Art in State Buildings Program
The lucky clovers that dot the grounds of Iowa
Lottery headquarters in Clive were installed in November 2015 as part
of the Art in State Buildings Program. The 15 metal
sculptures were designed by Des Moines artists TJ Moberg and
Dennis Reynolds and provide a light-hearted, whimsical
representation of lottery luck while also creating
eye-catching artwork.
The clovers range in size from 12 inches up to 5
feet in diameter. Moberg and Reynolds selected a
variety of materials and finishes that bring
additional depth of meaning to the project.
The Art in State Buildings Program (PDF)
was enacted by state lawmakers in 1979 to ensure that fine arts are
a part of eligible state building construction
projects. The program requires that one half of one percent
of the total cost of an eligible state building
project be used to include fine arts in the project.
The specified budget for the lottery's fine arts
project was $31,487, with an additional allowance of
up to $10,000 provided by the lottery for site
preparation.
See a PDF map of the clovers' locations.
1. The Lucky One.
This copper clover, 4 feet in diameter, is positioned just outside
the front doors to the lottery's headquarters building. It may be the clover that everyone
rubs for luck as they head inside! |
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2. Winners, Winners, Winners.
This
aluminum clover, 5 feet in diameter, is
imprinted with dozens of images of the Iowa
Lottery players who have won prizes through
the years. |
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3. Lucky Numbers.
This 18-inch
aluminum clover is imprinted with a jumble
of digits that represent the winning numbers
selected in lottery drawings. |
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4. 3-Leaf, I mean, 4-Leaf Clover.
This steel clover has four leaves, but one
of them clearly doesn't fit. It calls to
mind an attempt at homemade luck -- someone
trying to turn a three-leaf clover into a
four-leaf clover. Metal strips, purposefully
left free of paint to rust over time,
represent pieces of tape and a Band-Aid that
hold the fourth leaf in place. |
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5. Arts and Culture.
This aluminum
clover, 3 feet in diameter, is installed
near the lottery sign in front of the
headquarters building. The clover is heavily
textured with layers of paint, representing
the arts and culture in Iowa. |
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6-8. Constantly Changing.
These three
aluminum clovers, which range from 3 feet
down to 1 foot in diameter, are highly
polished and finished with specialized paint
so that they change color depending upon the
angle from which they are viewed. This
grouping of clovers represents our
constantly changing world. |
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9. For The Vets.
This aluminum
clover, 2 feet in diameter, is imprinted
with the logo for the Iowa Veterans Trust
Fund (IVTF) and has five leaves, one for
each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces: Air
Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and
Navy. This clover recognizes the IVTF, which
receives a portion of lottery proceeds each
year, and the help that the Trust Fund
provides to Iowa veterans and their
families. |
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10. Education Matters.
This metal
clover, 5 feet in diameter, is cut from the
top of an old school bus, complete with two
of the lights from the bus. It represents
education, one of the largest recipients of
money from the state General Fund, which
receives a portion of lottery proceeds each
year. |
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11. Recycled.
This 18-inch clover is
made from a repurposed fan. It represents
the importance of recycling and reuse. |
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12. Iowa's Agriculture.
This
30-inch tin clover is made from pieces of an
old corn crib. It represents Iowa's
agricultural heritage and our state's
leadership in developing new products and
techniques in agriculture. |
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13-15. Lottery Creativity.
These
three aluminum clovers, ranging in size from
12 inches to 18 inches in diameter, were
painted by Iowa Lottery employees. They
represent the themes of people, technology
and the connections within our world in
2015. |
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