Love blooms in Des Moines
- By Tina Ehrlich
- •
- 10 Nov, 2020
The next time you’re driving down Court Ave you’ll see a new splash of color on the side of the RoCA building!
Local artist, Jenna Brownlee, completed this design in just 2.5 days and it’s a special piece celebrating diversity and inclusion with vibrant bursting florals collaged with symbolic typography for an impactful message of global love and peace. In partnership with Des Moines' World Food & Music Festival, her floral selection was intentional to represent the global diversity throughout the state of Iowa with national flowers:
- Plum Blossom, China
- Bunchberry, Canada
- Dahlia, Mexico
- Lotus, India
- Protea, South Africa
- Bosnian Lily, Bosnia
- Rose, United States
- Prairie Rose, State of Iowa
Jenna has been busy this year continuing to color the state—in the last few months, she’s created a mural in Marshalltown, Des Moines, Waukee and more. We’ve worked with Jenna since the beginning of our art advisory business in 2012 and it’s been a privilege seeing her mural portfolio expand so rapidly. Her most recognized murals include vibrant florals and beautiful lettering—including the Parker Apartments
on 7th street and The District in Ankeny!
We also now represent Jenna Brownlee at the gallery and her canvas florals are just as stunning. From 10 inch to 10 foot flowers, it’s interesting to learn more about her process!
How do you capture all the inspiration you come across on a daily basis?
I love to paint flowers, so I get most inspiration from things I see in nature. If I stumble upon the perfect flower-form in-person, I make sure to snap a pic on my phone and keep a digital catalogue. I also scroll online and have books on flower arrangements to search for the right shape or composition of the subject I am looking for.
Do you do a lot of preliminary work in your sketchbook, or do you allow the piece to take shape while you're working on it?
Having a reference and mockup works well for me. I primarily sketch as a part of the creative process for a specific project and have different methods depending on the concept and how flushed out it is in my mind—with pencil on paper, a digital sketch or a collage in Photoshop whether it's a graphic design piece, watercolor, canvas or mural.
How have the contents of your sketchbooks changed throughout time?
My methods, subject matter and mediums have evolved a lot over the last 5 years but there's still continuity with how I bring an idea to life with pencil on paper. There's beauty in the simplicity of it ... it feels the most free and flexible.
Always up to something creative, you’re bound to run into one of Jenna’s murals throughout the Des Moines metro—if you haven’t already! And, when you do—we hope you'll snap a picture, because they make the most perfect Instagram moment.
Take a peek at these finishing touches that bring warmth and personality to each space. We hope these beautiful installations spark a little inspiration for your own home.
A vibrant, mixed-media exhibition that reimagines the timeless beauty of flowers through the distinct and dynamic perspectives of seven contemporary artists.
A look at before-and-after mural shots, insights into the artists’ painting approaches, and our process of bringing these murals to life from start to finish.
