Our Mission
We believe that art has the power to transform lives, spark curiosity, and connect us to our community and the world. Nestled in the heart of idyllic Mount Vernon, Iowa—amidst the many independent businesses that line main street—our gallery serves as a vibrant sanctuary for artists, art enthusiasts, and curious souls alike.
Our mission is threefold:
Celebrate Creativity: We curate a diverse collection of visual art, including paintings, photography, sculpture and ceramics. Our walls breathe with the stories of local and regional artists, each piece providing a unique view on the world around us.
Foster Community: The gallery isn’t just a place to view art; it’s a gathering spot for kindred spirits. We host workshops, artist talks, and collaborative events that encourage dialogue, learning, and the forging of lasting connections. Whether you’re an artist or an art-lover, our doors are open to you.
Ignite Curiosity: We believe that art should provoke questions, challenge assumptions, and spark wonder. Our exhibits rotate regularly, inviting viewers to explore new perspectives, discover hidden talents, and engage in conversations that transcend the canvas.
The Artist-Owners
Robert Campagna
Bob is a photographer that primarily shoots on black and white film, focusing on landscapes, portraiture and Americana.
He has created and taught almost 600 photography workshops for all ages across the United States and internationally. Over 13,000 students have studied with Bob.
Periodically, he lectures on Ansel Adams, explaining Adams’ work through Bob’s own personal excursions into Yosemite National Park, tracing Adams’ path from decades earlier in the park as well as the Western U.S..
In his long-time hometown of Mt. Vernon, Iowa he was a co-founder of the Abbe Creek Gallery and the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council. He designs and published books, note cards, posters and other printed material
Chris Childers
An artist raised in Minneapolis, Chris Childers retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2022 and moved to rural Iowa to begin a new art-centered life in Mount Vernon. In Iowa, Childers discovered limitless subject matter and a community of artists who embraced his style, subject matter and work ethic.
Childers has always been drawn to painting agrarian/rural scenes en plein air, an interest and passion that had been fostered early on by his parents, particularly his mother, Dorothy Childers, a professional photographer.
Childers’ education has included Studio Art at the University of Minnesota and landscape painting and portraiture at The Atellier in Minneapolis. He has studied with painters Cecile Hartleib, Wayne Howell, James Conaway, and Scott Lloyd Anderson, and considers these connections/mentorships to be the foundation of all of his ongoing work.
He paints primarily in oils and his work graces walls in homes of collectors and admirers across the United States. He has participated in numerous exhibits, including four solo shows and was featured in juried shows including the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts exhibit. In 2024 his work was accepted into the Iowa State Fair for the first time.
Kimberly Machovec-Smith
Kimberly grew up in rural eastern Iowa surrounded by corn fields and countryside. She spent long summer afternoons drawing, making homemade dyes, searching for the best way to clean historic copper-coated artifacts (pennies), and writing stories. After high school Kimberly attended the University of Iowa where she received a bachelor’s degree in art history with a minor in anthropology. She then went on to earn a master’s degree and a certificate of advanced study in art conservation from Buffalo State College, specializing in objects conservation. After leaving Buffalo, Kimberly worked on archaeological projects in Guatemala and Peru and completed a fellowship in the conservation department of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She also worked in objects conservation at the Field Museum in Chicago before life brought her back to eastern Iowa. Since her return to Iowa, she has been raising three kids, working at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and making art.
Kimberly paints sprouting seeds using oil paint and oil pastels to illustrate the virility of the natural world. Her work has been included in group shows at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, the Figge Museum of Art in Davenport, IA, Black Earth Gallery in Cedar Rapids, IA and the National Heirloom Expo in Santa Rosa, CA.
