“Outside, Looking In” is an art quilt exhibit that I created to increase mental health awareness in our community. The idea for this project arose from conversations on creative wellbeing and the art quilt process that I utilize and teach to others. Many of my quilts remind me of my clients' stories as I sort through my thoughts while sewing for self-care. The installation includes personally constructed art quilts (modern improv, machine-pieced, and mostly hand-quilted) along with a connected mental health diagnosis and educational information. Additional quilts will be displayed connecting how the past lives on with us and creates our sense of self. *These are not traditional quilts.*
 
Cora is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and a Veteran of the United States Air Force. She provides mental health counseling and creative coaching, see more information at www.creatorswellbeing.com. Cora’s passion is to increase clarity, instill hope, and provide compassionate and clinical guidance to all mental health and substance abuse concerns. She also practices personal self-care and spends time creating fiber art, quilting, teaching workshops on self-care, dyeing fabric, riding her bike as fast as her legs will take her, and incorporating healthy nutrition and weightlifting into her routine. 
 
Take care & live well,  Cora Ritter

Jeremy Holmes, Acrylics
Machinations of a Color Theorist
With Treatment Resistant Depression comes a persistent state of Anhedonia, which is defined in part as (according to Wikipedia) ‘a diverse array of deficits in hedonic function, including reduced motivation or ability to experience pleasure.’ As such, I have hypothesized that color is a dominant aspect in my work as a way for my subconscious to work around the biological dysfunction in my brain, in order to express some degree of emotion or pleasurable vibe. Working with color is both a science and an art, so it satisfies one of my primary mantras as a creative and as a committed Atheist and Humanist, which is to always strive to stay grounded in reality. And since our perception of reality is, in most cases, heavily influenced by the visual, experimenting with color is a good method for exploring the boundaries between reality and our perception of it, whether literally or thematically.

Becca Schmidt, Bark Sculptures
Inspired by trees, constructed with found pieces of bark, and painted with oil, these bark relief sculptures explore color and our connection to nature.

They symbolize the life, death, and rebirth we encounter in our daily lives.

The bark, once living, represents death: the old versions of ourselves, identities and beliefs we once held. The construction represents life: the role and function these parts once served; and the paint, smooth and flowing, represents rebirth: the transformation of these old identities and beliefs into something new. On the bark, the oil paint moves from dark to light out of the crevices, symbolizing the transformation and healing that occurs when we face the darkest parts of ourselves with understanding and tenderness. Together the bark and the paint embody the depths of what it means to be human: broken yet beautiful. Their tactile nature serves as a reminder of our connection to the earth and each other.

Tyler Magee, Yarn & Fiber Art
My exhibit, Happy Place, is a conglomeration of pieces that I have created over the last year. There is no specific theme followed, but pieces that were made to represent things that elicit joy or invoke a sense of whimsy. I wanted to combine somewhat literal and abstract pieces and tie these together with bright, vibrant color palettes. I am a firm believer that not all art has to have meaning, and my goal for this show was simply to create works that might put a smile on someone’s face.

Hana Ahmed, an Iowa based abstract artist, finds her inspiration from nature and human emotions. When it comes to her paintings, Hana digs deep into various realms through her keen observation and intuition.

Art from Everywhere
Having travelled and lived in many parts of the world, ‘Art from everywhere’ tells stories of cultures, emotions cuisines, religions that are manifested through vibrant colors and brushstrokes.

Mark Yontz
 
An Urbandale resident and native Iowan, I have had a lifelong interest in a variety of artistic endeavors. This has included experimenting with a number of different mediums, as well as taking watercolor, ceramics, jewelry and metal sculpture classes as an adult. Most recently, I have been drawn to the natural beauty and character of wood, especially when it comes to highlighting imperfections or unique patterns and grains that can be found in many wood species.
 
I create artistic, handcrafted wood pieces – such as wall hangings and small sculptures – using a variety of species, with walnut, cherry and spalted maple being among my favorites. Other wood species I frequently work with include ash, maple, oak, cypress, hickory and zebrawood; and I often mix and match them for visual diversity and interest. I have also experimented with furniture making, which has led me to make a number of end tables and some functional, home decor pieces. In all cases, my creations are unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that highlight the natural beauty of the woods being used.
 
Artistically, I plan to continue experimenting with new woods and designs and am looking at scaling-up my work and trying larger pieces. Another focus will be on finding more ways to incorporate other materials into my work, such as metal, stone and/or cement.
 
You can follow me on www.instagram.com/yontzmark or (www.iowaartistdirectory.org).

“Garage Art – A Celebration of Wood”
 
From a new artist with no permanent studio, “Garage Art – A Celebration of Wood” offers a look at handcrafted, wood art pieces all created in the artist’s garage. Wall hangings showcase different wood species utilizing a variety of cuts and shapes – sometimes highlighting organic, live edge elements, while others feature more clean lines and symmetry. The sculptures displayed also offer a mixture of live edge, organic-looking pieces, while others are more abstract with different shapes and cuts incorporated into the piece. In many cases, different types of wood are used together to create visual interest and diversity, and copper is frequently used as an accent and connective element. Everything shared in the exhibit is a one-of-a-kind piece that celebrates the unique beauty and characteristics of the woods being used.

“Naturally Iowa”  Photographic collection by Gary Hoard
                                          
Photography is my way to capture the ordinary and unusual moments in the nature around us. Looking through the lens and composing an interesting shot forces me to be more aware of what is going on around me, enhancing the outdoor experience.  I enjoy this natural experience whether or not I get the photo – the image is a bonus which allows me to share a special moment with others. 

These ‘Naturally Iowa’ photographs are my images of plants, birds and animals in their natural environments, mainly Iowa state and county parks, hopefully uncommon views of common subjects.  I also include some landscapes that evoke the feeling of peace and solitude that being ‘close to nature’ brings us.   The images are printed on metal which reflects the vibrancy I see in the natural world.

Gary has been photographing for over 50 years, predominantly nature and rural landscapes.  He has enhanced his skills through studying the biology and habits of Iowa animals and plants, and by attending photography workshops and seminars. 

His award-winning work has appeared in several exhibits including Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Ankeny Art Center, Octagon Art Center, Jester Park Nature Center, Arts on Grand, Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel FL. 

Gary enjoys capturing uncommon views of common subjects.  He spends most of his camera-time photographing at state, county and national parks, urban areas, or in his Madrid, Iowa home gardens.  He finds Iowa offers many beautiful photographic opportunities.
 
Website:  GaryHoardPhotography.com

THINGS I'VE SEEN, STORIES I'VE HEARD
“Our lives are stories, and the stories we have to give to each other are the most important. No one has a story too small and all are of equal stature. We each tell them in different ways,
through different mediums—and if we care about each other, we'll take the time to listen.” ― Charles de Lint

ARTIST’S STATEMENT
There are so many voices today, surrounding us, bombarding us with the message that the world is a cold, forlorn, hostile place. Our health, our politics, the very planet itself is spiraling downward. It’s easy to be overwhelmed; to be inundated with hopelessness, to see only the ugliness. Though there is much truth in all this, I believe, without wearing the eyes of a Pollyanna, that there is still so much beauty in this world. In recognizing this, I use watercolor, colored pencil and ink to record this beauty, thus to help heal myself and perhaps, if all goes well, bring a little healing to someone else.

My art is inspired by moments of transient beauty, the colors of a fallen leaf caught in a spider web, a bumblebee plying her trade on a blooming flower, a bird briefly resting on a limb before moving on. Places where beauty is perhaps unexpected, a butterfly on a battlefield, workers pausing in their daily tasks to exchange stories. I have been given the gift of time to cultivate, in the words of singer, songwriter Darden Smith, “the habit of noticing”. Everyone knows the value of the bird in hand, but I find a great, though fleeting value in the moment a bird spends in a bush.

This is the world I occupy; this is the world I want to share with you. After sharing my world, I hope the viewer is able to see more beauty in their own world. If so, then I’ve met my goal.

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]  Website: www.wballenart.com
Facebook: @wballenarts      Instagram: wb_allen_art

Kelene Monsterlove Artist Statement
 
I love a blank canvas and seeing where it will take me in my imagination. Flowers, nature, and human emotion trigger my inspirations.
 
All my artwork has a similar theme. Life and the emotional part of it. It can include nature, images of humans or what seems to be human. Nothing is realistically in appearance. I go with the feeling of the subject or subjects I create.

The Spring Miniature Show is presented by the members of the IWS. We are composed of professional and amateur artists that have a love for the medium of watercolor. We come from all over the state of Iowa and total about 200 members.

The Iowa Watercolor Society's (IWS) Miniature Exhibition gives artists a creative limit: all work must fit in a frame size no larger than 8x10 inches (but they can be as small as the artist wants). But within that limitation they are free to explore and use any water color medium (paints, inks, gouache, pencils, or markers), and have their choice of papers, even collages are accepted. Juried exhibitions normally have more stringent requirements. Artists love the freedom of using multiple tools and techniques as it gives them more flexibility to experiment. Come and enjoy the artists’ creative solutions to this medium. 

This annual Spring Miniature Show at the Urbandale Library is one of our most popular, along with our annual exhibition in the Fall in Perry, Iowa. 

Bubble of Life, in Iowa

The Des Moines Camera Club is a diverse group of creative individuals who are passionate about creating photographic images. Just like the uniqueness of our outdoor environment, each of us 'sees' and photographs the world in our own personal way. While some are attracted to colors, shapes, lines, or patterns of a scene, others may be inclined to capture equally interesting images emphasizing the action, mood or totality of a place. Some are spontaneous, capturing life as it occurs naturally around them, and others plan each shot predetermining the time, subject, place and perhaps using special equipment.

Regardless of our methods, we all strive to share our own unique vision and perspective through our photography. As a club, we cherish these differences and enjoy the versatility and creativity of the group.

We hope that you will enjoy our interpretations of 'Bubble of Life' and the individuality of each image.