MASON CITY — A prize-winning Iowa fiber artist is bringing a colorful mix of fabric, painting and drawing to Mason City in a new solo exhibition at the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum.
“Rebecca Kemble: Artist” opened Friday, July 24, 2026, in the museum’s Center Space Gallery and will remain on display through Saturday, September 26.
Kemble, of West Des Moines, earned the exhibition after winning Best in Show during the museum’s Iowa Crafts: 47 competition in 2025. Her winning piece, “Honey Bee – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow,” combines painted and stitched fiber work.
The solo exhibition expands upon Kemble’s work with fabric while also featuring her paintings and drawings. She said stitching provides a connecting thread throughout her creations.
“I enjoy the tactile feel of fabric, but I also enjoy adding paint and other embellishments to create even more texture, depth and movement,” Kemble said. “At the heart of it all is stitch, which, as an additional line element, creates continuity throughout my work.”
The museum will celebrate Kemble and the new exhibition with an artist reception from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25. The reception is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.
Kemble’s exhibition opens during an active summer at the MacNider Museum. The museum is also presenting its milestone Area Show: 50 exhibition featuring regional artists through September 23.
During that competition, Mason City artist Dan Gamble earned Best in Show honors, securing his own solo exhibition in the museum’s Center Space Gallery in 2027.
The Charles H. MacNider Art Museum is located at 303 Second Street SE in Mason City. Admission to the museum is free.
(Top Image: Iowa Crafts: 47 Best in Show winner Rebecca Kemble of West Des Moines created “Honey Bee – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow,” a painted and stitched fiber work.)