Marybeth Heikes

Paintings in Watercolor & Mixed Media

Posts Tagged “Ragbrai”

Ragbrai XLVII

Ragbrai XLVII

October 25, 2019

This collage is part of my bicycle series inspired by the yearly RAGBRAI event that happens every July in Iowa. This design is the actual route taken in 2019, and includes the cities of Council Bluffs, Atlantic, Winterset, Indianola, Centerville, Fairfield, Burlington and Keokuk. more »

RAGBRAI Series Ten

RAGBRAI Series Ten

February 4, 2019

My inspiration for this piece was to continue exploring the interesting bicycle shapes and forms that define it. Another challenge was working in a square format, which I find daunting at times. Working with a rectangular forms in a square format challenges you to rethink design possibilities and it keeps your work fresh. more »

Biking / RAGBRAI #9

Biking / RAGBRAI #9

December 19, 2018

My inspiration for this abstract bicycle design are the geometric shapes. I have found that working in a series inspires my creativity, in challenging me to look more closely at my subject matter. This series began many years ago when a friend suggested bicycles would be a popular design because of the yearly RAGBRAI ride […] more »

Keokuk, Keosauqua and Clinton

Keokuk, Keosauqua and Clinton

June 2, 2016

I am continuing my bicycle series and loved the challenge of doing a smaller piece. I began with a simple line drawing of a bicycle close-up and started gluing some of the positive shapes. Halfway through gluing, I decided to add another smaller bike above it — a bit of a squeeze, but it adds […] more »

Scenic Route Along the Cedar River

Scenic Route Along the Cedar River

May 31, 2016

I have been doing a series of bicycles for my upcoming show for the Artisan’s Gallery in Des Moines. This is the seventh in the series. While cutting some of the map pieces, I have been noticing places of interest and small towns in the state of Iowa. Especially interesting are the scenic routes. The […] more »

Pedal Power

Pedal Power

September 24, 2015

I have been inspired by bicycles and decided to begin a fourth design in early August. It’s been a busy summer and taken me almost a month to complete this. Drawing is the foundation of all my work and I love doing loose, contour drawings to begin my piece. I believe contour drawing provides a […] more »

Biking

Biking

July 1, 2010

This piece was inspired by an old bicycle I saw at Bradley Hall. I took a variety of pictures, including the interesting shadow shapes, and then did a preliminary watercolor painting. After this, I did some loosely sketched contour drawings of this bike and didn’t plan a design to work with, as I usually do. […] more »