At art fair, storm had dealers scrambling

Last update: June 2, 2008 - 8:42 PM

The 30-pound and 50-pound weights anchoring Bob Husby's tent at the Edina Art Fair were no match for Saturday night's winds.

The potter's tent bent, then blew.

"Those tents, they're basically big box kites," Husby said.

He managed to shelter himself beneath a corner of the canopy, then struggled to protect his work -- glass pots and platters -- from the wind and hail. Artists around him did the same, zipping down their tents and packing away their paintings.

In the end, Husby lost $600 worth of pottery.

"The hail kept getting bigger and bigger and started to hurt, and I thought, 'If this is going to turn into a tornado, I probably shouldn't be here trying to save the pottery,'" he said. "But it was for the best, because I would've lost a lot more."

Husby's artwork sustained some of the worst damage at the art fair. Others, like pet photographer James Benda, had more luck protecting their work. Benda, of Burnsville, managed to congregate his large canvasses inside his tent, zip up its sides and wait the storm out.

"We were fortunate," said Benda.

He saw other tents on the perimeters of the fair that were totally twisted and destroyed, while his photographs suffered not a single hail indentation.

"Most people set up expecting nice weather," Benda said. "But I've learned from experience."

JENNA ROSS

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