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Keeping Elkader engaged in fine arts

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Jewelry artist Zanetta Hoehle demonstrates one step in creating a pair of herringbone earrings. Zanetta gave two workshops last Saturday in Elkader.

Jewelry artist leads workshops

By Pam Reinig, Times-Register

An artist whose return visit to northeast Iowa was preempted by COVID-19 was back in Elkader recently to show and share her talents.

Zanetta Hoehle, a jewelry-maker from Solon, led two workshops at G’s Closet and Gallery, Elkader. The shop also hosted a trunk showing of her work. Zanetta was scheduled to participate in Art in the Park, which organizers earlier canceled amid coronavirus concerns. The workshops gave her a chance to revisit the town that helped kick-start her art fair presence.

“I did Art in the Park two years ago—it was one of my first events as an exhibitor—and I really enjoyed it,” Zanetta said. “It was so much fun to see reactions to my jewelry and to see what people are drawn to.”

Sally Stendel, G’s Closet owner and an Art in the Park committee member, hosted the event as a way to keep area residents engaged in the fine arts.

“The Art in the Park committee is looking forward to projects to keep the arts an active part of Elkader, like more workshops, trunk shows by artists, online workshops and a Chalk the Walk Day near Sweet Corn Days,” Sally said. “The biggest project we'd love to get off the ground is a community mural. We’re in the process of looking for a building owner willing to have it on their property.”

Born in Nebraska and raised in southeast Iowa, Zanetta comes from a long line of artists, beginning with her maternal grandmother, who took up watercolors in her 90s.

“She never believed it when we said she was where all the artistic talent came from,” Zanetta continued, adding that her grandmother drew or painted greeting cards for her family up to the time of her death at nearly 101.

Though she turned to art at a younger age than her grandma, it wasn’t Zanetta’s first career. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in radiology technology at the University of Iowa, she taught for 15 years in the UIHC radiology program. 

“I still teach for them but currently as an adjunct faculty teaching online classes,” Zanetta said. “This has given me more time to devote to other aspects of my life like helping out with my mother, taking time to visit my three girls and their families and spending time with my husband, Neil. It has also given me more time to devote to my jewelry.”

Zanetta became a jewelry artist almost by chance. Walking past a bead store in downtown Iowa City, she noticed a sign for classes. Her inquiry was met with the assurance that she could learn how to make a pair of earrings and bracelet that very day.

“From then on, I was hooked,” she admitted. “I took various classes over time in different jewelry techniques. A ‘Viking knit’ class steered me to wire weaving, which just seemed to resonate with me. I kept exploring different wire techniques through books, YouTube, other classes and just experimenting on my own.”

Now known for her wire designs which run the gamut from simple to intricate, Zanetta enjoys sharing her skill with others. Her recent Elkader workshops gave participants a chance to create a pair of earrings with a herringbone design around a bead. Though many artists are reluctant to share their skills with others, Zanetta welcomes the opportunity.

“I truly feel more is gained by sharing your knowledge with others than keeping it to yourself,” Zanetta said. “In teaching, you are also learning. I can't count the times a student has shown me something from a different angle than I have considered before. It’s a beautiful, symbiotic relationship.”

Zanetta’s jewelry, which is sold at G’s Closet, is mostly available at art fairs. The cancelation of festivals has significantly impacted her ability to show and sell her art, but she knows that won’t last forever. 

“Eventually, more opportunities will become available,” she said. “It’s a matter of patience. I just like working with stones, beads and wire. I have a large stash, so when my fingers want to be working, I can’t resist diving in. When art fairs do start happening, I will have a nice supply of pieces.”

While she waits for life to return to something closer to normal, Zanetta will continue her creative pursuits—and she encourages others to find a creative outlet, too.

“There are a lot of ways of being creative, whether it’s in art or other aspects of your life,” she said. “Rather than succumb to what you can't do, think about what you can do. Many musicians have played from their balconies as an outlet for themselves as well as those around them who were sheltering. The art of breadmaking has taken an upswing. Families are spending more time eating together, talking and just finding ways to create their own fun. Creativity can touch every aspect of your life—look for the possibilities not the limitations.”

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