The 2020 festival is sidelined, yet a special Des Moines Arts Festival exhibit demonstrates their mission to “impact lives through the arts”. DMAF board member and Silent Rivers founder Chaden Halfhill assembled a gallery exhibit featuring nine Des Moines Arts Festival artists who exemplify transformation. It’s fittingly titled DMAF Curated: Emerging Horizons.
Installed at a new space called The Living Room at Olson-Larsen Galleries, Chaden walks us through the exhibit in this video tour. Interested in scheduling a private tour? Information is below!
The lowdown on Des Moines Arts Festival exhibit
WHAT:
DMAF Curated: Emerging Horizons
The Des Moines Arts Festival gallery exhibit
WHEN:
Now through July 27, 2020
WHERE:
Olson-Larsen Galleries’ new space called The Living Room
203 Fifth Street in Valley Junction
West Des Moines, IA 50265
ENGAGE:
Tour exhibit online »
Or call Olson-Larsen at 515-277-6734 to schedule a private tour!
TIP: Fun and fulfilling outing for a small group of friends 🙂
ARTISTS:
Chris Dahlquist, Photography, Kansas City, MO
Patricia Deleon-Alfonso, Painting, Greenville, SC
Kim Eubank, Painting, Richmond, VA
Bryan Griffith, Mixed Media, Flagstaff, AZ
Leslie Guinan, Mixed Media, Des Moines, IA
Brianna Martray, Drawing, Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Matthews, Mixed Media, Des Moines, IA
Jenifer Thoem, Ceramics, Rome GA
Robin Washburn. Metalworks, Marion, IL
CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: “Penumbra 1533” and “Liminal 1702” by Bryan Griffith, “Bound” by Kim Eubank, “Timeline No. 32” by Brianna Martray, “Geometry of Trees” by Chris Dahlquist, “Awareness” by Patricia Deleon-Alfonso are all on display at this special Des Moines Arts Festival exhibit curated by Chaden Halfhill.
The inspiration behind DMAF Curated: Emerging Horizons
Now in its fourth year, DMAF Curated is an example of how to bring together, or curate, a personal collection of art that resonates both as individual pieces and a cohesive collection that inspires a deeper appreciation of the world around us. As an artist, sculptor and designer of beautiful homes, Chaden Halfhill, 2017 G. David Hurd Innovator in the Arts recipient, knows that art is important in our daily lives so that we may live an inspired life.
In this year’s “Emerging Horizons” collection, Chaden chose works by artists who have planted seeds of inspiration and collaboration amidst transformation throughout their careers. As cultural observers who are sensitive to the human emotional experience, these artists exemplify the ability to pivot. And that’s an ability that resonates vigorously during this time.
Now, when all of us are pivoting in our lives and elevating our sense of humanity, these artists represent the positive influence of the creative mind. As our world begins to shift and awaken, this exhibit represents threads of change and evolution. It exposes deep values embodied within each artist’s work, even as they pivoted into a new trail of exploration.
DMAF Curated is a creative collaboration between Silent Rivers Design+Build and Des Moines Arts Festival to support the DMAF vision to strengthen a vibrant and creative community. As one of the world’s top-ranked festivals — winning 27 awards last year from the International Festivals & Events Association — Des Moines Arts Festival presented by Nationwide is an excellent resource to experience and collect incredible art. Although the 2020 festival was sidelined due to COVID-19, this exhibit is an opportunity to connect with art by festival artists. More than 1,000 artists from around the world apply each year, and jurors narrow down the selection to only 180 artists. DMAF Curated provides an intimate glimpse at 9 of this year’s selected artists representing the theme of transformation.
CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: “Bird Series” by Jennifer Thoem, “Revisited: From the Second Chance Series” by Robin Washburn, “Golden Road to…” by Robert Matthews, “Falling into Place” by Leslie Guinan are featured in DMAF Curated: Emerging Horizons exhibit at Olson-Larsen Galleries now through July 27, 2020.
The Curatorial Statement: Thinking deeper during this transformative time
Artists emerge. They reinvent. They adapt and transform. The artist’s journey is one of becoming. This journey involves acute observation, experimentation, and self-discovery, also a willingness and deep fortitude to change directions, even start over. Transitions are common, disruption expected. Life as an artist is a spiritual quest of intimate exploration; it is a path generating language that resonates with others. The artist reveals a conventional narrative that is often far greater than self. Threads of experience and ideation weave together as artists mature, resulting in a testament – witness to change and individual capacity to persevere and calibrate new direction throughout one’s career. It was this testament that inspired this show and its theme Emerging Horizons.
As festival artists, time on the road is an essential requirement. Artists are upfront and familiar with the plane of creative potential that exists when driving; the horizon of possibility is always in front of us, an invitation to drop into the minds-eye and harness the never-ending stimulus of the imagination. Problems are solved, ideas awakened, and careers fostered on the road. Quite literally, the pursuit of the horizon is endless, but as a metaphor — a refreshing reflection of life’s travels and the artist’s consummate journey towards an unobtainable boundary. Within this pursuit, we discover ourselves.
This year’s theme honors the unfolding paths that ten artists have taken, pivots made personally and professionally, and the work that depicts these decisions. Core values remain intact within their ethos, providing continuity, as the work is redefined over time. Embracing a creative life, we realize that destination matters less and less, especially as we iterate, because the artist’s mind finds solace within the search.
Chaden Halfhill, curator
Support the Des Moines Arts Festival »
For years, Silent Rivers Design+Build has created the treasured VIP Club and Hospitality Suites at the Des Moines Arts Festival. Known as the most posh space at the festival, it has always been open to patrons of the festival whose support ensures this event remains free to our community. With no festival this year, your support is needed now more than ever. Support our local artists. Consider purchasing art from the amazing artists whom you would have seen at this year’s festival. Help Des Moines Arts Festival continue their vision to impact lives through the arts as we all rise above and beyond during this incredible time.
Thank you for believing in the power of art to help transform our world. Celebrate our vibrant community!
