For half a century, the Steele County Art Exhibition has invited local artists to display their latest creations, showcasing the state of the arts in Owatonna and the surrounding communities.
Local artists deliver their work to the Owatonna Arts Center ahead of the 1980 Steele County Art Exhibition. In recognition of its 50th anniversary, the arts enter is welcoming artists from the show’s history to submit any artwork from their careers, a break from its standard practice of only accepting work from the past year. (Photo courtesy of the Owatonna Arts Center)
Artwork by local artists, including Lynette Yencho and the late Jim Killen, is featured in the 2024 Steele County Art Exhibition. (File photo – Owatonna.com)
Beth DeCoux displays her work at the Steele County Free Fair. The artist, who’s served as president of the Owatonna Arts Center for two years, has been a regular contributor to the annual Steele County Art Exhibition for around a decade. (File photo – Owatonna.com)
In this piece, entitled “Wet Town,” local artist Willy Olson depicts a scene from Prohibition-era Blooming Prairie. Olson has shown his work often at the Steele County Art Exhibition for the past 15 years. (Photo courtesy of Willy Olson)