Collections

Iowa State has been commissioning and collecting public art for nearly 100 years and the intent has remained consistent - to create an intellectually and culturally stimulating campus environment. More than 650 significant, and more than 2,000 total, public works of art promote social, political and cultural discussions reflecting the diverse values and belief systems of the campus community. Public art is a partnership between the artist and the commissioning campus community and provides a unique sense of place while promoting the practice of visual literacy to the entire university.

The Art on Campus Collection is continually growing through the Art in State Buildings (AiSB) Program, originally enacted in 1978 by the Iowa Legislature. The law requires one-half of one percent of state building construction funds be used for acquiring public art.

The Art on Campus Collection also includes models, drawings, maquettes and works of art from the permanent collections, exploring the creative processes public artists use to research, create and install the public works of art in the Art on Campus Collection. This part of the collection is housed at The Christian Petersen Art Museum, which is the nation’s only campus museum devoted to teaching visual literacy campus-wide while focusing on public art as a major means of communication and expression to campus audiences.

Christian Petersen created more than 1,250 known works of art during his lifetime, and nearly 80% of his sketches, drawings and sculptures are included in the Christian Petersen Art Collection at Iowa State. Christian Petersen was sculptor in residence at Iowa State for twenty one years, from 1934 to 1955. Petersen originally came to Iowa at the invitation of artist Grant Wood during the Great Depression to participate in the federal Public Works of Art Projects for Iowa State and stayed to make a permanent and lasting impression on the campus landscape.

In 1962, Ann and Henry Brunnier pledged to Iowa State a collection of dolls and decorative arts amassed over fifty-five years. The donation included a comprehensive European, North American and Asian decorative art collection. This was comprised of glass, ceramics, Old Russian enamels, and ivory carvings. Ann’s collection included more than 8,000 objects, filling two semi-trucks. Since this original donation, hundreds of other private patrons have donated other decorative arts collections to expand the University Museums’ permanent collections. In addition to a large encyclopedic collection of glass, fine ceramics, Russian enamels and ivory, this collection also includes furniture, jades, pottery, snuff bottles, and carved wood objects.

In 1962, Ann and Henry Brunnier pledged to Iowa State a collection of dolls and decorative arts amassed over fifty-five years. The donation included a comprehensive European, North American and Asian doll collection. Ann’s total collection included more than 4,000 objects, filling two semi-trucks. Since this original donation, the doll collection has been carefully curated to include some of the best of Ann’s collection. Victorian era games and toys are also in this collection, many of which are on display at the Farm House Museum.

In 1975 University Museums did not initially plan an Iowa Artists Collection, but within five years it became apparent that this important artistic legacy needed to be addressed, both for Iowa State and the citizens of Iowa. As the Iowa Artist Collection grew through the exceptional generosity of donors and artists the Iowa Artists Collection became one of the most significant of University Museums’ collections. Artist included in the collection include those that were born and raised in Iowa, were educated in Iowa, and/or worked in Iowa for a period of time. There are now over 150 Iowa artists in the collection and over 2000 works of art by those artists spread throughout the campus.

The history of art pottery at Iowa State began in 1920 with the hiring of Paul Cox (American, 1879-1968) as acting head of the Ceramic Engineering Department. Cox has previously spent eight years at Newcomb College in New Orleans as technical director of Newcomb Pottery. Cox eventually became the official head of ISU’s Ceramic Engineering Department in 1926. Initially Cox’s attention was focused on clearing and preparing the laboratories and work spaces, as well as securing new equipment. The then began traveling throughout Iowa as part of an extension program designed to educate the public about the area of ceramics and its importance to industry and home decoration. Because of Cox’s influence, the modeling of clay and the production of art pottery began to receive equal attention with the technical aspects of ceramics.

The Ceramic Engineering Department slowly gained popularity among students and faculty. Under Cox’s direction the student branch of the American Ceramic Society became involved with VEISHEA (the annual student celebration) and its traditions. The students prepared floats for the parade and also made hundreds of ceramic souvenirs to be sold or given away to campus visitors. One such souvenir, a ceramic tile featuring the iconic Campanile involved then sculptor-in-residence Christian Petersen, and can be seen in this exhibition.

In 1924 Cox hired Newcomb graduate Mary Lanier Yancey (American, 1902-1983) as an instructor in the Ceramic Engineering Department. Her position had two priorities: teaching pottery design and creating pottery for exhibiting throughout the state. Yancey’s Arts and Crafts style pottery was sold and the resulting funds were returned to the department to assist in funding its operations. Most of Yancey’s students were women majoring in Home Economics. The male students in the department worked the clay and prepared it for shaping. The women formed pots by hand or by using a kickwheel. The pots were then glazed and fired and taken home to admire.

Art pottery production at Iowa State ended in 1930 with both Cox and Yancey leaving the department. The “art” aspect of the Ceramic Engineering Department at Iowa State was terminated in 1939 when the emphasis went entirely to engineering and technical matters.

The Iowa Quester Glass Collection now numbers over 1,000 objects ranging from monumental Brilliant Period cut glass to colorful art glass and a diverse array of Early American Pattern Glass. This unique collection, housed in and cared for by Iowa State University Museums, Ames, Iowa, showcases American glass from 1840 to 1950.

In 1996, a partnership was formed between the Iowa Questers led by Kay Beckett of the Neta Snook Chapter in Ames, then Iowa Questers’ State President, Shirley Foster, and University Museums’ director, Lynette Pohlman. At that time, the University Museums was known nationally for having an encyclopedic glass collection as recognized by scholars and the pre-eminent American glass museum, the Corning Museum of Glass of Corning, NY. After a vote from the Iowa Quester State Council the Iowa Quester Glass Collection was formalized with the following mission: “To establish an Iowa Questers Glass Collection, of historic glass from around the world, at Iowa State University Museums. This would provide a State of Iowa resource for preserving, viewing and interpreting historic glass objects. The focus will be on American-made glass from 1840-1945.”

Now the bulk of the collection is American pressed glass pre-Depression Era most of which would fall under the Early American Pressed Glass (EAPG) group. Iconic works of glass include a Jumbo pattern table set, many pieces of Iowa City and Keota glass, a Rebecca at the Well tall standard compote, Terrestrial Globe pattern butter dish, examples from historical glass, the state’s series, and novelties. Thoughtful gifting of three major pressed glass collections just this past two years included over 130 toothpick holders, dozens of whale oil lamps, and a collection of 50+ sauce dishes and other glass works. With the help of many chapters, individuals, partners and collaborators, the collection continues to grow by leaps and bounds!

Highlights of the paintings in the University Museums permanent collection include the twelve painting series America in the Making by N.C. Wyeth, paintings commissioned in the 1930s, and contemporary paintings by significant American artists.

Commissioning portraits of high level administration positions such as President, Vice President, Provost, Dean, Department Head, etc. has been a long standing tradition at Iowa State that continues in to the present. The portrait collection represents a group of individuals who have had a long standing impact on Iowa State and have left behind a legacy of dedication, hard work, and accomplishment.

Sculpture in the permanent collection ranges from works in glass and stone to bronze and fabric. This collection includes North and South American, Asian, African and European sculpture.

The textile collection ranges from historic apparel, linens, rugs and quilts to Native American and contemporary weavings. The permanent collection has fine and costume jewelry, watches, and eyewear.

A work of art tells many stories. The artist’s story and intent, the story of its place in time, whichthen intertwines into the stories of those who view it. This exhibition will explore how art can signify a place, a time, and stories about the world or just one person. Art is powerful, it can create visceral memories and strong communities, bringing people together while they each create their own individual interpretations of what they see, through the lens of their lived experiences. Most oftenit is the curator whorelays the differentinterpretations, created through meticulous research and interviews with artists, through an exhibition at an art museum, but there are morestories we should be tellingabout the art on display.

University Museums has reached out to our community at Iowa State and beyond to tell your stories or interpretations with our permanent collection for this exhibition. The exhibitionincludesartist intent, their stories, along with your stories written through your personallens of who you are, where you are from, and how these inform your unique viewpoints.It is a space open to discussion about the meaning of art and the place of art in a world greatly changed over the last few months.

Ar tis impactful for its ability to reflect time and place, humanity, and the world. Over the past 40 years, the mission of University Museums has been to exhibit and interpret art for the Iowa State campus. As we emerge from this time of isolation, we ask for your stories to broaden the understanding of art within the collection and the place of art in our campus community.

Works of art on paper includes the drawings, photographs, and fine art prints in the collection in addtion to books and documents. The drawings in this collection include a range from realism to abstraction and landscapes to cartoons. Notable artist include Christian Petersen, Frank Miller, Frank Lobdell, and Ellen Wagener. The prints in University Museums permanent collection range early 1800s fashion prints to a large collection of American Scene prints by Depression era artists like Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry, and Louis Lozowick. The collection also boasts the largest collection of fine art prints and printing plates by Jay N. “Ding” Darling as well as prints by significant contemporary printmakers such as Amy Worthen, Beth VanHoesen, and Mark Adams. Many of the photographs in the collection are of ISU campus by George Christensen and King Au.