2024 ARTISTS
City Sounds is proud to be a supporter of local artists. Meet the talented creators who will design pianos for the 10th season of our Public Piano Project.
Each artist received professional headshots by Joelle Blanchard of Figment Art Photography.
Hi! I'm Dakota, a Graphic Designer and Illustrator living in downtown Des Moines. As a new resident to the city, I am eager to share my art and gain connections within the DSM community. I like to think of myself as a creative with a unique and different perspective on ordinary things. I love creating off the wall art, as well as creating something that will spark conversation and wonder.
My name is Siriaco “Siricasso” Garcia. I am based out of Huxley, Iowa. I am an artist guided by love of family and community. I am a Muralist, Event Organizer, Screenprinter, Afterschool Art Teacher and a Father. Doing full time commission work, I have painted several murals across central lowa. I boldly outline my figures with a thick black outline, calling attention to their presence against backdrops of bright colors which invites all viewers into a cultural lexicon that affirms my Mexican American heri- tage vividly. I love telling stories in my work, Especially my own. With a hope to inspire as many people as I can with my work and actions, I frequently collaborate with other artists of all different facets to be able to bring art to communities I work in. This is best seen through the art events I host regularly to help other artists get exposure to people they would never have encountered and help foster a confidence in their ability to present their work to others. Art is my love and foundation. I hope to create art for as long as I can and help others find that love themselves.
Jameson is a multidisciplinary artist from Des Moines who enjoys working with a wide variety of mediums. Celestial bodies, music, symbolism, and the natural world are sources of inspiration for the art they create. They find sanctity in creation.
Shay of Shay Design Studio is the artist behind an upcoming studio. Shay Design Studio's mission is to provide art education and creative products to all regardless of skill levels.
My art is a reflection of nature, a celebration of the mystical, and a glimpse into phantasmagorical worlds. I'm an interdisciplinary artist and designer known for her bold and playful style that combines bright colors, psychedelic shapes, and fun storylines.
My name is Brando; I am a muralist and designer. Originally, I am from Colorado, but moved to Des Moines with my wife and 2 kids. They are my inspiration and motivation. I studied art at Colorado State University and have been working as a graphic designer since. As my interests and skills have evolved, I have settled into being a muralist. My experience in graphic design informs my decisions and helps me to approach each project as a problem-solver. Painting large-scale installations is something I have become very passionate about and I hope to continue to grow as an artist in this community.
Chris Sullivan & Jordan Sandquist
I am a local tattoo artist, and painter. Decorating people’s body’s and my surroundings.
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I grew up in the Meredith Corporation photo studio. There, my interaction with the camera evolved from modeling, to following my mom around while she art directed photoshoots, to working as a photography assistant on set for multiple publications and brands. I graduated from Grand View University with a bachelor's degree in Studio Arts and focused on both photography and painting while there. After college I continued working freelance at Meredith doing production assisting and photo editing. In my free time I began documenting my travels and booking lifestyle sessions until realize both along with painting were what I wanted to pursue full-time.
Kelsey Wilson is an artist from Nevada, Iowa. She studied illustration and painting at Savannah College of Art and Design and now pursues her ongoing studio mission to bring “Joy through Art.” Botanical paintings play a significant role in her practice and these paintings often serve environmental education purposes. These highly detailed works artfully describe and revere the individual imperfections of a subject rather than striving to depict an ideal version of each plant species.
Ethan Edvenson is an emerging artist from Des Moines, Iowa who creates mixed media drawings. He conveys individualism, humor, truth, and eternity through gestural mark making, surreal imagery, and storytelling in his heavily layered pieces. Edvenson graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2020 with a BFA in studio art and a minor in Art History. Since then, he has exhibited his work in many solo and group exhibitions around the Midwest while also working on book and film projects.
Im Kyle Kirwan, Im a professional artist living and working in Des Moines IA. I make designer toys and character based art. I have cool shoes, like pizza and try to be rad 4 ever.
Chris Vance is best known for his vibrant exterior wall murals throughout the metro Des Moines area. His painting is greatly influenced by graffiti and skateboards artists, and he believes that ideas are an “internal ingestion, and the art is the medium of the expression.” He is a visual diarist concerned with place and time. His exploration of scale is thorough, from creating small panel works that group together brilliantly, to large-scale acrylics. An Iowa State University graduate, he currently resides in Bondurant.
My name is Tiara Young. I am an emerging Latina artist from the Des Moines area. I was born in Honduras and my hispanic culture is very important to me, so I like to represent it in my artwork!