A painting that portrays an iconic Cedar Rapids neighborhood won First Prize honors at the 2022 Iowa State Fair. Titled A Big OK … from U.S.A., the work features a classic Art Deco-style gas station, located in the New Bohemia district of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The acrylic painting on canvas was created by local artist Paul Marlow.

“I entered this painting at the last minute, almost as an afterthought,” said Marlow. He submitted A Big OK … from U.S.A. into competition on the suggestion of his daughter, Betsy. “I had another painting in mind. But she has pretty good insight, and I’m glad I took her advice!”

The title comes from the vintage Pepsi-Cola billboard painted on the side of Tornado’s Grub & Pub. Marlow was drawn to the nostalgia of the location, but also to the sense of mystery and uncertainty of the scene. He stood on the tailgate of his car to capture the best angle for the reference photo used to create the painting.

“The light and shadow in this work create an underlying sense of drama,” said Marlow. He calls A Big OK… From U.S.A. “an homage to mythic America”, but also portrays an America in troubled times.

377 works were accepted in the 2022 Fine Arts exhibition, representing 258 artists from all around the state of Iowa. Only 2 works of art per person may be submitted in the competition each year, and the work must be created by Iowa artists. “Every year, the quality of the work improves,” said Marlow. “I feel lucky just to get in.”

Marlow has earned 4 First Prizes in painting at the Iowa State Fair since 2018. Overall, he has created 7 award-winning paintings in the past 6 years of the juried competition, taking First Prize in both oils and acrylics at the 2020 competition. Marlow’s work has been accepted into the juried exhibition every year since he first entered in 2014.

Historically, the Iowa State Fair Fine Arts competition features work by some of Iowa’s best artists. Iowa native Grant Wood won the competition 4 years in a row, before painting his iconic portrait, “American Gothic” in 1930.  American Gothic is considered to be the most recognized portrait in the world, after the Mona Lisa.

Over 1 million people attend the fair annually, and the Fine Arts Gallery is a visitor favorite.

The Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Gallery is located on the 3rd floor of the Patty & Jim Cownie Cultural Center on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The Gallery is open to fairgoers from August 11 - 21, 2022 in Des Moines, Iowa.