A new display is coming to the Wellman Parkside YMCA to showcase the prowess of artists in the Mid-Prairie School District. The first-ever AK-12 Art Show for the district lasts Monday, through Wednesday at the Wellman YMCA Banquet Hall. Mid-Prairie High School art teacher Dain Jeppson spoke with KCII news about the show, what will be on display and how things were chosen, “projects from the high school will feature 2D and 3D photography, some other 3D art. There was no criteria, just pieces I thought that students did a really good job and made an awesome piece of art. That’s what I went with. I’m looking forward to showcasing all of the talent in the district.”

One of the artists participating is senior Megan Lucas. She talked with KCII news her pieces being featured, her interest in art and what she hopes patrons take away from the show, “art is like an outlet I use. I usually like to do landscape projects. I love doing faces that show a lot of emotion because it depicts what my emotions are. It’s like putting how I am feeling into a project. One of my pieces is an oil-pastel project. It’s a girl with a hawk’s face. It’s kind of like street art. I also have a strawberry that I used prismacolor colored pencils. I also have a multimedia project where I went and took random objects and turned them into art. I really hope that when people see my art they can find how the emotions effect them and make it their own.”

There will be an official opening event for the exhibit at 6 p.m. Monday. There is no admission charge and the display is available for the public to view during normal Wellman Parkside YMCA operating hours.  

For more information listen to Monday’s JJ Nichting Company In Touch With Southeast Iowa program with Lucas and Jeppson.