ia: The best of Iowa arts and culture

Tim Olson pays tribute to Olympian Dan Gable and other famous Iowans in stained glass. (Photo: Christine Happ Olson)

Check out Iowa icons in Sioux City

In a stained-glass studio in Dubuque, the artist Tim Olson recently assembled a new body of work — arms, legs, mustache and all. The puzzle pieces form a glowing Gothic portrait of Dan Gable, Iowa’s patron saint of wrestling.

The idea came from a fan’s suggestion that Olson initially brushed off. “I thought it was such a weird idea because when I was growing up, [Gable] was like Iowa royalty,” the artist said.

But after taking on the project, Olson also created a portrait of Denise Long, the Union-Whitten High School basketball star who became the first woman drafted by the NBA. Then he set to work on portraits of fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, who grew up in Des Moines, and Cheryl Browne Hollingsworth, a student at Luther College in Decorah when she was crowned Miss Iowa in 1970 and became the first Black contestant in the Miss America pageant.

All four stained-glass portraits are part of a solo exhibition, “The Hall of Notable Iowans and Other Midwestern Curiosities,” which opens with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. May 9 and runs through Sept. 15 at the Sioux City Art Center. Olson plans to discuss the artwork with Art Cullen, the Pultizer-winning editor of the Storm Lake Times, at a free event on July 20 at the art center.

Read more about Olson’s work, including a series of quirky Iowa portraits inspired by the Flemish Renaissance, in the current issue of ia magazine. Plus, check out a video produced by the Iowa Arts Council, which named Olson an Iowa Artist Fellow in 2022.

Effigy Mounds National Monument is just a few miles north of Marquette. (Photo: National Park Service)

Food & Dining

Take it outside: It’s National Park Week

The fine folks at National Park Foundation have declared April 20-28 as National Park Week, the perfect time to celebrate and visit the national parks, monuments and other historic sites that crisscross the country. It’s also a good opportunity to learn how to help preserve them and their surrounding landscapes.

The National Park Service lists two major destinations in Iowa: The Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch and Effigy Mounds National Monument near Harpers Ferry. Our 2023 ia magazine featured a hiking guide and other ways to enjoy the woodsy mounds, which overlook the Mississippi River. Between 850 and 1,500 years ago, Indigenous Iowans built more than 200 ceremonial and burial mounds, including 31 in the shape of various animals. While you can find conical and linear mounds throughout the Midwest and East, the animal shapes make Effigy unique.

Keep in mind, National Park Week is also a mighty fine time to explore Iowa’s 83 state parks, too. (We won’t tell the Feds.)

This festival in Cedar Rapids connects local artists to local art lovers. (Photo: Brendan Paul)

Around Iowa

Pop in to pop art in Cedar Rapids

The Iowa Pop Art Festival returns for its fourth year on May 4 in Cedar Rapids, which proudly celebrates its Czech and Slovak roots. Notably, the artist Andy Warhol (born Andrew Warhola) grew up in a family of Central European immigrants in Pittsburgh.

The festival here in Iowa will feature 150 local artists and 10 local musicians performing a diverse range of music genres, from country to rap to metal. “The only thing more diverse than the artists we feature is the work they create,” said Niq Thomas, who grew up in Independence and created the festival in 2021. “The consistent theme is community and collaboration.”

The festival offers a free pre-party on Friday night, May 3, at CSPS Hall. Alongside live music from rock group Maaaze and the artist Allegra Hernadez from Des Moines, visitors can explore art that can’t be contained in a booth.

This year, why not celebrate Mother's Day with some DIY activities or gifts?

Around Iowa

Does your mother know? About these Mother’s Day events around Iowa

Mother’s Day is May 12. You wouldn’t be here without her, so take a day (or two) to celebrate Mom accordingly.

Card-making in Webster City (4-6 p.m. May 2): Create handmade cards during this workshop led by Di Sinclair from the Legacy Learning Boone River Valley art studio.

Botanical drawing class in Dallas Center (10 a.m.-noon May 4): Walk through the Brenton Arboretum to gather materials for a mixed-media art class taught by artist Jill Woodward.

Drag brunch in Des Moines (11 a.m. May 12): Tell Mom to bring her dollar bills to Peace Tree Brewing. Tickets include brunch, a drink and a show featuring queens Robin Graves and Tyona Diamond.

Join the Maipole Dancers next weekend to celebrate the arrival of a new spring. (Photo: Laura Sue Lacie)

Home & Garden

Mai the Fest be with you

The Amana Colonies host their traditional Maifest May 4-5. The festival celebrates May Day and the arrival of spring as the Germans do, with dancing, flowers, food and, of course, a stein or two.

The event kicks off on Saturday morning with a parade and a performance from the Maipole Dancers as they decorate a traditional pole with ribbons. All afternoon, the Festhalle will serve up traditional German fare like potato pancakes and obstkuchen, a fruit and custard tart. Saturday and Sunday, take the Wine and Beer Walk for free samples at participating businesses and a collectible Pilsner glass. (This year’s event leans into its May 4 date with a Star Wars-themed glass and other merchandise.)

Amber Collins owns Soul Book Nook in Waterloo. (Photo: Travel Iowa)

Arts & Culture

Independent bookstores abound around Iowa

This Saturday, April 27, is Independent Bookstore Day, and book sellers across the state are celebrating accordingly. Eight book stores in Central Iowa have teamed up to create a weekend passport challenge for readers and shoppers, with various deals, activities and goodies to mark the day. Collect a passport stamp at Beaverdale Books (Des Moines), Dog-Eared Books (Ames), Dungeon’s Gate (Ankeny), Pageturners Bookstore (Indianola), Raccoon River Press (Des Moines), Reading in Public (West Des Moines) and Storyhouse Book Pub (Des Moines) and be entered into a drawing to win a $100 shopping spree.

Beyond Central Iowa, there are other independent bookstores to visit around the state:

The Book Vault in Oskaloosa
If you couldn’t guess by its name, the Book Vault is in a historic building that once housed a bank. The store makes use of the old vaults that now contain shelves for various genres and special interests.

Soul Book Nook in Waterloo
Amber Collins believes literature can play a vital role in education. She often uses her store’s Facebook page to share overlooked stories of Black leaders from the past, during Black History Month and year-round.

Prairie Lights Books & Cafe in Iowa City
It’s no surprise that the UNESCO City of Literature loves its legendary bookstore. This time-honored shop offers 3 1/2 stories of bibliophilia, including extensive sections of poetry, fiction, nonfiction and kids’ books.

It's officially farmers market season. Visit this one, in Dubuque, or dozens more across the state. (Photo: Dubuque Farmers Market)

Around Iowa

Opening weekend for Iowa’s farmers markets

Every spring, many Iowa communities reopen their farmers markets to celebrate not only their local farmers but gardeners, business owners and artists. Farmers markets across the state offer fresh produce, homemade baked goods, live music, arts and crafts, and much, much more. Here are just a few of the markets that open on May 4, listed on Travel Iowa’s website:

Cedar Rapids
Recognized as one of the largest open-air markets in the Midwest, summer brings 200 local Iowa vendors and 14,000 visitors to Cedar Rapids’ downtown. Stop by the market twice a month for the usual fresh produce and local crafts, as well as live cooking demonstrations, musical performances and a wide array of children’s activities.

Davenport
Featuring goods grown in the Mississippi Valley, the Freight House Farmer’s Market offers great produce along with some gorgeous Iowa views. Held each Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, May through October, on the scenic Mississippi Riverfront in Davenport, visitors can find crafts, treats and fresh produce including meat and eggs as well as an abundance of tasty samples. The vendors switch out on the weekends so visitors can find something new each day.

Des Moines
Touted as one of the best farmers markets in the country, Des Moines' downtown event brings 300 diverse vendors and 25,000 visitors to the downtown every Saturday morning between May and October. Vendors represent 50 counties across the state, and the market spans nine city blocks, offering a variety of fresh food, home-baked goods, live music, local vendors, arts and crafts and more.

Dubuque
Experience the longest-running farmers market in the state, which dates back to 1858 and has celebrated all things local since. Join the crowd in Dubuque every Saturday morning, May through September, for fresh produce and local crafts along with unique finds like lavender lemonade, breakfast doughnut sandwiches and locally made maple syrup.

Sioux City
Connect with local, rural family farms at Sioux City’s farmers market, held in the parking lot of the Tyson Events Center every Wednesday and Saturday, May through October. Purchase locally grown produce or handcrafted art and enjoy an abundance of baked goods, all of which are produced or grown by the person selling it. This is a true community event that celebrates its farmers and patrons.