Art blooms in Mt. Pleasant

MT. PLEASANT — The Mount Pleasant Public Arts IMPACT Gallery in the Mt. Pleasant Public Library currently displays a “Flowers from Iowa,” exhibit featuring the colored pencil drawings of artist Susan Partain.

A transplant to Iowa, Partain studied art at Florida College and under nationally and internationally known television artist Jerry Yarnell.

Many of her works on display feature flowers from her very own Iowa garden.

IMPACT is able to bring artists like Partain to the community through a network of Iowa artists aptly named Iowa Artists.

The Southeast Iowa section of this network is located in region 12 of the Iowa Artists, and this is commonly how Mt. Pleasant Public Art IMPACT Chairman of the Board Phil Gyzer finds the artists featured at the Mt. Pleasant Public library for two month durations.

A grant from the Enhance Henry County Foundation with the purpose of showcasing local artists to the community funds IMPACT’s endeavors.

“We fulfill our purpose of introducing artists to the community with this gallery in the library,” Gyzer said. “We do more than just the gallery, though. We support community theater and the new Mt. Pleasant art center. However we can, we support the community arts.”

Gyzer says the gallery does not hold receptions or do anything fancy.

He categorizes it as low-key and accessible to the community.

“We really are an arts advocacy group to encourage all arts in the county,” Gyzer said of the Mt. Pleasant Arts IMPACT group.

Partain’s exhibit is displayed at The Gallery in the Mount Pleasant Public Library through July.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com