Two original public art installations created by northeast Iowa artist Shawna McLeod of McLeod Paint & Design were unveiled during the McGregor Fall Art Festival on Oct. 10-11.

The installations were designed for McGregor’s Landing, the new name for the First Street Parking Lot area by McGregor Municipal Utilities. In a press release, the city of McGregor said it represents “an exciting step in the community’s efforts to incorporate art and creativity into its public spaces, enhance the visitor experience and establish new opportunities for community gathering and connection.”

The first installation, the Creative Places Gateway, features six original, hand-painted art panels incorporated into a welcoming gateway arch structure. Together, the panels create a colorful and distinctive entrance that celebrates artistic expression while establishing a recognizable sense of arrival at McGregor’s Landing.

The second installation, the McGregor’s Landing Signature Canvas, is an impressive 10-foot-by-20-foot hand-painted mural inspired by the natural beauty, cultural character and creative spirit of the Mississippi River community. Designed as a portable visual centerpiece, the canvas will serve as a colorful backdrop for concerts, festivals, markets and other gatherings at McGregor’s Landing.

Artist McLeod is no stranger to the community. She is a rural Luana native and graduated from MFL MarMac. After earning an art education degree from the University of Northern Iowa and spending 15 years teaching middle school art, McLeod transitioned to full-time creative work in 2026 through her business, McLeod Paint & Design.

McLeod has painted several other area murals, including the sun in downtown McGregor and those on the Driftless Station in Marquette and EXIT Realty building in Monona.

She said it’s special to contribute artwork to the communities that helped shape her. It’s even more meaningful as she transitions to her own artwork full-time.

“It’s been a big transition, and having people from my hometown area continue to support my work and trust me with these projects has meant more than they probably realize,” McLeod shared. “There’s something really rewarding about coming back to a place that holds so many memories and being able to leave a little piece of myself through my artwork. I hope these projects bring a sense of pride to the community and can be enjoyed for years to come.”

Through the McGregor’s Landing project, McLeod said she enjoyed working on both the larger canvas and smaller canvases to create the panels, though the latter was an adjustment painting at a smaller scale.

“This project was a fun change of pace from the large-scale murals I typically work on. I’m so accustomed to painting on walls that are sometimes 15 to 30 feet tall, so working on the six smaller paintings was a different experience,” McLeod explained. “Although smaller in scale, each painting still required a lot of thought and attention to detail. I wanted the individual pieces to feel connected while still having their own character.”

Additionally, the project allowed McLeod to experiment with a more simplified, painterly style.

“Much of my mural work involves large, colorful compositions, so it was refreshing to approach something a little differently. That’s one thing I love about being an artist—every project brings something new, and I continue to grow and challenge myself along the way,” she said.

McLeod pulled inspiration for the installations from the natural beauty and character of the McGregor area. Growing up in Northeast Iowa, she has always appreciated the Mississippi River, bluffs, wildlife and charm of the small communities along the river.

“I wanted the artwork to reflect that connection to nature and the area’s identity while creating something visually cohesive. The simplified imagery and earthy, monochromatic color schemes felt fitting for the setting,” she said. “As a middle school art teacher, I always enjoyed exploring monochromatic color schemes with my students as a way to build fundamental skills in color mixing and working with different mediums. It was fun to revisit that approach in my own artwork.”

McLeod’s hope was to create artwork that not only represents McGregor, but also helps make McGregor’s Landing an inviting place where people want to gather, take photos and create memories.

The city shares in that mission.

A press release explained the installations are part of the city of McGregor’s Creative Places Initiative, a community-driven effort directed by a committee of local volunteers committed to exploring how art, culture and creativity can contribute to the community’s future.

McGregor was selected to participate in Iowa’s Creative Places Accelerator program, an initiative designed to help communities leverage their unique cultural assets to strengthen local identity, encourage collaboration, enhance quality of life and support economic vitality. The Creative Places Initiative is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

For McGregor, that work includes exploring ways to activate underutilized spaces, encourage community interaction and develop distinctive experiences that appeal to residents and visitors alike.

Public art is an emerging element of McGregor’s placemaking efforts, the city said. Beyond adding visual interest, installations such as the gateway arch and signature canvas can help transform everyday spaces into recognizable destinations, inspire curiosity and conversation and create a stronger sense of connection to place.

“The projects also demonstrate how collaboration between local volunteers, municipal leadership and regional artists can translate creative ideas into tangible community improvements,” the city said.

Moving forward, the city of McGregor hopes these installations will serve not only as additions to McGregor’s Landing, but also as inspiration for future public art and creative placemaking opportunities throughout the community.