Studies in Creativity Reception
The Memorial Union Art Gallery is hosting an exhibit by Iowa State student artists titled Studies in Creativity. This annual show will be on display October 13 – November 20, 2024, and Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 11am-4pm and Sunday from 1-4pm.
Art included in the exhibit was selected by juror Julia Franklin, Executive Director of Mainframe Studios in Des Moines. Franklin reviewed 94 pieces submitted by 44 artists and whittled them down to the 34 artworks by 25 artists that are on display. She also chose the award winners which will be announced at the reception on Tuesday, October 22 from 6-7:30pm, with Franklin’s comments beginning at 6:15pm.
Franklin was born and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, and earned her masters degree in Sculpture from TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. She worked at the Dallas Museum of Art in community engagement and then moved to Lamoni, Iowa, where she served as Professor of Art at Graceland University for 18 years. There she received a prestigious Iowa Artist Fellowship and awards in both Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship. At Graceland, Franklin taught studio and art history courses and founded Art Academy, a summer art camp for children in rural Iowa. Franklin made the leap to Des Moines and managed the Anderson Gallery at Drake University before serving as the Grant Manager for Bravo Greater Des Moines. Julia took over Mainframe Studios in December 2023. Mainframe Studios, the largest nonprofit studio space in the nation, is a financially self-sustaining nonprofit providing affordable workspaces to advance equity and opportunities in the arts.
