2019 Featured Artist: James Navarro
Located At: The Cellar at La Poste
1219 Warford Ave., Perry
James Navarro is a Des Moines artist who creates paintings and drawings that focus on the landscape, both rural and urban. Navarro can often be seen painting outdoors en plein air (French for open air) either day or night. Using these “observational” field studies, he then creates larger paintings in his studio, much like other impressionist paintings did in their time. His work is representational of a traditional style that concentrates on light, shadows and bright colors.
He documents everything he sees as a visual library, centralizing on the importance of these field studies. “Photography can capture the place where you’ve been but the camera never captures the actual color the eye witnesses. That’s why it’s great to go back to your field studies and notes to remember the mood in that moment, in that particular place and time.”
Growing up on his family farm, he has always had a love for Midwestern landscapes, inspired not only by the beauty of nature but also the creativity in every-day objects. “I have an appreciation for vintage things like bikes, car culture and all things nostalgic, things that people take care and pride in from the past. Aside from painting I put a lot of craftsmanship into other things like typography and sign painting and pin striping, too.”
James attended The Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a focus on painting, illustration and furniture. During his time at MCAD he was heavily influenced by his time life drawing, print making and focusing on furniture. After college he continues to use his wood working skills building custom frames and canvases.
James belongs to a number of Midwest-based plein air groups like the Iowa Plein Air Painters, a group out of Iowa City. These groups provide consistency, encouraging painters to meet up and socialize, get outside and paint. It’s nice to have the feedback or another’s perspective. He tries to get out at least once a week; it’s his favorite thing. He particularly likes going late at night in the city because he can be by himself and capture the energy of the lights as well as the sleepiness of back alleys and empty streets at night (delete at night). It doesn’t really matter where or when, he just likes being outside and painting.
He documents everything he sees as a visual library, centralizing on the importance of these field studies. “Photography can capture the place where you’ve been but the camera never captures the actual color the eye witnesses. That’s why it’s great to go back to your field studies and notes to remember the mood in that moment, in that particular place and time.”
Growing up on his family farm, he has always had a love for Midwestern landscapes, inspired not only by the beauty of nature but also the creativity in every-day objects. “I have an appreciation for vintage things like bikes, car culture and all things nostalgic, things that people take care and pride in from the past. Aside from painting I put a lot of craftsmanship into other things like typography and sign painting and pin striping, too.”
James attended The Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a focus on painting, illustration and furniture. During his time at MCAD he was heavily influenced by his time life drawing, print making and focusing on furniture. After college he continues to use his wood working skills building custom frames and canvases.
James belongs to a number of Midwest-based plein air groups like the Iowa Plein Air Painters, a group out of Iowa City. These groups provide consistency, encouraging painters to meet up and socialize, get outside and paint. It’s nice to have the feedback or another’s perspective. He tries to get out at least once a week; it’s his favorite thing. He particularly likes going late at night in the city because he can be by himself and capture the energy of the lights as well as the sleepiness of back alleys and empty streets at night (delete at night). It doesn’t really matter where or when, he just likes being outside and painting.
2019 Featured Artist: Mark Marturello
Located At: The Hotel Pattee Lobby
1112 Willis Ave., Perry
1982: Grand View University graduate
1982-88: Illustrator at Fort Knox, Kentucky
1988-2019: Illustrator at The Des Moines Register
2019- Freelance illustrator/Fine artist
I was just a kid growing up on the south side of Des Moines who loved to draw.
Inspired by my father, who would sit down with me at the kitchen table, we would draw the comics we saw in The Des Moines Register. I always wanted to do drawings that would be printed in the paper and was thrilled when that dream came true in 1988. Over the next 30 years I worked on thousands of illustrations that allowed my style to develop and go in many directions.
My work was not only seen in The Des Moines Register but in many other Gannett papers across the country. While at the Register, I illustrated many RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) posters.
I've done freelance illustration for over 30 years with numerous clients in Des Moines, including many Meredith Publishing magazines and other companies across the country.
I have illustrated two children’s books, “Amazon Pajamas” and “Paisley Poof” and many other book covers and inside illustrations.
Present day:
I am now semi-retired (not really) concentrating on freelance illustration full-time along with working on personal, fine art work. I’ve become an avid bicycle rider, where you can see me on the Greenbelt Trail daily.
Awards:
-2008 National Cartoonists Society Newspaper Illustrator of the year
-Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in Dimensional Illustrators International competitions
-American Illustration Annual show winner
-Society of Newspaper Design Annual Show award winner
-Numerous Gannett graphic and design awards
-Top awards in the Iowa Art Directors Annual Show
-1982 Purchase Prize award for the top artwork in the Iowa State Fair art competition
1982-88: Illustrator at Fort Knox, Kentucky
1988-2019: Illustrator at The Des Moines Register
2019- Freelance illustrator/Fine artist
I was just a kid growing up on the south side of Des Moines who loved to draw.
Inspired by my father, who would sit down with me at the kitchen table, we would draw the comics we saw in The Des Moines Register. I always wanted to do drawings that would be printed in the paper and was thrilled when that dream came true in 1988. Over the next 30 years I worked on thousands of illustrations that allowed my style to develop and go in many directions.
My work was not only seen in The Des Moines Register but in many other Gannett papers across the country. While at the Register, I illustrated many RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) posters.
I've done freelance illustration for over 30 years with numerous clients in Des Moines, including many Meredith Publishing magazines and other companies across the country.
I have illustrated two children’s books, “Amazon Pajamas” and “Paisley Poof” and many other book covers and inside illustrations.
Present day:
I am now semi-retired (not really) concentrating on freelance illustration full-time along with working on personal, fine art work. I’ve become an avid bicycle rider, where you can see me on the Greenbelt Trail daily.
Awards:
-2008 National Cartoonists Society Newspaper Illustrator of the year
-Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in Dimensional Illustrators International competitions
-American Illustration Annual show winner
-Society of Newspaper Design Annual Show award winner
-Numerous Gannett graphic and design awards
-Top awards in the Iowa Art Directors Annual Show
-1982 Purchase Prize award for the top artwork in the Iowa State Fair art competition
2019 Featured Artist: Mel Stockwell
Located At: Art on the Prairie Atelier
1109 Second Street, Perry
Mel Stockwell owns and operates The Calico Press, a small printshop on her farm in Southeast Iowa. When her career of 18 years in Print & Design was shaken by the recession in 2010, Mel took advantage to gather her print belongings to one location and open her own doors for business. To say that her business is multi-faceted is an understatement. Mel’s daily to-do list ranges from designing brochures to carving linoleum to restoring antique printing presses.
In 1988, she was first introduced to an etching press at Coe College where she earned her BA. Together with herfarm upbringing and knowledge of metal working, a passion ignited. That passion has grown to include all aspects of printing: providing quality letterpress works, fine art prints, computer generated graphic design, and preserving early print-related processes by instructing classes throughout the US.
In addition to running her own print shop, Mel is also the Director of Villages Folk School, a member of Printers’ Hallin Mt. Pleasant where she organizes Steam Roller Printing at the annual Midwest Old Threshers Reunion. She is also a member of the Amalgamated Printers Assoc., Fort Madison Area Arts Assoc. and Fairfield Art Assoc. She has taught classes at the Ladies of Letterpress and Amalgamated Printers Assoc. annual conferences; as well
as Hamilton Wood Type Museum & several Midwest high schools, colleges and universities. She is active with the Iowa Arts Council and creative placemaking within Van Buren County.
She enjoys working on trucks, hunting, spending time with family and apparently anything heavy, greasy, rusty, or hard to move.
In 1988, she was first introduced to an etching press at Coe College where she earned her BA. Together with herfarm upbringing and knowledge of metal working, a passion ignited. That passion has grown to include all aspects of printing: providing quality letterpress works, fine art prints, computer generated graphic design, and preserving early print-related processes by instructing classes throughout the US.
In addition to running her own print shop, Mel is also the Director of Villages Folk School, a member of Printers’ Hallin Mt. Pleasant where she organizes Steam Roller Printing at the annual Midwest Old Threshers Reunion. She is also a member of the Amalgamated Printers Assoc., Fort Madison Area Arts Assoc. and Fairfield Art Assoc. She has taught classes at the Ladies of Letterpress and Amalgamated Printers Assoc. annual conferences; as well
as Hamilton Wood Type Museum & several Midwest high schools, colleges and universities. She is active with the Iowa Arts Council and creative placemaking within Van Buren County.
She enjoys working on trucks, hunting, spending time with family and apparently anything heavy, greasy, rusty, or hard to move.
