MASON CITY – A long-time director at Mason City’s MacNider Art Museum was honored with a sculpture dedication ceremony.
On Saturday, June 10, 2023, attendees at the MacNider Arts Festival gathered for the unveiling and dedication of a sculpture in honor of the Museum’s former Director, Richard Leet. Leet, who began his career with the Museum in 1965, worked as the Museum’s Director for the first 36 years of the Museum’s history. The “World’s Her Canvas” sculpture was created by artists Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby. The sculpture features a young girl dressed in artist clothing working on a canvas with an open frame. Children are encouraged to stand behind the frame to be a part of the sculpture in an interactive twist.
Leet graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1958 with a degree in Art, and later graduated with an MA in Art in 1965. At the time he was recruited to become the Director of the newly established Charles H. MacNider Museum he was working in the Oelwein Community Schools (IA) while completing his Masters. The Museum had not yet opened when he was approached by the Museum Board of Trustees. Several years earlier there had been a provision made in the Iowa Code to allow municipalities to open and own Art Museums such as the MacNider. Under his guidance the Museum made three major expansions, became accredited by the American Alliance of Museums for the first time, and gathered nearly 1000 outstanding works of American Art. Leet worked at the MacNider for 36 years until his retirement in 2001. Even in retirement he continued to teach drawing classes at the MacNider for many years.
The sculpture donated by the Leet family was an artwork from a prior Sculptures on Parade display and was returned to the community specifically for this purpose. “We are so pleased that the family decided to honor Dick in this way,” said the current Director Edith Blanchard. “His hard work and dedication made the Museum the outstanding institution it is today.”
Admission to the Museum is free and open to the public on Tuesday and Thursday from 9 am – 8 pm, and Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm. It is located at 303 2nd Street SE, Mason City, Iowa. More information about exhibits, programs, and events can be found at the Museum’s website at http://www.macniderart.org.
(PHOTO: Former Museum Director, Richard Leet (seated), at the sculpture dedication in his honor on Saturday, June 10, 2023)