Top photographs honored at Iowa State Fair

Mike Landwehr of Waukee and Ankeny resident Carley Goldhorn earned Best of Show honors in the Photography Salon competition judged prior to the 2008 Iowa State Fair.

Landwehr’s entry, “Geese in Corn Dust,” won him $500 for Best of Show in the Adult Division. Goldham earned $250 for Best of Show in the Youth Division with her entry, “Essence of Time.”

The theme for this year’s contest was “Night Visions.” Judges reviewed over 200 entries for consideration and awarded $7,225 in prize money to the most creative and engaging black and white and color photos.

Winning entries from each division will be on display throughout the Fair in the Patty and Jim Cownie Cultural Center, open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Additional results after the jump:
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Best of Show

Here’s a look at Christian Vandehaar’s beautiful pastel, St. Matthew and the Angel, which was selected as “Best of Show” at the year’s Iowa State Fair. VandeHaar lives in Altoona.

Seeing this picture reminded us that Grant Wood, Iowa’s most famous artist, got his first big break when he won a ribbon at the fair in the 1930s. He loved the fair because he loved Iowans and never missed an opportunity to go and people watch, study the livestock, and think about his next creation.

Interestingly, when he became the newly appointed head of the Public Works of Art Project for Iowa, later named Civil Works Administration, Wood was asked by Iowa State President Raymond M. Hughes to plan murals for the library there. Wood obviously welcomed this opportunity to employ artists, and made his selection from those who had exhibited at the Iowa State Fair.

You can see Vandehaar’s painting at the Cultural Center on the east side of the fairgrounds (check out our map to find the location of the building.) It’s a favorite destination for many fair-goers and will give you a chance to see a new crop of artists ready to make a name for themselves.

Altoona Artist Wins Best of Show Fine Arts Award

Christian Vandehaar of Altoona acquired Best of Show honors in the Fine Arts competition judged prior to the start of the 2008 Iowa State Fair.

Vandehaar’s pastel, “St. Matthew and the Angel,” won her $600.

In the Adult division, First Place Overall was awarded to Richard Hanson of Fort Dodge for his water color, “Resting Out of Sight.” Mary Muller of Des Moines earned Second Place Overall for her pastel entitled “Lexi.” Third Place Overall was presented to Matt Clark of Ankeny for his sculpture, “Compulsion #2. How Did I End Up Here?”

Natalie Morris of Pleasant Hill won the Iowa Water Color Society Prize for Young Artists for her watercolor, “Working Together.”

The DMACC Purchase Award went to Sharon Nelson Hyphen Vaux of Altoona for her ceramic piece, “Forest Fire.”

All works of art, judged by a panel of three judges, will be on display in the Patty and Jim Cownie Cultural Center throughout the Fair.

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