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.