Harpers Ferry artist receives Merit Award; work on display at State Fair ...


"Reaching Providence" by Andrew Wroble

"Yellow River Advantage" by Andrew Wroble

Allamakee County artist Andrew Wroble of Harpers Ferry received a 2018 Iowa State Fair Merit Award in the Fine Art Gallery Exhibition that coincides with this year’s State Fair in Des Moines. Wroble’s work is inspired by landscape in northeast Iowa and, in particular, his time spent in the Yellow River State Forest near Harpers Ferry. Two of Wroble’s works were juried in for the show which highlights over 200 compositions of original art. “Reaching Provence”, a large ink wash painting which the artist says “reflects daydreams on a slow fishing day,” was awarded third-place honors in the watercolor category at the Exhibition’s August 5 reception and awards ceremony.

Wroble works out of his studio near Harpers Ferry. His expressive ink wash work has been added in recent years to private and public collections across the United States. Wroble’s artistic technique deals with up-close experience among trees, such as his “Reaching Provence” piece at right and his “Yellow River Advantage” piece pictured below. The art depicts the land with variable seasonal fluctuations in light, humidity and temperature in the environment.

Visitors to the 2018 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines August 9-20 will find the exhibition located in the Patty & Jim Cownie Cultural Center. This building is near the wind turbine in the eastern area of the fairgrounds and open to the public 9 a.m.-9 p.m. The air-conditioned galleries are arranged comfortably and reflect original ideas developed by some of Iowa’s finest artists, with Wroble’s two works pictured in the surrounding images being among those on display in this year’s exhibit. Submitted images.