Museum Director Eric Anderson said that the last year has been one of positives at the Blanden, and that there are many bright highlights on the horizon for 2023.

The big highlights of 2022 included bringing back the annual Art Festival.

“We had a virtual one in 2021,” he said. “It just wasn’t the same. We brought back the Art Festival this summer. That was really exciting to get that going again.”

The 2023 Art Festival, scheduled for June 10, is in the planning stages.

-Submitted photo
This sculpture, called “Are There Trees on Mars” by sculptor Steve Maeck, will be installed this spring on the southwest side of the Blanden Memorial Art Museum.

Visitors also enjoyed a variety of exhibits in 2022, with lots more to look forward to in 2023.

“We had some really great art exhibits,” he said. “We had sculpture, mixed media, photography and wood objects.”

One of the current exhibits features the photography of Evan Price, of Fort Dodge. The Iowa Central Community College graduate’s work caught Anderson’s eye when Price was still a student. “I remembered his work from when he was a student,” Anderson said. “I offered him a show.”

Hired in 2022 and up to speed, Art Educator Angela Ayala is an Otho native who’s returned to be part of the community.

“She’s been really fantastic at getting the program up and running,” he said.

Another significant milestone in the last year was the purchase of a building at 224 S. Eighth St. to use for off-site art education. The current classroom is a small room in the basement of the museum. The new building is expected to be ready to use in 2023.

“We own the building,” Anderson said. “We’re getting bids to finish the interior and then move our classroom into a bigger space. There’s lots of anxiety, but we’re also really excited. We hope to be in there in August.”

The project is a partnership between the city of Fort Dodge and the Blanden Charitable Foundation in the form of a 10-year loan. Anderson said he would like to see some community partnerships to help retire the debt. As a 501(c)(3) organization, donations are tax deductible.

In the spring of 2023, visitors will be able to see two new sculptures installed on the south side of the museum.

The first piece is called “Betty and the Howling Fox.” It will have a white painted belly lit from the inside, an illuminated red plastic plate that lights up and a large tail.

“There’s also a light coming out of the chicken’s eye and beak,” Anderson said.

He has a small model of the piece on his desk. It’s by artist Dan Perry who also created the “Chronicle,” which is located near the Municipal Building.

The other piece is by artist Steve Maeck. Anderson said it’s made of white oak and industrial scrap. It’s called “Are There Trees on Mars.”

Both are in the 12-foot range.

“Betty” is funded by the Blanden Charitable Foundation. “Mars” is funded by the Blanden Charitable Foundation, The Catherine Vincent Deardorff Foundation and the Anne Smeltzer Charitable Trust.

Another highlight was a large donation of prints.

“We got a huge influx of prints from the Richard Black estate,” he said. “He taught at Drake and lived just outside of Farnhamville. The Blanden was willed his collection. A lot of it is student work from the last 40 years.”

Other donations have also made their way to the Blanden.

“You never know what’s going to show up,” Anderson said. “We got some folk art from Haiti donated.”

One of the perks of his job is that often new pieces will spend some time with him in his office.

“They rest here till I find time to catalog them,” he said. “I love it because I love art.”