Public Art

a blonde young woman works on a mural from a crane

5 Questions with Ali Hval

Tuesday, September 5, 2023
I have completed more than 40 public murals around the country, though the majority are in Iowa. I’ve experienced “Iowa Nice” to be a real thing. In Clinton, the mayor drove me around and gave me a tour of the city after finishing a project there. While painting, people stop to chat and bring you cold drinks and snacks. In Webster City, the mayor had a dinner party for me, and personally installed the panels with a lift. If I’m painting in a big city, these things don’t happen—you just show up and do your job.
A group of people in an alley that has a lot of graffiti and other art.

Courses Combine to Focus on Creative, Equitable Placemaking

Wednesday, April 5, 2023
One of the most cross-disciplinary classes on campus is actually two classes that have opted to combine forces. Travis Kraus teaches Community Development through Creative Placemaking in the School of Planning and Public Affairs, while Loyce Arthur teaches Action! Engage! Art! Creative Placemaking for the Public Good in the Department of Theatre Arts. Undergrad and graduate students from those departments, as well as political science, dance, engineering, and public health meet to discuss creativity and equity in placemaking.
keeping you sewing mural

Keeping You Sewing Mural

Published
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Academic year
2022-2023
Partner

Sean Tyler, a graduate student in the School of Art & Art History, collaborated with downtown Clinton officials and business owner Kim Rentz to design a mural that captures the character of both a downtown anchor business, Keeping You Sewing, and elements of Clinton's history and surroundings. 

Preston mural

Preston Mural

Published
Thursday, June 23, 2022
Academic year
2021-2022
Partner

Visiting Assistant Professor Ali Hval designed and installed a mural in Preston, Iowa, that reflects the community's unique history and local assets.  

In 2019, Ali Hval received her MFA with Honors at the University of Iowa in Painting and Drawing with a minor concentration in Ceramics. Her work is interdisciplinary, combining mural painting, fabric, ceramic, sculpture, and installation.

Final Presentation to Partners

Preston Non-Motorized Connectivity

Published
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Academic year
2021-2022
Partner

As part of the Senior Design Capstone Course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students designed sidewalk and trail improvements to increase non-motorized connectivity in Preston, Iowa. 

Completed Arch

Manchester Tirrill Park Gateway Sculpture

Published
Monday, March 1, 2021
Academic year
2020-2021
Partner

MFA students designed and installed a public art piece for the Manchester community, driven by a process of public engagement so that the piece reflected the values, stories and/or identity of the community.

Waterloo Public Art Piece

Waterloo Mural

Published
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Academic year
2020-2021
Partner

Working closely with Waterloo’s Center for the Arts, MFA student Sean Tyler designed and installed two murals at the gateway to the downtown district.

North Liberty, Iowa

North Liberty Public Art Planning Recommendations

Published
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Academic year
2018-2019

Graduate students in the course Growth Management in the School of Urban & Regional Planning completed a report outlining alternatives and best practices to inform future public art planning for the City of North Liberty.

Keokuk-Hamilton Dam Museum Mural

Keokuk-Hamilton Dam Museum Mural

Published
Friday, December 27, 2019
Academic year
2019-2020
Partner

Grant Wood Public Art resident Ali Hval worked closely with the Keokuk-Hamilton Dam Museum leadership to identify themes and imagery included in a mural on the side of their new home, 428 Main Street, Keokuk, including the design and installation of an awning and a mural design for the side of the building to be installed in the future.

Keokuk, Iowa is located on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River and is well known for Lock and Dam No. 19, which listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Webster City solar sculpture

Webster City Solar Art Sculpture

Published
Friday, December 27, 2019
Academic year
2018-2019
Partner

Through a partnership between the University of Iowa Office of Outreach and Engagement, the University of Iowa School of Art and Art History, and the City of Webster City, Iowa, faculty member Dan Miller and his students designed and constructed a “solar sculpture” that will become a permanent installation of functional art in downtown Webster City.

Webster City mural

Webster City Downtown Mural

Published
Friday, December 27, 2019
Academic year
2018-2019
Partner

Graduate student Ali Hval designed a 12-panel mural for downtown Webster City.  

The mural celebrates Webster City's past, present, and future with colorful paintings that each represent an important person or aspect of the community.  Ali painted the mural with the help of members of the community.

Mural Design

"Building Our Brand" Downtown Murals - City Center Building Design Proposal

Published
Friday, June 15, 2018
Academic year
2017-2018
Partner

MFA student Ali Hval designed murals with "prairie style" themes for two downtown Mason City locations as part of the community's "Building Our Brand" campaign.