01/02/09

Art-A-Fest in Charles City, Iowa August 19, 2004.

This was my first show. I have certainly attended many art shows and festivals, but you really don't know what it's all about until you jump in and just do it. I gathered as much information as I could about art festivals and the logistics involved but I didn't really know what to expect.

My lovely wife Leanne is from Charles City, a small northern Iowa community which is trying hard to build a reputation for supporting the arts. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to break into the art fair scene.

I worked for months creating pieces and developing a style that would allow me to produce enough works to have a respectable display. With the support of my family, I found the time to create a good number of pieces. After making innumerable lists, we managed to organize things fairly well. So we loaded up the old mini van and headed north to Chucktown. It's amazing how much you can get into one of those when you have to.

The weather was perfect. This was a small show, but the quality of the art was excellent. The other artists were friendly and very helpful. I wasn't really nervous; more excited than anything. I had wanted to do this for as long as I can remember - I suppose since the first art fair that I attended.

Still you don't know how you will be received.

People came. They looked. They smiled. They made nice comments. And they bought! Oh happy day!

It really did go exceptionally well. Even better than I had hoped. I had great support from friends and family who came up. It was greatly appreciated, believe me. The Charles City organization did a great job and made me feel welcome and appreciated.

This was a great experience and a great success according to my goals.

Maybe I can do this after all...

Charles City Press

Vol. 108, No. 153

August 23, 2004

“Quite a Day for Art”

by Bryon S. Houlgrave

Press News Editor

On his way to an art show in Minneapolis, Iowa City artist Kenneth Nelson paid a visit to the 33^rd annual Art-a-Fest in Charles City at Central Park. For Nelson, who creates chip-carved baskets and bottle holders, Saturday was his second year displaying his art in Charles City.

Nelson is no stranger to art exhibits. He frequently attends shows in Chicago and Minneapolis but was attracted to Charles City by the amount of talent on display by area artists.

“People around here are very receptive to art,” Nelson said.

For more than 40 years, Charles City has had a love affair with fine art. From paintings to photographs, literature to weavings, Charles City has inspired area artists to create, shedding a stereotype that fine art can’t exist in an industrial town in the rural Midwest.

“There is tremendous talent around here,” said Tracy Sweet, director of the Charles City Arts Center. Sweet who has made his living as a photographer was on hand Saturday showing selected paintings.

“There was a student from Wartburg (college) who said that Charles City is a really artsy town,” Sweet said. While Sweet has never really thought of Charles City as an “artsy” town, the image has been strongly impacted by the Charles City Arts Council.

In 1961, Charles City became one of the first communities in Iowa to form an arts council. Sweet, who was on the first board, said the community really took to art projects even then.

“We had a strong organization from the start. Back then, there was less competition as far as things going on. Now there is television and computers” vying for the same attention, Sweet said.

Saturday, however, was one of the biggest turnouts Sweet has seen in Art-a-Fest’s three decades.

“It was great; one of the best ones we’ve had. As far as I know, all of the artists did quite well,” Sweet said.

Area Art-a-Fest award winners included Art Strong of Charles City who was presented the first place in ceramics; Janiece Bergland of Floyd who was presented with a merit award in painting and drawing; and David Prehm of New Hampton who was also presented with a merit award in painting and drawing.

Other award winners are:

Best of Show – Dean Schwarz, Decorah

First Place, Painting and Drawing – Richard Leet, Mason City

First Place, Ceramics – Art Strong, Charles City

First Place, Other Media – Gary Darland, Cedar Rapids (photography)

Merit Award Winners are:

Janiece Bergland, Floyd, Painting and Drawing;

David Prehm, New Hampton, Painting and Drawing;

Jim Kerns, Cedar Falls, Ceramics;

Doug Reynolds, Cedar Falls, Ceramics;

Glen Brokaw, Lenox, Iowa, Other media (Wood);

Meg Prange, Russel, Iowa, Other media (Fiber)