Minneapolis artist's trailer stolen, with about 100 of her pieces of art still inside
MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minneapolis woman says years of work were taken from her after her art trailer was stolen during a recent snowstorm. A long-time artist, Anna Metcalfe said thieves took her trailer out of her driveway.
"I took a pottery class when I was in high school actually, at a local community college where I grew up, and just completely fell in love with it," Metcalfe said.
Metcalfe never imagined that art could turn into a career. But in a sense, that's what happened. She calls herself a public engagement artist, and one of her biggest projects was loading up her trailer and traveling along the Mississippi River, where she would stop at random places and have tea with people.
"I started this project sort of in memory of my grandfather, and I started asking people to tell me stories about the Mississippi River," said Metcalfe.
She's put those stories on tea cups, and gives them to people willing to talk with her.
"It's an amazing blessing to me," said Metcalfe. "I can't describe the feeling of being ... invited into somebody's life in that way."
But a couple weeks ago, all that hard work and all those stories were stolen in the middle of the night. Thieves took the trailer right out of her backyard.
"To have it stolen ... it hurts my heart," said Metcalfe.
Inside the trailer was a table, custom-built cabinets, and about 100 cups. It's that artwork that she's missing the most.
"It feels like what got stolen was like a part of the community, more than even just an art project," said Metcalfe.
She's holding out hope that her trailer will be returned. In the meantime, she's got a message for whoever stole it.
"There's a lot of like life and people's love and community that is effected when theft happens. And I sure would love for them to think twice about it. I'd love for them to come to a tea conversation [laughs]!" said Metcalfe.
She has taken her trailer beyond the Mississippi River, and to bodies of water across the country. She believes the trailer and its contents were worth about $30,000.
