Michael was born into a farming family in Iowa in 1962. When Michael was school age his parents moved from the farm to the small town of Persia, Iowa. After High School, Michael served from 1979-1985 in the Iowa Army National Guard and has been employed in various positions ranging from a beef packing plant to warehouse labor. In 1993 he earned an Associate of Arts degree from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. After 22 years at an insurance company in Omaha, Nebraska, the last 10 years as a Senior Graphic Designer, Michael is a full-time artist.
Michael and his wife Denise live in Des Moines, Iowa. Their family includes Stephen & Amanda (Wilson) Stacy and Matthew, and one grandchild, Ella.
AOMIII, or Arthur O. Mohagen III currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin, where he earned his MFA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2006. Previously, he earned his BFA from the State University of New York – Fredonia.
Arthur has recently begun a new body of work exploring the aesthetic of airports. Exploring his interest in how air travel technology has become part of our visual and cultural lexicon. Its sounds are so familiar we hardly look to the sky anymore unless there is tragedy. Less than 80 years ago, commercial flight was rare. Now, at any given time, there are thousands of flights in the sky. With the understanding that airplanes are to us what the railroad must have been to the people of the 19th century, this work will uncover how air travel has affected our lives.
Joe grew up on a small farm in Southeast Iowa, which has thus far been his greatest artistic inspiration. He received a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Iowa in 2006 and an MFA in Painting from the New York Academy of Art in 2009. While living in New York City, Joe also completed a year of national service with AmeriCorps in 2010.
Zack Jones, an Iowa native, captures everyday moments in time. His paintings document
what we often overlook as we hurriedly pass while checking our voicemail. His work is
quiet, thoughtful and truthful. Whether the image is a landscape or portrait, we are reminded
of gentler times, devoid of deadlines and complications.
Zack moved to Arizona in 1995 and began painting. Coming from a small town in the Midwest,
Zack found his town of inspiration in Cave Creek, Arizona. Jones mentored under Sergio Ladron Guevara, a well established artist from Mexico City who has painted full time for 57 years.
Zack is an up and coming artist with great success for his limited time as a painter in both media exposure and devoted collectors.
Ashley Rodriguez-Reed
http://ashleyrodriguezreed.com
A resident in the summer of 2009, Rodriguez-Reed is a fiber artist originally from Omaha Nebraska. During her 2 month residency Rodriguez-Reed developed a body of work exploring pattern and design and the narrative histories of Corning Iowa. Her work culminated in a site specific installation in the Corning Opera House. Additionally Rodriguez-Reed created several orginal pieces of wearable art now on exhibit in the sales gallery at CCFA. Rodriguez-Reed also taught classes to Adams County youth supported by a collaborative grant with the Corning Public Schools. This fall 2010 Rodriguez-Reed is beginning the MFA program in Fibers at Temple University.
Rachel Simms
http://fuzzishu.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/fuzzishu
A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Simms is a world renowned jeweler and owner of Fuzzishu, a line of contemporary artist designed jewelry. During Simms year long residency she created new work, developed her business plan and launched Fuzzishu.
Bart Vargas
www.bartvargas.com
Originally from Omaha Nebraska, for over a decade, Vargas has been exploring the artistic potential of trash and recyclable materials. Using pattern, repetition and form, he builds paintings, sculptures, and installations that blur the identity of these everyday materials, transforming them into playful, thought-provoking objects. Vargas wants his creations to act as artifacts and evidence of the early 21st century, and hopes to do so by using materials that are no longer needed or valued in an era of limited resources and extraordinary consumption and waste.
During Vargas’ short residency in September of 2008, Vargas shared his work with the Corning community during an exhibition and demonstration of his artistic processes. Currently a MFA candidate at the University of Minnesota, Vargas’ was recently accepted into the 4th Beijing Biennale, is featured in upcoming 89th edition of New American Paintings and was selected as one of 20 best emerging sculptors by the International Sculpture Center. He is represented byAnderson O’Brien Fine Arts in Omaha Nebraska and exhibits his work internationally.
Newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter to receive information on upcoming events and classes.