Biography

The Kansas Grassroots Art Association (KGAA), of Lucas, Kansas, was organized in the 1960s to preserve and document grassroots art sites (environments) and encourage appreciation of the art work. The organization later developed the facilities, mission, and exhibits of the Grassroots Art Center, currently located in the town. In 1999, the KGAA was awarded the Governor's Arts Advocate Award in recognition of the organization's preservation and promotion of grassroots artists and artwork throughout the years.

The KGAA is closely associated with four grassroots art environments. During the 20th century, the town of Lucas, Kansas promoted the art environments of Samuel Perry Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden, Florence Deeble's Rock Garden, Miller's Park, and an extensive sculpture collection by artist Ed Root. Sculptures from Miller's Park have since been removed and sold, but both the Garden of Eden and the Rock Garden still serve as popular Lucas attractions. Ed Root's collection is currently maintained by the Grassroots Art Center.

S.P. Dinsmoor (1843-1932)'s Garden of Eden has served as a popular tourist draw to Lucas, Kansas since its creation in 1907. The cabin's sculpted and painted limestone exterior, as well as the 200 eccentric concrete sculptures that make up the garden, have become a popular attraction that still entices visitors today.

The sculptures of Ed Root (1866-1960), like Dinsmoor, are eccentric and developed into a grassroots environment. After suffering from a broken him in an automobile accident in 1937, Root began to create concrete, glass, and rock sculptures. Later in life, he created paper and tin art pieces.

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