A Visit to the Pearson Lakes Art Center - Okoboji
As you may have guessed, I am very fond of the Arts in general. It wasn’t always this way. I did not enjoy art in school because I didn’t think it was fair that it was graded. I loved participating in music because it was not given a letter grade. I was not great at drawing and didn’t (and still don’t) have much spatial ability. Let’s just say my artwork contained a bunch of erase marks, almost to the point the paper was disintegrated. Sigh…Oddly, it wasn’t until I went to college that I began to enjoy art. I took an art history class and loved it, even the projects. The focus was on the learning and not as much on the perfection of the projects. As a result I discovered I loved art. I also went to the Art Institute of Chicago two or three times during college and discovered art museums were not stuffy places filled with old paintings. Art musuems had some really cool stuff. I remember one of the first pieces I viewed was American Gothic and was intrigued by the fact that Grant Wood was from Iowa. I also vividly remember the large impressionist painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Seurat. I remember marveling that the whole painting was composed of tiny dabs of different-colored paint. As a result of those two works, I became an art enthusiast. I also remember browsing the Thorne Miniature Rooms and being fascinated by those as well. Seeing visual art in numerous forms pretty much sealed the deal for me. My sister was interested in art and architecture, so I then became familiar with Frank Lloyd Wright and other architects, as well as other forms of visual arts. Now I seek out art museums and am delighted they have become more interactive, less “stuffy,” and much more varied.
Quick funny story - my sister and I were in college at the same time. She was at ISU studying architecture and I was at the U of Iowa for grad school. One afternoon my friends decided to go on a little road trip to Des Moines. One of the places we went was the Des Moines Museum of Art. The attendants in each of the rooms were quite stern and serious and would shush you if you made noise or talked. I remember backing up to look at a modern painting and I backed into someone. I turned around to apologize and it was my sister! Neither of us knew the other was going to the art museum and neither of us lived in Des Moines at the time. What are the odds?!? I was so shocked I hollered, “Amy, what are you doing here?” My voice echoed all over the place and of course I was shushed by just about everybody. 🙄 Oh, well. I am glad that most art museums do not adhere to the complete silence rules anymore. They should be vibrant places full of life and creativity.
Anyway, I digress. Last Saturday morning, on November 4, my mom and I went to the Pearson Lakes Art Center in northwest Iowa (Okoboji). I hadn’t been there for several years and discovered a number of improvements. The childrens’ area had been redesigned and was attractive, fun, and interactive. What a great space for kids! I enjoyed the special pottery exhibit there entitled, “Arid to Humid: Collaborations from Adam Nielson and Ben Roti.” See some photos below. I also enjoyed the focus on area artists, most of which were quite good and some featured Okoboji subjects and architecture. Fun! I was surprised by a room with a Russian painting collection and had not seen that before. And my mom and I both pored over the many items available for purchase in the gift shop area. My mom bought something special for my daughter but I can’t spill the beans. It’s getting close to the holidays, after all! My lips are sealed. 🤐🤭😎
The museum includes a theater, an outdoor picnic pavilion, and a sculpture park through the adjacent nature area. They often have special events, including concerts and plays. Classes for kids, teens and adults are offered and a nice classroom facility is available. It’s a great place to have an event too! My younger sister had her wedding reception there and I remember getting to browse the artwork in between dance segments. That felt really special to me and really enjoyed being able to do that.
The museum is currently open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 -4, plus 10-9 on Thursdays. During the summer season the center is open Monday through Saturday each week. The center is constantly changing and improving as evidenced by my recent visit. I will definitely go back and I’d encourage you to check it out too when you are at “The Lakes.” There’s something for everyone!
