The Foyer Gallery at Wilcox Library on the William Penn University campus is featuring the sculptures of Oskaloosa artist Rod Minter for the month of September.
      Minter describes his forms of expression as welding, bending and grinding metal. “When I create, I think about it, measure it, and build it once the idea is visible in my head,” Minter said.
      His work is displayed at art shows throughout Iowa and the surrounding states, and his sculptures have been sold across the country. One piece of Minter’s work is permanently on display on William Penn’s campus: the sculpture on the lawn of McGrew Fine Arts Center. Built in 2005, the design was created by Sue (Ferguson) Van Wyk in an art class at William Penn.
      Several of Minter’s sculptures are created with a concentration on the Oskaloosa community and feature the city bandstand in the downtown district. One piece, called “Freedom to Dream” is on display at George Daily Auditorium. Minter describes this sculpture as bringing the bandstand to life. 
      “As I thought about the bandstand sitting in the middle of our city square, I saw the many trees standing tall encircling it.  These became single poles stretching to the sky.  Then our city square began turning like a carousel, the trees - now poles, were reaching for the sky and had the evening moon and stars landing on top of them. The musical instruments replaced the traditional carousel horses.  The musical notes that reach through the night sky are the ending measures of our national anthem, ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’” Minter writes on his Web site, www.bent-thoughts.com. 
      Minter and his wife, Kelly, reside in Oskaloosa and have three children and one grandchild. Minter’s work will be on display in the Foyer Gallery of Wilcox Library throughout the month of September and may be viewed during the library’s hours of operation: Sunday 12:00 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to midnight, and Saturday 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
      Other art exhibits scheduled at the Foyer Gallery this year include: Cecilia Acosta paintings in October; William Penn faculty in November; Bill Harbort acrylic paintings in December; Barbara McGee watercolor paintings in January; Bruce Morrison photography, oil painting and serigraphy in February; William Penn senior student show in March; and William Penn student work in April. For more information on Foyer Gallery exhibits, contact Victoria Laird, director of visual arts and Foyer Gallery curator at (641) 673-1388.