Communities gear up for SWIA Art Tour

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour is moving into its 11th year of highlighting the artwork of local artists in the Southwest Iowa area.
This year’s event includes 13 participating communities, 20 gathering places, and around 90 artists will be featuring their artwork over the two and three-day event Sept. 20-22. Red Oak’s FiveOne8 will be the gathering place for artists in Red Oak. Owner Phil Lamb, who participated in the very first Southwest Iowa Art Tour, shared how the event was created.
“It started with a few artists in Southwest Iowa who got together and tried to decide on something that would get us all to work together and get people to come and see art in Southwest Iowa. There are many artists in Southwest Iowa, and people don’t even know they exist,” Lamb said. “Here at the FiveOne8, I have many artists featured who are Southwest Iowa based. I also have a waiting list of artists trying to get in. I’d have to buy more buildings to feature all of the artists who want to be featured. So that’s how the event started, with a small group of artists. Zack Jones with Project Art Church in Malvern was one of the originators, as was Paul Koch with The Painted Camel in Macedonia. Both of them have locations hosting artists this year.”
Lamb said he participated in the first show, showing his artwork at the Art Church in Malvern. After the first show, Lamb said the show started growing and has grown ever since.
“The second year we kept going with a few artists in a few places. From there, we had to determine how to expand and how far we wanted to expand. It’s grown to a three-day event. Before, it was just held on Saturday and Sundays. A couple years ago, we added a Friday show so other artists could go to other places that were doing Friday shows, but we will have no Friday sneak peek here at the FiveOne8. We’ll do our normal event and then set up for the tour.”
The first show featured 21 southwest Iowa artists. This year’s event still features some of those original artists, including Lamb, Cece Lock, Zack Jones, and Paul Koch. After the third year, Lamb said he coordinated an event location to bring the art tour to Red Oak, first hosting the show at the Wilson Performing Arts Center before moving the show to the FiveOne8.
Lamb said this year will feature  new locations for art enthusiasts to visit during the tour.
“We had nothing in Shenandoah last year, and this year, The Mill on west Sheridan will be participating. We also added 8 Seconds in Sidney and Knox Art Studio in Thurman,” advised Lamb. “Zanzibarn Creations in Clarinda is also participating this year.”
One of the things that has kept the tour growing is the participation of two key communities.
“Malvern is one of the biggest with art. The have the Langille Studios, The Lakin Center, The Art Church, Sneed’s Fine Art, and Fine Arts on 5th. Getting the PACE Hoff Center out of Council Bluffs has helped because it’s a big venue. Tens of thousands of people know about the PACE Hoff Center, so they can help us advertise. The tough part is getting people to come from Council Bluffs to come east, rather than have everybody go west.”
Lamb added that not only does the art tour allow local artists to have a weekend opportunity to get their names out, it also gives them the opportunity to display more artwork.
“At the FiveOne8, there’s a limited amount of space for them to display normally. During the tour, all the tables and chairs come out, and they can bring their booths out and show different artwork and different styles. To give an example, one of our featured artists is Carrol Danbom. Carrol has been doing artwork for more than 50 years. If I were to take down everyone else’s artwork from the walls, Carrol has enough artwork to fill every wall space I have in here, and he still would not be able to display all of his stuff. We have multiple artists like that,” Lamb explained. “I convinced Carrol that if he would participate, I would bring his stuff down here.”
Lamb also said that the local arts are made up of those that focus fully on art, or do it as a hobby.
“A lot of the artists are either retired and do art as a hobby that has now taken over our lives. The other artists do it as a hobby but have full-time jobs. It’s a great thing to have this show because then people get to see so much more art and see what the people have done or can do. They also get to show a lot more art to a lot more people in a short time frame,” commented Lamb.
In addition to being able to view the artwork, attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase pieces.
“Almost everything is for sale. The artists may have some things that might be something that was made for someone else. Also, some of the artists will show incomplete pieces to show visitors where they are in the process and how it works,” Lamb said. “Also, while some of the originals can be expensive, a lot of the artists have prints so they can get a good, quality piece of art if they want a nice, smaller piece, or they can make a smaller print and mail it to them. It all depends on what the person wants. Art is very subjective. Custom framing may be available as well.”
Lamb also said if the featured artists didn’t have something available that visitors want, some of the artists are also available to do commission work, and will do requested pieces.
“If it’s a piece they want to do, they’ll definitely sit down with the person and make some notes and figure out what we want to do. Others will recommend another artist if they are unable to do it themselves,” Lamb stated.
Lamb felt the FiveOne8 had among the most eclectic groups of artwork combined into one space.
“Not everyone is painting. There’s so many different works and styles of art that most everything is covered. Other places on the tour have a variety of artwork on display as well.”
Lamb felt the Southwest Iowa Art Tour is an important event because it allows people to see just how much art is available in the area.
“People will come in and say they haven’t seen a particular type of art, and that gives us the chance to tell them about Malvern, Walnut, Avoca, or Macedonia. This is especially the case with visitors from Council Bluffs or Omaha or Lincoln. This gives us a great chance to encourage them to see more places. It gets more people excited about art, and gives everyone a chance to find something they like, because everyone’s taste in artwork isn’t the same,” Lamb said. “It’s a great feeling to see people walk through the door that you’ve never seen before come in and talk to artists, and see those artists selling art. That’s what keeps them going.”
One of the things Lamb appreciates about the tour is that in addition to bringing in visitors, the artists get the chance to talk among other artists.
“During the art tour weekend, they can talk to the other artists and find out what they’re doing now, and learn from that. The coolest part of the show for me is seeing an artists compliment another artist’s piece and see if there’s an interest in swapping some art. Then they don’t have to put up money, and they get to move some of their art around. I have a piece from every featured artist in the building in my house. You also get so see so much more stuff and see new pieces as well,” stated Lamb. 
Lamb also wanted to drive home that while the artists are all Southwest Iowa based, their artwork has traveled beyond Southwest Iowa.
“I’ve shipped my stuff all over the world, and that’s the same case with other artists. We’re not a huge known name, but we’ve done art for a long period of time and have sold artwork either across the country, or across the world,” Lamb advised. “There are a lot of talented artists located right here in Southwest Iowa. You could have a neighbor that creates art and you may not even know it.”
This year is the biggest collection of artists and locations assembled. Lamb said it hopes it draws a large crowd and that they have good weather for the show.
“We have a lot of great artists, and our location will have the most amount of artists in our facility and I think that makes a difference because we have a great variety of art. Some of our artists are bringing brand new pieces just to show at the art tour,” Lamb said.
Lamb also expressed his appreciation to all those who sponsored the Southwest Iowa Art Tour this year.
The complete list of artists featured at the FiveOne8 are: David Miner, Samantha Williams and Joey Norris, Curt Adams, Cece Lock, Cherie Miner, Lisa Jenkins, Trisha Earley, Gail Younts, Carroll Danbom, Duane Adams, Reagan Juel, Ann Iverson.  Drue Powers will not be showing, and Lamb said Brenda Scott will be showing out of her studio at 1154 State Highway 48 in rural Essex.
The following locations will be open from 4-7 p.m. Sept. 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 21, and noon to 4 p.m. Sept 22: Brenda Scott Studios, 1154 Hwy 48, Essex, Zanzibarn Creations, 2161 P Ave., Clarinda; The Mill, 818 W. Sheridan Ave., Shenandoah; Langille Studios, 27644 Paddock Ave., Malvern; the Lakin Center, 61321 315th St., Malvern; the Art Church, 201 E. 4th St., Malvern; Sneed’s Fine Art, 201 E. 5th St., Malvern; Fine Arts on 5th, 104 E. 5th St., Malvern; The Painted Camel, 320 Main St., Macedonia; Penny’s Visions Art Gallery, 510 Front St., Neola; and Knox Art Studio, 2206 255th Ave., Thurman.
The following locations will only be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 21, and noon to 4 p.m. Sept 22: FiveOne8, 518 N. 4th St., Red Oak; 8 Seconds, 416 Clay St., Sidney; Juniper Metal Works, 4 N. Walnut St., Glenwood; Avoca Main Street, 212 W. Crocker, Avoca; Market Street Gifts, 608 Market St., Harlan; The Furniture Girl, 100 Power Dr., Council Bluffs; Harvester Artist Lofts, 1000 S. Main St., Council Bluffs; and the PACE Hoff Center, 1001 S. 6th St., Council Bluffs.