For the Love of the Garden at the Muscatine Art Center -- May 17.
Saturday, May 17, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Muscatine Art Center, 1314 Mulberry Avenue, Muscatine IA
An ideal afternoon escape for garden and flower lovers, live-music fans, art enthusiasts, families with kids, and those shopping for unique gifts, the Muscatine Art Center's For the Love of the Garden event will take place on May 17, this outdoor celebration boasting a performance by the Mad Creek Mudcats, live painting demonstrations, studio crafts, a vendor market, and more.
For the Love of the Garden is a new event intended to encourage the community to visit the Japanese Garden that underwent a full rehabilitation in 2023, a project that was recognized with an Iowa “Preservation at its Best” award in June 2024. The Friends of the Japanese Garden formed as a volunteer group with its first work day in April 2024. Since that time, volunteers have contributed countless hours to the care and ongoing maintenance of the garden.
The May 17 event is also intended as a fundraiser to support the garden by providing some funds for mulch, garden tools, and replacement of plants as needed. Donations will be accepted during the event, and there will be a free-will beverage station providing coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and lemonade. Visitors to the event can enjoy music by the Mad Creek Mudcats from 2 to 4 p.m. in the “Prayer of Peace” courtyard. Baked goods and other refreshments offered by the Rendezvous can be purchased.
While exploring the Japanese Garden, participants will discover a few painters capturing the look and feel of the garden on canvas. Artist Kimble Bromley is the featured plein air painter. Bromley exhibited at the Muscatine Art Center in 2018 and taught art at North Dakota State University. His recent works include paintings of Claude Monet's pond in Giverny, France, as well as paintings of his own pond. Muscatine-based artists will complete plein-air paintings of their own during the Annual Ice Cream Social at the end of June.
In the studio, kids can complete several garden and flower themed projects. Instructors will guide families through the steps to create floral wreaths, tissue paper flowers, spinart flowers, and handprint flowers. Craft projects are offered free of charge and are appropriate for a wide-range of ages.
Several vendors and organization booths will be set up. Participants are encouraged to browse beautiful bird and flower paintings, items crafted from natural materials, live plants for sale, and other handmade items.
“We hope For the Love of the Garden becomes an annual event,” explains Muscatine Art Center Director Melanie Alexander. “It is a labor of love for the Japanese Garden volunteers to work in the garden each week, and I believe many in the community have fallen under the spell of the garden.”
Hosted by Friends of the Japanese Garden and Friends of the Muscatine Art Center, the venue's For the Love of the Garden event will be held on May 17 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., admission is free, and more information is available by calling (563)263-8282 and visiting MuscatineArtCenter.org.
