UIU student selected to honor State Fair’s butter cow
Jennah Smith, UIU junior from Cedar Falls, shows off the concrete cow she painted to compete at the Iowa State Fair. Jennah’s is one of more than 60 designs selected as part of the Fair’s tribute to the 100th anniversary of the butter cow.
FAYETTE, Iowa (August 10, 2011) - Jennah Smith, junior at Upper Iowa University, spent part of her summer break painting a cow. The Cedar Falls student is one of more than 60 individuals and organizations selected by the Iowa State Fair to enter the Concrete Tribute Cow competition that is part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Fair's butter cow.
The Fair solicited designs for the cows earlier this summer and notified the selected artists to pick up their cows. Cows could be painted, dressed and/or accessorized. Winners will be announced August 11 in competition categories, which range from novice to professional. All entries will be displayed throughout the fair. A full list of entries and a map to their Fairgrounds location is available online at www.iowastatefair.org/fair-attractions/butter-cow/. Jennah Smith's entry, "The Quilted Cow," is located in Section 2.
Smith, an art education major at UIU, first learned about the competition from her professor, John Siblik, associate professor of art, who had passed on the invitation to all UIU art students. She submitted her design to Siblik, who approved it for submission to the Fair. Smith tapped into her interest in quilting and research about the Northeast Iowa barn quilt designs to develop the quilt elements in her design. She incorporates both fabric and real grass to add texture and realism.
"I feel very honored to have been able to participate in this tribute to the butter cow. I had a lot of fun creating 'The Quilted Cow,' and I am very happy with the final product," Smith said. "One thing I love about Upper Iowa is all the opportunities we are given to be successful. It's nice to know the professors recognize your strengths and encourage you to use them."
Smith said she chose to attend UIU after being recruited for her tennis talents. Initially she was an English major, but switched to art education because she enjoyed her art classes and wanted to teach. She will be following a family tradition; her mother is also an art teacher.
"The art program at UIU has helped me to embrace what I do well, but also challenges me to try different approaches and expand on my creativity. The faculty and staff at Upper Iowa are very supportive and encouraging; it's a great community to be a part of," Smith said.
UIU will be on hand throughout the Iowa State Fair at Booth #762 in the Varied Industries Building. The University will award four, one-year tuition-only scholarships to the UIU campus in Fayette at the end of the Fair; and will also award a free course that can be taken at a UIU Center, online, or as independent study on each of the 11 days of the Fair. Entries for either scholarship competition can only be made at the UIU booth on the Fairgrounds. For complete rules, visit www.uiu.edu/statefair.
Contact:
Monica Bayer Heaton
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Phone: 563-425-5773
Cell: 515-291-2070
heatonm@uiu.edu
About Upper Iowa University
Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and leadership development opportunities to nearly 6,800 students—nationally and internationally—at its Fayette campus and learning centers worldwide. Upper Iowa University is a recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems, including online and independent study. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu.