“Over the Treetops”
By Michael Sweere

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The large 18’ wide x 8’ high mosaic wall and companion mosaic over the drinking fountain is located in the Fort Dodge Regional Airport’s main terminal. The mosaic is created from recycled ceramic and porcelain tile with glass and broken dishware.  “Over the Treetops” represents agriculture, farms, rivers, and rolling hills - the features that make this part of the country unique.   The artist chose to include an old-fashioned windmill in the design to convey the idea of wind and constant motion of the air. Artist Information: Michael Sweere – Michael Sweere Mosaic Co. LLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota Website: michaelsweeremosaic.com Michael Sweere was born in Owatonna, Minnesota. For nearly twenty years, he was employed as an art director, illustrator, and graphic designer for advertising agencies. In 2005, he retired from the commercial field to pursue fine arts. His commissioned artwork installations can be seen at numerous airports, hospitals, and learning facilities throughout the United States. “Much of my work incorporates recycled and salvaged objects - locating this material is a favorite pastime. I frequent salvage and thrift stores, looking for dinner plates, tin objects, old books, lumber, and ceramic tile. Often, my creative process unfolds with the discovery of new materials. It’s fun, it’s unpredictable, and it always keeps things fresh.”–Michael Sweere He lives in Minneapolis with his wife Carole and their two dogs - Ladybug and Tully.

“Axiom”
By Tom Stancliffe

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This stainless steel, powder coated aluminum sculpture is located on the grounds of the Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge campus by the Northeast corner of the Bioscience and Health Sciences Building. Its form was inspired by the graphic representations of the molecular structures found in all organic life. Artist Information: Tom Stancliffe – New Hartford, Iowa Website: tomstancliffe.com Tom Stancliffe, originally from the Chicago area, is a sculptor who now lives and maintains a large studio in rural New Hartford, Iowa. He is best known for his large-scale sculptures of bronze or stainless steel that find expression in both the historical and environmental context of a given site. He has completed over twenty commissioned works for public art collections throughout Iowa and across the nation. He is a Professor of Art at the University of Northern Iowa and serves on multiple civic public art committees.

“Stargate 6”
by Bill Barrett

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The large fabricated bronze sculpture is the centerpiece of the courtyard located in the Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center. Bill Barrett, creator of the Stargate series, found his inspiration after his battle with cancer. When asked about the sculpture, Barrett raised his arms in a “V” for Victory, and shared the joy he felt when he knew he had survived. Inspired by Barrett’s story, it is fitting that "Stargate 6" found its home in the healing garden at the hospital. Artist Information: Bill Barrett – Bill Barret Sculpture, New York & Santa Fe, New Mexico Website: billbarrettsculpture.com “Creative change is always important for me, from one shape to the next.  Surprise is important.  Taking a chance, while searching for truth is a condition that I strive for when starting a new work of art.  It is the beginning of the journey and my obligation.  You take a chance and you never know where the journey will take you.”–Bill Barrett

“Parade”
By William King

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The large outdoor aluminum sculpture is located in Fort Dodge at the intersection of 5th Avenue South and 8th Street South. The sculpture depicts individuals walking with hands linked, representing the essence of community spirit.              Artist Information: William King – East Hampton, New York William King is a contemporary American sculptor born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1925. His lyrical sculptures explore the strengths and weaknesses of the human condition.  The elongated and larger-than-life forms often poke fun at the realities of human action and interaction. King is an internationally renowned sculptor known for his simplified figurative cutouts in metal, which are often presented with a warm and subtle touch of humor. His sculptures are in collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Sheldon Museum of Art at University of Nebraska, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

“Riversong Anthology”
By Harriet Bart

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The public art is composed of nine different elements and is located at the entrance to the Fort Dodge Public Library. This public art was commissioned by the Catherine Vincent Charitable Foundation for the Fort Dodge Public Library.

The 9 Elements of “Riversong Anthology”:

Located on the front of the south column. Brass Talisman- The Talisman is a good luck piece that represents the brass ring of success. The following four items are grouped together in the south corner of library entrance. Book Column-Represents knowledge and culture. Bronze Owl-The book column is topped with this bronze owl, an ancient symbol of wisdom. Soapbox-Represents free speech and the communication of ideas. Speaker’s Staff-Is a scythe handle that represents the agricultural history of Fort Dodge.   The next two elements of are text cast in bronze and mounted on the walls to create a Visual Poem.  riverrunprairieseafrontierskywindsong – Based on the words and concepts used by the citizens of Fort Dodge to describe the natural attributes of Webster County. remember-placed on the backside of a pillar so that people see it as they exit the building. The final two elements mark the entrance of the library as a special place. Carved Glass-Surrounds the door and depicts the path of the Des Moines River through Webster County Gold Leaved Brick-Golden brow marks the entrance of the library as the entryway into a world of knowledge and possibilities. Artist Information: Harriet Bart – Harriet Bart Studios, Minneapolis, Minnesota Website: harrietbart.com The Minneapolis based Bart draws inspiration from her steadfast engagement with books and the written word. These elements are central to her gallery-sized installations as well as to her smaller sculptures and artists books. Harriet Bart creates evocative content through the narrative power of objects, the theater of installation, and the intimacy of artists books.   She has a deep and abiding interest in the personal and cultural expression of memory; it is at the core of her work. Using bronze and stone, wood and paper, books and words, everyday and found objects, Bart’s work signifies a site, marks an event, and draws attention to imprints of the past as they live in the present. Bart’s work has been exhibited extensively throughout the United States and Germany, and she has completed more than a dozen public art commissions in the United States, Japan, and Israel.  She has been the recipient of fellowships from the Bush Foundation, McKnight Foundation, MacDowell Colony, Virginia Center for Creative Arts, NEA Arts Midwest, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. Since 2000, Bart has published numerous fine-pressbooks and mixed media bookworks. She has won two Minnesota Book Awards. Her work is included in many museum, university, and private collections, including Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art,Library of Congress, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Weisman Art Museum, Jewish Museum, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and Sackner Archive of Visual and Concrete Poetry. She is a guest lecturer, curator, and founding member of the Traffic Zone Center for Visual Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“DNA Strand”
By Jesse Bogenrief

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This large hand-blown glass hanging sculpture is located in the rotunda of the Bioscience and Health Sciences Building on the Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge campus. Artist Information: Jesse Bogenrief – Bogenrief Studios, Sutherland & Spencer, Iowa Website: bogenriefstudios.com Over the years, Bogenrief Studios has grown from a small house in Seney, Iowa, to a studio with a national reputation for exquisite works of art in stained and beveled glass. In 2003, Bogenrief Studios took on the art of blown glass and opened their Blown Glass Studio in Spencer, Iowa. Their work has traveled from Florida to Hawaii and been featured in both public and private collections.