Celebrating Iowa’s people, places and culture, works have been gathered from contemporary Iowa artists in a celebration of Iowa and as part of a statewide effort to promote tourism.

Recently opened, “The Iowa Collection” is on display at Iowa State University’s Brunnier Art Museum and contains 55 works mostly by Iowa artists.

“Although Iowans travel widely, we need to celebrate what is unique, exciting, picturesque and distinctive within our borders,” Lynette Pohlman, curator and director of University Museums said.

Pohlman selected 33 artists who use a variety of media including painting, metal, wood and fabric sculpture, woodcuts, engravings and dried plants for the exhibit.

The works depict natural scenes, urban landmarks, animal life and recreational activities.

“The exhibition is an invitation for Iowans to rediscover our many natural and scenic wonders, and our community cultural events,” Pohlman said.

“The Iowa Collection” contains works from Ames artists including Marilyn Annin, Dean Biechler, Jo Myers Walker and Deborah Scott.

The collection also includes a drawing and print by Jay N. “Ding” Darling and a lithograph by Grant Wood, who are also well-known Iowa artists.

One of the exhibits on display features Annin’s series, “Sand Woman.”

The display consists of three steel armatures covered with garments made of sandbags. By scale, the pieces would stand over six feet tall if actually worn.

Annin began welding the armatures during the 1993 flood in Des Moines. The idea came to her as helicopters were flying over her home taking volunteers to fill sandbags.

“Seasonal events can be disruptive,” Annin said. “Just as the flood of 1993 was so disruptive to people in Des Moines.”

However, she did not intend for the garments to be made of sandbags. The idea to use them developed when she found recycled objects in a salvage shop.

The gowns have a bottom row of filled sandbags, three tiers of sandbags for the tunics and the middle torso contains ropes stitched in place. By-products of plastic jewelry also decorate the gowns.

The pieces are a “Greek goddess thing,” Annin said. The two goddesses represented are Demeter, the goddess of Agriculture, and Persephone, the Seasonal goddess.

The exhibit is sponsored by the Iowa Economic Development’s Division of Tourism, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and the Iowa Arts Council.

The exhibit will remain at the Brunnier until Jan. 4. After Ames, the exhibit will travel to Mason City, Spencer and Dubuque.

The Brunnier Art Museum, located in Room 290 of the Scheman Building, is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.