Marybeth Heikes

Paintings in Watercolor & Mixed Media

Mail Pouch Tobacco

Mail Pouch Tobacco

May 31, 2013

I designed this after my sister mentioned how much she loved my barn artwork and that I should do one of the Mail Pouch Tobacco barns. We have many memories of our family summer vacations, seeing the barns with this advertising, and viewing the large tobacco leaves drying inside these barns — especially on our drives through West […] more »

Iowa Gray Barn

Iowa Gray Barn

May 29, 2013

Working from my old photos, I pieced together these barn board shapes in gray-textured, hand-painted papers against a vivid red sky. I liked the shed extensions on both sides of the barn and used turquoise for the roof — bringing in the complement color of the sky to make it “pop”.  I could not resist […] more »

New Shows: IWS and Celebrate The Bicycle

New Shows: IWS and Celebrate The Bicycle

May 25, 2013

My artwork is currently in two new shows: the Iowa Watercolor Society and “Celebrate the Bicycle!” Two of my watercolors,  License to Paint and Gordie’s and The American Legion are exhibited in the first annual IWS Miniature Watermedia show at the St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines. The intent of this show is to […] more »

“Less Is More” Exhibition

“Less Is More” Exhibition

May 19, 2013

I am very happy to exhibit my watercolor The Love Block in The Mitchell Gallery’s first national juried exhibition. It is an all-media show with a size limitation of 8” x 10”, including the frame. My painting features the southwest corner of the Albia square in Monroe County, Iowa. 308 artists submitted 837 works from 38 states.  […] more »

Scott’s Shoe Repair

Scott’s Shoe Repair

May 10, 2013

Occasionally I find myself drawn to the small town local scenes. I have done numerous sketches of Centerville’s back alleys and even had one published in The Best of Sketching & Drawing by Rockport Book Publishers. This old shoe repair sign caught my eye years ago; in fact, I took the photograph in 1996. The […] more »

License to Paint #2

License to Paint #2

May 8, 2013

I decided to compose another watercolor using my large assortment of brushes with old license plates. I wanted something different for an upcoming competition, although I did set up some of my palettes to start with the brushes. We artists seem to accumulate supplies of all kinds.  The design was playing around in my mind for a […] more »

Stargazer Lily

Stargazer Lily

April 16, 2013

Every time spring rolls around, I am eager to paint my garden flowers, and this year is no exception. However, the weather is unseasonably cool, so I am relying on some of my old photos until some of my perennials bloom. This particular lily had been in my garden a while ago. New flowers are added every […] more »

Radio, Records & Books

Radio, Records & Books

April 10, 2013

This is a business that used to be on the northwest corner of the Centerville square a few years ago. Maybe a better title would be “remember when?” The storefronts and signage change occasionally and this is what attracts me to the subject matter. I like painting the old brick buildings. Most of the details are […] more »

Highway 137 Barn

Highway 137 Barn

April 8, 2013

I am back to painting barns and landscapes of southeast Iowa!  This particular barn is located on the winding highway traveling to Oskaloosa. At the time I took the photograph, there were many more outbuildings around this barn, but they are no longer there. It has the characteristic weathered worn boards and shaggy roof. The […] more »