Louise Kames holds an MFA degree in drawing and printmaking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a MA degree in Art History from the University of Illinois, and a BA degree in studio art and art history from Clarke University in Dubuque. She is a professor of art at Clarke University where she is the Director of the Art + Design Program.
Recent artwork includes drawings of transitory organic imagery, roots, and leaves arranged in an iconic manner as well as installations honoring personal history that presents the viewer with meditative spaces.
Her drawings, print, and installation-based work are exhibited widely including solo exhibitions across Iowa and the Midwest region. She is a regular participant in regional, national and international juried exhibitions. Kames enjoys the creative and cultural exchange offered at artist residencies. She has worked at numerous international and national residencies.
Kames created site-specific installation works for Dubuque’s Voices from the Warehouse Exhibit in 2005 and 2010. The 2010 installation, Sacred Grove, was selected for inclusion in, Beacons, An Exhibition of Luminous Art at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids, MI, and the 2012 Iowa Artists: Print at the Des Moines Art Center.
Kames possesses a strong commitment to civic engagement. She serves on the City of Dubuque’s Art of the River Committee, StudioWorks Board and is a past member of the Dubuque Arts and Culture Affairs Commission. She was selected as a 2021 Iowa Artist Fellow by the Iowa Arts Council.
Iowa Arts Council Fellowship Blogpost
Iowa Arts Council Fellowship Promotional Video