Artist Reception featuring Ryan Morrison

Join featured artist Ryan Morrison at the Johnston Public Library for an opening reception of his exhibition, Through My Grandfather's Eyes. Light refreshments will be available.

In 1953, a young man named Jack Bethurum (1929 - 1994) from the small town of Delhi, Iowa packed his belongings and headed out to be stationed in the Army with the 28th Infantry Division in Germany. Like many of his generation, he had rarely left the Midwest. Over the following years, he wandered the streets of Paris, marveled at the double-decker buses of London, and crossed the canals in Amsterdam - while beautifully and quietly capturing the faces and scenes of 1950s Europe with his trusty Kodak Retina Ia. For more than 70 years, these photos have been in a box unseen by family and friends. Now skillfully scanned and lovingly restored, they have come to light for the first time.

Through My Grandfather’s Eyes invites viewers to experience the beauty, resilience, and humanity of an era gone by through the eyes of a soldier who found beauty wherever he went. Opening for Veterans Day 2025, this two month exhibit at the Johnston Public Library is both a tribute and a quiet thank you to all those who have served. It is a reminder that behind every uniform is a story worth remembering.