Meet Our Artists: Shop Their Art!

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Mandy Betz is a passionate self-taught artist from Oelwein Iowa. The story of her artwork is one that resonates with many and has it's roots in depression. Mandy uses her art as therapy to fight it. Though she works with color pencil, acrylic, oil, she claims watercolor as her favorite "I just love the way it flows, I create more of a whimsical vibe to my paintings"

 Amy Bishop began her creative journey in 1992 when she was given an 35mm Olympus camera. By 2010 she starting combining her passion for form and color to create abstract art from paper, ink, encaustic, paint, plaster and fabric. Kirkwood college has included her work in their permanent collection and she is on display in eastern Iowa, California, Oregon, Ohio, Colorado, and Florida.  

Joan Bourret: "I have been a photographer for over 60 years. You can find some of my phots in my autobiography, "Pictures and People: A Search for Visual Truth and Social Justice." My book was a finalist in the USA "Best books of 2011" and was a top winner in the 2012 Benjamin Franklin Awards. Offered at The Left Bank Shop are books and postcards of my work.  

Shop Joan Bourret In Store Only

Kate Brennan Hall is an illustrator and printmaker living in the MIdwest. Her work seeks to elevate the ordinary-to showcase the beauty and humor all around us. "I love drawing and printmaking and i love knowing my work hangs in the heart of your homes: your kitchens. Hearing the giggles about my quirky sayings never gets old it is delightful! Thank you."

 Don Briggs, from Cedar Falls, Iowa, enjoys helping people to see everyday things in a different light. Using his amazing wood-working skills, he creates beautiful cribbage boards and wooden banks that make use of old mail boxes and come complete with combinations. Both make wonderful gifts for that special person, young or old. 

Judy Carlson started throwing pottery in her mid twenties and is completely self taught. Over the years my art has evolved to include my love of nature and the environment around me. Art for me is a way of life built into the fiber of our lives. It's who we are, how we think and the way we live our lives. Everyone is an artist when we open our eyes to the world around us.  

 Ted Carpenter’s Blue Heron Beadwork,, Coralville, Iowa, is the home-based studio from which he designs and creates three categories of classic jewelry; strung beads and pearls, chain and wire work, and set gemstones, using semi-precious gemstones and fresh water pearls finished with sterling silver, gold-filled or copper components. He hopes his jewelry is something to wear forever. 

Gerald Clymer is a woodworking artist from Monona Iowa. He first began working with wood when he made furniture for his home and found he couldn't just toss the scraps. He began turning them into beautiful wood boxes. "I like wood, wood is warm, natural, giving forgiving, friendly and warm."

Michele Cummuta (Marchant-Cummuta) I have been married for more than 40 years to my husband Tim. I love in Wisconsin along the Mississippi River. I work with a number of mediums. I enjoy watercolor painting and drawing. I use both to do my work. I also do work in pottery which I enjoy immensely. I have been created many different forms of art for more than 30 years. 

 Jillian Webb Herrmann: I became fascinated by the study of color, abstraction and conceptual art while I earned a Bachelor's of Fine Arts from The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Born and raised in North Carolina, I was always drawn to the Atlantic but since moving to the midwest, I found a new appreciation for gravel roads, small-town life and never ending corn fields.  

Nona Hyytinen is a figurative oil painter drawing inspiration from literature, mythology and history. I work in a realistic romantic tradition and feature vintage clothing evocative landscapes and rich color in my work. Besides figurative paintings, I enjoy horses and dogs as subjects since they have been used to create an ambiance of family comfort in English country homes for three centuries. 

Joy James is a McGregor resident. She works with precious metal silver clay to create unique  Jewelry. She draws her inspiration from nature in this beautiful area and she takes the time to find leaves to press into pendants to give realistic detail.  She offers earring,  pendants and rings as beautiful gifts or to spoil yourself! Don't pass up the opportunity to wear a one-of a- kind piece!

Karen Juno lives in Madison, Wisconsin where her lively assortment of animal portraits grace the walls and are for sale at many local vet clinics, children’s hospitals, and Meuer Art, which she currently manages. Her life-long passion for art is expressed through many different mediums including oil, acrylics, watercolors, printmaking, and jewelry. 

Rebecca Kobos is a retired teacher who spends her time in both Lansing, IA and Florida. "I have a long going love for fiber arts and surface design." Rebecca uses various color and sizes of fabrics to make unique fabric collages. Her art takes many forms from collage landscapes to t-shirts and hand-sewn cards. 

  Liza Paizis originally from South Africa is a McGregor resident who is a self-taught visual and Jewelry artist. "I love painting all things imaginative and symbolic and  inspired by our connection to nature and the universe in a visionary way." For many years she has sold her work and jewelry traveling throughout England, Scotland, South Africa and Australia. 

 Linda Sue Sulzdorf "I've been making pottery for over 35 years. My appreciation for wilderness beauty and enjoyment of the culinary arts influence my function and decorative ware for the kitchen, home and yard. I explore organic nature-inspired designs, developed new earthy textures and add rustic hand built items that incorporate magical woodland theme into some of my work." 

DeeAnna Weed "I don't think of myself as an artist. As a long-time engineer and science educator, I perceive my "art" more as a series of intriguing engineering projects that happen to have an artistic twist. I am often driven to make useful and durable pieces, but I want my work to have whimsical, elegant or curious details. I want my work to be a joy to handle, look at and use. 

 Howard Von Ruden from Cashton, Wisconsin is one of our extremely talented wood-working artists. He brings a new life-like quality to these hand carved and wood burned pieces.  "Forty years ago I discovered that I have a talent for carving wood. I like the grain of the woods along with it's durability. - It gives me great satisfaction when others can enjoy the fruits of my labor" 

 Mary Willie  "As a former photo journalist, I revel in telling stories and drawing emotion from nature. I'm recording a visual novel and documenting my love affair with mother nature. One moment is lost diving into minute details then patterns and textures become dominant. Take a step back, turn around and join me as we become overwhelmed by a vast sky of subtle hues." 

 Claudine Yearous spends part of her time in Elgin Iowa and winters in Arizona. She has expanded her work from copper enameling in turquoise enhanced jewelry to wood-working and more. She offers a variety of art including earrings, rings, handmade bowls and cutting boards. Her wood-work stands alone and is beautiful enough to be used as an accent piece if not in the kitchen!