Rick Van Oel
Des Moines based artist working with unique materials to create representative and abstract imagery.
Paintings are metal leaf, tar, and plaster on board - no paint. the images on display are sized 4' x 6'.
Paintings are metal leaf, tar, and plaster on board - no paint. the images on display are sized 4' x 6'.
A Collaborative Public Art Mural, designed by Ryk Weiss and Pam Dennis
With
our thanks to a grant from the Bock Family Foundation, a public art mural will
be designed by Ogden artists Ryk Weiss and Pam Dennis and created by our
visitors during Art on the Prairie. The collaborative mural, which will
reflect the historical Craftsman Prairie Architecture of Perry, will be created
with clay tiles textured by visitors during Art on the Prairie and later
installed on a corner in our New Perry Arts District.
About Ryk and Pam
Our career has been a balance of two paths- the making of individual artworks, and interaction with the public through teaching and collaborative works.
We are mixed media artists who began 30+ years ago making traditional willow furniture and baskets. This folk art quickly moved forward from functional to fine art wall pieces combining willow, pitfired or raku clay, and copper. We marketed these at high end art festivals across the country for 25 years, winning many awards. Pam has been on the Iowa Arts Council Artists in the Schools roster presenting residencies across the state for several decades, with Ryk currently joining her in conducting 6-8 school residencies per year which produce a permanent work for each community. We continue to teach workshops at museums, art centers and our Flock 9 Studios near Ogden, and Ryk is also a musician, playing original music with his band "World Citizen".
The past decade we have evolved to focus on installations, sculpture and conducting collaborative workshops in many communities culminating in a permanent public work. Our willow, clay and metal murals and sculptures have been exhibited at public gardens, parks and museums. We are currently working on a mixed media mural to be placed outside La Poste in Perry. This will reflect the historical Craftsman Prairie Architecture of the town thru tiles created with the public during the Art OnThe Prairie Festival.
About Ryk and Pam
Our career has been a balance of two paths- the making of individual artworks, and interaction with the public through teaching and collaborative works.
We are mixed media artists who began 30+ years ago making traditional willow furniture and baskets. This folk art quickly moved forward from functional to fine art wall pieces combining willow, pitfired or raku clay, and copper. We marketed these at high end art festivals across the country for 25 years, winning many awards. Pam has been on the Iowa Arts Council Artists in the Schools roster presenting residencies across the state for several decades, with Ryk currently joining her in conducting 6-8 school residencies per year which produce a permanent work for each community. We continue to teach workshops at museums, art centers and our Flock 9 Studios near Ogden, and Ryk is also a musician, playing original music with his band "World Citizen".
The past decade we have evolved to focus on installations, sculpture and conducting collaborative workshops in many communities culminating in a permanent public work. Our willow, clay and metal murals and sculptures have been exhibited at public gardens, parks and museums. We are currently working on a mixed media mural to be placed outside La Poste in Perry. This will reflect the historical Craftsman Prairie Architecture of the town thru tiles created with the public during the Art OnThe Prairie Festival.
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The Hotel Pattee
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Isabel Rose Scherer was born in Galveston, Texas on Feb. 20, 1908 and raised in Davenport, Iowa. Her artistic life began early.As a young girl, Isabel fashioned small animals from clay dug along the banks of the Mississippi River and baked in the family hearth. Later, she received daily art lessons at Davenport's Immaculate Conception Academy, followed by further training at the Vogue School of Fashion and Design. Later still, Isabel attended the Chicago Art Institute.
In the early 1930's Isabel attended Grant Wood's Stone City Art Colony in central Iowa, learning to carve limestone sculpture.
You can see Wood's regionalist influence in the artwork of both Isabel and her protege, Donna Young. Crafted from the locally-available materials of concrete and river stone, Isabel Bloom figurines reflect inspiration from the artists' own backyards. Children playing and exploring. Pets lounging. Snowmen standing stout against the Midwest's winter cold.
Today the creation of Isabel Bloom figurines rests in the talented hands of artist Donna Young. Working with skillful Bloom artisans to handcraft this unique collection of concrete sculpture, Donna has helped preserve the iconic style that survived Isabel's passing in 2001.
You can learn more about the history of Isabel Bloom at their website:
In the early 1930's Isabel attended Grant Wood's Stone City Art Colony in central Iowa, learning to carve limestone sculpture.
You can see Wood's regionalist influence in the artwork of both Isabel and her protege, Donna Young. Crafted from the locally-available materials of concrete and river stone, Isabel Bloom figurines reflect inspiration from the artists' own backyards. Children playing and exploring. Pets lounging. Snowmen standing stout against the Midwest's winter cold.
Today the creation of Isabel Bloom figurines rests in the talented hands of artist Donna Young. Working with skillful Bloom artisans to handcraft this unique collection of concrete sculpture, Donna has helped preserve the iconic style that survived Isabel's passing in 2001.
You can learn more about the history of Isabel Bloom at their website:
La Poste
Tom Milligan, Professional Actor, Des Moines
Saturday, November 8th, at 11:00 am at La Poste
Tom Milligan an award winning professional
actor, portrays Henry Wallace. Tom has appeared in literally hundreds of plays
across the state, and for ten years, appeared at Charlie's Showplace, Iowa's
first dinner theater. Tom also offers workshops on acting throughout Iowa, and
also appears on Iowa Public Television.
American Dreamer: The Life and Times of Henry A. Wallace
In this one-act play based on the award-winning book of the same name by Senator John C. Culver and John Hyde, actor Tom Milligan portrays Henry A. Wallace, the agricultural innovator and founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred seed corn company who became US Secretary of Agriculture and later Vice President under Franklin Roosevelt. Admired by many and later branded as a Socialist during his controversial 1948 campaign for the presidency, Wallace always held out a vision for the future.
American Dreamer: The Life and Times of Henry A. Wallace
In this one-act play based on the award-winning book of the same name by Senator John C. Culver and John Hyde, actor Tom Milligan portrays Henry A. Wallace, the agricultural innovator and founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred seed corn company who became US Secretary of Agriculture and later Vice President under Franklin Roosevelt. Admired by many and later branded as a Socialist during his controversial 1948 campaign for the presidency, Wallace always held out a vision for the future.
Michael Zahs
Saturday, November 8th, at 2:00 pm at La Poste
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Michael Zahs grew up on a century farm near
Haskins as part of a nine-generation Iowa family. Michael attended a one-room
school and has a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Northern Iowa. He taught
junior high science and Iowa history for 39 years. In 1989, he joined with Dr.
Loren Horton in creating the “Iowa: Eye to I” class/tour. This was the first
graduate level class taught at Iowa Wesleyan College and developed into a
series of seven classes. The classes cover art, literature, history, geology,
food ways, ethnicity, architecture, nature and music. Students are immersed in
all things Iowa in the classes, which are taught on a bus traveling the state.
Michael has given programs on state and local topics for over 35 years. He is
very involved in historic preservation, log buildings, cemetery work, and state
and local history.
Country School Programs: Puppets, song, and dialogue Programs in country schools were a very important part of the school year. This presentation covers material used in country schools from 1850 to 2010. The presentation will include songs, puppets, and dialogue. |
Denny Rehder, Author, Muscian and Photographer, Des Moines
Sunday, November 9th, at 2:00 pm at La Poste
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Denny
Rehder, is a local historian. His avocation for nearly fifty years has been
music. Now that musical ability is combined with another avocation – Iowa
railroad history – to offer a program on this overlooked part of Iowa's past.
Rehder has been involved as author, editor, publisher, photographer or researcher
in the publication of seven books on subjects from Iowa history. He is
a native of Gladbrook who grew up watching the trains of the Chicago Great
Western mainline.
Grass Between the Rails: Iowa’s railroad heritage in story and song The program celebrates Iowa's railroad heritage with a unique blend of stories and original folk songs about the development of railroads in Iowa. The subjects cover events of national importance such as the race across Iowa to connect with the transcontinental railroad to the West, and local history, including the poor service offered by the "Slow Norwegian." Other topics include the somber "Worst Wreck Ever," a farm boy's remembrance of "The One Elephant Circus," and the rollicking "Doodlebug.” |
Art on the Prairie Charm2014 Art on the Prairie Charms created by Lori Murga available during the festival!
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