Art on the River Selections Announced, Reception Planned for Aug. 1

April 9, 2025

Eleven new sculptures have been selected for the City of Dubuque’s 19th annual temporary public art exhibit “Art on the River.” The 2025 – 2026 exhibit theme "Flow of Wellness" invites visitors to explore how art can transform personal and community well-being, with a focus on health, healing, and wellness.

The featured works reflect how art nurtures the body, mind, and spirit; celebrates nature’s restorative forces; the healing power of movement; and the soothing effects of light, sound, and color. The exhibit seeks to create a ripple effect, inspiring visitors to consider wellness as both an individual journey and a collective experience, rooted in the city’s riverfront landscape.

Spanning the length of the Mississippi Riverwalk in the Port of Dubuque, the sculptures will be installed in late July 2025 and be on display thorugh July 2026. All Art on the River sculptures are available for purchase with a portion of artwork sales retained to sustain the Art on the River program, which is currently funded through the City’s general operating budget.

The following sculptures, listed in alphabetical order by artwork title, will be featured in this year’s exhibit:

• “Findicator Species” by Will Turnbull, Madison, WI
• “The Polinator” by Kirk Seese, Lutherville-Timonium, MD
• “Sounds of the Seeds” by Molly Spain, Des Moines, IA  
• “Lupine” by Tim Adams, Webster City, IA
• “Oscill8” by Nicole Beck, Chicago, IL
• “Social Fabric” by Matt Miller, Cape Girardeau, MO  
• “Verdi’s Path” by James Cole, East Dubuque, IL
• “Stainless River” by Skip Willits, Camanche, IA
• “Homage to L’Homme Qui Marche” by John Merigan, Newton, KS
• “Wind in the Waves” by Chris Plaisted, New Milford, CT
• “Flow of Wellness III” by Gail Chavenelle, Dubuque, IA  

A community jury panel selected the sculptures from a pool of 61 applications from 40 artists representing 11 states in the U.S., Germany, and India. The panel, chosen for their expertise and involvement in the arts and community development efforts, included:

• Jessica Modica – Executive Director, Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL
• Tamsie Ringler, Visual Artist, Dubuque, IA
• Sarah Cassella, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Loras College, Dubuque, IA 

A reception celebrating the selected works and their creators will be held on Friday, Aug. 1, from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Grand River Center, 500 Bell St. The reception is free to attend, family-friendly, and open to the public.

Art on the River is part of the Dubuque City Council’s ongoing efforts to foster diverse arts and culture experiences that will improve the social and cultural vibrancy of the community. 

For more information, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/artontheriver or contact City of Dubuque Arts & Cultural Affairs Manager Bonnie Spurling at bspurlin@cityofdubuque.org or 563-513-5636.