Each year, the community nominates individuals whose work has made a meaningful and lasting impact on the cultural fabric of Fairfield. From these nominations, we honor those whose creativity, dedication, and contributions have enriched the town’s artistic, historical, and cultural life. This annual recognition celebrates the people who help sustain and elevate Fairfield’s unique cultural identity.

Barry Ross

2025 Cultural Legacy Award Winner

He has shown his work locally in Iowa galleries including ICON gallery, Teeple Hanson gallery, and the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.

As a nationally recognized prize winning Illustrator, his work was sought after by many of the larger corporations, including Exxon, Mobil Oil, Martin Marietta Aerospace, ABB Corporation, and Bendix Aerospace. His specialty was interpreting technology and also sports, and for over 30 years he was a regular contributor to Golf Magazine, Flying Magazine, Scientific American, Sports Illustrated, and many others.

Ross has had one-man shows of his aviation art at the Seattle Air and Space Museum and the Wings Over the Rockies Museum in Denver Colorado, and there is a permanent exhibition of his aviation paintings at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

He was recently honored for his illustrations in the best-selling sleight-of-hand book, Now You See It, Now You Don’t! He produced over 1500 drawings over a six month period. The book, first published in 1976, is still in print today and considered to be a basic primer for “Sleight of Hand” beginners.