Area Show: 50

Kinney-Lindstrom Gallery
July 3 – September 23, 2026

Best in Show Award Winner – Dan Gamble, of Mason City, IA, Untitled (Diptych), egg tempera on panel. 

Awards have been announced for Area Show: 50, a competitive exhibition at the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum.  The display includes a wide variety of artworks created by artists above high school age living within a 100-mile radius of Mason City. 

Entering artists were competing for the opportunity to have their work featured in a solo exhibition and for $1,000 in cash awards.  The Best in Show award was given to Dan Gamble, of Mason City, Iowa, who will be granted a solo exhibition in 2027, for the egg tempera on panel, Untitled (Diptych). 

Three artists received a $250 Excellence Award; Larry Gregson, of Mason City, Iowa for the oil on herringbone linen work, Bosveld’s Odtaa Number 7; Susan E. Kuennen, of Elgin, Iowa, for the willow and reed basket with deer antler, Amethyst and Jade; and Janet Kostka of Mason City, Iowa, for the acrylic painting, Dahlia from Lorrie on My Birthday.

Two Merit Awards, each at $100, were given out; one to Mary Ann Marreel, of Osage, Iowa for the charcoal drawing, The Shepherd and one to Yvonne C. Cory, of Easton, Minnesota for the textile art apron titled Rebirth of Family Mementoes.  The $50 Most Daring Award was presented to Frida Figueroa, of Waverly, Iowa for the oil on canvas artwork, Mitos de la Historia.

Five Honorable Mention awards were handed out as well.  The first went to Tracy Ingham of Rockford, Iowa, for the acrylic painting, Walking The Dog.  The second went to Jefferson Brown, of Mason City, Iowa for the acrylic painting, The Bear.  The third went to TC Dakin, of Kensett, Iowa for the stained glass piece, Horse/Strength.  The fourth Honorable Mention was awarded to Julie Hughes, of Cedar Falls, Iowa for the mixed media piece, Quiet Watch and the fifth was given to Dean Swenson of Buffalo Center, Iowa for the acrylic painting, The Hermit.

The competition for the show was open to all artists above high school age residing within 100 miles of Mason City, encompassing North Central Iowa and Southern Minnesota.  Each entrant was eligible to submit up to two artworks for consideration.  This year’s show drew a total of 114 entries by 62 artists.  The final exhibition includes 36 works by 35 artists. 

The juror for Area Show: 50 is Kong Ho, Associate Professor of Art at North Iowa Area Community College. Many artworks in the exhibition are for sale and can be purchased through the Museum.  The exhibition is sponsored by the David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation and will remain on view in the Museum’s Kinney-Lindstrom Gallery through September 23, 2026.  Admission is free and open to the public.  Please visit the Museum’s website, macniderart.org, for the most up to date visitor information.  You can also call the Museum at 641-421-3666.