Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

“I think it is so rare, a museum opening their doors for anyone to put artwork on their walls. That is such a special thing. It made me feel validated as an artist. It’s definitely been a highlight of my life so far.”

-Hannah Morris,
Exhibit Artist

A Program Fund grant supported the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art’s exhibit Midwest Summer: Light and Warmth.

The exhibit featured Swamp Heat by University of Iowa MFA candidate Hannah Morris. Hannah submitted work to exhibit after reading an ad for submissions for local artist, and was elated to learn that Swamp Heat would be included.

She was also impressed by the opening night audience – primarily made up of area art lovers and supporters of the Art Museum. “The thing that I really loved was going to the opening and seeing how many people were there,” she recalls. “That really inspired me — that so many people from Cedar Rapids were excited about the work. It made me really proud to be a part of something like that — a town where people left their homes and got dressed up and went to go see artwork.”