‘Prairie Ballet’ parks at Bowlus

The Bowlus Fine Arts Center opened its new parking lot and unveiled a set of twin sculptures, "Prairie Ballet," at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday afternoon.

November 21, 2022 - 1:34 PM

Prairie Ballet, twin sculptures adorning the new Bowlus parking lot, are designed by artist Amie Jacobsen. Photo by Richard Luken

A project five years in the making culminated Saturday with the unveiling of the Bowlus Fine Arts Center’s newest gems.

Prairie Ballet, picturesque sculptures adorning the new Bowlus parking lot, drew plenty of oohs and aahs at Saturday’s ribbon cutting ceremony.

But the true majesty of Amie Jacobsen’s artwork didn’t come to light until after sundown.

The twin stainless steel sculptures depict butterflies fluttering above the Kansas prairie, accentuated with colored glass flowers and rustic steel to depict the prairie grass.

Filtered lights reflect off of the sculptures in a brilliant kaleidoscope of color, certain to draw the attention of passersby.

Bowlus Director Daniel Kays, in a proclamation, explained the lengthy process behind the parking lot and sculptures, which began when former director Susan Raines acquired a pair of neighboring properties, including a house, in 2017.

While uncertain what would become of the properties, Raines had the foresight to get them nevertheless, even though it meant becoming a landlord until the house’s fate could be determined.

Kays, who was hired a year later, joked he didn’t realize when he signed on to the position that he’d also become a landlord.

But once the renters left, conversations began about what to do with the property. A badly needed parking lot became the focal point.

Fast forward to October 2020, when USD 257 purchased the two-story house, under the provision the school district would move it to another property. That home was loaded up on beams and carted to an empty lot at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Colborn Street, for Iola High School industrial arts students to use as a learning center on home renovations.

“It was a win-win for everybody,” Kays said.

From left, Mandy Moyer with the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, Mary Ann and Jim Arnott, and artist Amie Jacobsen unveil the new parking lot and scultpures with a ribbon cutting on Saturday. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register

ABOUT the same time, the Bowlus received a pair of significant gifts. Iolans Jim and Mary Ann Arnott had approached Kays about making a donation to the Bowlus, without any specific use in mind, while the Moore Family Trust also went into probate, bringing in a significant financial windfall, Kays explained.

Bowlus trustees agreed last fall to utilize the Moore trust, complemented with gifts from the Friends of the Bowlus and a chunk of the Bowlus reserves to put in the parking lot.

But that was only half the project, Kays added.

“We wanted something that is beautiful on that parking lot,” Kays said. “We are neighbors to a lot of residents. We wanted them to have something to look at that is beautiful. Plus, we are a fine arts center and need more public art where we can.”

With that in mind, Kays reached out to Jacobsen, a designer, sculptor and public artist living and working in the Kansas City area.

Jacobsen devised a number of options, with an online vote overwhelmingly favoring Prairie Ballet.

Construction started on the parking lot this fall.

Patrons took advantage of the new display, utilizing the parking lot for Saturday evening’s concert by The Rico Monaco Band with special guest Tito Puento Jr.