IN THE NEWS

February 2022 | 2022-2023 Brown Graduate Fellow, Iowa State University 

September 2021 | Award for the Outstanding Master’s Thesis in Iowa History, Iowa History Center, Simpson College

September 2021 | Louisa County Art Show, Juror

August-October 2020 | 19: Honoring the Women’s Suffrage Centennial, Participating Artist, Center for Western Studies, Augustana University

August 2020 | Research Grant for Authors Recipient, State Historical Society of Iowa

April-May 2020 | 20 Artists 20 Parks Exhibition, Participating Artist, Polk County Heritage Gallery

March 2020 | Business of Art Conference, Presenter, Octagon Center for the Arts

Summer 2019 | Twenty Years: APRIL KATZ + 29 former printmaking students Exhibition, Participating Artist, Octagon Center for the Arts

February 2019 | Index of a Place Exhibition, Participating Artist, Design of Main

May 2018 | Top of Iowa High School Art Conference, Juror / Presenter, Waldorf College

April 2018 | Hawkeye 10 High School Art Conference, Demonstrating Artist, Kuemper Catholic High School

December 2017 | Iowa: A Place Exhibition, Gallery in the Round

September 2017  | Iowa Women in Architecture, Professional Member of the Month

June 2017  |  Des Moines Arts Festival, ISU College of Design Alumni to Exhibit Work

January 2017 | Des Moines Arts Festival, Juror

June 2016  |  Des Moines Arts Festival, Best of Show for Iowa Emerging Artists

 

GALLERY CURATION & PROGRAM COORDINATION

October 2017 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Kawishiwi River, Artist Aaron Squadroni

November 2017 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Relief From Endlessness, Artists Anda Tanaka & Jeremy Rudd

January 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, 50th Annual Clay Fiber Paper Metal Glass Wood National Juried Exhibit, With juror Pete Pinnell

January 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Amalgamation, Artist Chris Martin

February 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Chris Martin

February 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, A Negro From the South, Artist Cameron Gray

February 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Panel: People of Color and the Arts, With Cameron Gray, Brenda J. Jones, Eulanda Sanders, Mitchell Squire, and Reginald Stewart

An inclusive artist panel discussion on people of color in the arts, hosted by the Octagon Center for the Arts and the Multicultural Liaison Office of the College of Design at Iowa State University. Panelists included Brenda J. Jones, University Professor in Art and Visual Culture at Iowa State University, Mitchell Squire, Professor of Architecture at Iowa State University, Eulanda Sanders, Professor of Apparel, Events and Hospitality Management at Iowa State University, and Cameron Gray, Master of Fine Arts student at Iowa State University. The discussion was facilitated by Dr. Reginald Stewart, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Iowa State University.

March 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Metamorphosis, Artist Dan Johnson

May 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artist Paula Streeter

May 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Sound Artist Alex Braidwood

May 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artist Danielle Clouse-Gast

July 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Grilling Ice, Artist Lee Rainboth

July 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Lee Rainboth

August 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Tales from a Ghosttown, Artist Joanne Alberda 

August 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artisans Roadtrip, With artists Penny Adam, Joanne Alberda, Danielle Clouse Gast, Hank Hall, Bill Lieb, Mary Ortner, Lissa Potter, David Strom, Kirsten Elyea, Marisa Sidles Barb McGee, Cherie Courter, Joleen Dentlinger, Abby Jones, Jerry Kahl, Haley McAndrews

September 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Aperture: The Biennial Juried Photography Exhibit, Special participation from the Iowa 4-H Camera Corps, With Jurors Alex and Dan McClanahan

October 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street Exhibit – Hometown Teams

October 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Worlds Apart, Artist Bogumil Bronkowski

November 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Cairo, Illinois: Photographs and Enamels, Artists Sarah Perkins and Gwen Walstrand

November 2018 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Lecture: The Precipitous Decline of Cairo, Illinois, With Sarah Perkins and Gwen Walstrand

Driving through what remains of Cairo it appears to an outsider that most of the town, along with its historic buildings and extensive business district, was abandoned within the same year, as nearly all the structures are in the same state of decay. In actuality, many events and circumstances caused the precipitous decline of Cairo. The town’s history includes booming success as a shipping town at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, elegant hotels and mansions, and an impressive business district. The more recent history is one of race riots, appalling violence, multiple lynchings, domination by white supremacist groups, and eventual boycotts of local businesses by African Americans. The 1920s city of over 15,000 people now is home to under 3,000 people, hundreds of strangely patched up, decaying buildings, and a handful of struggling businesses.Sarah Perkins and Gwen Walstrand were inspired by Cairo, Illinois for their collaborative series, Cairo, Illinois: Photographs and Enamels. This artist lecture was a collaboration between the Octagon Center for the Arts and the College of Design.

January 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Outside-In, Artists Pacia Sallomi and Alexandra Ackerman

February 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Pacia Sallomi and Alexandra Ackerman

February 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Octagonal 2019: The All Media Exhibit, With juror Jeanine Coupe Ryding

March 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, A Soldier Says Goodbye, Artist Rich Abrahamson

March 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Iowa State University MFA Exhibit, Artists Jasmine Buel and Manatsa Mazimbe

March 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Soldiers’ Perspectives: Veteran Panel Discussion, With Rich Abrahamson, Shorty Peterson, Dale Titman, and Sarah Ummach

Listen to various veterans’ perspectives on their time serving the United States. From the central Iowa area, veterans will include Shorty Peterson from Boxholm (who is the oldest surviving WWII veteran from Boxholm) and Dale Titman from Boone (chaplin for the Boone Veterans Council). Also joining the panel will be Sarah Ummach and her mother Julie of Waukee. Sarah is the little girl hugging the Soldier in the honor flight photo of Rich Abrahamson’s exhibit. They became pen pals and exchanged numerous letters.

April 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Naturescapes, Artists Gary Hoard, Mike Leinhauser, and Pratik Ray

April 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Gary Hoard, Mike Leinhauser, and Pratik Ray

April 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Cact(I), Artist Jordan Luckow

April 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Jordan Luckow

April 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Elementary/Middle/High School Annual Exhibit, With juror Naomi Friend

May 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, The Environment + Art Panel, With Anna Segner, Marlene Ehresman, Bruce Ehresman, Pat Schlarbaum, and Susan Heathcote

The Octagon hosted a panel discussion on the intersections of the environment and art, the beauty of our Iowa landscape, and how humans interact and are affected by the environment. The panelists also discussed the environmental issues that are specific to Iowa and what the average person can do to help. Panelists included: Marlene Ehresman, Executive Director of the Iowa Wildlife Center, Bruce Ehresman, Steering Committee for Bird Friendly Iowa and retired Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist, Pat Schlarbaum, Retired Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Program Technician, Susan Heathcote, Retired Water Program Director at the Iowa Environmental Council, and Anna Segner, artist and writer.

May 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, States of I, Artists Mary Jones and Jolynn Reigeluth

May 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Measured Perceptions, Artist April Katz

May 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with April Katz, Dawn Bratsch-Prince, and Daniel Klass

June 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Twenty Years, Artist April Katz and 29 Former Printmaking Students

June 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Printfest 2019, In partnership with the College of Design, Department of Art and Visual Culture, The University Print Society (Print Club), City of Ames Commission on the Arts, and The Institute of Design Research and Outreach (IDRO)

June 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Surface Wear, Artist AJ Zandt

June 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with AJ Zandt

August 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artist Derrick Burbul

August 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Derrick Burbul

August 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, 70K: The Biennial Community of Artists Exhibit, With juror Allison Sheridan

August 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artist Elizabeth Shriver

August 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Elizabeth Shriver

August 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, A Few of My Favorite Things, Artist Megan Anderson

October 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artist Peter P. Goche

October 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artists Angie Huffman and Robert Jinkins

October 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Prairie Seed Dreaming, Artist Autumn Rozario Hall

October 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Autumn Rozario Hall

November 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artists Jon Kamrath and Emily Verdoorn

November 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artist Sara Merritt

November 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Sara Merritt

November 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artists Iowa Artist Fellow Ange Altenhofen and Josh Sorrell

December 2019 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Artist Talk with Iowa Artist Fellow Ange Altenhofen and Josh Sorrell

January 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Alight and Allure, Artist Emily Minnie

February 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Octagonal 2020: The All Media Show, With juror Jordan Weber

February 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Limens, Artist Christopher Chiavetta

February 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Q&A with Jordan Weber

This Q&A session will be an informal question and answer discussion with Octagonal juror Jordan Weber. About Jordan: Using utilitarian materials, Jordan Weber produces sculptural social objects that speak to the ways in which racially oppressed peoples are restricted physically, geographically, and socially. The architecture of his work attempts to create inclusive environments where visitors might test or practice forms of sustainable urbanism. These public works are often modified to fit the site specificity of their environments both inside museums and cultural institutions and individual communities alike.

July 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts and Downtown Ames Business Storefronts, Outrage to Change, With artists Jordan Brooks, Jamila Johnson, Cameron Gray, Juliana Jones, Jamie Malone, Amara Agba, Jill Wells, Miradieu Joseph, Justin Roberson, Brandon Spencer, Siriaco Garcia, Oni Wright, Francisco Sanchez Ordaz, Miguel Sanchez, Helen Barton, Zachary Frazier, and KUB Stevens #outragetochange

July 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts and KHOI Community Radio, Outrage to Change Artists’ Roundtable, With Cameron Gray, Juliana Jones, Jill Wells, Justin Roberson, Miradieu Joseph, Zachary Frazier, Kristen Greteman, and Reginald Stewart #outragetochange

In partnership with the Octagon Center for the Arts, KHOI hosted the Outrage to Change Artists’ Roundtable, a live 90 minute discussion between artists who exhibited artwork in store windows of businesses in downtown Ames. The artists exhibited their work as part of the #OutrageToChange  Exhibit organized and sponsored by the Octagon Center for the Arts from July 1 to July 31. The roundtable discussion was moderated by Dr. Reginald Stewart, Vice President for Diversity at Iowa State University and member of the Octagon Board of Trustees.

August 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Super Natural, Artists Peggy Johnston and Vera Scekic

October 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Wax Cathedral, Artist Kat Silent Water

October 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Southwest Visions, Artist Terry Brigman

November 2020 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Smoke and Chaff, Artist Naomi Friend

*2021 Gallery shows and events coordinated in partnership with Curator in Residence, Jamie Malone

January 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Papercutters Times Three, Artists Linda Emmerson, Lucky Kim, and Beth Wunder

March 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Octagonal: The All Media Show, With juror Jenie Gao

July 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, The Absurdo World of Leon Richmond, Artist Robert Dohrmann

August 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Image and Text: Visual Art and Creative Writing in Partnership

September 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Image and Text Artist Talk with Ingrid Lilligren and Debra Marquart

September 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Image and Text Erasure Poetry Workshop with Taylor Sklenar and Emily Riley

September 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Image and Text Words Meet Art with Ana McCracken

November 2021 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Title TBD, Artist Amenda Tate

*2022 Gallery shows and events coordinated in partnership with Curator in Residence, Vivian Cook

January 2022 | Octagon Center for the Arts, The Colors of Nature, Artists Pamela Douglas and Bridget Marcus

February 2022 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Catching My Breath, Artist Cameron Gray

March 2022 | Octagon Center for the Arts, Octagonal 2022: The All Media Show, Juror Akwi Nji