Hunting for fun with Chippewa Valley Finders Keepers

Elena Montanye |

A handmade item left to be found by a member of Chippewa Valley Finders Keepers.
A handmade item left to be found by a member of the Chippewa Valley Finders Keepers group.

Looking for some good cheap fun in the Chippewa Valley this summer? Well seek and ye shall find. And keep. Chippewa Valley Finders Keepers – started by local glassblowers Brennan Thorgerson, Levi Christensen, and Chad Christensen – is a group of local scavenger hunt enthusiasts allowing local artists and crafters to get their work out to the public in an accessible and innovative way.

... and an item found.
... and an item found.

It goes like this: artists choose pieces of their work (recent examples include handmade marbles, small sculptures, hair pieces, you name it) to hide somewhere around the Chippewa Valley. Next, they take a photo of their art in its hiding place and post it to the Chippewa Valley Finders Keepers Facebook page. Interested group members see the post and hunt for the hidden object. When they find it, they take a photo of themselves with the art, and it is theirs forever!

Chad Christensen, owner of Christensen Glass in Chippewa Falls, said the idea came to him completely by accident last summer when he hid a few of his marbles around the area. The response he got was so overwhelmingly positive that he decided to share the fun and make it an open event for all local artists. So far, it's been a hit. The Facebook group currently has over 1000 members –  just weeks after it started.

The project is rewarding to Christensen for a myriad of reasons. He said, "It's a great way to give back to a community that has been so good to me and my family." Christensen also said that the project has given him the opportunity to spend more time with his children, since they love hiding treasures with their dad. He encourages all participants to make it a family activity, saying, "Time with your children just can't be replaced. Ever."

Christensen hopes Chippewa Valley Finders Keepers will open the area's eyes to local artists and craftspeople working to turn their passion into a career –  and to challenge everyone's idea of what art really means. He said, "It's not just paintings or sculptures of great value; it's also that drawing my daughter gave me last week of us riding our bikes. Just because my art doesn't make it into a high-end gallery doesn't mean that I didn't work my buns off to make it the best I could! And isn't that what art truly is? To put part of yourself into an object?"

Join the Facebook group to get started on your own scavenger hunt.