Download photo of Cody Henrichs.
GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — Pioneer PBS’s Postcards program will feature artist and visionary Cody Henrichs of the Lord Grizzly Gallery in Luverne, Betty Mann and the Rock County History Museum’s nutcracker collection and the founders of the Take 16 Brewing Company in Luverne. The program will air on Thursday, April 9 at 7 p.m., on Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and on Monday, April 13 at 1:30 p.m. The stories will also be available for online viewing through the station’s website: www.pioneer.org/postcards.
After being raised in the Luverne area, Cody Heinrichs joined the Army as a 21-year-old with the hopes of seeing the world. After serving in the Army, he pursued a masters in fine arts in sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design. As his family grew, he returned to Luverne and secured a position as an adjunct professor with the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts. Presently, he is head curator for the Washington Pavilion Visual Arts Center in Sioux Falls. Heinrichs and his wife Nicole have purchased and completely renovated a building in downtown Luverne known as Coffey Contemporary Arts which houses the Lord Grizzly Gallery. “The beauty of life is that art allowed me to come back here on my own terms and create my own narrative, “Heinrichs said. “Art has given me the agency to choose.”
Betty Mann loves nutcrackers. She started collecting them in 2001 as a way of coping with the loss of her husband and oldest daughter. Her collection grew and in her role as president of the Rock County Historical Society, she and others wanted an attraction that would make this museum stand out as a destination. Four years ago, she donated her collection of 2,500 nutcrackers to the museum and with a gift of another 1,300 from a collector in Sioux Falls, the museum now boasts the third largest collection of nutcrackers in the world. “When I see a nutcracker at an antique shop, my adrenaline gets going and I get very excited,” Mann said. “Once you start doing it, it just kind of compels you to keep going.”
For the last segment in this Luverne-focused episode, the Postcards team documents the origin story of the Take 16 Brewing Company. Rock County Commissioner Sherri Thompson talks about the community building asset that the brewery has become. Brewer Luke Rensink speaks of his passion for brewing and investor Dan Dobson describes the many benefits that have accrued from this destination community business.
About Postcards
Postcards is produced by Dana Conroy with videography and editing by Kristofor Gieske and Ben Dempcy. The program is made possible by contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Production sponsors for the program include Shalom Hill Farm, Explore Alexandria Tourism and the Lake Region Arts Council.
About Pioneer PBS
Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit: www.pioneer.org
