News

By Molly Moser

The Clayton County Artists are hosting this year’s Region 3 Iowa Artists Show in Guttenberg on Saturday, April 11. The show will be held on the third floor of the Municipal Building and is open to the public from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Coordinator Gail Larson expects about 35 artists (fourteen of which are from Clayton County) to exhibit up to three works each.

Local artists Pat Peck, Carol Hartmann, Bev Hamann, Sue Bolsinger, Harry Gresham, Verna Lenth, Heather Meyer, Larson, and others are expected to have work in the exhibition. All the work to be exhibited has been created within the past two years and has never before been shown in Iowa Artists regional or state shows, so viewers can expect to see pieces they’ve not yet encountered.

Guttenberg artist Pat Peck plans to bring three oil paintings depicting scenes from her travels. One image shows a hill town in Italy built on the outcropping of a volcano known as Overito. The second is a painting of Gallway Bay in Ireland, and the third features a group of children watching a man shear a sheep. “With a competition like that, it really inspires you to do your best and find unusual things,” Peck told The Press.

“This year the judge at the show will be David Prehm, noted watercolorist and book illustrator,” said Larson. Prehm will select one piece from each 10 exhibited in Guttenberg for a first, second and third place ribbon, as well as a number of honorable mentions at his discretion. Blue ribbon winners from the regional shows go to the state show, which will be May 2 in Cedar Falls. 

By Molly Moser

“Let me show you the fabric,” says Erin Tepper, a 2011 Clayton Ridge graduate who is about to finish school at Iowa State University with a degree in apparel design. She pulls a coppery brown garment from her bag. “The fabric is what started it all.”

It’s easy to see why. Reversible sequins, each held in place by a single stitch, cover the cloth like scales. From a distance the fabric appears distressed, soft, and even slightly furry. When it’s close enough to touch, that’s exactly what you feel compelled to do – flip the sequins back and forth, revealing a light side and a dark side that create organic, ever-changing patterns. 

Tepper purchased three-and-a-half yards of this fabric while interning in New York City. The unique find inspired eight outfits that debuted on the runway during Omaha Fashion Week (OFW), March 10-15. 

“Despite what many people on the coasts might expect, fashion in the Midwest is strong,” commented OFW producer Brook Hudson. “There is a very real possibility Omaha can claim to be a leading fashion hub in the Midwest.”

Early voting is now available for the special election in the Clayton Ridge Community School District  to be held on Tuesday, April 7.

The polling hours for the Clayton Ridge School District will be from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. that day. Anyone not able to vote during those hours is encouraged to vote early at the Clayton County Auditor’s Office or by mail.  

The notice of the election and sample ballot will be printed in the March 25 issue of The Guttenberg Press. 

By Molly Moser

“The things I remember the most about mom would be her generosity, her quick wit, the endless smile, open arms, and her passion for being a great mother,” says Tony Reyerson of his late mother, Lucy Smith Reyerson. “But most of all, she was my best friend.”

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester diagnosed Lucy with multiple sclerosis in 1989. On Jan. 11, 2000, she passed away from pneumonia and complications of the disease. This year, Lucy’s family and friends have organized a walk around Esmann Island to honor her memory and fundraise for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

When Tony decided to join the MS volunteer committee in his home city of LaCrosse, he learned of a group in Platteville, Wis., who raised $25,000 by hosting a private walk in their town. “That’s what sparked this idea,” he says. “I mentioned it to my wife, Heather, and my mother-in-law, Mary Eulberg. Mary being the go-getter she is, took right off with it and started making some connections.”

“Our mission behind this walk is to raise awareness for those in our community fighting MS and to raise money to go toward MS research,” said Reyerson’s wife, Heather (Hefel) Reyerson. She and her mother join many others each year for LaCrosse’s Walk MS event as part of Team Lucy.