AMES, Iowa — The 53rd annual Octagon Art Festival took place in Ames on Sunday. Artists gathered to showcase their work, and a veteran spoke on the impact art has on people.

The Octagon Center for the Arts hosts this annual event to help promote local artists and bring the community together in appreciation. Over 85 artists from across the Midwest gathered to share their work.

The center provides a place for artists in every stage of their artistic journey. This event is a way to present and support emerging artists. Five of the participates in Sunday’s event are rising artists who are just starting out.

“It’s just a great way to also promote emerging artists that are affiliated with either the College of Design (Iowa State University) or are just budding and wanting to get their name out and started in a creative career,” said Heather Johnson, Executive Director of the Octagon Center for the Arts.

The festival features a variety of artistic mediums and styles. Wearable, functional, and decorative items were all available to explore. Johnson hopes the festival gives people a chance to learn about different art styles. One person might see a pile of junk and just toss it out, while another might take that same pile and make a beautiful sculpture.

“We’re hoping that people see art through a different point of view when they come to see all the different things that the artists has made. Reused jewelry pieces, yard art, we just want them to come out and interact with the artist,” Johnson said.

However, the festival wasn’t only a place to explore art. It was also a place to learn about how art can help people.

Ron Kobeluch works with American Legion Post #37 in Ames and runs a table every Saturday during the farmer’s market. Kobeluch hopes to spread awareness to the community and state about suicide prevention and awareness. A musician himself, Ron reached out to the Octagon Center and set up a table to help spread the message and to discuss the positive affects music and art can have in people’s lives.

“The whole idea of having the suicide awareness program out here was just to let people know that there are all different kinds of ways to do things to help live. Art, music, they’re all very good to keep you going. In art it’s how you visualize things, in music its sometimes words fail, music speaks. So, I’m here helping those who sometimes can’t get enough help themselves,” Kobeluch said.

Kobeluch hopes that people will look around and connect themselves with programs that can help them and that others will look around and help those who need it. Everyone can use help, but Kobeluch wants to make sure veterans who often suffer more than others, get help that’s been scarcely available to them.