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.

Trinket and Ornament Making with instructor Dr. Martie Geiger-HoCelebrate the season with clay! This fun and creative tw...
09/04/2026

Trinket and Ornament Making with instructor Dr. Martie Geiger-Ho

Celebrate the season with clay! This fun and creative two-day class invites you to design and make your own ceramic trinkets and tree ornaments using simple handbuilding techniques. Add texture, patterns, and personal touches to make each piece uniquely yours, then bring your creations to life with colorful glazes. Perfect for beginners, families, and anyone who enjoys making by hand, this workshop is a wonderful opportunity to create meaningful keepsakes, festive decorations, or handmade gifts for someone special.

Saturdays | November 14 & 21 | 2:00–4:00 PM
Fee $60 per adult | $30 per child
Children must be ages 8+ and accompanied by a participating adult.
10% off for members
Register Here: https://square.link/u/QZHiV5X2

'Windbent, Waterworn'Artist Statement by Jennifer LeeI moved to Iowa five years ago from Ohio, and I wasn’t prepared for...
09/03/2026

'Windbent, Waterworn'

Artist Statement by Jennifer Lee

I moved to Iowa five years ago from Ohio, and I wasn’t prepared for what the land would do to me. Wind moving through miles of prairie grass, fields shifting color with the season, water carving its patient path through limestone and clay . I fell in love with a landscape I hadn’t grown up knowing. This body of work is my attempt to hold a piece of that in my hands.

Each vessel starts as a slab or coil, built slowly and unevenly, the way I imagine the land itself was built. Ridges pressed into clay echo wind moving through grass. Edges are left ruffled, uneven, like shoreline. And clay alone isn’t enough. Driftwood, cord, and wire bind and mend these forms the way roots hold soil in place, the way woven fiber tangles after a storm.

Windbent speaks to the way this landscape shapes everything that lives in it. Waterworn speaks to time, the slow work of erosion, and the resilience of things that keep their shape as their edges soften. This show is my love letter to this place, and I hope these pieces slow you down the way this land has slowed me.

On View September 29 – December 30 | Stanton Gallery

Artist Reception October 24 | 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Artist Talk 4:30 PM

Meet North Iowa Art Studio Tour Featured Artist Meagan Steinberg!Meagan Steinberg of Wrist Flair Glass is a lampwork art...
09/02/2026

Meet North Iowa Art Studio Tour Featured Artist Meagan Steinberg!

Meagan Steinberg of Wrist Flair Glass is a lampwork artist who creates her own glass beads using a torch and kiln. She then transforms those handcrafted beads into unique glass-beaded jewelry and accessories, including purse charms, keychains, and other one-of-a-kind items.

Visit Meagan during the North Iowa Studio Tour and explore her colorful collection of handcrafted glass beads, jewelry, and accessories!

**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/

Fall is here! Bring in the cheer! Pastel in Practice: An All-Day Workshop hosted at the Clear Lake Arts CenterJoin artis...
09/01/2026

Fall is here! Bring in the cheer!

Pastel in Practice: An All-Day Workshop hosted at the Clear Lake Arts Center

Join artist Tom Christopher for an engaging, hands-on pastel workshop focused on creating vibrant, dynamic paintings that pop off the page. Explore Tom’s techniques and approach to working with pastels while strengthening your skills, refining your process, and bringing your artistic vision to life. Best suited for intermediate artists looking to expand their pastel practice and take their work to the next level.

Saturday, November 7
10 AM–12 PM • Break • 1–3 PM
Skill Level: Intermediate
Cost: $90 – Scholarships Available Please Inquire
Ages: 16+
Register Here:
https://square.link/u/qWX7tOJe

Meet North Iowa Art Studio Tour Featured Artist Camille Lee!Camille Lee began adding candles and soap to her artistic re...
09/01/2026

Meet North Iowa Art Studio Tour Featured Artist Camille Lee!

Camille Lee began adding candles and soap to her artistic repertoire in 2001, and it soon became a central part of her creative practice. Since then, her work has evolved into custom blending, whimsical designs, and unique containers.

Camille blends scent much like she blends color, and her distinctive use of color carries throughout all of her work. From painting, handmade silver and titanium jewelry to handcrafted soaps or candles.

This year, Camille plans to have a little bit of all these creative works available to explore during the North Iowa Studio Tour!

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/

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!

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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