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Admission into Jester Park
& the Nature Center is FREE

The Art of Jester Park

Public art has the power to energize our public spaces, arouse our thinking, and transform the places where we live, work, and play into more welcoming and beautiful environments that invite interaction. Beyond its enriching personal benefits, public art is a true symbol of societal maturity. Public art helps green space thrive, enhances roadsides, pedestrian corridors , and community gateways; it demonstrates unquestionable civic pride.” "Wood Is Art”, Public art Benefits of Public Art [www.lakewoodisart.com]

Explore local art as you adventure throughout Jester Park

Over the last decade, Polk County Conservation has expanded public art throughout our park system. Today, park visitors can experience a myriad of art that educates, inspires, informs and arouses their curiosity about our natural world. This link shows you our current public art and where to find it!

The Galleries at the Jester Park Nature Center

The Galleries at Jester Park Nature Center offers the opportunity for local art to be displayed and made available for sale to park visitors. 

Current Exhibition - Walking with Pumas

This art exhibition highlights the work of photographer and poet, Paul Brooke. 

Paul Brooke is a professor, poet, and photographer. He teaches at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. This exhibit was taken during a week-long visit to Torres del Paine National Park, where Brooke photographed 12 different pumas. Some days he spent up to 9 hours with one animal (the big male) or walked along with Blinca (female) as she hunted for her two cubs. The wind was exhausting as it often roared through the region at 50 mph. His book, Pantagruelian: Photographs of Torres del Paine, will be released in mid-January and will be for sale. It features most of these photos.

Brooke is the author of seven books including Jaguars of the Northern Pantanal, Sirens and Seriemas: Photographs and Poems of the Amazon and Pantanal, The Skáld and the Drukkin Tröllaukin: Photographs and Poems of Iceland, and Light and Matter: Photographs and Poems of Iowa. His photographs have been featured in nine exhibits across North America and in Audubon and Wild Planet magazines. Please check out his website for more information and images.  

 

 

Walking with Pumas will be on display from January 2 to April 28 during Jester Park Nature Center hours. Hours can be found at jesterparknaturecenter.com. For additional information, please contact Missy Smith at 323-5317.

FREE to the public

 

Sculpture Trail 

The Jester Park Sculpture Trail features 5 unique nature-inspired public works of art. Each sculpture is located along a beautiful nature trail beginning at the front entrance of the Jester Park Nature Center. Take a hike and discover each art piece as the trail leads you around the pond, over the creek, through the woods, and eventually back to the nature center. During the hike, you will discover sculptures meant to educate, inform, and nurture our fascination and curiosity about the natural world. The newest sculpture, "Horai" was recently added. This full size bull elk, made from barbed wire and 16 gage welded scrap metal, was created by artist, Jeff Best, of Devil's Rope Studio. Hoari means a portion of time or season and with this piece, Hoari is referring to the elk's fall bugling season when he competes for breeding rights. Check out this video for a talk with the artist about his piece.

The sculpture trail now culminates with Long Distance, a temporary outdoor exhibit, displayed behind the Jester Park Nature Center in conjunction with our permanent outdoor Prairie Sculpture Trail. This interactive sculpture is on loan to us from artist, Nathan Pierce, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This abstraction is an interactive sculpture! The viewer can rotate the top, and aim it in the direction they want to send a signal. Using your imagination this sculpture can send signals across the universe. Join us in welcoming Long Distance at the May 11th Galleries Opening Reception at the Jester Park Nature Center starting at 6 pm. Long Distance will remain on display through April 1, 2024. Check out this video for a talk with the artist about his piece.

Public Art Throughout Our Parks

Don't stop your art exploration at Jester Park. You can find public art throughout our park system. 

 

Lauridsen Skatepark

WOW, 2019

Medium: Steel

Size: 12' x 11'

Artists: R & R Studios

 
 

Lauridsen Skatepark

Lauridsen Skatepark Mural, 2019

Medium: Paint

Artists: Caeden DeBruin, Marcella Christiani, Adan Gomez, Randy Garza, Jacob Kuperman, Roan Bachar, Maggie Douglas, Taylor Ross - Derek Hutchison, Laura Todd, Nathan Esteras, Dana Harrison, DSM Tattoo Collective, Jimmy Novarro, Danielle Kelso, Maddy Fusco, Chis Sullivan - Jordan Sandquist, John Hintz, Paula Tomlinson & Waukee High School students

 

Easter Lake

Butterfly, 2015

Medium: Willow and Terracotta

Size: 4' x 8'

Artists: Pam Dennis and Ryk Weiss

Great Western Trail

River Chuck Stop, 2018

Medium: Steel, Repurposed Bicycle

Size: 12' tall

Artists: Barney Feezell and Steve Haefner

Thomas Mitchell Park

Morel Mushroom, 2005

Medium: Wood Carving (oak)

Size: 7.5 'x 5'

Artists: Mike Sibley and Jim Swearingen