The Iowa Arts Council’s newest Iowa Artist Fellows will gather in Oskaloosa this month to display and discuss their work with local artists and arts supporters as part of the 2017-2018 Meet the Artist series.

Musician River Breitbach of Dubuque, community-art specialist Jennifer Drinkwater of Ames, filmmaker Jack Meggers of Des Moines, artist Lee Emma Running of Grinnell and writer Rachel Yoder of Iowa City will share their work with the public and discuss ideas 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Oskaloosa Art Center and Studios, 115 1st Ave. W in Oskaloosa. The meeting is free and open to the public.

The Oskaloosa event will also feature local artist Matt Kargol, a sculptor whose work explores constructed and natural forms.

“Iowa has a proven track record of developing talented artists,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said at a ceremony to honor the fellows last summer at the State Capitol. “In return, these individuals use their abilities to strengthen our state’s cultural vitality.”

In fact, the state’s nearly 6,000 arts-related businesses employ an estimated 23,000 people – and these five mid-career fellows have distinguished themselves in their areas of specialty. As part of the fellowship, each one receives professional training as well as a $10,000 grant to support new work.

The rest of the Meet the Artist events follow:

• Dec. 5 at La Poste in Perry, 6-8 p.m.
• March 31, 2018, at the Harvester Artist Lofts Gallery in Council Bluffs, 2-4 p.m.
• April 14, 2018, at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, 2-4 p.m.

The Iowa Arts Council created the multi-discipline Artist Fellowship Program in 2014 to support professional, active Iowa artists who are at a pivotal point in their careers and demonstrate exceptional creativity and capacity to contribute to excellence and innovation.

The talents and interests of this year’s group are particularly varied.

• River Breitbach, a musician from the Dubuque area, tours the Midwest and produces a video series about Iowa musicians.
• Jennifer Drinkwater, a community-art specialist at Iowa State University, has focused her recent projects on painting and cross-stitch.
• Jack Meggers, a Des Moines filmmaker, works in various formats, including documentaries and music videos, and is an artist-in-residence at Ballet Des Moines.
• Lee Emma Running, teaches art at Grinnell College and transforms natural materials into surprising works of art.
• Rachel Yoder, an Iowa City writer, podcasts interviews with other writers and publishes a literary journal of first and last drafts.

The Iowa Arts Council is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. More information is available at iowaculture.gov.