Fellow blogger Chuck Hoffman wrote an editorial that came out in the Waterloo Courier today regarding the lack of attention to all Cedar Valley artists.
If you read, the artist in question, Paco Rosic is also responsible for the mural on the Spokeeasy Bus. Not that this diminishes what Chuck is saying in the editorial. Having lived in the Cedar Valley for a combined total of over 15 years, this certainly isn't a new phenomenon. The thing I think resonates with Paco is the whole gimmick to his art (the Sistine Chapel on his coffee shop). Plus he was on Rachel Ray so people think that's cool.
I do find it ironic that Gary Kelly also lives in Cedar Falls, who is a much more reknown artist, yet you never hear about him.
Last I knew Paco had painted his restaurant, but that was about it for big coverage. It bears mentioning that the Des Moines Register wanted to feature our bus, but the courier showed no interest. Just sayin....
It's a demonstratable fact that the chances for an artist to further their careers are more abundant in a place like NYC, LA or even Chicago. I don't think I'd go as far as to say the degree to which the Courier covers other people's art besides Paco's will be what keeps people in Cedar Falls or Waterloo. I really think the reason Paco gets so much publicity is because he has a lot of national coverage...so the Courier is just riding on the coattails of that.
I can't really say intelligently if this is going on or not, btu I do specifically recall that back when I was a janitor @ the waterloo rec center, almost any installation they gave two shits about either pertained to some school or some traveling exhibition. Rarely was it any local talent. If that museum and ones like it made more of an effort to showcase local art, I think that might help draw attention, and maybe get the Courier more interested in what else is going on.