Jo Myers-Walker's Blog

Family portrait with Herky

After spending their summer as a public art project, the Herky statues have been removed from the streets. They were displayed together and some sold at silent auction at the Fry Fest on August 29. Some more were sold at live auction at the Englert Theater on September 12, after a special presentation of a documentary about the Herky on Parade 2 project.

The Herky that I painted (Herky’s Community) wasn’t up for auction — it was purchased by its sponsor, the Iowa City Downtown District! I’ll let you know if I find out more about Herky’s future travels.

Our booth at the Fair
(photo courtesy of Pam McKenna)

Demonstrating and painting
with others at the Fair

At this year’s Iowa State Fair I shared a booth in the Cultural Center with artist friends Pam McKenna, Tina Rice, and Amber Russell-Zepeda. In the evening when the bands began to play across the street at the Anderson Erickson stage, things quieted down in our building. The Fair folks let me set up a painting table next to our booth to demonstrate on during my shift, mostly in the evenings about 7 to 9.

Liz, proud of her chicken
(photo courtesy of Liz)

Me with chicken painted during demonstration
(photo courtesy of Liz)

During the slow times I met a man who could make a paper airplane out of one of my not-so-good watercolors, using just his feet and toes. Then we flew the airplane around the booth. Only at the Fair!

Marg, Joan, and Bonnie painting next to the booth

Talented feet, folding an airplane

Unveiling “Herky’s Community” – someone took some of the plastic off the night before, probably looking for themselves in the paintings!

Monday was the great unveiling for “Herky on Parade 2,” a public art project that placed 84 uniquely-decorated statues of Herky the Hawk (University of Iowa mascot) around Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty. You can find the Herky that I painted, “Herky’s Community,” at Iowa Ave. and Clinton St. in downtown Iowa City, across from Old Capitol (update: the Herkys are being removed from the streets starting August 26, 2014). Many thanks to the sponsors of “Herky’s Community”: the Iowa City Downtown District, and the City of Iowa City!

Herky is more than six feet tall and could not fit in my apartment, so United Action for Youth allowed me to paint the statue in their Art Space. I drew landmark businesses in the Downtown District and a variety of Iowa City folk, showing the diversity of downtown. I’ve included working people, students, elderly, children playing, homeless, musicians, bicyclists and all the people that make up the Iowa City landscape. I wanted Herky to connect not only to the University, but also to the larger community of Iowa City. After all, they’re all intertwined.

I used acrylic and latex paint and paint markers to gain some of the vibrancy of watercolor technique, but focus more on the drawn images, detail in the faces, and the actions of the people. It was a delight to have people find themselves on Herky. One gentleman told me it may be the only time he would be commemorated in his life, which was very touching and just what I wanted — to honor all in Herky’s Community.

The statues are on public display through August 25, 2014. There are 23 Herkies just downtown!

Herky in progress –
his shoes are buses

Daughter Shelby and me,
hugging Herky