2021 Octagonal: The All Media Show

Octagonal: The All-Media Show is the annual, juried all-media exhibition at the Octagon Center for the Arts in Ames, Iowa. Originally titled the Clay and Paper Show, the exhibit opened in 1968 to provide an opportunity to the central Iowa arts community. Over the past 53 years, the exhibit morphed over the decades to become the Clay, Fiber, Paper, Glass, Metal, Wood Exhibit that has featured hundreds of artists from dozens of states. The newest version of the exhibit, Octagonal: The All-Media Show, launched in 2018 taking a note from the past while moving forward to continue to provide an exciting opportunity for artists across Iowa, the Midwest, and the nation. This exhibit features a regionally-recognized juror each year, attracts artists from across the United States, and provides significant cash awards.

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Winifred V. Brown Best of Show award:  $1000
Media award for each category: $100

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Jenie Gao is a full-time artist, creative director, and entrepreneur. She specializes in large-scale projects including murals, public installations, curatorial works, and creative direction. She is an interdisciplinary leader with a professional background in the arts industry, public education, and lean manufacturing, and an advocate for equity for artists and creative labor. As a first generation American, she is a spokesperson for the arts as a path to cultural relevance for a diverse citizenry.

Jenie is an arts ambassador who has served as the Vice President of Wisconsin Visual Artists, Chair of the Biennial at Museum of Wisconsin Art, and Public Art Committee member for Madison Arts Commission. She is a founding member of Arts + Literature Laboratory and Dane Arts Mural Arts, where she has served as a fundraiser and systems builder for the financial longevity of these nonprofits. Jenie is a TEDx Madison speaker and outspoken advocate for the value of the arts in our ecosystems. She is a former artist-in-residence at Proyecto’ace in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museo de Arte Moderno in Castro, Chile; Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, Madison Public Library, and Artist Campaign School with Fractured Atlas. As a curator, she has produced exhibits at companies like Promega Corporation and AC Hotel
Marriott as a way to build bridges between artists and businesses.

Jenie currently runs a 1,700 square foot production studio and has hosted 20 interns since 2018. Through her interdisciplinary work, Jenie has become a visionary leader who knows how to bring together industries, education systems, and cultural representation to create a more equitable ecosystem for everyone. https://jenie.org/