Arts find a home in Mt. Pleasant

MT. PLEASANT — Mt. Pleasant’s art community grows support of local artists with the opening of Main Street Art Center in November 2021.

“I wanted a place to show my artwork, and it got me to thinking that there was a lot of artists that would like a place to show their works too,” said Lorri Lee Miller, director of The Main Street Art Center. “And there were places in the surrounding area, but we didn’t have any place in Mt. Pleasant.”

Main Street Art Center is a charitable organization located on the east side of the downtown square.

“This is the best location, I couldn’t have picked a better location,” Miller said. “People see us here. Here they stop.”

Miller is also exceptionally appreciative of the art center’s art patron landlords Dr. Fred and Deb Savage.

The art center show cases 45 rotating member artists’ artwork regularly in the front portion of the building.

“I never knew so much talent was hidden in this area,” Miller said.

Memberships are offered at the art center to help pay for classes and events and gives members a 10% discount.

Members are also welcomed to utilize artist work spaces in the art center.

The center is completely funded by member fees, donations from patrons and commissions from art sold.

Art sold on commission in the front retail space of the center provides 25% of the sale to the art center, and the artist takes home 75%.

Miller is floored just how quickly the art center has already become self-sufficient monetarily.

The art center is on their fourth gallery show since April.

A new artist is featured each month in the ‘Gallery’ section of the center with a reception to welcome them the first Thursday of each month.

These artists include: Suzi Morrison, Dawn Wiley, and Lorrilee Miller, Jane Shank, Nash Cox, and Ron Wick.

“I love it, I’m glad they’re here,” occasional art student and upstairs neighbor David Collins said. “These are high quality five start artists.”

Additionally, the art center welcomes community members into the space for various art classes taught by local artists and board members.

Collins has seen every exhibit thus far, though, he does attribute part of that to his prime location just above the center.

Currently, exhibit dates are booked a year in advance, and Miller remains floored by the amount of positive response she has received.

“It’s like a floodgate opened,” Miller said.

While the community appears to love the art center, according to their contributions, the art center is sure to love the community around them as well.

Miller has hosted a few school field trips this last school year and hopes to host more this upcoming year.

The Art Center was also very active in a recent campaign to raise funds for children suffering from the conflict in Ukraine.

This fundraiser raised over $30,000.

Miller is quick to speak highly of the other men and women who have helped to make this contribution to the community possible.

Ann Klingensmith works along side Miller as the assistant director.

Klingensmith has taught art for over thirty years with Iowa Wesleyan University, and now leads some of the art classes for the center.

Others upholding this important addition to the Mt. Pleasant community include the board of directors: Suzi Morrison, Don Jones, Dawn Wiley, Mary Elgar and Sam Riepe.

Main Street Art Center contributes to Mt. Pleasant as they continue to fulfill their mission which “affirms the shared experience of art between the artist and the community.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com