Young artist gives hope. As a young artist, Kayana Janay frequently expands her repertoire of art, and she’s learned to avoid a certain repetitive look. “I’ve learned to not pigeonhole myself into one style. Social media makes everything a popularity contest to have a distinct recognizable look,” she says. “As
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Posted November 04, 2020in Iowa Artist
As an artist, Julie Houghton paints with materials, such as charcoal, paint and ink. But her latest obsession is with alcohol. Not the drinking type, but an alcohol-based ink, which creates distinctive artwork. Houghton searched for alternative art as a way to keep her mind and art fresh. She researched
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Posted September 30, 2020in Iowa Artist
Sara Jo Boesen conserves old paintings. Sara Jo Boesen liked to paint, yet she didn’t really want to be an artist. She loved the art and history aspect, as both her parents were auctioneers. When she attended art school at the Savannah College of Art and Design, she explored art
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Posted September 02, 2020in Iowa Artist
He paints on anything Violin case. Paint palette. Street sign. Cast iron skillet. Motorcycle. What do they have in common? All are items artist Shawn Palek has painted on. And that’s just a small sample. He’s painted dozens more, including murals, fine portraits and oil paintings. Palek estimates he’s painted
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Posted August 05, 2020in Iowa Artist
Renee Watkins of Des Moines has spent most of her life creating art. As a child, her grandfather taught her different techniques as they painted together. Her grandpa, also a boxer, jingle writer and yachtsman, painted landscapes and boats in San Diego. One tip she learned was that mistakes aren’t
Read More →Roling creates unique illusions When Kathleen Roling paints a picture, it sometimes doesn’t last more than a few days — or even a few hours. Does it bother her? Not really. She knows it’s a one-of-a-kind creation every time she sketches with a certain medium — chalk. Roling wanted to
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Posted April 01, 2020in Iowa Artist
Paints with coffee; art at Starbucks corporate As a regular coffee drinker, I spill a lot on my notes and stain my clothes. However, artist Betty Walker likes how coffee looks on paper. As a coffee artist, her art doesn’t consist of a coffee cup ring splattered by accident on
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Posted March 04, 2020in Iowa Artist
Her signature artwork consists of recognizable cityscapes in the Des Moines area. When artist Laura Todd begins painting, time seems to stand still. She doesn’t eat. She doesn’t check her phone. She simply listens to music, focusing on the brush strokes and color combinations on her blank canvas. It’s her
Read More →Rachel Secretario Hill makes people happy with her comedy and her art. Ask Rachel Secretario Hill which career works best, comedian or artist, and, depending on the day, she’ll most likely laugh and say, “Both.” As a native of Hawaii, she formerly performed stand-up comedy. However, the gig usually didn’t
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Posted January 01, 2020in Iowa Artist
Sebern Beachy searches for a creative high. When Judy Sebern Beachy was early into her art career, she was asked by a friend to draw a portrait of her nephew. When completed, she charged one dollar for the sketch. “It’s hard to admit I was an artist. I called myself
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