Exhibitions
With over three hundred works by local and regional artists, the Hearst Center Permanent Collection provides a fascinating perspective on Iowa, the Midwest and the nation.
For more information on exhibitions and the permanent collection, email
Curator/Registrar, Emily Drennan.
To propose exhibition or a gift to the permanent collection, view our Hearst proposal guidelines.
CURRENT
Image of artist in his exhibition
Detail of woodcut
Printed image on paper of a woodcut arc
Image of artist in his exhibition
Eye Wood: Works by William Close
September 10-December 6, 2026
Public Reception: Thursday, September 17 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Mark your calendars for an artist talk on Thursday, November 5 from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Cedar Falls knows William Close for thinking big, from a 22-foot mountain bike to a fullscale cruise ship, his legendary Peet Junior High mega sculptures defined community spectacle for over two decades. Eye Wood invites you to see where that same ingenuity lives now: in intricate, intimate woodworks that carry Close’s lifelong obsession with detail, craft, and the “fool the eye” tradition into a new scale. This fall, rediscover an artist whose work shaped a generation, and is still evolving.​
Art & books
Printed image of artwork on postcard
Art & books
Iowa Interiors: Original Book Illustrations by Claudia McGehee
September 10-December 6, 2026
Public Reception: Thursday, September 10 at 5:30 p. m.
Related Programing: Thursday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m. : Red Herring Theatre presents Mother Bailey; September 12 at 1:00 p.m.: Claudia McGehee will speak at the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association Conference
In 1926, Cedar Falls author Ruth Suckow published Iowa Interiors, the short story collection that established her national reputation. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of this publication, a centennial edition of the book, co-edited by Julie Husband and Jim O'Loughlin, will be released this fall by Final Thursday Press. This edition will feature commissioned illustrations by Iowa-based artist Claudia McGehee. The exhibit will highlight McGehee's original work for the collection and celebrate a century of Iowa Interiors. ​​​
Sleepy Hollow logo drawing by Gary Kelley
The official Sleepy Hollow logo
Graveyard pastel drawing
Sleepy Hollow logo drawing by Gary Kelley
​THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW: ORIGINAL BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS BY GARY KELLEY
October 1-31, 2026
Visit the Hearst Center this Halloween season to view Gary Kelley’s pastel illustrations created in 1990 for Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, published in 1820. A community favorite, a community tradition. Each work in the series was sponsored by a Friend of the Hearst to help build our permanent collection in the 1990s.​
Watercolors in exhibition
Watercolors in exhibition
Watercolors in exhibtion
Watercolors in exhibition
WATERCOLOR MEMORIES BY PAULA SCHRAD
Public Reception: Sunday, October 11 from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Schrad writes about her artistic journey, “My path in art began in an outstanding four-year high school art program. I earned a BA in Art Education (K–12) and have taught art at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. I am a member of the Thursday Painters, Iowa Artists, and the Iowa Watercolor Society. My work is inspired by the beauty I find in everyday life. ”Her watercolors show her command of a medium known for being unforgiving. Her work spans a wide range of techniques, from loose, flowing landscapes where color blooms and bleeds across the paper, to tightly rendered, richly pigmented botanical studies that reward close looking. Moving between these approaches, she shows both a willingness to let the medium lead and the discipline to control it.
​
Across the exhibition, Schrad travels through the seasons, shifting from soft, subtle palettes to bold color combinations. Many of her subjects are drawn from her own memories, giving the work a personal, reflective quality. As a longtime art educator, Schrad brings a teacher's curiosity to her practice. It is fitting to see her work on display in our classroom-level gallery, where students and visitors of all ages can explore the many possibilities of watercolor. -Cory Hurless, Cultural Programs Supervisor​
UPCOMING
Stay tuned for upcoming announcement for 2027 exhibitions.​
CLASSROOM LEVEL GALLERY
Hearst Supervisor, Cory, hanging artwork
Gallery view of artwork by Cynthia Demkiw
Gallery view of Critters by Ann Olsson
Hearst Supervisor, Cory, hanging artwork
CLASSROOM LEVEL GALLERY AT THE HEARST CENTER
Rotating exhibitions every two months
2026
October-November: Artwork by Paula Schrad
December-January: Artwork by Deanna Graas
2027
February-March: Hearst Photo Club
April-May: Thursday Painter Group - Landscapes
June-July: Rowena Hardinger
August-September: Felicia Cass
October-November: Joanie Kafer Kerns
December-January: Bonnie Smith
Online l Hearst Permanent Collection
Original work by John Page
Logo by Gary Kelley
Detail of work by Angela Battle
Original work by John Page
John Page
View original etchings as part of the Hearst Permeant Collection.
​
Gary Kelley l Sleepy Hollow
View the original pastels in the Hearst Permanent Collection as part of the 1990 novel, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: Original Book Illustrations by Gary Kelley.
​
Exhibition James Hearst Interpreting The Farmstead l The Hearst Legacy Site
View original works of art selected from the Hearst Permanent Collection, as part of this grant funded project.