Laura Todd, painter, says her greatest goal as an artist is to paint works of art that will bring joy and inspiration to others. Photographs are her main source of inspiration. She paints her own interpretation of the photograph by highlighting the contrast between the soft and bold and hyping up the color. Bright color is found in nearly all of her artwork because it simply makes her very happy. In the words of her college painting instructor, Ken, "If it were not for color I would be drawing instead of painting". Laura's joy is to share this happiness by taking what is already beautiful and honoring that beauty through the gift of art.

The Iowa Watercolor Society (IWS) is happy to present the first miniature show of 2019. The show contains watercolors from various IWS members across the state. Artists are encouraged to be as creative as possible, using diverse materials and different kids of paper.

More details about the Iowa Watercolor Society on their website: www.iowawatercolorsociety.org

Artists with work in the show include:

Julie Nalley-Jewell a native of Iowa started painting at the age of 13 following in the footsteps of her grandmother also a painter. She remembers as a child her grandmother sketching on paper and drawing her little pictures. This affection for painting led her to paint at a young age and study art at the college level.

She states she fell in love with water, nature and blending of colors early on, growing up on Lake MacBride in Iowa. Water is also her latest inspiration.  She enjoys the way a wave hits rocks, the sun shines off the surface, and the refection of the trees. She finds water very magical.

Julie advises her latest works are full of color mixing into one another, layers on top of each other and a desire to mystify the viewer. She states, “I think looking at the way the colors blend, the way water and paint mix, and even what colors lie beneath are intriguing. I like to let the paint and water do the work, mixing, intermingling and laying on top of each other. As nature creates beauty on the surface of water I put this onto canvas, capturing it for eternity.”

Marilyn Johnson grew up in northern Iowa and graduated from Bishop Garrigan High School and Iowa Lakes Community College nursing program. She worked the ophthalmology field until retirement.

As an avid photographer and art lover she has taken classes at The Des Moines Art Center, DMACC and E-courses. In search of the perfect watercolor class she discovered an amazing new media ALCOHOL INK. The flow of the inks is a different challenge for an artist.

Marilyn fell in love with the vivid colors and positive energy of Alcohol Ink and so will you!

During November and early December we have two artists whose work is beautiful and contemplative. Please enjoy.

A Walk Through the Garden, Jess Quinn
 
A Walk Through the Garden is an invitation to stop and enjoy the beauty in the simple paintings of botanical without distraction.
 
Today we have too many things to do and not enough time to do them; many people including ourselves are demanding a lot from us.  We hurry from one task to the other and rush through our to-do lists in hopes that once we get everything done we will be able to finally relax. Unfortunately the next demand on us usually pops up at that time and we rarely get to that tranquil state that we are all striving for. It is like we have forgotten how to enjoy life and the little moments that make it amazing.
 
My hope is that this invitation allows you a respite from the hustle and bustle of your life and you permit yourself to enjoy this moment.

Luminous Wonder, Amy Uthus

"I draw on my love for the beauty of light interacting with porcelain and my veneration of vast landscapes to create luminous works of art. My work is ripe for wonder. Wonder provides a direct connection to our primal spirituality, which so often gets buried in our busy, minutiae-filled lives. The goal of my work is to re-awaken in viewers the inherent need we all harbor to feel part of a larger whole - and then provide sustenance for this need.

Though I am willing to use many processes and media to achieve my artistic goals, I specialize in translucent porcelain. Like many others throughout history who have been seduced by porcelain's thrall, I relish the challenge of transforming clay (so often thought of as "dirt") into a material so translucent one can easily discern color through it. I have spent countless hours researching the chemical analysis of each ingredient in my clay body, developing new methods to slip cast ultra thin panels and vessel walls, and carefully documenting each kiln that is fired. I have studied the material to such an extent, and my love for it is so transparent, that one of my good friends calls me a Porcelain Junkie. I own the title proudly."
– Amy Uthus

Amy Uthus is an independent artist living in Knoxville, IA. She enjoys gardening and teaching ceramics in addition to working in her clay studio.  She is represented by Olson-Larsen Gallery in West Des Moines.

About the Artist resident James A. Osborn

I am an artist. I am also a sailor, and a motorcycle enthusiast.
From a young age, I have been interested in making things with my hands. This talent helped my success working with orthotics as a business owner and corporate executive for many years. I was able to create items that helped people walk, by sculpting and molding models, then cutting, forming, and fabricating materials. I always paid attention to how things looked for the client because people expect the product to work well, but when it looks good too, that adds value.
Today I use those same skills to create paintings and sculptures. My goal is to bring forth a pleasing and positive feeling in the viewer, as well as an added value to those who purchase my work. My work can be found in corporate and private collections across North America and Europe.

I am inspired by the 1960s and 70s, sailors, motorcycles and my family.  I currently live in Des Moines, Iowa, after spending 20 years in Nashville Tennessee and Austin Texas. I began painting using oils on canvas, with brush or knife, many years ago while studying with a professional artist. I prefer minimalist, modern, abstract and expressionist styles. My art is rooted in nature but has little direct correlation with reality. My main influences include Jackson Pollock, Piet Mondrian, Willem de Kooning, Clyfford Still, Franz Kline, and Andy Warhol.

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if its good or bad. Whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” Andy Warhol

To learn more about James A. Osborn and view his portfolio, visit his website.

We had two artist's work in the gallery August 15-September 30. Kindra Noel had several architectural paintings of Des Moines landmarks in the front. Then Justin Young had a prolific collection of small watercolors, pet portraits and whimsical sculptures.

See Noel's work and order prints at KindraNoel.com

Participating Illustrators:
Rahele Jomepour Bell
Stephanie Bral
Wanda Brown
Candace Camling
Joe Hox
Stephanie Lurk
David Malcolm
Nic McDougal
Claudia McGehee
Jane Metcalf
Judith Hans Price
Jennifer Black Reinhardt
Dorothia Rohner
Jason Schneider
Claire Sedovic

Click their names for links to their website portfolios, the following slideshow is just a random sampling of photos from our gallery exhibit.

I specialize in painting and drawing.  Primarily working in pastel, the subject of my work ranges from the landscape and architectural studies to still life.  Over the last few years, my work has evolved through my investigation of the dimensional use of color.  This exhibition includes examples of types of works I produce.  I find that I study the landscape while the weather is tolerable and return to the still life in the winter months.

As painters, we strive to take a two-dimensional surface and make objects look as if they have weight, volume, and specific orientation in space. In my work, the interaction of color intensity and temperature creates the illusion of a sense of light, color, and form. Through my continued investigation of this psychological use of color, I work to exceed the limits of depth and invite you, the viewer, to enjoy the experience of exploring my use of color. When looking at the work be sure to stand back at times to see that my usage of color can hold its own in a vast space.

I have also included a few charcoal works.  I enjoy working with other mediums.  I find myself jumping from one to another throughout the year.