CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS A sampling of the artwork that will be on display as part of the upcoming “Lines and Mud” exhibit inside the Arts + Culture Alliance building at 126 W. Main St.

The Arts + Culture Alliance (ACA) invites the community to the opening reception of “Lines & Mud,” a new group exhibition featuring work by five talented local artists: Jon Muller, Kirk Niehouse, Ellyn Bandstra, Osmar Castro, and Naima Alejandre. The reception will include a live harp performance by local musician Janet Collison.

The free, public reception will be held Thursday, Dec. 4, from 5 to 7 PM at the ACA’s downtown space at 126 West Main St. in Marshalltown. Light appetizers and snacks will be served, along with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The exhibit will remain on view through Jan. 15, 2026.

Most works in the exhibition will be available for purchase, offering visitors the perfect opportunity to shop local and bring home original art for the holidays.

“Lines & Mud celebrates the vibrancy and range of local creativity we’re seeing across Marshall County,” said Amber Danielson, Executive Director of the ACA. “This exhibition is a chance to meet the artists, experience their work up close, and gather in a space that exists to support and uplift our creative community.”

Jon Muller, a 2025 ACA Artist Innovation Grant recipient, will showcase abstract line drawings and Raku pottery fired in a custom kiln supported by the grant. His work is shaped by a lifelong curiosity and an early love of architecture and nature, refined through years of drawing and pottery study. He hopes the exhibit inspires visitors and highlights how art can enrich everyday well-being.

“As a 2025 recipient of the ACA Artist Innovation Grant, I am honored to share this work with the community. My goal is to create one-of-a-kind art that brings the touch of artistry into people’s lives. Research shows that experiencing aesthetically pleasing things can promote health and well-being — and I believe we all need more of that in our daily lives.”