Clear Lake Arts Center

Clear Lake Arts Center Free to visit, the Clear Lake Arts Center is for all to enjoy and encourage creativity. Visiting is FREE!

Located in downtown Clear Lake, Iowa, the Clear Lake Arts Center is a unique and engaging facility with several art galleries, a gift shop hosting the work of local artists, studios for adult and children art programs, workshops and classes, a performing arts wing for the community and visitors to enjoy. Relying on the support of our membership, our 501(c)3 non-profit organization is a North Iowa

cultural, social, and economic resource that provides a space where everyone is welcome to browse, to be inspired, to create, to discover, to explore, to learn, to practice, to perform, to observe and to innovate.

What makes art feel personal?Join Liz Lidgett for an inspiring conversation about choosing, collecting, and living with ...
08/30/2026

What makes art feel personal?

Join Liz Lidgett for an inspiring conversation about choosing, collecting, and living with art.

Drawing from her experience helping new and established collectors find artwork that reflects their personalities, spaces, and budgets, Liz will offer an approachable look inside a world that can often feel intimidating.

Joining are panelists Ciar Carnall, floral designer with The Red Geranium, and Kimberlee Rocca, exhibiting artist in Hanson Gallery at the Clear Lake Arts Center. Together, they will explore how art, design, color, and personal expression shape the spaces where we live and work. Whether you are an experienced collector, an artist, a homeowner seeking inspiration, or simply curious about art, this conversation will offer practical insight and fresh creative perspective.

Come curious. Leave inspired. Discover why Art is For Everyone.

$50 — Event Admission + Book
Your ticket includes:
Admission to the featured conversation and audience Q&A
One copy of Art for Everyone
A personalized book signing with Liz Lidgett
Cocktails, light appetizers, and the social reception

$25 — Event Admission
Your ticket includes:
One copy of Art for Everyone
A personalized book signing with Liz Lidgett
Cocktails, light appetizers, and the social reception

Evening Schedule
4:15–4:30 p.m. — Arrival
Guest check-in, cocktails, and light appetizers.
4:30–4:45 p.m. — Official Welcome
Opening remarks from the Clear Lake Arts Center and introductions of Liz Lidgett, Ciar Carnall, and Kimberlee Rocca.
4:45–5:30 p.m. — Featured Conversation and Q&A
Liz, Ciar, and Kimberlee discuss choosing and collecting art, designing meaningful spaces, and making art and design approachable and accessible.
5:30–6:30 p.m. — Book Signing & Social Reception
Have your copy of Art for Everyone personally signed by Liz while enjoying cocktails, light appetizers, and conversation.

Visit our website for more: https://clearlakeartscenter.org/book-signing-conversation-art-for-everyone-with-liz-lidgett/

LAST CHANCE TO VIEW! 'Was It Just a Dream?'By Artist Kenneth HallEnter the dreamlike world of Kenneth Hall, where layere...
08/29/2026

LAST CHANCE TO VIEW!
'Was It Just a Dream?'
By Artist Kenneth Hall

Enter the dreamlike world of Kenneth Hall, where layered figures and abstract spaces create paintings that invite the chaotic and unexpected.

'Was It Just a Dream?' explores themes of connection, memory, and the human experience through immersive, emotionally charged imagery. A nationally and internationally exhibited artist and professor at the University of Northern Iowa, Hall brings decades of artistic expertise to this captivating exhibition.

Don't miss your final opportunity to experience this thought-provoking exhibition!

On View Through September 5

Studio 101: Introduction to Ceramics with Instructor Dr. Martie Geiger - HoCurious about ceramics but not sure where to ...
08/28/2026

Studio 101: Introduction to Ceramics with Instructor Dr. Martie Geiger - Ho

Curious about ceramics but not sure where to begin?

Studio 101 is a welcoming three-day short course designed especially for beginners. Get your hands in clay while learning essential handbuilding techniques, exploring ceramic materials and tools, and discovering how a ceramics studio works safely and creatively. You’ll also learn basic glazing techniques to add color and personality to your handmade pieces. No previous ceramics experience is needed. Just bring your curiosity and enthusiasm for creating!

Saturdays, 2:00–4:00 PM
October 10, 17, and 24
$80 per person
10% off for members
Register Here: https://square.link/u/NFSyyUbl

Meet North Iowa Art Studio Tour Featured Artist Skyler Lee!Woodworking has been a cathartic outlet throughout Skyler’s l...
08/27/2026

Meet North Iowa Art Studio Tour Featured Artist Skyler Lee!

Woodworking has been a cathartic outlet throughout Skyler’s life. It is a journey that begins with bold cuts and rapid transformation before narrowing into careful, methodical detail. Skyler enjoys the challenge of revealing the beauty found in the grain while allowing the wood to be a co-artist. From reading the bark of a tree to imagine what lies within, to framing those patterns within a finished form, the process becomes a conversation between Skyler and nature. With the right tools and techniques, Skyler can come close to what is envisioned. Yet, the wood always has something to say.

Visit Skyler during the North Iowa Studio Tour and explore their collection of handcrafted woodworking art.

North Iowa Studio Tour

September 25–27

Friday, September 25: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 26: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday, September 27: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Whether you're a longtime art lover, a curious traveler, or simply looking for a memorable weekend adventure, the North Iowa Studio Tour offers the opportunity to explore the region, meet talented artists, and experience the vibrant creative spirit of North Iowa.

Free and open to the public. Plan your own route and enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the studios, galleries, and creative spaces that make North Iowa unique.

Brochures and maps are available at the Clear Lake Arts Center and other locations throughout the region. You can also view the interactive map online here: https://clearlakeartscenter.org/2026-north-iowa-studio-tour/

Next week marks the end of the raffle drawing!Looking for a chance to take home something special while supporting the a...
08/25/2026

Next week marks the end of the raffle drawing!

Looking for a chance to take home something special while supporting the arts in Clear Lake? Our raffle is happening now through Labor Day Weekend!

We have three exciting raffle opportunities featuring local art and experiences:

LADY OF THE LAKE TOUR — Four Tickets
Estimated value: $20 - $40 per ticket
$5 = 1 raffle entry

ALSBURY PITCHER — Rosemary Alsbury
Estimated value: $80

This ceramic pitcher reflects The Alsbury’s passion for pottery and the natural world. The piece features her signature wildlife motifs, including birds and fish, and showcases her distinctive approach to functional pottery.

$10 = 1 raffle entry

RECONSTRUCTED CERAMIC VESSEL — Steve Johnson
Estimated value: $1,200

Steve Johnson’s Reconstructed works began in 1981. Each vessel is deliberately broken, with the individual pieces then painted using acrylics, enamels, gesso, and other materials before being reassembled into its original form. Because each break pattern is unique, every reconstructed vessel is truly one of a kind.

$20 = 1 raffle entry

Multiple entries are accepted to increase your chances of winning!

PAYMENT METHODS:
• Cash
• Debit Card
• Check

Credit cards are NOT accepted for raffle entries.

All raffle proceeds benefit the Clear Lake Arts Center and help support arts programming, exhibitions, and community events.

Stop by the Arts Center and get your entries before Labor Day Weekend drawing. Good luck!

Who is ready for the Fall Class Line-up?Capturing the Landscape in Pastelwith Instructor Pamela S. DouglasDiscover the b...
08/25/2026

Who is ready for the Fall Class Line-up?

Capturing the Landscape in Pastel
with Instructor Pamela S. Douglas

Discover the beauty and versatility of pastel while learning how to observe and interpret the landscape. In this four-day workshop, beginning and intermediate painters will explore strong composition, color relationships, and atmospheric effects to create successful landscape paintings.

Participants will visit nearby landscape locations to gather reference photos and complete value sketches, then return to the studio to develop their paintings. Instruction includes demonstrations, discussions of common challenges in landscape painting, and individualized guidance. Students will learn how to begin a pastel painting, establish a focal point, create depth through value and color temperature, and build texture through layering techniques.

By the end of the workshop, students will complete multiple landscape studies while gaining confidence in pastel materials, observational skills, and the creative process.

Find more information about registration here: https://clearlakeartscenter.org/capturing-the-landscape-in-pastel/

Dates: Oct 6, 7, 8, & 9
Time: 9:00AM – 1:00 PM
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Cost: $300
Ages: 16+

The Arts Center is pleased to offer scholarships for all classes to help make our programs accessible to everyone.
Please inquire for more information.
641-357-1998

Art for EveryoneAn Evening of Art, Design and Conversation with Liz LidgettFeaturing floral designer Ciar Carnall and Ha...
08/24/2026

Art for Everyone
An Evening of Art, Design and Conversation with Liz Lidgett
Featuring floral designer Ciar Carnall and Hanson Gallery exhibitor Kimberlee Rocca

Saturday | September 19th | 4:30PM - 6:30PM

What makes art feel personal?

Join Liz Lidgett for an inspiring conversation about choosing, collecting, and living with art.

Drawing from her experience helping new and established collectors find artwork that reflects their personalities, spaces, and budgets, Liz will offer an approachable look inside a world that can often feel intimidating.

Joining are panelists Ciar Carnall, floral designer with The Red Geranium, and Kimberlee Rocca, exhibiting artist in Hanson Gallery at the Clear Lake Arts Center. Together, they will explore how art, design, color, and personal expression shape the spaces where we live and work.

Whether you are an experienced collector, an artist, a homeowner seeking inspiration, or simply curious about art, this conversation will offer practical insight and fresh creative perspective.

Come curious. Leave inspired. Discover why Art is For Everyone.

Ticket Options

$50 — Event Admission + Book
Your ticket includes:

Admission to the featured conversation and audience Q&A

One copy of Art for Everyone

A personalized book signing with Liz Lidgett

Cocktails, light appetizers, and the social reception

$25 — Event Admission
Your ticket includes:

One copy of Art for Everyone

A personalized book signing with Liz Lidgett

Cocktails, light appetizers, and the social reception

Meet Liz Lidgett
Liz Lidgett is an art advisor, author, curator, and founder of Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design in Des Moines. She earned degrees in art history and journalism from the University of Missouri and a master’s degree in public-art curatorial practice from the University of Southern California. After working as a corporate art curator, she established her independent art-advising practice in 2013 and opened her
gallery in 2019.

Today, Liz’s gallery represents more than 70 contemporary artists from around the world. Her work is rooted in making original art more approachable and helping people confidently choose pieces that fit their style, space, and budget.

Liz is the author of Art for Everyone: How to Collect Art & Personalize Your Space on Any Budget, published by Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. The book became an Amazon bestseller. Her expertise and work have appeared in Forbes, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Martha Stewart Living, and Good Morning America.

Liz has been recognized by the Des Moines Business Record as a Forty Under 40 honoree and received the Griffiths Leadership Society for Women Emerging Leader Award from the Mizzou Alumni Association. In 2023, Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design was selected from more than 15,000 applicants as one of America’s Top 70 Small Businesses by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Joining the Conversation

Ciar Carnall is a floral designer with The Red Geranium, Clear Lake’s longtime downtown florist and home décor shop. Her work with color, texture, form, and living materials brings a distinctive floral design perspective to the conversation.

Kimberlee Rocca is a Solon-based visual and sculptural artist whose work explores color, texture, natural elements, and the cosmos. Her solo exhibition, Watermarks & Constellations, is the featured in the Hanson Gallery at the Clear Lake Arts Center.

Evening Schedule
4:15–4:30 p.m. — Arrival
Guest check-in, cocktails, and light appetizers.
4:30–4:45 p.m. — Official Welcome
Opening remarks from the Clear Lake Arts Center and introductions of Liz Lidgett, Ciar Carnall, and Kimberlee Rocca.
4:45–5:30 p.m. — Featured Conversation and Q&A
Liz, Ciar, and Kimberlee discuss choosing and collecting art, designing meaningful spaces, and making art and design approachable and accessible.
5:30–6:30 p.m. — Book Signing & Social Reception
Have your copy of Art for Everyone personally signed by Liz while enjoying cocktails, light appetizers, and conversation.

Grab your tickets here! https://square.link/u/QbTDHPd7

Kimberlee RoccaHanson Gallery Solo Art Exhibition'Watermarks & Constellations'My fascination with the cosmos began on a ...
08/23/2026

Kimberlee Rocca
Hanson Gallery Solo Art Exhibition
'Watermarks & Constellations'

My fascination with the cosmos began on a wooden dock at North Lake in Pennsylvania. As a teenager, I would lie on my back for hours, staring up at shooting stars and tracing the night sky letting the sound of the lapping water fill my ears. That feeling of being tiny, yet completely connected to the heavens, never left me. I have curated this special collection from years of creating my sculptures and artworks to capture those invisible lines connecting the waters to the endless skies above.

Every single mark I make has a purpose. I build up rich, layered surfaces with watery inks and paints on metallic foil and wood panels. Then, I let the materials mix and react. I get to experience this creative wonder as I manipulate them to mimic the liquids, gases, and natural elements of the earth and outer space.

With this collection, I invite you to stop, slow down, and look a little closer. I want you to feel that same sense of quiet discovery I felt on the lake years ago and a piece of what I feel in my studio. Then imagine how each still place only needs a touch to completely alter its impression. You are not just looking at an object or painting; you are looking at a captured moment in the time between creation and becoming. My desire is that these pieces pique your curiosity while lifting your spirit to reflect how even the smallest of touches have a residual impact.

Biography

Kimberlee Rocca (b. 1970) is a professional Mid-Western artist based in Solon, Iowa USA. For more than 40 years she has created wearable, sculptural and visual art. Her bold elemental works embrace the randomness of color, texture, shape and scale. Through thoughtful curation of these elements, she deepens the narrative of versatility, possibility and connectivity. Rocca has exhibited widely in the Midwest, nationally and internationally. In 2025, she presented Shaping Perspectives, a solo exhibition at Gilded Pear Gallery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her work was also awarded in ACA 2024 & 2025 at ADC Fine Art in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in the Octagon Center for the Arts Member Show in Ames, Iowa. Previous highlights include group and juried exhibitions at the Figge Art Museum, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and venues across Iowa, Illinois, Arizona, and Ohio. Her work is part of permanent collections at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and Mercy Hospital of Cedar Rapids.

Artist Reception Sept 18th 5pm – 7pm

Artist Talk 6pm

On View Sept 11th – Oct 17th

North Iowa called, they wants you to slow down, take in the scenery, and take a little piece of it home!Card packs by Ar...
08/15/2026

North Iowa called, they wants you to slow down, take in the scenery, and take a little piece of it home!

Card packs by Artist Pamela S. Douglas from her Display 'North Iowa Scenes' in the Stanton Gallery

This body of work focuses on naturalistic North Iowa scenery, capturing moments of quiet beauty in the landscape. Douglas’s experience as a docent sparked a lifelong creative curiosity and shaped her contemplative approach to both nature and still life. For Douglas, painting is a visual and spiritual process that translates memory and emotion into form, inviting viewers to slow down and reconnect with the richness of everyday moments.

On View July 18th – Sept 12th

Address

17 South 4th Street
Clear Lake, IA
50428

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+16413571998

Website

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