Marybeth Heikes

Paintings in Watercolor & Mixed Media

Flamingo Fandango

Flamingo Fandango

February 7, 2012

I’m back doing the exotic animals. These birds were designed in 2007 and I’m finally getting around to completing the collage.  I chose it for their colorful pink, long-necked bodies and legs, having some fun with changing some of the colors. They seem to be dancing and fluttering with movement. For the background, I decided […] more »

Blue Bird & Stephanie’s

Blue Bird & Stephanie’s

February 1, 2012

Eateries are popular with customers, so I painted an angled view of this popular restaurant in Centerville, Iowa, owned and operated by the Derbys. It features the bright blue awning with their name, beige bricks, and neon signs in the window. The ladies’ fashion store next door has closed and now houses the Flower Center. I’ve […] more »

Dairy Barn, Cantril, Iowa

Dairy Barn, Cantril, Iowa

January 31, 2012

This is another painting of my never-ending fascination with barns in our area. I’ve painted this before from a different view. It is a round dairy barn on the historic register located off Highway 2 in southern Iowa. Supposedly they danced on the third floor of this large barn and farm workers lived there too.  […] more »

Sinclair Truck

Sinclair Truck

January 10, 2012

I couldn’t resist doing another painting of Centerville’s historic State Street Station. I worked from my photo taken a few years ago which also features two antique gas pumps — how nostalgic can you get? Not sure the year of the truck, but many others know the age and particulars. Green is the featured color […] more »

Evangelical Covenant Church

Evangelical Covenant Church

January 2, 2012

Over the years I’ve been painting places of local interest, and this is one that someone asked me to do. There’s quite a large number of churches in our small community, and I was told this church is still going strong even though there’s a very small number attending. It started out as mostly a Swedish […] more »

Mystic Watertower

Mystic Watertower

January 1, 2012

This small watercolor was painted using one of my older photos, so I don’t know if this is still an actual place or has moved. What attracted me to paint this design was the largeness of the tower with the big sand piles in front of it, dwarfing a solitary figure — which I didn’t […] more »

Cottonwoods

Cottonwoods

December 31, 2011

I have been inspired by Patricia Forester’s tree paintings, and have always found the bare winter structure of trees fascinating. All their characteristics are paintable! However, I paint from my photo instead of painting en plein aire! I like the comfort of my studio and climate control. This painting includes rough bark, gnarly, twisted branches and shadow shapes in […] more »

Nectarines and Teapots

Nectarines and Teapots

December 30, 2011

I’ve been painting teapots for a number of years. These teapots are part of my collection that I set up outside on a glass table with mirrors and the fruit. I liked the reflections in the mirrors — they add great dimensional interest! It is a complex arrangement and the teapots seem to be in […] more »

Centerville Produce

Centerville Produce

December 27, 2011

This pencil drawing was a commission and is composed of four views of the Centerville Produce company over the years — particularly the different feed sale signs. It is located on Highway 5 South on the Levee in Centerville, Iowa, which used to be a bustling community in earlier years. Some of the other views include […] more »

Corydon, Iowa

Corydon, Iowa

December 22, 2011

I am enthralled with the old buildings found in rural Iowa. The photo I used as a reference was taken many years ago, so who knows if this view is changed! It was a beautiful, sunny day with the cerulean sky color I love.  I also like the water tower peeking from behind the red […] more »