Nicole Canty, of Webster City, introduces herself when visitors stop to admire her work.

“Hi,” Canty says. “My name is Nicole and I’m the artist.”

The abstractionist, who works mostly in acrylics — is 5, and yes, she can pronounce abstractionist just fine thank you.

She gave being the youngest artist a two thumbs up. She said she would like to keep doing art but she’s also considering a career as an engineer.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Nicole Canty, 5, of Webster City, was the youngest artist showing her work Saturday during the annual Blanden Arts Festival. Canty works in acrylics.

Eric Anderson, Blanden Memorial Art Museum director, said Canty was at the event last year and she’s already exhibited at the Blanden.

“She’s already had a small exhibit,” Anderson said. “We showed five of her works. She has a good sense of color in how she applies paint. It’s very innocent and direct. That’s what’s great about her artwork.”

On the other end of the scale is Evelyn Ruhnke, of Algona. She’s 97.

She’s been an exhibitor for five years. She started the same year Canty was born.

Her work is pressed flowers that she frames, makes into key chains and cards.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Jackie Brown, of Fort Dodge, purchased a set of earrings from artist Andrew Hampe, of Bode, during the Blanden Arts Festival Saturday.

“I press flowers and play with them,” Ruhnke said. “I love working with God’s creation.”

She learned the art from her mom, Hertha Dau.

“My mother taught me when I was growing up in the early 1940s,” she said.

She took a break from the flower art while she married and raised her family. She picked it back up several decades ago.

She’s not about to retire from creating her art.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Puppeteer Monica Leo, with the Enlenspiegel Puppet Theatre of West Liberty, puts on a skit called "The Election" during the Blanden Arts Festival Saturday. She performs with fellow puppeteer Stephanie Vallez.

“My mother lived to be 101 and a half,” she said. “I have a ways to go; I’m only 97.”

Exhibiting artist Andrew Hampe, of Bode, is somewhere in the middle — not the youngest, not the oldest.

He makes jewelry from a variety of materials — aluminum, wood, alcohol ink, acrylics. He started doing much of the work during the COVID shutdown and ended up with a lot of inventory.

“I was having too much fun in the winter,” he joked.

The day also included a puppet show, musical entertainment, lots of art activities for children and the young at heart, as well as offerings from several food trucks.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Simon Shelp, 4, of Milwaukee, finds out that it's just as much fun to spin your rock as it is to paint it while working on art projects during the Blanden Arts Festival Saturday.

Anderson said that the event drew about 400 visitors.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Artist Catherine Rosengren, of Lakota, wore some flowers in her hair to attend the Blanden Arts Festival Saturday. Rosengren creates handmade tiles and jewelry from tiles.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Blanden Memorial Art Museum board member Doug Brightman makes the best of things Saturday afternoon after it started raining during the Blanden Arts Festival.