eokuk K Vol. VIII, No. 2 ict istr t D er Spring 2014 A en geth Pu nm w to bli rtai tory flo cation Ente Where the Arts, Culture & His of the Keokuk Cultural and The Inside Scoop “Click” on any of the articles listed below to go directly to them. Mabel Ebersole — An Artist from Keokuk's Past Whose Work Lives on by Sandy Seabold n addition to the many I artists currently active in the Keokuk area, even more artists have called Keokuk their home in the past. One of the most distinguished of these earlier artists is Mabel Ebersole. I grew up surrounded by Miss Ebersole's paintings, many of which decorated the walls List of Advertisers of the First Congregational Conn Communications ....... 28 Church where she and I were members. Cramer Real Estate ............ 23 Miss Ebersole devoted her First Community Bank ...... 29 entire life to being an artist. Hotel Iowa ........................ 10 She started as a retoucher for the Anschutz Photographic Hy-Vee ............................. 6 Studio and then, after KSB Bank ........................ 25 high school, attended and Kevin Kuckelman, Atty ....... 15 graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago where Miss Ebersole's still life of sunflowers is Pilot Grove Savings Bank ... 4 she learned portrait and still now a part of the Keokuk Art Center's River Hills Village ............ 13 permanent collection. life painting. She enjoyed SCB Trust ........................ 24 working with oils, and many of her paintings were exhibited in salons in this area as well as in Chicago, a Sutlive Real Estate ........... 9 number of which won awards for excellence. She was deservedly quite proud of Vigen Memorial Home ....... 27 being listed in the book Who's Who of American Artists. Miss Ebersole was born in Keokuk on June 27, 1885, and died January 31, 1969, at the age of 83. Except for those years she attended the Art Institute and the three years when she was employed as a commercial illustrator for a publishing firm in Philadelphia, she lived and worked in Keokuk all of her life. However, she also traveled and exhibited extensively throughout the United States. Her painting, Nita of Orleans, which is now displayed prominently in the Keokuk Public Library, received the first place award at a major exhibition Keokuk Cultural & in New Orleans in 1930. It was one of ten paintings selected for the traveling Entertainment District exhibition of the Southern States Art League. It has been shown in several 329 Main Street of the finest galleries in the United States, including the Corcoran Gallery in Keokuk, IA 52632 319-524-5056 Continued on Page 2 www.mainstreetkeokuk.com Continued from Page 1 Washington, D.C. In 1936, Miss Ebersole received several awards for her work at the Five State Exhibition Keokuk CED Board of Directors in Omaha, Nebraska, and at the International Joyce Glasscock, Ex-Officio Exposition on American Ed Kiedaisch, President Carole Betts, Vice President Art at the Rockefeller Deanne Enderle, Secretary Center in New York. Dev Kiedaisch, Treasurer In her late seventies, Kotch Belmonti a local publication ran a Noel Brown lengthy article on Mabel Tom Gardner Ebersole's life and work. Rose Marie Karre It noted that "There is a Pam Kelly particular charm about Miss Alka Khanolkar Ebersole’s creations, a charm Mike O’Connor Chuck Pietscher that is difficult to analyze— Sandy Seabold which, after all, may be Dianne Stanley the best criterion for true Justin Swinderman art… that elusive something Bill Vandersall which can be sensed yet which escapes description Nita of Orleans, having received awards The Keokuk Confluence is a quarterly when attempting to express and been shown in galleries around the publication of the Keokuk Cultural & it in words. All who see her United States, now graces the walls of the Entertainment District. Advertising and paintings are aware of Mabel Keokuk Library. news may be submitted by calling or Ebersole’s sympathetic e-mailing the contacts listed below. response to people, places and things. This response is unconsciously transferred All opinions expressed in this publication to each canvas and in the personalism of her art one senses a simple beauty in are those of the advertisers, writers, or other her warmly poetic colorings—so typical of the Ebersolian style and composition. news sources, and do not reflect the opinions This painting [Nita of Orleans] has received such publicity, such acclaim, so many of the magazine, the publisher, or the editor. The Keokuk Confluence is not responsible awards and has appeared in so many showings that it is impossible to relate its for any errors. entire history.” Contents are copyrighted. Reproduction Many Keokukians will remember E. A. (Ed) Ebersole, a local banker, who was of any material in this publication without Mabel’s brother and a great admirer of her work. Ed presented the Keokuk Art written permission of the publisher is Center will several pieces of her art work and after her death several other pieces prohibited. © 2014 Keokuk Cultural & came into the possession of the Art Center. Entertainment District. The deadline for copy and advertising is one month prior to publishing (generally the 28th of the second month of the quarter.) Email stories and articles to Sandy Seabold. Publisher: Sandy Seabold [email protected] Calendar: Carole Betts [email protected] Advertising: Bill Vandersall [email protected] Editor: Tom Gardner Editorial Advisors: Joyce Glasscock Janet Fife-LaFrenz Alka Khanolkar Dev Kiedaisch Ed Kiedaisch Dianne Stanley Designer: Julia Logan Advisor: Rita Noe Untitled — Collection of the Keokuk Art Center. Technical Advisor: Adam Zetterlund 2 Keokuk Fine Arts Council Annual Tri-State High School Art Competition by Prue Backlin he Keokuk Fine Arts Council's annual Tri-State High School Art Competition Twas held recently at the Keokuk Public Library. Works were placed on display on Saturday, March 1, by chairperson Rose Marie Karre, Bruce Dunek, Jim Layfield, Susan Kerr, Virginia Riddle and Prue Backlin. Judging was done on Monday, March 3, by Suzanne Messer, art instructor at Southeastern Community College. The eight schools from which works were submitted were Keokuk, Fort Madison, Central Lee, Holy Trinity, and Winfield-Mount Union in Iowa, Hamilton and Illini West in Illinois, and Clark County R-1 in Missouri. Prizes in each of six categories were awarded at a reception held for students on Sunday, March 23. First place winners each received $75; second place winners each received $50; and third place winners each received $25. The prize money was donated by Dr. Joseph Rapagnani, former Council member, and Jim Layfield. Prizes were awarded to the following students: Painting First—McKenzie Berquam, "Backyard Patio," Keokuk, Grade 12 Second—Karisa Wilson, "Travis and Me," Illini West, Grade 10 Third—Allison Herr, "Silhouette Tree," Keokuk, Grade 10 Drawing First—Dylan Menke, "Dissentient," Holy Trinity, Grade 12 Art in the District Second—Carrie Hargrove, "One Man Down," Clark County R-1, Grade 10 Third—Carlee Keenan, "Old Fashioned Camera," Fort Madison, Grade10 Pictured above, Backyard Continued on Page 4 Patio by McKenzie Berquam, and to the left, Dissentient by Dylan Menke. 3 Continued from Page 3 Pastels First—Shelbyja Tweedell, "Murica," Illini West, Grade 12 Second—Austin Kirchner, "Inferred Heat Portrait," Central Lee, Grade 10 Third—Billie Kirby, "Autumn," Illini West, Grade 11 Watercolor First—Chelsea Page, "Stargazers," Central Lee, Grade 12 Second—Jessica Johnson, "Tulips," Illini West, Grade 10 Third—Brooke Jennings, "Resplendent," Winfield-Mt Union, Grade 12 Mixed Media First—Christian Glaze, "Disconcerting," Fort Madison, Grade 10 Second—Cody Charbonneau, "Pendant," Fort Madison, Grade 10 Third—Hunter Maxwell, "Pink Daisies," Central Lee, Grade 12 Three Dimensional First—Wyatt Fecht, "Release the Kraken," Illini West, Grade 12 Second—Jeremy Austin Hartetler, "Left Pitcher," Hamilton, Grade 10 Third—Chyanna Abernathy, "Charon, Leader of the Dead," Illini West, Grade 12. Pictured clockwise from the upper righthand corner are Murica by Shelbyja Tweedell, Disconcerting by Christian Glaze, Release the Kraken by Wyatt Fecht, and Stargazers by Chelsea Page—all 1st place winners in this year's KFAC Tri-State High School Art Competition. 4 What's Next for the MRP-100 Museum? by Phil Tracy ollowing our successful 100-year anniversary Fcelebration of the completion of the Keokuk- Hamilton Dam and Powerhouse, the Mississippi River Power 100 committee is currently in a transitional period as it establishes a permanent museum. It is in the process of filing for a name, incorporating and obtaining 501(c) (3) tax exempt status. Plans are underway for membership development, fundraising, new museum floor plans and displays, as well as how to collect, preserve and protect future artifacts and historical donations. Other considerations include the expansion of days and hours the museum will be open. There is a core of dedicated members who have met continuously since the 100 year celebration. They are awaiting results of their filings for incorporation and tax exempt status before starting a fundraising compaign. Meanwhile, the museum is still located in the River City Mall and is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 4 pm. Displays and exhibits are ready for general public viewing. The museum has been cleaned and painted but there is much more work to be done. An upcoming fundraising and membership drive is being planned. Full details will be forthcoming. We will again have a dinner/theater event July 24th at Meyer's Courtyard, as well as a theatre production July 25th at the Bott Community Center in Warsaw. Other presentations for the public to enjoy are being discussed. We hope to attract new members and sponsors to make the museum financially sustainable. Additional member and volunteer support will enable us to increase the number of days and hours the museum is open.