Retired art teacher sees Marion’s big picture
“I’m blown away. I’m just shocked. I did not see that coming.”
That’s what Karen Hoyt of Marion said when she learned she would receive the Iowa Governor’s Arts Legacy Award during the 2018 Iowa Arts Summit in Ankeny.
Hoyt taught art at all levels in and around Marion for 34 years before she retired, in 2007. She’s spent the years since volunteering on all sorts of arts and culture projects around town.
“I thought I’d spend more time in my studio after I retired,” she said. “I’m a working artist, but that’s such a solitary experience. I discovered I’m more of a people person and I need to interact with friends to be happy.”
So that’s what she did.
She hooked up with the Marion Chamber of Commerce and other community groups and has tackled quite a to-do list over the years. For example, she . . .
- Spearheaded the growth and development of the annual Marion Arts Festival, now in its 26th year.
- Directed the Art in the Depot student project that produced a mosaic mural on display at the Marion Heritage Center.
- Co-directed Marion’s art and entertainment district and created the World Lunch Event, a celebration of diverse arts, food and culture.
- Helped build an amphitheater in Marion’s Lowe Park, with help from the Imagin8 Park-It committee and a community visioning project.
- Served as artistic director and oversaw the transformation of Marion’s downtown alleys. The so-called Uptown Artway now includes public art projects by 13 local and national artists and a stage for music and other performing arts. The project received a $350,000 grant from ArtPlace America and has leveraged an estimated $5 million in private investment to purchase and rehabilitate properties and open new businesses.
So what’s next on Hoyt’s list? She continues to serve on the Uptown Marion Main Street Board of Advisers’ design committee to encourage the district’s beautification and historic preservation. She is also involved with a new community-planning project called Imaginext.
“In Marion, the arts are valued, which is one of the reason’s I love living here,” she said. “If you’re okay with mediocre art, you’ll never be a great place. You might be a good place, but great art takes a community to the next level. I have high expectations, and I think that’s reflective of our community’s attitude.”
— Jeff Morgan, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
