When @awispa proposed this art project I was thrilled, because I know exactly who deserves to be brought to light. I live in Iowa, which is smack dab in the middle of the United States, and in many ways we are lacking in artists. However, there is a store in downtown Des Moines called Sticks that takes my breath away. It was started by a woman named Sarah Grant.
Grant had a very distinctive style of visual art that really caught on around Des Moines in the nineties, here are a few examples of her work so you can get a feeling for what she liked to create.
This uplifting style caught on immediately and after a 10,000$ loan Grant was able to open a shop and studio. She employed over 200 young artists to help her create her works, and then sold them and opened the store for special commissions. Sticks really caught on when Grant and her team rennovated Blank childrens hospital. Even now anyone who visits the hospital sees her iconic work lining the walls, and it really creates a bright and uplifting atmosphere.
Its really inspirational to me that she was able to create so much without leaving her home state. In school they always talk about New York as the central art hub of America and as a small city person I really don't want to go there. If Sarah Grant can make it big without leaving home, then it gives me a little more hope!