It would be an exaggeration to say that I look forward to Des Moines’ Art Week more than I do the days leading up to Christmas, but it certainly comes in a close second. With events planned each day leading up to the nation’s largest arts festival, from open studios and live painting demonstrations to drop in Sculpture Park tours and Pop art exhibits, I have no trouble filling my social calendar that week. This year I was invited to participate as an artist for the DSM Girl Gang’s second annual Quick Draw.
This fast-paced event puts artists in the public eye as they speedily bring brush, pen, and pencil to paper to create as many original works as they can in two hours. Artists and spectators alike are encouraged to wear their best western garb and each work sells for $30 (supporting both the Girl Gang and the artists).
I tend to prefer a slower, more detail-oriented approach to art making, but my watercolors ended up being the perfect medium to whip up some new illustrations. And though my wrist may have been a little sore after all that quick brushwork, I would happily don my boots and neckerchief again next year!
