Paul Marlow of Cedar Rapids, Iowa was awarded both second and third place honors for 2 oil paintings at the Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition in Des Moines, Sunday, August 4, 2019. The awards were presented before a standing-room-only audience at the Cultural Center on the Iowa State fairgrounds.

"After viewing hundreds of entries, I was moved by the amazing talent of Iowa artists," said Judy Brunk, one of three judges for the 2019 competition. "I was especially impressed by the technical skill and creativity in all categories.”

This was the 5th year in a row Marlow's work has been accepted in the Iowa State Fair Fine Arts competition, and the 3rd year in a row Marlow has taken home prizes for his work. Since 2017, Marlow has earned 1-First, 2-Second and 1-Third Place awards in the Oil painting division.

Second place was awarded for "One Last Walk Together" which features a mother and daughter walking west on Chicago’s Navy Pier, the summer before the unexpected death of the mother at age 44. Family friends of the artist, there is a poignancy in this composition, as the teenage daughter holds her mother’s hand. Together they walk towards the skyline, and a day of fun in Chicago. Marlow said, “My intention was to capture a real family moment with all the warmth and unabashed sentiment that oil paints on canvas will allow, because I believe that is how the family will remember that day.” A noteworthy detail—the frame for this work was built by the father and husband of the subjects in the painting.

Third place was awarded for the entry “Long Shadows On The Short Farm”, which features the Short Family Farm, located north of Troy Mills, Iowa. The painting captures the drama of light and shadow, the powerful panorama and the beauty in the fleeting moments of a fall day in Iowa. Utilizing a drone to create a reference photo, Marlow said, “I wanted to depict the beauty of the Iowa landscape, giving up it’s bounty, and the grain bins, dotting the horizon like temples—which store that bounty—in preparation for the long winter sure to come.”

Judge Judy Brunk said, “We are fortunate to live in a state which values art and it’s artists through our fine educational systems and the showcase at the Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Exhibit.”

This was the first year that the exhibit was limited only to artists living in Iowa. The Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Salon has a rich and vibrant history, going back to 1854. Many of Iowa's finest artists have won prizes at the state fair. Iowa artist Grant Wood won the competition in 1929. Wood painted "American Gothic" in 1930, which only garnered 2nd place at a Chicago Art Institute competition, but would go on to become the most-recognized portrait in the world, after “The Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. Grant Wood won prizes at the Iowa State Fair 4 years in a row.

Frequently ranked as one of the top events in the country, the Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. Annually attracting more than one million people from all over the world, the Iowa State Fair is Iowa’s greatest celebration with a salute to the best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. The Iowa State Fair is open to the public from August 8-18, 2019.