Our first exhibit of 2026:

January 18, 2026 was a cold and snowy day, but the Art Center held an Artist Reception featuring 'Life's Pleasures' by Lydia and Dave Sproull of New Hampton. We had a lot of attendees from the communities of Fredericksburg and New Hampton. Some were friends and family of Lydia and Dave, others were friends of the Plum Creek Art Center. Of course we like to spoil the attendees when there's an exhibit with coffee, lemonade, chocolate/peanut butter bars, sugar cookies with Hershey's kisses and 3 flavors of Gluten Free cookies. The tables were decorated with pink or white tablecloths and in the center were Smarties to snack on also. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves eating and talking with old or new friends.

Lydia and Dave both grew up in IL. It was there they met and raised their family. After Dave's retirement and the other family members moved out, Lydia & Dave moved to Washington state. Dave built their home there on several acres of trees. But Mother Nature changed their minds about living in Washington with wildfires too close to home. Other family members had moved here to NE Iowa, so Lydia and Dave visited, thought it wasn't too bad a place to live, so New Hampton gained two new artists.

Dave's 'Life's Pleasure' is working with wood. Not just wood, wood & resin, wood & a lathe, wood & electricity, wood & other chemicals, wood & a whittling knife. Can you spell 'WOOD'? Here are some pictures of Dave's wood art.

Symmetry in the world                  Use of chemicals & the lathe           Use of resin & the lathe

                 Used electricity                         Wire inlay & resin                  Spalted maple on the lathe

                                               Abalone inlay with wood is Dave's final resting place

Lydia's 'Life's Pleasure' is painting. Lydia just likes to paint; still life, landscapes, animals, and people (especially little ones). She does like to use 'gesso' with her paintings. Below are Lydia's paintings she has on exhibit until the end of March. They look much better in person and up close. (photography is not my specialty)

       Center - donkey wanting shade.                 Landscapes                                 Landscapes

                                    Landscapes & a portrait                                          Still life's

Landscape

                                                                                                                                                                                  Still Life