READ ANYWAYS
#401
Nonprofit | Pop-up Book Store & Literacy Center
Read Anyways is a pop-up bookstore and literacy center dedicated to expanding access to books, literacy tools, and community-based learning. We support individuals, families, and organizations working to strengthen child and adult literacy in underserved communities—because everyone deserves the chance to read, learn, and grow in every way and anywhere.
Our bookshelves have been curated to spark curiosity, celebrate diverse voices, and inspire a lifelong love of reading that connects people to themselves, their communities, and the world around them.
STUDIO SAGE DSM
#402
Printmaking
Cody Hickok is a printmaker and multi-media artist. He was born and raised in West Des Moines, Iowa and graduated from Drake with a B.A. in Studio Art Drawing and minors in Printmaking and Writing. After graduating, Cody completed a one-year residency as Drake’s Artist in Residence at Mainframe Studios.
BRIAN MOSES
#403
Woodworking
Brian is a woodworker that works with other amateur woodworking enthusiasts on projects for the benefit of non-profit in the Greater Des Moines area. Past projects: Art for fundraising and stage sets.
STUART ARTS
#404
Painting
Ted Stuart is president of Architectural Arts, serves on the board of the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation and creates abstract and figurative paintings.
HEARTLAND STUDIO
#405
Painting
Gary Hoff has been an artist for parts of six decades, his work is in collections throughout the U.S. Currently he is working on a series of cityscapes in oil.
PIEDRAS HASEYA LLC
#406
Handmade Jewelry
Born and raised in Costa Rica, Paola is a growing jewelry designer who creates every piece with intention and humility. She works with gemstones, seeds, wood and other natural materials. Pura Vida!
JEFF WRIGHT MOTORSPORTS FINE ARTS
#407
After 30+ years of illustration and fabrication work, it's now about the paint.
JAY GRIFFITH
#408
Painting
Jay Griffith is an abstract artist working primarily in acrylics. He often works large scale creating vibrant compositions.
SUE PENN DESIGNS
#409
Painting, Fabric Design
Sue Penn creates abstract paintings and fabric designs inspired by nature and bright colors. Her work is fun and uplifting. Many of her patterns can be seen in quilt work and are available at Free Spirit Fabrics.
JENNIFER LEE STUDIOS
#411
Ceramics
The organic shapes of Jennifer Lee's handmade pottery are inspired by nature. With glazes influenced from the beauty of the landscapes around her to produce artistic yet functional pieces.
WILD OLIVE BIRTH CO.
#413
Creative Movement x Community
Wild Olive Birth Company offers movement for the culture - Olivaya Soma Yoga. Olivaya combines therapeutic yoga with artistic and musical elements influence by culture to foster healing and community.
WAVEFORM MUSIC
#417
Recording Studio
Owner Bob Fitch records a wide variety of artists in his professional, 1,300-square-foot custom studio, including demos, albums, podcasts and commercial voice-overs. The studio also hosts intimate concerts, release parties and events.
EMILY MACFARLAND
#419
Pottery
Emily MacFarland makes elegant brightly patterned functional pottery. Her work fuses functional everyday pottery with lively brightly patterned paintings. All of her work is handmade on the potting wheel and hand-decorated using her own designs.
CAPITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
#421
Photography
A Bosnian refugee who served in the Iraq war for the U.S., Mirza picked up a camera and never looked back. He now has as many as 500,000 people viewing his stunning cityscapes.
BITTY BUTTONS
#423
Children’s Clothing
Susan Guzik designs cute and functional children's clothing. Each dress, coat, hat, or mitten is fun and unique and will bring a smile to any child or parents face.
LAINEY BECK
#425
Multimedia
Lainey Beck creates abstract oil and encaustic paintings inspired by nature and the interconnectivity of life and energy.
CLOGLI STUDIO
#428
Painting, Portraits
Christine creates portraits, landscapes, still life & abstracts in oil, acrylic pastel & charcoal. She teaches drawing or painting in private/semi-private lessons.
See her website for more details.
SHEENA THOMAS
#430
Jewelry
Sheena Thomas Metalsmith LLC is devoted to having fun in the metals studio, designing and making fine jewelry using gemstones, silver and gold, raising sensuous bowls of copper, and making unique tableware in silver. Custom design available.
M//Design
#431
Photography
Mike Gustafson is a designer/photographer based in Des Moines, Iowa. Mike has lived and worked in Iowa his entire life, he was born and raised on a farm in rural north central part of the state.
Mike has been involved with the creative arts in Des Moines, Iowa since the late 1990’s. Operating a small audio recording studio and creating music and touring the United States with his instrumental rock band “The Autumn Project” for almost 10 years. During that time Mike was also involved with several video production projects with the Des Moines Art Center and was a coffee roaster at a local coffeehouse.
Mike went on to open a custom furniture workshop called Nestcraft Studio where he designed and built one of kind custom masterpieces, utilizing highly figured wood veneer and complex curves and organic shapes. Mike also co-owned and operated a small independent art gallery called Transient Gallery, housed within the furniture workshop, which hosted artists from around the country and encouraged them to transform the space into a unique installation experience.
In 2016 Mike began building custom vintage motorcycles under the moniker MONNOM customs. He went on to build 6 motorcycles that were featured at custom motorcycle shows in Los Angeles, CA, Milwaukee, WI, Austin, TX, Minneapolis, MN and around the world through social media and the internet.
Mike is now working full time as a freelance photographer, focusing on all aspects of image creation and video creation.