By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Impact was created in 1985 to provide Nebraska artists opportunities to collaborate and share their work through exhibitions. Members commit to five exhibition themes per year. In 2025, exhibits included Impact Willa Cather, Spirit of Robert Henri, Waters of Life, Color of Music-Rhythm of Art, and Pollinators.
Nebraska Game and Parks graphic designer Donna Schimonitz has been an Impact member for 20 years. She describes her work as mostly nature-based and enjoys painting wildlife and scenic landscapes. Unsurprisingly, the Waters of Life and Pollinators exhibits have been most meaningful to her.
“I try to do something a little different,” Schimonitz said. “[For] the Waters of Life [exhibit], I did the tiger salamander because I figured no one else would be doing that.”
For the Pollinators exhibit, artists aimed to highlight the importance of pollinators and the roles they play in our ecosystems and everyday lives. Schimonitz chose to paint a calligrapher fly on purple aster flowers. This hoverfly is known for its distinctive black markings and is an important pollinator of native flowers. Also, its larvae are beneficial predators, helping to control plant pests such as aphids.
The group occasionally shows outside of Nebraska — they’ve had exhibits in Wyoming, Florida, Kansas and Washington, D.C. Impact is a professional community that provides its members opportunities to improve their craft. Member artists practice a variety of styles and media.
“It’s a group of high-quality art producers that made me push myself to be a better artist. I love the camaraderie and solid group of friendly but very professional artists,” Schimonitz said.
Membership is selective, with applicants being “juried-in” by a third party, such as an outside artist or museum director, who judges their portfolio. Membership is a four-year commitment, with the expectation of participation in all programs, exhibitions and
twice-a-year meetings.
The next Impact art exhibit will feature works inspired by American writer Willa Cather, known for her novels about the Great Plains. See the exhibit Nov. 1-Dec. 1 at the Valentine Public Library in Valentine and Dec. 4-28 at the West Arts Center in Scottsbluff.
For more information, visit impactart-ne.org.