Octagon Center for the Arts

A Place To Mend FREE EVENT (Ages 21+)
2024-06-27 17:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Avenue, Ames, IA, 50010, United States
A Place to Mend
Thursday, June 27th, 5:30 – 8 pm in the Dance Studio
Free, or a suggested donation of $5 for instruction, tips -n- tricks.
Ages 21+ (Feel free to bring your favorite beverage; alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
Have a few mending/repair projects you have been wanting to work on? Gather them up and join the Octagon for some creative, productive, and soulful fun. You are encouraged to bring any projects to work on, ie.. knitting, crochet, needle work, whatever. We will have a special guest, and author of Mend it Better, Kristin Roach, with us for this community gathering. Kristin is also a published author of worldwide knitting patterns, the Craftleftovers zine series, a community organizer, artist, and owner of Little Woods: Herbs and Teas in downtown Ames.
Event Location: Octagon Center for the Arts, Dance Studio
UPCOMING MENDING NIGHTS:
TBA

Party on the Patio - July 18th - TBD
2024-07-18 17:00 - 20:00
Thursday, July 18th
5 PM – 8 PM
Party on the Patio is every third Thursday of the month, May – September from 5 PM – 8 PM. Performers are scheduled to perform from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. Drinks and light refreshments provided for a donation.
Thursday, July 18th Performer:
TBD

Compositions of Line
2024-07-29 10:00 - 2024-08-24 17:00
Compositions of Line
Solo Exhibition by Isaac Prior
July 29th – August 24th, 2024 At The Octagon Community Gallery
About this solo exhibition:

Exhibition Dates:
July 29th, 2024 – Exhibition Opening Day
August 24th, 2024 – Exhibition Closes
Artist Biography:
Born and raised in Ames, I have been creating artwork professionally since 2012. I am a full time precious metalsmith at Ames Silversmithing, creating, repairing, and designing jewelry. My focus is on abstract line art, using hundreds of lines to give illusions of folds, dimension, or twists.

Party on the Patio - August 15th - Sweet Tator
2024-08-15 17:00 - 20:00
Thursday, August 15th
5 PM – 8 PM
Party on the Patio is every third Thursday of the month, May – September from 5 PM – 8 PM. Performers are scheduled to perform from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. Drinks and light refreshments provided for a donation.
Thursday, August 15th Performer:
Sweet Tator

We are excited to welcome Sweet Tator to our monthly patio party. Sweet Tator has been busking since 1982 and loves playing with a variety of musicians. He will be joined by Kurt, a longtime friend in music. They got together several years ago to play at some local farmers markets. They decided they really needed to hire some “real musicians”, so they started drafting some of the locals to play with and “The Luther Jam” was born. With the belief that music really is too important to leave to professionals, they soldier on in the service of song.

Mixed Emotions
2024-09-03 10:00 - 2024-09-28 17:00
Mixed Emotions
Solo Exhibition by Kelly Devitt
September 3rd – September 28th, 2024 At The Octagon Community Gallery
About this solo exhibition:

Exhibition Dates:
September 3rd, 2024 – Exhibition Opening Day
September 26th, 2024 – Exhibition Closing Reception, 5pm – 7pm in the Community Gallery
September 28th, 2024 – Exhibition Closes
Artist Biography:
Kelly Devitt is a ceramic artist who primarily creates sculptures depicting emotions physically expressed through the human body. Born in Ames, Iowa, she received her BFA in Integrated Studio Arts from Iowa State University in 2017 and her MFA in Ceramics from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2022. Kelly is currently an Instructor of Art at the Southwestern Community College in Creston, IA.

Party on the Patio - September 19 - Marilyn Jerome
2024-09-19 17:00 - 20:00
Thursday, September 19th
5 PM – 8 PM
Party on the Patio is every third Thursday of the month, May – September from 5 PM – 8 PM. Performers are scheduled to perform from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. Drinks and light refreshments provided for a donation.
Thursday, August 15th Performer:
Marilyn Jerome

Marilyn Jerome has been performing for about 15 years in central Iowa; before moving to Iowa, she was performing in the Kansas City area as the lead vocalist in a country rock band. Her sound is a blend of genres including country, rock, folk, and blues. She covers Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, The Everly Brothers, Elle King, Eric Clapton, John Prine, Brandi Carlisle, The Eagles, and many, many more.

Demulcent Terrain
2024-10-07 10:00 - 2024-11-02 17:00
Demulcent Terrain
Solo Exhibition by Lisa Truax
October 7th – November 2nd, 2024 At The Octagon Community Gallery
Reception: October 10th 5PM – 7PM in the Community Gallery

About this solo exhibition:

I am interested in the contrast between places such as parks and natural areas and modern ways of building and living. We have cultural ideas of beauty and the sense of the untouched associated with these places. Outdoor landscapes seem to be in their natural state, but are actually created, planned, built, and maintained as part of our culture. We think of nature as untouched and wild, and not something controlled or created by humans.
I question the idea of culturally valuable versus personally valuable natural space. The contrast between the natural and man-made, and the seen and the unseen are determining factors. The effect of these elements on our lives and psyche are important considerations.
Natural places can have positive effects on our well being, many of which we may not yet understand. The relationship we have both culturally and individually, the contrast between wildness and wilderness, and the effect this relationship has on daily living is the focus of my work.
Exhibition Dates:
October 7th, 2024 – Exhibition Opening Day
November 2nd, 2024 – Exhibition Closes
Reception: October 10th 5PM – 7PM in the Community Gallery
Artist Biography:

Party on the Patio - October 17 - Paige Clouse
2024-10-17 17:00 - 20:00
Thursday, October 17th
5 PM – 8 PM
Party on the Patio is every third Thursday of the month, May – September from 5 PM – 8 PM. Performers are scheduled to perform from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. Drinks and light refreshments provided for a donation.
Thursday, October 17th Performer:
Paige Clouse

Paige Clouse is a singer/songwriter from Southeast Iowa. She writes songs primarily about her experiences as a member of the LGBTQIA population, as well as songs about general life experiences. Music is about connection, and she hopes that her music helps people to feel seen and heard.

The Octagon 2nd Annual Winter Market
2024-11-11 10:00 - 2024-12-10 17:00
The Octagon 2nd Annual Winter Market
Event by Octagon Shop
November 11th – December 10th, 2024 in the Octagon Community Gallery
About this event:
The Octagon Shop is excited to announce a temporary expansion in our Community Gallery! From November 11th – December 10th, we will have new work by Shop artists, fun discounts and other surprises! Stay tuned!

Exhibition Dates:
November 11th, 2024 – Exhibition Opening Day
December 10th, 2024 – Exhibition Closes

The Faces I've Seen.
2024-12-16 10:00 - 2025-01-11 17:00
The Faces I’ve Seen.
Solo Exhibition by Karen Cooper
December 16th, 2024 – January 11th, 2025 At The Octagon Community Gallery
About this solo exhibition:

Exhibition Dates:
December 16th, 2024 – Exhibition Opening Day
December 19th, 2024 – Exhibition Reception 6PM – 7PM in the Community gallery
January 11th, 2025 – Exhibition Closes
Artist Biography:

I am a watcher.
If someone with an interesting face, or someone who looks like they might be great in a painting, is out there on a sidewalk somewhere in the world, then I say ‘game on’. It’s time to capture some reference material. Lots of these captures come via my camera. On a perfect day, some of these random, and often unknowing ‘models’ are stationary long enough to make it to my sketchbook. I have said the bottom line and always the focus, is that the painting be a thing of substance and solidity and interest and beauty. But here’s something I am observing as my work matures – I no longer like playing it safe. I find it important and necessary to NOT paint safe – but rather to see the challenge, accept it, and give it my best shot.
Karen was born and raised in Nebraska, and then moved across the river to live in Iowa. From 2013 thru 2017, Karen lived in Lipetsk, Russia – long enough for the power and beauty of Russian impressionist art to make a potent impact. Study with a talented figurative artist while in Lipetsk, increased the desire/need to draw with substance and clarity, as part of the painting process. Karen has now returned to live, and paint in Grinnell, Iowa.

Third Thursday: Winter Maker's Table Public Craft Event
2025-01-16 18:00 - 20:00
Winter Maker’s Table Public Craft Event
January 16th
6PM – 8PM
Join us January 16th for a come and go Winter Maker’s Table in the gallery of the Octagon. Break out of the winter doldrums with an evening of creativity! We provide supplies, you create to your heart’s content for only $5. Make simple and beautiful art and artsy stuff with friends, family or folks you haven’t met (yet). Children under 10 must bring a paying adult partner.

Solo Art Exhibition: Denice Peters “Be Still”
2025-01-20 10:00 - 2025-02-15 17:00
Be Still
Solo Exhibition by Denice Peters
January 20th – February 15th, 2025 At The Octagon Community Gallery
About this solo exhibition:

Creating realistic pastel paintings using strong light and shadow with a bit of nostalgia and a sense of peace is my goal. I’m inspired by the effect that light has on objects. It’s the spark of brightness shining against the darkness that appeals to me. Every painting is about this dramatic glow evoking an emotional response, regardless of the subject. Ipaint without any tools other than my fingers and pastel sticks. My work is pure soft pastels. No other medium is used . I paint in my self honed style I call ‘Blended Reality’. I want to help others see the beauty and peace that is all around us. Life is too short to do otherwise.
Exhibition Dates:
January 20th, 2025 – Exhibition Opening Day
January 23rd, 2025 – Exhibition Reception, 5:30PM – 7:30PM in the Community Gallery
February 15th, 2025 – Exhibition Closes
Artist Biography:

Denice Peters is a recognized woman artist in Contemporary Realism Art. This native of NW Iowa has painted with pastels for over 30 years. Her work centers around dramatic light and mood. Her artworks resonate with the viewer and is laced with nostalgia. Her level of skill has bestowed her with recognition In magazines, national and international competitions and awards. Also she’s achieved a level of talent that garnered her as a juried member of the prestigious International Guild of Realism and earned Signature Status in Pastel Society of America, MidAmerican Pastel Society and the Iowa Pastel Society and elected as President of the Iowa Pastel Society. Born in 1958 in LeMars, Iowa, USA, and raised on a farm instilled in her connection to the earth and Midwest values. She incorporates these things into her still life paintings. Married to her high school sweetheart and raising a family slowed her art career until they got older. When she decided to take a workshop , it changed her life, introducing her to pastels. She had found her medium and never looked back She didn’t have the opportunity to earn an art degree, so she took it upon herself to hone her talent, learning by trial and error. She took every art class she could in high school and was selected to be in the advanced art class as a senior. In time she developed a style that she refers to as “Blended Reality”. She worked with pastels until she reached the outcome she could see in her head. She was told you can’t paint realistically with soft pastels, but she bucked the trend and painted in her own way. She uses no implements, just pastels and her fingers. So she becomes a part of the work in every way. Her work is collected mostly by private collectors in the US and 2 other countries Denice’s work can be seen on her website denicepelers.com and through Kavanaugh Gallery in West Des Moines, IA.

Valentine Makers’ Table
2025-02-08 14:00 - 16:00
Valentine Makers’ Table
Saturday, February 8
2 – 4 pm
$5
Make beautiful “Valentine-y”art, cards and messages for your special people. All supplies provided. Children under 10 must bring a paying adult partner.
Click here to RSVP!

Third Thursdays: Ames High String Quartet
2025-02-20 18:00 - 20:00
Join us in the gallery for beautiful music from the Ames High String Quartet. We will have drinks and snacks available for a donation and, if you’re interested, a music related craft at each table. It’s a great reason to get out of the house, spend time with friends, or maybe make up for that missed Valentine date. The event begins at 6:00 and music will start at 6:30. Join us anytime from 6:00-8:00 – we hope to see you here!
Sponsored by Lott Music Studio

RSVP Here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AAeFtdCED/

Octagonal: The All Media Show 2025
2025-02-27 10:00 - 2025-03-29 17:00
February 27th – March 29th, 2025
RECEPTION:
February 27th 5:30PM-7:30PM
In the Community Gallery
Awards announced at 6:30PM
ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND!

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 56 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.

2025 Juror: Chris Vance

Click Here to learn more
Artist List:
Alicia Wilkinson, Amy Williams, Angie Huffman, Barb Thompson, Carolyn Abbott, Diana Friend, Diane Michaud Lowry, Emily Milewsky, Geri Wolfe Boesen, Hana Brock, Isaac Prior, Jerene Kruse, Jess Quinn, Joanne Alberda, Joseph Wyckoff, Josh Sorrell, Kaitlin Harvey, Kelly Devitt, Kelsey Wilson, Kimberlee Rocca, Linda Lewis, Lucy Watters, Lydia Nong, Maggie Douglas, Mattea Whetstone, Megan Hammer, Meghan Flynn, Melynda Van Zee, Michele Hardy, Natalie Deam, Pam Hibbs, Robert Wallace, Sara Slee Brown, Sean Thornton, Sydney Thompson, Tiffany Antone, Tim Olson, Trey Reis, Will Hildebrandt, Zack Bukovich

Third Thursdays - Game Night at the Octagon
2025-03-20 17:00 - 20:00
Third Thursdays:
♟♜♞♛ Game Night at the Octagon! ♥ ♠ ♦ ♣
Spring break will be wrapping up and you might need an activity to keep the family busy! Or, an opportunity to hang around some fun adults! Join us for Game Night on Thursday, March 20. From 5:00-6:30 pm we welcome people of all ages to play board games and card games. Then from 6:30-8:00 we will host an adults-only game time. Feel free to bring snacks and non-alcoholic beverages with you. Adult beverages will be provided from 6:30-8:00 for a donation.

Draw Your Pet with Bethany Schultz
2025-03-27 18:00 - 19:30
Draw Your Pet with Bethany Schultz
Thursday March 27 6:00pm-7:30pm
Donations encouraged!
This month’s featured artist, Bethany Schultz, is holding a drawing workshop on March 27th! Submit your photo to shop@octagonarts.org and Bethany will prep your drawing with a grid to help you in your drawing adventure!

2025 Elementary, Middle School, High School Annual Student Show
2025-04-07 10:00 - 2025-04-18 17:00
2025 Elementary, Middle School, High School Annual Student Show
April 7th – April 18th, 2025 in the Octagon Community Gallery
About this group exhibition:
The Annual Student Art Show highlights artwork by elementary, middle, and high school students from schools within 20 miles of Ames.
Learn more on this exhibition’s webpage here
Exhibition Dates:
April 7th, 2025 – Exhibition Opening Day
April 18th, 2025 – Exhibition Closes

Third Thursdays: Needle Night at the Octagon with Nittery Nook and Prairie Rose Needleworks
2025-04-17 18:00 - 20:00
Needle Night
Thursday, April 17th 6PM – 8PM
It’s needle night at the Octagon! Come see local artists demonstrate a variety of needle and fiber arts, including knitting, crocheting, embroidery, felting, quilting and mending. This come-and-go event is from 6:00-8:00 PM and is for all ages. Feel free to bring your own fiber projects to work on as you sit alongside our artists. No need to have experience or skill – enjoy seeing the work of others and possibly try something new! Co-sponsored by Prairie Rose Needleworks and Knittery Nook.
Artists: Amanda Zagloba, Rochelle Nickolay, Teddy Stark, Jill Guffy, Marilyn Andersen, Kristen Roach

Group Exhibition: Round Up
2025-04-22 10:00 - 2025-05-10 17:00
Round Up
Group Exhibition by Various Artists
Exhibition Dates:
April 22nd, 2025 – Exhibition Opening Day
April 25th, 2025 – Exhibition Public Reception, 6:00PM – 7:30PM in the Community Gallery
May 10th, 2025 – Exhibition Closes
About This Exhibition:
A “round-up” of a few like-minded artists living and working in Iowa.
Artist List:
Sean Thornton
Ruby Walker
Rat Tunnel
Juan Gomez
Lydia Nong
Zack Bukovich
Rafa
Spike Dupree

Live Jewelry Making Demo with Featured Artist, Margie Magnuson
2025-04-24 18:00 - 19:00
Live Jewelry Making Demo with Margie Magnuson
April 24th at 6PM at the Octagon Center for the Arts
Margie Magnuson, a goldsmith from Omaha, NE designs and creates her own jewelry line of pendants, earrings, and rings. She uses sterling silver, 14kt. gold and precious and semi-precious gemstones. Margie says her formal training stressed clean, simple design, employing hand forging techniques using a hammer and anvil to form her creations.
Margie will travel to Ames on April 24th and demonstrate some of her techniques at 6pm. Please join us and meet Margie in person!
CLICK HERE for the Facebook Event Page

Art From the Attic - Octagon Art Sale
2025-05-15 10:00 - 2025-05-17 17:00
Art From the Attic
Art Sale Event by Octagon Shop

Event Dates:
May 15th, 2025 – Event Opening Day
May 17th, 2025 – Event Closes

About This Event:
Art from the Attic begins Thursday, May 15! Purchase art from members of the Octagon who have graciously donated original artwork, and pieces we have gathered from our building that need a new home. We believe that art is for everyone, so you will find a variety of styles and prices that are affordable. Stop by the gallery between 10AM and 7PM to browse through one-of-a-kind artworks that will fit perfectly in your space at incredibly low prices. The sale continues Friday and Saturday, from 10AM to 5PM.
Donating Artwork:
If you have quality art pieces that you no longer have room for or no longer fits with your décor, we would love to have you consider donating it to our art sale. We provide incredible discounts on quality work to make it accessible to people from all walks of life. We are focused on original art and prints, as opposed to items purchased from box stores or home decor businesses. All proceeds go to support classes and events at the Octagon.

If you choose to donate, please make sure artwork is not damaged, dirty or faded. If you have multiple or large pieces, live in Ames, and don’t have a way to transport them to the Octagon, please contact office@octagonarts.org and the Octagon staff will make arrangements for pick up. Also, we are not able to accept jewelry for the sale. Once donated to the sale, the Octagon has full ownership and discretion of any remaining, unsold artwork.

We appreciate your commitment to the Octagon and our mission, through your membership, donations and attendance at events. If this is something you are interested in participating in, you can bring your art pieces to the Octagon Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 5:30 PM. If those times don’t work for you, give us a call and we can set up a time to meet you.

NOTE: Per IRS guidelines, the Octagon is not able to provide a donation receipt for artwork since it’s a noncash charitable contribution, and the Octagon is unable to establish a cash value for donated artwork.

2025 Annual Members' Show
2025-05-27 10:00 - 2025-06-21 17:00
2025 Annual Members’ Show
Group Exhibition by members of the Octagon Center for the Arts
May 27th – June 21st, 2025 in the Octagon Community Gallery
About this group exhibition:
This non-juried show celebrates the skills, creativity, and lived experiences of the Octagon community! Let’s fill the gallery and surround ourselves with our own amazing work — established artists next to emerging artists, all media.

Exhibition Dates:
May 27th, 2025 – Exhibition Opening Day
June 21st, 2025 – Exhibition Closes
Artist List:
Carolyn Abbott, Sushila Anderson, Abigail Badger, Janice Bell, Tina Campbell, Vivian M. Cook, Pamela Douglas, Lisa Fontaine, Jennifer Gauerke, Joe Geha, Raina Genaw, Erik Gustafson, Rex Heer, Gary Hoard, Denise Hoffman, Laurie Hoifeldt, Diane Holland Rickerl, Evan Hoyt, Summer Hoyt, Sean Johnson, Letitia Kenemer, Nancy Lindsay, Charissa Menefee, Susan Norris, Dori Patrick, Clint Petersen, Timothy F. Pross, Kristin M. Roach, Kimberlee Rocca, Delayne Segar, Robert Sunderman, Kathy Svec, Troy Thomas, Barb Thompson, Sean Thornton, Karen Van Wert, Rob Wallace, Kelsey Wilson, Jennifer Withers, J Yang, Thomas Zimmerman

Third Thursdays: Paint & Plant on the Patio!
2025-06-19 17:30 - 19:30
Paint & Plant on the Patio!
June 19 from 5:30 – 7:30pm
Choose a free flower pot and decorate it in any way you can dream up! All are welcome – grab a friend, bring your family, or have an evening on your own!
Back Alley Plants will have a variety of plants available if your pot is in need of a resident. Free cuttings and $5 plants will be offered!

Solo Art Exhibition: Raluca Iancu "Over + Under"
2025-06-30 10:00 - 2025-07-12 17:00
Over + Under
Solo Exhibition by Raluca Iancu

Exhibition Dates:
June 30th, 2025 – Exhibition Opening Day
July 10th, 2025 – Exhibition Reception from 6pm – 7:30pm in the Community Gallery
Raluca will be giving an Artist Talk at 6:30pm on July 10th!
July 12th, 2025 – Exhibition Closes

Artist Statement:
My work explores disaster, memory and vulnerability through different media, ranging from printmaking to performance, to edible art and printed objects. I question the way we look at tragedy as well as the way we deal with the aftermath. We depend on our technology (planes, trains, automobiles) and easily forget that it is just as fallible as our bodies. In our contemporary media driven culture, catastrophes, of all kinds, are trivialized by their frequent appearances across the spectrum of information media, especially as access to data is more widespread than ever before. We, as a society, have become desensitized to these events through constant exposure, unable to understand the serious consequences of our actions. Separated from the outside world by our screens and windshields, we create a culture of indifference as we learn to consume tragedy, on all scales, as entertainment. The automobile drastically changed the way that we experience the world, physically, as well as intellectually. We find ourselves with endless facets for the consideration of our impermanence, as morbid curiosity pushes us to hyperextend our necks, to the point of material transformation (skin, bone, and muscle, into rubber). The work in this exhibition is centered on the role of automobiles in our lives and their impact on our environment.

Artist Biography:
Raluca Iancu is currently an Assistant Professor in Art & Visual Culture, Printmaking, at Iowa State University (ISU). She earned her MFA in Studio Art, Printmaking, from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), and her BFA in Printmaking from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Her work investigates disaster, memory, and vulnerability through different media, ranging from printmaking to performance, to edible art and printed objects. She is interested in how our relationship with technology simultaneously enhances our lives, while also leaving us vulnerable.
She has exhibited internationally, at venues including the Art Museum of Cluj-Napoca (Romania), and the CICA Museum (Korea); and nationally at the International Print Center of New York (NY), the Bradbury Art Museum, (AR), the Art Institute of Boston (MA), and the Hunterdon Museum (NJ), among others. She has been an artist in residence in the United States, at the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts & Sciences (GA) and the Vermont Studio Center (VT), among others; and internationally Art Print Residence (Spain), the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts (Poland), St Michael’s Printshop (Canada), Mi-LAB and Studio Kura (Japan), and, most recently, BetterPress Lab (Italy).

Third Thursdays: Musical Guests on the Patio Featuring The Bone People!
2025-07-17 17:00 - 20:00
Musical Guests on the Patio Featuring The Bone People!
Thursday, July 17 5pm – 8pm
The Bone People are back! This longtime Iowa-based band is back in the studio and ready to spend an evening singing for you. Join us on the patio, on the west side of the Octagon, from 5-8 PM on Thursday, July 17 for an evening of great music. This is a free event for all ages! Drinks will be available for a donation.

Group Art Exhibition: Iowa Artist/Mother Group “Elusive Balance”
2025-07-21 10:00 - 2025-08-09 17:00
Elusive Balance
Group Exhibition by Iowa Artist/Mother Group

Exhibition Dates:
July 21st, 2025 – Exhibition Opening Day
August 9th, 2025 – Exhibition Reception 2:00PM – 5:00PM in the Community Gallery
August 9th, 2025 – Exhibition Closes

Artist Statement:
Works in this exhibition will include fiber art, painting, printmaking, mixed media, performance, sculpture, photography, and video with a variety of processes and methods. With our intention to showcase the voices of Iowa artist mothers who represent a range of diverse backgrounds, ages, motherhood stages, and mediums, the exhibition will convey a collection of experiences and perspectives that the work of one singular artist’s body of work would prove challenging to convey. The Iowa Artist/Mother group presents an exhibition entitled “Elusive Balance.” The theme of this exhibition explores the challenges of finding balance within artist and mother/caregiver identities. Since there is no one way to embody motherhood, this theme is open to broad interpretation, encompassing ideas of rest and productivity, contentment and overwhelm, stability and transition, responsibility and absurdity/play, and societal expectations vs. personal intuition. We are interested in how one finds personal balance or simply lets go of this elusive state, embracing or celebrating imbalance within life and art. This exhibition showcases the voices of Iowa artist mothers who represent a range of diverse backgrounds, ages, motherhood stages, and mediums. Each artist has one piece on exhibit. Many of the artists are affiliated with the Iowa Artist/Mother group, an egalitarian group started in 2021 that meets regularly to build community, share resources, and support artists who are also caregivers.

Artist Biography:
The Iowa Artist/Mother group presents an exhibition entitled “Elusive Balance.” The theme of this exhibition explores the challenges of finding balance within artist and mother/caregiver identities. Since there is no one way to embody motherhood, this theme is open to broad interpretation, encompassing ideas of rest and productivity, contentment and overwhelm, stability and transition, responsibility and absurdity/play, and societal expectations vs. personal intuition. We are interested in how one finds personal balance or simply lets go of this elusive state, embracing or celebrating imbalance within life and art.
This exhibition showcases the voices of Iowa artist mothers who represent a range of diverse backgrounds, ages, motherhood stages, and mediums. Each artist has one piece on exhibit.
Many of the artists are affiliated with the Iowa Artist/Mother group, an egalitarian group started in 2021 that meets regularly to build community, share resources, and support artists who are also caregivers.
You can learn more about this travelling exhibition HERE
Participating Artists:
Alicia Wilkinson, Akwi Nji, Alexandra Ackerman, Allison Rowe, Amenda Tate, Astrid Hilger Bennett, Catherine Reinhart, Bailey Fry-Schnormeier, Emily Newman, Emily Jalinsky, Genevra Daley, Hope Spragg, Jamie Elizabeth Hudrlik, Jill Wells, Julia Franklin, Kelly Devitt, Kay Ireland, Kristin M. Roach, Larassa Kabel, Lauren A. Ross, Mirzam Perez, Ramona Muse Lambert, Sheena Daugherty, Stephanie Brunia
Note: These artists have extend invitations to a selection of other female-identifying Iowa artists/caregivers for inclusion in the exhibition.

Art Supply Drive!
2025-08-01 09:00 - 2025-08-31 17:30
Calling for all spare art supplies!
We are partnering with area art stores and community members to provide a free art supply day for artists of all ages in September!
Prairie Rose Needleworks, The Knittery Nook, and The Octagon Center for the Arts are committed to making creativity inclusive so we’ve teamed up to for a special art & craft supply drive. Bring your new and/or gently used art & craft supplies to one of our locations during the month of August. The Octagon will then host a special free art supply day for the community in September.
Donation Rules:

We accept items that can be used for art/craft activities for any age, from fingerpaints and fat paintbrushes to oil paint and embroidery thread.
Any liquids (paint, glue, etc.) should be at least half full and able to flow through the lid.
Yarn, thread and other fibers should be wound or neatly presented. Please do not send a nest that needs to be untangled.
Fiber (yarn, roving, etc.) donations should be packaged in a Ziploc bag or airtight container
Items should be in clean containers. A little paint on the bottle is fine but please don’t send dusty or musty items.
Items should not be overly faded or smell bad.
All items should be unbroken and able to be used without requiring repair.
Storage space is limited so please bring in a reasonable amount of donations.
Only drop off donations during open hours and bring them inside the location. Do not leave items in front of locations during closed hours.

“Elusive Balance” Reception
2025-08-09 14:00 - 17:00

Group Art Exhibition: Alexandra and Jeremy Ackerman "Just Duet”
2025-08-18 10:00 - 2025-09-05 17:00
Just Duet
Group Exhibition by Alexandra Ackerman and Jeremy Ackerman

Exhibition Dates:
August 18th, 2025 – Exhibition Opening Day
September 5th, 2025 – Exhibition Reception 5:30PM – 7:30PM in the Community Gallery
September 5th, 2025 – Exhibition Closes

Artists’ Statements:

Alexandra Ackerman:
For as long as I can remember I have found comfort and joy in making things with my hands. Art has helped me process and respond to the beauty and complexity of the world through every phase of life. Now, as an adult, I can see that all my work is in honor of childhood and in dedication to my childhood self, the girl who found pure freedom in creating her own worlds. My paintings are “internal landscapes”, unique environments that reflect a deep love of color, pattern, nature, and play. My visual language draws from my years of experience farming and gardening across the country. I have found infinite pleasure in the simple act of watching plants grow; my hands in the soil, bearing witness to the life cycle from seed to fruit, contemplating the mysteries of clouds, bugs, and steaming piles of compost. The transformative experience of pregnancy and motherhood have also shaped me as an artist, giving new meaning to the concept of “creation”.
For the past twenty years I have constantly sought to balance my roles of mother and artist, finding joy and tears in the process. During the pandemic I shifted my focus from watercolor to acrylic and mixed media. I began gluing fabric scraps onto wood panels, and painting around and over them. Cutting and gluing was grounding and healing in a time of extreme uncertainty. My current work – a series of acrylic and fabric paintings on wood – explores a combination of contrasting themes: wild vs. cultivated landscape, domestic vs. natural environment, order vs. chaos. Each painting seeks harmony and balance in color and composition, texture and pattern. I am especially inspired by folk art, botanical art, aboriginal art, and patchwork quilts. I hope my paintings will stimulate curiosity and encourage the viewer to look at the world with fresh eyes.
Jeremy Ackerman:
The irreverent artist Ray Johnson produced a series of seemingly improvised performances during his career that he referred to as “Throw Away Gestures.” Usually consisting of a few unremarkable objects, Johnson would break down social norms by interacting with these objects in playful yet unsettling ways. These performances were not slick but rather a series of untethered gestures that were meant to surprise those
bearing witness. Simple, uncomplicated, yet full of possibilities. In my most recent series of mixed media cut paper collages, I’ve adapted Johnson’s concept of the “Throw Away Gesture” for two dimensional work. Scribbles became loose forms that were drawn up very quickly; sometimes without even looking at the paper. As the number of my throw away gestures accumulated I would look for interesting relationships between them. The drawn gestures then went through a comically tedious process of being cut out with an x-acto blade. Ultimately, I was left with a collection of forms that were chopped up, reduced, expanded, connected, colored, layered and sometimes actually thrown away.
My lifelong fascination with music played a major role in the aesthetic of these works. Rhythm and color push against each other as the cut out gestures dive, slam, twerk, bounce and pogo; avatars for all the things floating around in my head. In these artworks the viewer might see glimmers of my lived experience of punk rock, doo-wop, death obsession, new age philosophy, hamburgers, boom boxes, spirits in the material world, guilt, divine comedies, garbage collection, aboriginal dreamtime conduits, cosmic jazz and other such additions to a life time laundry list. In the end, these sets of throw away gestures and random rules ushered in a new era of psychedelic storytelling that was in hot pursuit of self actualization.

Artists’ Biographies:

Alexandra Ackerman:
Alexandra Ackerman is a mixed media artist who uses color, pattern, and form (both organic and geometric) to create playful and dynamic abstract landscapes. Her artwork has been influenced by her years of experience working on farms and in gardens across the U.S. She is also inspired by folk art, patchwork quilts, abstract expressionism, and the Midwest landscape. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ackerman grew up a keen observer of the natural world, knowing from a young age that she would be an artist. She earned her BFA at Massachusetts College of Art, where she explored a variety of media, often incorporating fabric, collage, and found objects into her work. Ackerman has continued her exploration for three decades, maintaining a childlike freedom in her painting while balancing her roles as artist and mother. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and her work has found a home in many public and private collections. Recent exhibitions include the Iowa State Capitol, Memorial Union Gallery at ISU, and the Dubuque Museum of Art biennial. Her work can be found at Liz Lidgett Gallery and Prairie Lights Bookstore. Alexandra shares a studio with her husband, Jeremy, in downtown Iowa City.
Jeremy Ackerman:
In the 1990’s, visual artist Jeremy Ackerman attended Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. There he studied unconventional painting and installation with Afro Cuban artist Magadlena Compos-Pons. Heavily influenced by Compos-Pons’ polymathic approach to art making, Jeremy began to explore a multitude of media including drawing, sculpture, film and performance. After moving back to his hometown of Minneapolis at the end of the century, Jeremy continued to create art work while also founding the critically acclaimed eclectic pop group, Walker Kong. During this creative era of music making, Jeremy also began to experiment with cut paper collage. As his cut paper practice developed, so did his vision for what could be expressed with the medium. Jeremy has spent the last two decades creating a body of cut paper work that distills hyperactive movement into eye popping psychedelic dreamscapes.
During the pandemic Jeremy created his most ambitious work to date “Run Run Run (We Could Have Died)!” The first public viewing will be at Octagon Center for the Arts. In addition to growing his visual art, Jeremy recently started a recording studio/ DIY music label, Mouse Traxx Sounds. He is a current member of the music group, Oranj Ruffs, whose debut album was released in June 2024. He lives in Iowa City with his partner Alexandra, and their two children.
