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Posted January 01, 2020in Iowa Artist

Pastels, peace and pixels

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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Posted December 04, 2019in Iowa Artist

Frank Hansen

Avant garde meets farm boy. Don’t ask artist Frank Hansen to color coordinate one of his paintings to match the decor. With a mischievous and unapologetic smile, he explains how his unique artwork and vivid imagination evolved into the popular artist he is today. Growing up on a farm, Hansen

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Posted November 06, 2019in Iowa Artist

‘Free play’ painting

Argentina-born artist is inspired by everyday life. As Monica Zunino Mel approaches a blank canvas in her home studio in West Des Moines, her head swirls with thoughts about possible colors and shapes for her next painting. When inspiration hits, she paints from improv — pulling inspiration from her surroundings.

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Posted October 02, 2019in Iowa Artist

Morezarte, a symphony of art

Matchmaking artist pairs artists with buyers. A local artist, Robert Moore, hopes to change how people shop for art. Instead of going to a gallery to select a piece of art, Moore pairs art buyers with artists to create a custom piece through Morezarte. Morezarte — the name taken from

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Posted September 04, 2019in Iowa Artist

Jill Wells

Artist finds her voice, discovers her roots through painting. As a youth, Jill Wells accompanied her grandmother to painting sessions in a lady’s basement, painting “whatever,” varying from still life to outdoor scenery. Yet, when she attended Drake University for a fine arts degree, a professor helped her find her

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Posted July 31, 2019in Iowa Artist

Stunning skyline photos

Mirza Kudic’s “Welcome to Des Moines” photos show his dedication. When Mirza Kudic purchased a camera four years ago, he quickly became obsessed. He snapped photos, stayed up countless nights, learning and perfecting his craft. After poring over images to check for lighting angles and composition, he’d return to the

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Posted July 03, 2019in Iowa Artist

Amy O’Brien

A life detour brings artist to Des Moines and Mainframe Studios. With five different college majors in 11 years, Amy O’Brien struggled deciding what to do with her life. She waited tables. She tried marketing. She attempted interior design. She once owned a restaurant. She even tried her hand as

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Posted June 05, 2019in Iowa Artist

Meet muralist John Neal

Is it real, or is it a photograph? As John Neal begins painting his latest creation, he doesn’t set up a simple canvas perched on an easel with a palette containing quarter-sized paints. Instead, he carries a one-gallon bucket of color and paints with large brushstrokes while utilizing a construction

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Posted May 01, 2019in Iowa Artist

Figures in clay

Linda Lewis’ sculptures reveal what a person thinks. Four years before Linda Lewis was set to take early retirement from her teaching career, she enrolled in a figurative clay art workshop. She minored in art in college, but teaching paid the bills; art didn’t. At the workshop, she wanted to

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Posted April 03, 2019in Iowa Artist

Buffalo Bonker

Mixing old art with the new When artist Buffalo Bonker needed to focus on his artwork, he moved from California to Iowa. No, it’s not a typo. He moved from Orange County because Iowa provided fewer distractions and a more reasonable cost of living. “It was a town of insurance

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Summer Stir - June 2024