Eastside Artists

A native of Iowa City, Iowa, Amy Dobrian graduated from Dartmouth College in 1987 with a dual major in French and Visual Arts. She studied drawing, painting and printmaking at the Lacoste School of the Arts in Lacoste, France, and received the MFA in printmaking and drawing in 1992 from the University of Iowa. Versed in intaglio, lithography, and relief printmaking, Dobrian now focuses on unique, non-editioned works which combine printmaking techniques with collage and hand work. She has exhibited nationally and internationally in over one hundred group and solo exhibitions. She lives in Iowa City, Iowa, with her husband and daughter. 

Original Monotypes by Amy Dobrian

A bird is a momentary experience. A warbler in the woods is a flick of moving color between sun-dappled leaves. A meadowlark is a voice in tall grass, or a patch of yellow against a bright sky. A swirling swallow is a long gestural line. I am captivated by the magic of these brief visitations of winged creatures, and their interaction with tree, grass, and air.
I try to capture the essence of each bird from these glimpses on long walks in woods and prairies, noting the character and posture that marks its species, balancing realism and detail in my depiction with a sense of the ephemeral. I make quick pencil sketches to catch the angles, proportions, and posture that define the bird, then translate that shape to ink on the plate.
The medium of monotype allows me to work spontaneously in transparent layers of color, to evoke light and shadow moving through grasses and leaves. Oil based relief inks are applied with rollers in a thin film to a plexiglas plate. Then the image is drawn reductively, with my finger wrapped in a cotton rag, wiping away ink to reveal the white spaces of the drawing. Each color is a separate ink drawing, printed on top of the last. Unlike an etching or woodcut, the plate contains no permanent image, so once printed, each drawing is unrepeatable. I sometimes use mylar stencils to create a hard edge or to repeat a specific shape from one piece to another. In some cases, fine details are added to the printed surface with aquarelle pencil. I work quickly, trying to maintain the simplicity of the sketch, and the feeling of the brief encounter with the bird.
For me, the practice of art and time spent in nature share the same purpose. Each forms a connection to a collective unconscious, to a universal experience of beauty, to a moment both specific and timeless. I want my work to be a vehicle of connection for the viewer to wild places, to their magic and to their necessity.

amy.dobrian@gmail.com

@amydobrianfineart on Facebook

I have loved textiles from a young age.  I made my first garments on a little Singer Touch and Sew at the age of 5.  In grade school I tie dyed sheets and made stage curtains for our school stage.  In college I studied fiber arts and learned to dye, weave and screen print  fabric. I worked in fabric stores and the University costume shop all through college. In 1991 I opened my business, Linn Street Textiles where I sold yard goods out of a 900 square foot storefront.  9 months later I moved from Linn Street to the ped mall so I dropped the Linn Street and became just Textiles.  I continued to sell yard goods with the dream of printing my own fabric to sell some day.  But owning a business means you have little time for anything else.  After a few years the store evolved into a women's clothing store.  Clothing and textiles is still my passion and I loved every minute of  having the business.  Then about 6 years ago I read about a new technique called Eco Printing.  That was my new calling.  After a few workshops and a lot of experimentation, a new obsession was born.  Eco Printing pulled me back into making textiles and printing and dying.  These days I spend a lot of time outside collecting leaves to use for my printing, one of the nice perks of this art. I have been lucky enough to study with some amazing artists.  The workshops are great because everyone there wants to talk endlessly about leaves and trees and leaves.  It's been a wonderful journey and I hope to continue it for years to come.

Erica Gooding was born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa. She graduated from Mount Mercy University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and now works at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. After graduating and becoming settled in her nursing career Erica began to study metal work. She spent time with fellow women metalsmiths and was taught jewelry making techniques, now using them to create her own designs. Through forging, twisting, fabricating, and stone setting, she creates metal and gemstone jewelry. Erica also creates metal work utilizing acid etching with various types of resists.

ericagoodingjewelry@gmail.com

Facebook: Artisan Jewelry by Erica Gooding

Instagram:@ericagoodingjewelry

“Quilt making provides mirrors  in my life and it serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of everything that I do.  Each stitch represents  the thoughts that preceded it and plants seeds for those yet unborn.  The quilt becomes a sounding board  and  a practice field. 

 As with life, I am piecing together the whole from parts, searching for what fits, looking for what resonates and vibrates, while discarding the pieces that no longer work. I work with devotion to the process and faith in the outcome.  As I search for a balance between light and dark, lessons are learned as much by the faltering as by the triumphs.

Quilt making calls for patience, risk-taking, repetition, creativity, endurance, faith and finding a way to make the smaller things fit into the bigger whole.  Quilt making is a window to the soul and it  becomes the doorway to a greater, larger world. “

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quiltz by patti z

 Patti Zwick, Iowa City artist, made her first quilt in 1984.  Measuring  91" x 91", with over 4,000 pieces, it was the spark for the next two decades of passionate quilt making.

 Patti’s work has been called “Amish with a twist”.  One viewer commented “I can almost hear the heartbeats of her quiltz.” Lively colors and textures within traditional designs are the trademarks of these fabric creations.

 These quilted treasures of all sizes have found their way into the hearts and homes of people in 43 states and 26 countries.

 Patti also has a line of colorful, handmade greeting cardz. They are available at  New Pioneer Co-ops (Iowa City, Coralville and Cedar Rapids),  and  Prairie Lights bookstore,

 Patti makes eye pillows, zipper bags and  wordz on wood also – a collection of collages paired with quotes.

Facebook:  quiltz by patti z Instagram: @pzquiltz  FLICKR -  
https://www.flickr.com/photos/quiltzbypattiz/albums/72157715808314292

After living in Seattle Washington for many years, Marilyn Moore moved to Iowa City, IA, to be closer to members of her family. As a Fiber Artist and teacher, she has been showing with Eastside Artists for the last 5 years.  She has been showing her most recent work which is focused on working with wire in new and unique ways, adding beadwork to her repertoire.  Using textile techniques including basketry, knitting, crocheting and now beadwork, she has developed a style that is recognizable for its intricacy, and use of color.
marilynswired@gmail.com

Facebook:marilynswired 

For many years I have used a variety of materials to express my art, myself.

I have an MFA in clay, a long-standing involvement with paper and a second BA in Papermaking, Bookmaking and Printmaking from the University of Iowa.

Currently I am working in a painterly fashion, dyeing, and painting scarves, socks and tea towels.  My life is rich with textural images from our environments.  I use a bank of personal imagery, as I have done with all my 2-D work.  My studio is full of textures and line-making “alphabets”, even incorporating Roman Uncial letters in my work.  (A “real alphabet” that goes back to my studies in calligraphy, which I loved.)  My gardens are wild with prairie flowers and weeds – a special source of images.  I have a great love for trees, their grand rootedness and loftiness to the sky.  They possess a spirituality that enthralls and nurtures me.  Small tree images grace the garlands I make as holiday decorations for tree or house.  Last year I made tree bookmarks and will have more this time with my poems or statements on the back.  My cards are images of trees. As in nature, some seem anthropomorphic and have calligraphic messages written by Cheryl Jacobsen.  My “We All Stand Together” cards are popular for many occasions, first painted after the 2016 Election and developed into signs for the Women’s March in 2017.  They are still appropriate for current days.

My books are usually blank, but not always.  The covers often are made of images I have created, drawn, painted, dyed or made in paste paper.  Other books are covered in beautiful Japanese papers or papercase paper made at the UI Center for the Book at Oakdale.  My Childhood Keepsakes have been made since 2000 and they continue to be popular even in this era of computer images.

I have several pieces purchased by UIHC, have shown nationally and internationally.  I have participated in the Eastside Artists Show and Sale since it began. 

lucydavid.silverlightworks@gmail.com

Twenty years ago I left the teaching profession to become a full-time woodworker/furniture maker and I have never looked back.  This work is ultimately fulfilling and fun. I am part of a woodworking co-op in Iowa City where I enjoy designing beds, tables, chairs, music stands and even banjo ukuleles. For the holiday show I expand my repertoire to include smaller items such as wooden trees, wooden utensils and other kitchen items. My work has been described as functional yet fun, quirky, yet elegant. I’ll take that. 

http://artfulbodgewoodworks.com/

Tracy Randall Titus was born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa. She travelled extensively at a young age, and still loves to travel, near or far.

She eventually returned to Iowa City to raise her family. Tracy lives on Iowa City’s eastside, in a little yellow house with her partner, 2 cats and 2 dogs. Tracy works full time at the University of Iowa and paints and makes jewelry whenever she can.

Follow me on Facebook at peaceworks, on Instagram at peaceworks100 and on Etsy at peaceworksart.
Thank you for supporting handmade!

peaceworks100@gmail.com

Jan has been weaving since 1974 and received an B.A. in Art Education and an M.A. In Textile Design from the University of Iowa. She has conducted workshops in weaving, color and dyeing for craft guilds throughout the United States, as well as at the Penland School of Crafts, Convergence, and MW, SW, NE, and NW Weavers’ Conferences.  Her tapestries and framed collage pieces have been featured in numerous invitational and juried exhibits and have been commissioned for both private homes and corporate collections.

Instagram:  friedman1219

janfriedmanfiber@gmail.com

My photography explores our relationship to the animals and nature in our lives.  I came into this by accident--my love of animals and the outdoors combined with the emerging technology of digital photography.  Through my camera I seek to capture a sense of the animals’ unique personalities, in a classic fine art style that invites the viewer to enter into a relationship with the subject.  With my nature and outdoor images I seek to find unique perspectives on the beauty that surrounds us, is above and below us. Of particular interest to me are the night skies, notoriously difficult to capture but well worth the extra effort. In addition to photography I use digital tools to create unique abstract and pop art images. 

https://www.facebook.com/LaurieHaagPhotography

Spending her early childhood in the lovely Spanish land of La Vera and growing up in Paris was an ideal way for Ulpi’s artistic mind development. 

She studied at the Schools of Art in Madrid and Granada  and graduated with a degree in Graphic Design.

After moving to the United States in 1991 and working as a Spanish tutor for many years, Ulpi decided to dedicate herself to her true passion:  Creating Art.

She enrolled in several courses and workshops in photography that further helped her develop her artistic skills and talent. She also participated in the 365project by entering a photo a day for a year. Her first solo show on this project was in 2012.

Ulpi has been participating regularly in Art Shows and Gallery Walk. She has been part of the Iowa City Eastside Artists since 2016.  She is currently working in a new series of abstract paintings and photography. 

She lives in Iowa City with her husband Jose. She has two grown children Miguel and Irene. She volunteers at the Free Clinic and works as a French and Spanish Interpreter for the Iowa City School District.

As an artist, Ansel draws inspiration from the patterns and colors of the natural world, which are found reflected in his meticulously-crafted pieces of art. Along with painting, he prints his drawings onto organic clothing and yoga mats. He even has his own artisan hot sauce company, that is made with exclusively local ingredients. 

Facebook: The Art of Ansel

Instagram: @theartofansel

art.of.ansel@gmail.com

Miranda Meyer was born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa. She began her photography career as a girl, taking pictures of the family cats with a 110 Instamatic. She bought her first real 35mm camera when she was 15, with money she had earned detasseling corn. She majored in art and photography at the University of Iowa. Her favorite course was one in which she and her classmates walked around studying trees. After graduating she worked as a photographer for the Michigan City News-Dispatch and the Cedar Rapids Gazette, but grew tired of being assigned to chase tornadoes, of which she is deathly afraid. From there she went on to work as a staff photographer for the University of Iowa. After her department closed she began her own freelance work.Though Miranda enjoys photographing many different subjects, her principal interest is flowers. She strives to capture and elucidate intricate structures and surface textures, and, in her best work, subverts expectations to discover characteristics—elegance, dignity, pathos, shyness—that elude even a close observer. She is careful to avoid sentimentality and sensationalism. She passes on riots of bloom and frames her subjects alone, isolated and vulnerable. Tulips and lilies and irises distill to themselves, revealing an otherworldly beauty, a startling unfamiliarity, as though we are not seeing flowers we have lived with for centuries but strange, luminescent organisms newly-discovered on the ocean floor.
mirandameyerphoto@gmail.com

Monica Leo is a first generation American, born to German refugees in the waning days of World War Two. After the war, her parents ordered a set of Kasperle hand puppets from a German craftswoman, and Monica began telling stories with puppets. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she studied for two years at the State Art Academy in Düsseldorf, Germany, with Josef Beuys. There she discovered that her visual sense was influenced by the illustrated Grimms’ Fairy Tale book she devoured as a child. Since 1975, she has been creating and performing as founder and principal puppeteer of Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre. Eulenspiegel’s home is Owl Glass Puppetry Center, a tiny center in the small town of West Liberty, Iowa. Monica lives in a log cabin in the woods built by her late carpenter husband, John Jenks.

https://www.facebook.com/monica.leo.127

www.puppetspuppets.com.

I grew up in Texas, Iowa, and New Jersey, with parents who encouraged my love of art-making from a young age. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from the University of Iowa, and I enjoyed a career as an illustrator and graphic artist, working for private businesses, non-profits, publishers, and state and local  governments. For a few years, I also worked as a decorative painter and muralist in homes and businesses. I've lived in Iowa City most of my life and raised my two daughters here. My art may be seen in the permanent collections at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and at the Iowa City Public Library, where it can be borrowed by patrons with a library card. 

instagram.com/kirelan52

Our wooded acreage near Williamsburg, Iowa, provides tranquility, inspiration
and excitement in an ever-changing natural environment. Retirement from
an Information Technology career sparked a renewed lifelong interest in art. 

I have been fortunate to combine my interests in art and technology – offering  website creation and consultation services, graphic art design and electronic newsletters for clients. Positions held in the Iowa Watercolor Society (IWS) as Exhibition Chair and current Webmaster speak to both interests. The original watercolor Free Spirit was selected to tour as part of the
IWS Exhibition Traveling Show. 

I enjoy experimenting with various media - currently watercolor, acrylics, charcoal, alcohol inks, and graphite. Seeking to transmit life energies, I tap into the unusual and sensitive qualities of nature, expressing hidden moods, feelings, and emotions. My techniques often add a twist of the unusual with an occasional nod to the unexpected.​

http://artworksjc.com/

http://jomyerswalker.com/

I like bags so much that I started making gender neutral crossbody bags and small pouches/wallets for myself, family, and friends. This sewing journey grew into Top Stitch Bags – a 1-person, part-time passion. In a world of complicated bag designs, much of the pleasure of bagmaking comes from envisioning and creating a simple, functional space that can become part of the wearer. There should an instinctive appeal to the hands and eyes, so waxed canvas is my go-to fabric for a lived-in look that changes over time (like the wearer). I also dabble in patterned fabric to elicit the smile that comes from pulling cats … or bikes … or skulls, etc. out of your pocket or larger bag. The pop of color from a good straight top stitch is icing on the cake. 

 Instagram: @topstitchbags 

nashelskym@gmail.com

Tony is a native Iowan. He received his art education attending Luther College in Decorah, Iowa for three years and continued for two more at the University of Iowa’s studio arts program in ceramics. In 1972 he collaborated in establishing a small cooperative, salt glaze pottery just south of What Cheer, Iowa with two fellow potter friends. He remained a studio potter for the next thirty-three years producing all manner of wheel thrown functional ware, along with tiles, small sculpture, and families of hand-built vessels. During that time, he also provided artist in the school workshops and demonstrations, offered hand-building technique lessons in his studio to adults and children, along with accepting a temporary adjunct position in studio clay at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington. In the early 2000’s, seeking a more colorful palette in his artwork, coupled to a life-long interest in drawing and eclectic subject matter, he pursued a new, serendipitous direction into the art of painted and collaged papers. This has been the primary focus of his studio work ever since which he has approached with a particular regard to detail and quality craftsmanship. He currently lives and maintains his studio at 303 West 3rd Street in Muscatine, Iowa, where in addition to collage, he continues to be actively involved creatively with line drawing and poetry.