Wegman displays Iowan pride

Beautiful, picturesque and serene landscapes are among the state characteristics Iowans take pride in, especially during the stunning fall season.

Walking through Preus Library, students and faculty may notice a new art exhibit featuring pastel paintings of such gorgeous landscapes. The art collection, created by Marcia Wegman, reveals that Iowa is truly not the boring region many view it to be.

The idea to feature Wegman’s work came from Luther faculty member Jane Kemp, who serves as the library department head and also supervises the college’s fine arts collection. Kemp was updating the fine arts collection when she ran across a donated print by Wegman, which inspired her to visit the artist’s Web site.

“I thought her works were so nice on her Web site,” said Kemp, who then traveled to Iowa City for a tour of Wegman’s studio.

Although her original piece in the Luther fine arts collection is an engraved print, Wegman has moved on to the medium of pastel, which is what Kemp found particularly intriguing.

“It’s very hard to find someone who can do realistic landscapes,” said Kemp. “She catches the Iowa light beautifully and has really mastered the art of working with pastels, which is a difficult medium.”

Kemp then recommended Wegman’s work to David Kamm, Luther’s gallery coordinator, who researched Wegman’s pieces and was equally impressed.

“We try to find a range of artist sensibility and a range of media,” said Kamm of his decision to feature Wegman’s colorful, realist artwork.

Although Wegman’s current artistic passion is pastel, most of her previous work involved intaglio printmaking, oil, watercolor, acrylic, handmade paper and mixed collage. Because pastel was not viewed as a suitable medium for scholarly artists, Wegman did not even begin experimenting with pastel until later in her career.

Wegman describes her first experience with the new medium in her artist’s statement. “I tried painting an English Lake District Landscape with an old set of pastels,” she wrote. “Soon I realized this was the perfect medium for me.”

Wegman, who has lived in the Midwest all her life, is dedicated to contradicting the common perception that Iowa is an unvaried and featureless locale.

“Each month of the year I found a subtlety that I never tire of exploring,” said Wegman in her artist statement.

Wegman creates her art solely from photographs she takes and finds value in the use of light in her artwork.

“The drama [of landscape] can be heightened by the way the light, and thus shadows, are depicted,” wrote Wegman. “I enjoy challenging myself in constantly finding new ways to explore the forms, rhythm, lines, repetition, light and color in the Iowa landscape.”

In addition to her single pastel drawings, Wegman also wrote and illustrated a children’s book entitled “Lula Belle,” which is available in Luther’s curriculum library. Three of the illustrations from this book are on display in the library exhibit.

Wegman’s work can be found in three galleries throughout the state of Iowa, and Luther is fortunate to have her artwork on display until the end of the semester. Students and faculty are invited to come meet the artist herself at an artist’s reception in Hovde Lounge, located on the first floor of the library, on Oct. 30 from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.