
Marilyn Ingwaldson-Poulsen of Oberon is in the middle of an art project that’s unlike any she’s ever done before. She’s painting antique farm scenes on a life-sized fiber glass horse. "It’s a challenge to paint on the horse because I’m used to painting on flat surfaces," she says. "This is a different process because I find myself doing contortions in completing the artwork."
She was chosen by the Easter Seals Goodwill North Dakota to paint one of 21 horses the organization will auction off to the highest bidders at an art exhibition in August. Minimum bid on each of the horses will be $10,000.
She heard about the project from Pam Goodman of Rugby, who is applying her artwork to one of the horses. When she submitted some samples of her art to the organization, she was also chosen to participate by painting antique farm scenes on the white fiber glass horse. Another artist from this area who is decorating a horse is Monte Yellowbird of Fort Totten, who is painting in Devils Lake.
Marilyn will be painting on the horse at the Maddock Memorial Home on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 1 to 5 p.m. Residents and the general public are welcome to watch her work. Residents of the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in New Rockford watched her work on January 4.
The horse is 15 hands tall and is 6′ tall at the tip of its ears. It’s 83"
long, weighs about 100 lbs. and was manufactured in Buffalo, Minn. Marilyn is painting several items on the horse in acrylic paints: a wagon wheel, a dump rake, a hand well pump, a cream can, a cast iron seat from a farm implement, an old car, a barn door, a horseshoe, a door and window on the horse’s nose and Kerr, Ball and Mason canning jars with zinc lids on each foot. She’s doing most of the work on the horse in the heated shop on the Poulsen farm.
The organization will pick up the finished horse on February 15 and it will be taken to a plant for a urethane seal coat, the same coating as is put on cars. This will enable the horse to be out in the weather without damage.
Marilyn took a roundabout route to end up on a farm about four miles south of Oberon. A native of New Rockford, she moved with her family to Montana in 1967. She worked and attended school in Alabama and then worked and attended the University of Tennessee, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and commercial art in 1989. From there she worked and attended school in Australia before returning to New Rockford several years ago. "North Dakota was always Number One in my heart," she says. "I love the prairie."
She met Kinley Poulsen of Oberon and they were married Nov. 11, 2004 in the Poulsen farm home. They were married in the same room in which Kinley’s parents, John and Hjordis Poulsen, were married in 1948.
Ninety-two-year-old Valborg Thompson was matron of honor for her sister in
1948 and for her nephew in 2004.
Kinley was a farmer until this fall when he and his brother, Craig, decided to get out of this increasingly risky, capital-intensive and difficult business. He went to work for BTR Farmers Co-op at Niles, so now there are two Desperados working at BTR. David Nelson also works there. They were original members of the popular band, The Desperados, which disbanded several years ago.
Artists usually have several works of art in the making and Marilyn is no different. She’s working on a coloring book for kids which emphasizes the flora and fauna of North Dakota, as well as the minerals. She has a minor in geology and is interested in rocks. She likes nothing better than to rummage through a rock pile, looking for unique rocks. "I’ve always got a few rocks in my pocket when I explore the outdoors," she says. She also likes to explore for sapphires, agates, crystals and quartz, minerals which can be found anywhere.
Something that can’t be found anywhere is the proverbial brick outhouse.
Honest to gosh, the Poulsens have one on their farm! Today it doesn’t have a functional purpose, but Marilyn has plans to convert it to a decorative role.
Have you ever known an artist who wasn’t full of ideas and plans? Marilyn is no different. She’s planning to turn a long-unused chicken coop on the farm into her studio. Like most artists, she’s got lots of plans. Kinley will be busy in his off-hours.
Marilyn Ingwaldson-Poulsen of Oberon stands in front of the fiber glass horse she’s decorating with antique farm scenes. She will be painting on the horse on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Maddock Memorial Home and the public is welcome to view her progress. She is decorating the horse, which will be sold by Easter Seals Goodwill North Dakota to the highest bidder in August.
Marilyn Ingwaldson-Poulsen applies her artistic skills to decorating the horse in the shop on the Poulsen farm near Oberon. Brushes are in a container on the horse’s back.
Attend leadership camps
Seven members of the A.S. Gibbens FFA Chapter of Maddock attended state leadership camps sponsored by the North Dakota FFA Association. Attending the State Greenhand Camp were Beau Buehler and Andy Backstrom. Attending the Made for Excellence Camp were Jordan Backstrom, Andy Bergrud and Paul Rice. Isaac Engels and J.T. Rice attended the Advanced Leadership Camp. The purpose of the two-day leadership camps is to have FFA members focus on personal growth and goal setting. During the conferences FFA members adopted a plan of action to reach their full high school potential in leadership, community service and future career awareness. Kneeling in front is Beau Buehler. Standing, left to right are Andy Bergrud, Jordan Backstrom, Isaac Engels, J.T. Rice, Paul Rice and Andy Backstrom. Gary Wald is the advisor for the Maddock chapter.
Free throw winners
Winners from Maddock in the Knights of Columbus free throw contest are pictured. These winners will go on to compete in the district level in Harvey on Jan. 28. Winners in the boys’ category with their ages in parentheses are, left to right, Alecz Hill (10), Andrew Pranke (11), Karl Kenner (12), Drew Lauinger (13) and Mitch Olson (14).
Winners in the girls’ category are, left to right, Shelby Brandvold (10), Morgan Duren (11), Ashley Foss (12), Kara Kallenbach (13) and Kaia Pranke (14).