Features Overview
Aquascape by monika agic
Monika Agic
About the Artist: Monika is a lifelong artist with background in fine art and antique furniture renovation and in the last 5 years, her interest is in aquascaping.
I first met Monika at Starbucks in Des Moines, IA as I had commissioned her to paint an abstract image of a stoplight to represent the concept of my book, Stop Breathe Believe™. She listened very carefully to my heart, to my love of color and incorporated it in the art she created.
Words from the Artist: “Aquascaping is a form of art not well known. It is about creating underwater ecosystem which also represents scenes from nature using live plants, rocks and wood. The art originated in Japan and its father is Takashi Amano. This is truly a live art that is always changing, maturing, and becoming better with time.
Yes, it’s very creative with a complexity that we cannot fully control nature. Visual art like a painting is in your complete control. This type of art doesn’t always do what you want so it’s more a collaboration - artist and nature together. Aquascaping is a luxury living art with ongoing maintenance.”
Contact Info: artbymagic@gmail.com
Ruth Bachman
About the Artist: Roger and I first met Ruth at an Above and Beyond Cancer event in Des Moines, IA as she was the keynote speaker. Ruth is a cancer survivor, a right handed amputee due to soft tissue sarcoma and was speaking of her experience hiking Everest Base Camp Trail. Her resilient mindset was evidenced in many things, I recall she even learned to tie her hiking boots with her teeth and left hand. We were moved by her tremendous courage. Her book, Through the Narrow Spots, is beautifully written and creatively utilizes the metaphor of the hourglass.
Words from the Artist: “As a cancer survivor. I created this book in response to people asking me for a tangible reminder of my core message: If cancer is the narrow spot in the hourglass and I am the sand, then I have travelled from the top, through that narrow spot to the bottom, the same sand but with a different arrangement.
My book is a roadmap of sorts, encouraging/inspiring the reader to look closely and patiently at all of life’s challenges – narrow spots – to discover the resources, both internal and external, that are present to help navigate the passage. Change is inevitable. No one and no thing is permanent, except the presence of the divine.”
Contact Info:
Through the Narrow Spots, a book by Ruth Bachman
Breckenridge hike by Becky Bamsey
Becky Bamsey
About the Artist: Becky has been creating art throughout her life. She works primarily with pastels or charcoal and prefers to focus on landscapes as her subject. Becky also makes mosaic frames and boxes using pottery and found objects in a whimsical folk art style. Becky and her husband Randy live in Johnston, Iowa.
The gifts of friends are treasures to the heart. One day Becky presented me with a personalized gift that she had created for me. The beautiful mosaic art represented so many facets of my life and were carefully portrayed in her art. Becky and her gift made me feel seen, heard and understood – a gift I received by having a friendship with Becky. Being her friend is also a gift.
Words from the Artist: “I try to find beauty in everyday activities, and I believe that the world would be so empty without the art that is inspired by it; everybody has a gift of some kind to share, and I am happy to show mine.”
Art: Breckenridge Hike
Contact Info: bbamsey7@gmail.com
