AMES, Iowa--Learning to take a risk brought Chickasaw County 4-H’er Mackenzie Dettmer to the stage with Sticks artist and founder Sarah Grant at the Iowa State Fair 4-H Celebrity Showcase.

Grant had volunteered to participate in a Celebrity Showcase event Aug.15 put on by Iowa State University Extension 4-H Youth Development. The showcase allows high profile professionals to showcase 4-H youth and their project work on stage in the 4-H Exhibits Building at the fair.

Mackenzie, along with her grandmother Marilyn Dettmer of Floyd County, shared her two-stroke painting on glass. Both had learned about this painting technique by watching Donna Dewberry on Iowa Public Television; then enrolling in a class in Waterloo. Neither Marilyn or Mackenzie considered herself to be a painter, but both decided to give it a try.

Marilyn described the technique as loading the paintbrush with two paints, then blending them together.

Grant joked that she didn’t even know the two-stroke painting technique, but that she takes a risk and learns new skills everyday. She suggested that Mackenzie, her grandmother, and all first-time artists not get stuck painting on one medium but try different surfaces. She advised Mackenzie to move from glass to paper or canvas.

“New things will happen – that’s when it gets exciting,” said Grant.

Mackenzie said that she practiced on wax paper because it has some of the same feel as glass. She also painted on wood. Her glass painting earned a blue ribbon at the fair.

Grant quipped that painting on glass must be like ice-skating with a paintbrush. Mackenzie agreed that the surface was slick and smooth, but, if she made a mistake, it was easy enough to wipe off and start over.

Mackenzie said the most important thing she learned was to take a risk. Glass painting was something she had not done before, it was scary at first, but “it turned out to be really fun.”

In addition to her grandmother, Mackenzie was joined by her parents Dana and Mike as well as her younger brother Zachary. All made the trip to the fair to see her onstage appearance.
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