ART IS, PERHAPS, in the eye of the beholder.
I loved the sweet surprise of these floral paintings brightening an alley in downtown Clear Lake.
In Clear Lake, Iowa, I beheld an abundance of art. Everywhere. In the local arts center. Inside and outside shops. On historic buildings. In words, colors, designs, shapes. Sometimes obvious, sometimes not so much.
Historic buildings, like this one housing Thrifty White Drug, oftentimes are detailed in art. You have to look up to see this intriguing sculpture.
Look up. Look down. Look around. Simply look and you will see it.
Creative window displays draw shoppers into businesses like Lake Lifestyle.
I appreciate a community with details that visually please me. And Clear Lake does. In so many artsy ways.
South Shore Sweet Spot was not yet open for the season when I visited Clear Lake. But I could admire the artsy architecture. No mistaking this for anything but a place to buy ice cream treats.
On a downtown shop window, inspiring words. Poetry really.
This stacked album sculpture in Three Stars Plaza next to the Surf Ballroom honors Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. All three musicians died in a 1959 plane crash near Clear Lake after performing at the Surf.
All around town you’ll see posters from the annual Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom. I found this one at the AmericInn Hotel.
Even collectible glassware is art, including this Carnival glass pitcher at Collectors Wonderland.
Shelves and shelves of artsy Clear Lake apparel fill shelves at Larson’s Mercantile.
The Clear Lake Arts Center centers the arts in this community. It’s impressive.
Iowa artists Pam Dennis and Ryk Weiss collaborated with local students and adults to create this tree sculpture from cattle panels, metal banding and clay. It is located at the Clear Lake Arts Center.
The tree sculpture (above) calls for an up close study of details.
Inside the Clear Lake Arts Center, I delighted in cornstalk panels suspended from the ceiling.
The arts center galleries showcase an abundance and variety of outstanding art.
There’s art in signage and architecture.
An artsy scene (in my opinion) at the Village General Store, a second-hand store along the highway on the north side of town.
Signage always grabs my attention, including these graphically pleasing signs in a downtown window.
Window displays, like this one at Collectors Wonderland, are art in themselves.
FYI: Check my posts from last week to read my first four photo stories from Clear Lake, located along Interstate 35 in northern Iowa. Two more installments remain in this series.
© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
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