Des Moines Art Center

The Des Moines Art Center is an impressive museum featuring buildings designed by some of the most well-known architects of the 20th century; Eliel Saarinen, I.M. Pei and Richard Meier. As these photos show, the art isn’t too bad either. “Rescue 2013” by Nick Cave   “Nude Study for the Burghers of Calais: Pierre de…

2017 Des Moines Quilt Show, Part Three, Special Exhibits

Along with the American Quilting Society’s competition quilts and the quilts on display from the 500-member strong Des Moines Area Quilters Guild, there are always several special exhibits at the Des Moines Quilt Show. Here are some images from some of the special exhibits that caught my attention this year. Most impressive to me was…

2017 Des Moines Quilt Show, Part Two, Shapes

There are only a few basic shapes in the world but as this collection of quilts from the Des Moines Quilt Show illustrates, quilters these days can create some pretty incredible things with just a few shapes. It definitely helps that quilters today can choose fabrics in an almost limitless number of colors. Squares, circles,…

2017 Des Moines Quilt Show, Part One, Quilted Faces

Artists of all varieties are drawn to faces. The many fine artistic quilters that are around these days are no different. In this first installment of my impressions of the Des Moines AQS Quiltweek quilt show, I focus on quilts that highlighted faces. This quilt by Hiroko Miyama is entitled “Lily.”     Artists never…

2013 Des Moines Quilt Show

This was the week of the long-awaited Des Moines Quilt Show. Once again the show did not disappoint. One of the highlights of the show for me was a group of quilts from Caohagan, a tiny island in the Philippines. About 15 years ago a quilter moved to the island and started teaching the natives to quilt.…