Welcome!

Central IA Artist Gallery is a unique place that was born out of the vision of two local artists who wanted to create a local gallery where artists can display, sell and promote their work year-round. Instead of waiting for the next art show, this gallery is the place to discover unique one-of-a kind art-pieces any time of the year. You'll be able to meet your artists here, or commission them to create a special piece just for you! Stop often to enjoy our changing exhibits. We will have all kinds of art... made by local artist... made with lots of love.

To visit our blog click here.

Artist profile - Dana Barrer

Dana Barrer is a photographer from Mitchellville - IA, who travels extensively. His photography is balanced between local work (having won an Art of Community Award from the City of Des Moines for a local photograph) and work from his travels (some of his photography from the Czech Republic has been sold at the National Czech and Slovak Museum).

Dana has previously run retail shops in Des Moines and Omaha (Glass Shoppe Imports) that sold crystal and art glass from the Czech Republic, pottery from Poland, nesting dolls from Russia and other gift items. To view Dana's photography click here.

Artist profile - Monika Agic

Monika Agic (Art by Magic) is a contemporary abstract artist and art consultant specializing in creation of the custom, one-of-a-kind paintings for homes and businesses. Growing up in Bosnia, Monika visited museums and cultural centers in Europe before expanding her artistic reach in the US. She is a graduate of Grand View University. Monika's international exposure has afforded her a cross-cultural sensitivity illustrated in each painting she creates. To view Monika's paintings click here.

Artist profile - Sanjin Agic

Sanjin Agic is a freelance graphic artist who enjoys mixing the real with unreal and making it better, intriguing, unexpected. He primarily works in Photoshop and has done multiple projects for corporate clients in Des Moines. Whether you just want your shirt to be a different color, or you want to move mountains, replace the sky in a photograph with a different one, or have your friend hugging a vase - he can do it all in a professional or humorous manner as needed. Sanjin has background in television broadcasting. "I love using both photo and video cameras", he says. To view samples of Sanjin's work click here.

Artist Profile - Lori Bonz

Lori Bonz is a ceramics artist residing in Beaverdale, Des Moines. She specializes in raku pottery that is characterized by random fire effects that give each piece unique, sometimes unpredictable results. Lori holds a BFA degree in Ceramics from UNI and currently teaches elementary art in Des Moines public schools. "Balancing work between my love of clay and my passion for teaching can be a struggle", she says. Lori's collectors have told her that her pieces evoke a sense of calm. To view Lori's raku pottery please visit the gallery.

Artist profile - Kat BarronMiller

Kat BarronMiller is a jewelry artist from Des Moines, IA. Kat grew up with aspirations of being a paleontologist or possibly a movie star - any job that would take her away from the cornfields - but she's now a proud Iowan who happily creates wearable art out of wire, metal and glass. Kat keeps seeking new techniques and methods to explore while making jewelry, and her discoveries keep her jewelry fresh, surprising, and fun! To view Kat's jewelry click here.

Artist profile - Joyce Egbers

Joyce Egbers is a local colored pencil artist who's precision and attention to detail result in a realistic portrayal of people, pets and still life. To perfect her skill, Joyce attended many workshops, read many books and of course, practiced a lot. She has a passion for portraits of people and pets that capture their individual charm and personality. She works by blending the colors to achieve irresistible moods and facial expressions. Joyce is often creating custom portraits using client's photography as a reference. Capturing a memory, a moment, her work becomes a family keepsake. To view Joyce's drawings click here.

Artist profile - John Knudtson

John Knudtson is a photographer from Grimes, IA. He specializes in cityscape and natural landscape scenes mostly focusing on Des Moines area. John discovered that he has talent for photography when his niece was born. He received a lot of encouragement from his wife and photography turned into passion where now John wakes up in the early morning hours to seek out new locations. "I am now inspired to capture unique perspectives of iconic images and scenes of everyday life that might not have been captured before", he says. John has shown his photography in local galleries and framing shops and also received "Best of Theme" award in the 2009 art show in Nebraska. He is graduate of University of Iowa. To see John's photography please visit the gallery.

Artist profile - Bob Lyall

Bob Lyall is a metal artist from Indianola, IA who can create practically anything. All of his work is created from the recycled metal that has unique coloring and character not typical to new materials. He is known for recycling unwanted objects and creating an environmentally friendly "green art". For example, Bob created a pin collection by using over 100 year old copper that was once covering IA State Capitol roof. His metal sculptures are designed to fit both into indoor and outdoor spaces. Bob enjoys creating garden art and sharing his humor with the community. To view Bob's metal art click here.

Artist profile - Julie McCullough

Julie McCullough (Magic Threads) is a fiber artist for more than 30 years. She designs whimsical art dolls and patterns that currently sell all over the world. Her dolls are adult playthings meant to cheer you up. Some can sit on a flat surface as a sculpture, and some are suspended from the ceiling. Julie's art dolls have exhibited not only in U.S. but also internationally in Japan and Australia. Her many accolades include being featured on HGTV, creating a gown for Mari Culver's doll, as well as creating a White House Christmas ornament. Julie studied fine art at University of Kansas and currently teaches at the Art Center. To view samples of her work click here.

Artist profile - Jennifer Mally

Jennifer Mally is a commercial illustrator and writer whose work has been licensed for use on greeting cards. Her colorful and whimsical paintings are designed simply to make you feel good. It was her love of painting, poetry and paper that in 1997 provided the impetus for her to start her own greeting card line: "Have A Heart Creations". "I consider myself a maker of moments," she says. "Not moments of any earth-shaking proportions. They are quiet and simple." Jennifer is a journalism graduate of Iowa State University. To view her greeting card creations click here.

Artist profile - Jon P Baldwin

Jon P Baldwin is a painter who uses variety of mediums, mainly oils, acrylics and ink. He says that creativity always came naturally to him, even as a small child. Jon's expressionist paintings depict a timeline of his feelings: lost love, sadness and joyful times can all be seen in his work. His influences have been linked to Van Gogh, Dali, Pollock and Rockwell, with Van Gogh being the artist he most relates to. The urgency in paintings creates movement, sense of balance, paint that looks like it wants to run away. "There is madness amongst all of us, mine happens to be art", says John Baldwin. To see a sample of his work click here.

Artist profile - Angela Meijer

Angela Meijer has always been a day dreamer, and she's always been armed with some kind of crayon, paint or camera trying to give expression to those dreams.

Meijer grew up in the Northwest, and studied printmaking at Pacific Northwest College of Art. A few years later, she moved to Amsterdam in The Netherlands and studied fine arts, graduating with a degree in photography. She participated in many art exhibitions specializing in limited edition hand made books and winning prestigious awards for her photography.

In 2004, Meijer started painting and a whole new world opened up for her. Her love for music and color were able to take on whole new dimensions as she expanded her palette and tools of expression. Inspired by goodness and all there is to be thankful for, Meijer's artwork radiates life and joy. Meijer moved to Des Moines, Iowa in March 2009, where she's been painting up a storm ever since. To view Angela's paintings click here.

Artist profile - Shawn Palek

Shawn Palek is an airbrush artist who fell in love with the technique two decades ago, and had since produced approximately 17000 paintings. He is a graduate of the commercial art program from DMACC, and now teaches airbrush classes to students. "I can paint anything on anything", he says. Shawn mainly enjoys painting realism on canvas as well as shirts, leather, wall murals, and motorcycles. Shawn's work is well-known between the motorcycle enthusiasts who take their bikes to Custom Painting Shop in Des Moines for customization. Shawn has accumulated over 50 ribbons at the Iowa State Fair in the creative arts competition, and received Best in Show 2006 fine arts competition award. To view Shawn's work click here.

Artist profile - Ryan Seiler

Ryan Seiler is a woodworking artist from Ames, IA. He is a College of Design graduate from Iowa State University. His passion is designing and making unique but functional art furniture pieces that have the power to impact our lives in a meaningful way. Ryan likes to push the boundaries of the traditional design but remain true to the function and the durability of both the materials and style. His work was nationally recognized and internationally published. To view samples of Ryan's art furniture click here.

Artist profile - Scott E Stouffer

Scott E Stouffer is a retired Des Moines architect and a watercolor artist. His paintings depict mostly local scenes, buildings and landscapes. He has also completed many pencil and ink sketches of Des Moines area homes. Scott has displayed his work at Plymouth Congregational Church, the Iowa Watercolor Society, and the Iowa State Fair where he received a blue ribbon this year. Perspective and depth are an important part of his paintings. To see Scott's watercolors please visit the gallery.

Artist profile - Dick Shook

S. Richard (Dick) Shook is an oil painter specializing in realistic portraits and landscapes. He is graduate of Iowa State University College of Design. Dick also studied drawing, painting and printmaking at the graduate level. Some of his many accomplishments are: award-winning building designer, Janice Peterson Anderson award recipient, commissioned for two paintings in honor of Nobel prize laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug and the World Food Prize, and is currently developing the non-profit virtual Iowa Arts Gallery. Dick says: "I have an interest in simple pleasures, and the importance of relationships. Although I have made exceptions, that is what I try to paint." To view Dick's paintings click here.

Artist profile - Sadie Trytten

Sadie Trytten is a newcomer to the Des Moines art scene. Her abstract acrylic paintings are created for a fun and casual atmosphere. Sadie tends to use neutral colors such as tans and browns, and add just a touch of accent color toward the end of the process. "I have the freedom to let my hand do the talking", she says. Sadie uses large brush strokes, painting knifes and continues to work on the piece until it feels just right. She is a graduate of UNI. To view Sadie's paintings please click here.

Artist profile - Dan Welk

Dan Welk is an established Des Moines photographer with lifelong passion for taking photos. He started taking photos as a little kid, and his parents would say to him that he is wasting film because Dan was shooting the same subject twelve times in order to get one good photo. "I think photographers have a little different way of looking at the world and sometimes see things that perhaps others don't.", says Dan. He now operates Click photography studio doing both commercial and art photography. To view Dan's portfolio click here.

Artist profile - Tracey Zirbel

Tracey Zirbel is originally from Des Moines, IA, and resides just next door in Johnston, IA. During a visit to California in 1998, she had her first-ever exposure to "real" bead stores. With a life-long love of fashion, she immediately knew she needed to create jewelry. Tracey is a self-taught designer working mainly in semi-precious stones, pearls, Hilltribe silver and sterling silver. Her one-of-a-kind pieces are contemporary; ranging from tiny and intricate to large and chunky that can be worn effortlessly with formal and/or informal attire. To see Tracey’s jewelry, please visit the gallery.