It is far too cliché to begin this story with the same overdone explanation that cool arts stuff does, in fact, occur in the Midwest. So I won’t start there. But I will rant about the thrill of discovering something underground, especially when it’s in a place you least expect it. It feels special, uncovering […]
DIY
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘A little bit of chaos is OK’: Pokey’s Fest keeps punk music, ethic alive in Iowa City
Punk isn’t dead. Sure, punk is old enough that it may be dad — or mom — but it’s still by and for the kids. For proof of life, one needn’t look any further than Pokey’s Fest 3, two all-ages nights of hardcore punk and other assorted music for freaks that will take place June […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Contact Buzz: The Toon’d In pop-up art show returns to Des Moines with some nerdy new themes
Toon’d In Art Show: 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, The Fremont, Des Moines, Saturday, July 13, 6-10 p.m., Free A golden age for small indie art shows flourished from 2008 to 2021, when the now-defunct Des Moines Social Club was bursting with activity. It was an epicenter for all arts disciplines, including several small, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Meet Sam Locke Ward, Iowa City’s pop music MacGyver
Since the time Samuel Locke Ward grew up in relative isolation on a family farm in Iowa, he has taken the road less traveled at every turn. With a preternatural talent for crafting earworm hooks and catchy melodies, the prolific musician could very well have beaten a path to Nashville or Los Angeles and developed […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Digging up the ‘underground,’ DIY music scene in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids
From singer-songwriters to heavy metal bands, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids breed a wide variety of musical acts. Dozens of artists make up the local music scene, but not many receive the recognition of concert-goers in the area. Naturally, the local DIY scene — united by the “do it yourself” idea that art shouldn’t have barriers to entry, and that anyone, regardless of skill or status, should be free to make art and share it as they please — tends to operate underground while the artists are often shrouded from curious music fans. Some local venue owners are working to change that
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Macrame: That ’70s home decor trend is groovy again
Disco may have died, but another quintessential part of the ’70s is making a comeback in today’s homes: the art of macrame. Macrame is a type of textile using decorative knotting techniques. The primary knots are square knots and different combinations of half hitches, or simple overhand knots. It originated in 13th century Arabia, eventually […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
This weekend: Iowa City hosts more craft fairs and holiday markets than you can shake a (beautifully decorated) stick at
Each year, the season of conspicuous consumption reaches its inevitable anticlimax when we gather around and, regardless of our individual traditions, realize in unison that all our gifts look the same, have the same disposable smell, make the same dumb noises and come from the same wretched factories. This year, be the exception to the […]
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Crafty: Step up your table presentation during cocktail hour with this easy cutting board project
This project requires untreated hardwood. Maple, walnut, cherry and hickory are nice tight-grained woods that work well for this project. They are high-density varieties that are not scored easily when cut upon. This keeps bacteria and moisture out for a cleaner, longer-lasting board. Hardwood can be sourced from local lumber suppliers as well as big box hardware stores. Look for a piece that is at minimum 6 inches wide. Adjust your width and eventual length according to intended use and personal preference.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Block It Out: DIY Fabric Printing
Supplies Brayer (ink roller) Printmaking/linoleum block (found at art supply stores) Carving tools (found at art supply stores) Fabric printing ink Rolling pin Cardboard Paper Fabric Step One: Sketch out an image or a pattern you like on a piece of paper. You can then transfer this sketch to your linoleum block freehand, or you […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Black Magic: DIY walnut bitters for an adventurous cocktail
I was on a run in Northside when I tripped on what looked like a green golf ball on the sidewalk. It wasn’t a golf ball; it was an unhulled black walnut (Juglans nigra), and the sidewalk and street were littered with them. I’d heard tell of harvesting black walnuts for their distinctively rich nut […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Crafty: Plein-air picnic prep
Summer was made for outdoor picnics and barbecues. Sometimes an invitation arrives for an outdoor feast, other times the Iowa sky opens up and offers the perfect weather for eating under the stars. If you are like me, I like to stock…
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Photos: DIY music and IC underground house shows
A few years back, I visited Iowa City for the first time and went to an electronic show at a house that’s nicknamed the “Breast Imagining Center.” A small group of people were gathered around the fire outside drinking beer from John’s Grocery, waiting for the show to start. When we heard the first muffled […]
