through the rabbit hole

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through the rabbit hole

Over the weekend, I was able to visit Luminarium: Arboria not just once, but twice! The first time I visited, I joined members of the press for a small, private showing and then a few days later, I went down to see it again with family.

What is it exactly? Well, it's an inflatable structure of different colors and sounds. It's half the size of a football and once you're inside, it feels like you're wandering around an alien spacecraft. It's pretty cool and I really enjoyed my experience. 

They give you twenty minutes to explore and also limit the number of people who are allowed inside, so it was never too crowded. Although, I think it would be fun to wander around alone. It's very meditative...

Judging by the line to get tickets, there's an appetite for more things like this in Des Moines, so I hope the Powers That Be take note. Pictures and more below. 

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John Bosley of Bozz Prints

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John Bosley of Bozz Prints

Chances are you've seen John Bosley's work whether you know it or not. His prints are sold at local gems like Domestica and each one has a particular warmth that catches your eye instantaneously. 

John recently partnered with the Iowa State Fair to create a limited edition poster and was also asked to illustrate the May/June cover of Midwest Living. The guy's obviously prolific, but he's far from over-saturating the market with his work. John's art is thoughtful and you can see the artist behind it all isn't just doing it for money - it's a passion. Our talk is after the jump.

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Luminarium is Coming!

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Luminarium is Coming!

I'm always on the lookout for cool stuff going on in the City and this upcoming installation seems to fit the bill pretty darn well. It's called LUMINARIUM and it appears to be some sort of inflatable, interactive artwork created by a group calling themselves Architects of Air. Since 1992, it has been traveling all around the world, across forty-one countries and five continents. And now it's coming to Des Moines.

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Hinterland Magic

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Hinterland Magic

This was the highlight of my summer and one of the most enchanting experiences of the whole year. If you haven't been to Hinterland, I suggest you make every effort to go next year because it's only going to become more popular as time goes on. Unlike 80/35 - which I think could really take place anywhere - Hinterland is uniquely Midwest. More after the jump.

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80/35 Day One

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80/35 Day One

I've officially attended a musical festival, guys! Can you believe it took me this long to go to one? Sheesh. It was about time! 

I've been to concerts, but the ones I'm used to were usually at smaller venues and the stages were dimly-lit. So it was complexly different than 80/35! While I'm used to crowds of less than two hundred, almost 30,000 people attended the festival over the weekend. 

While it took some time getting used to the crowds, I felt very proud of my city throughout the weekend. We've hosted so many things over the years (so many festivals have been located on Locust Avenue!) and it was great to see everyone show up and support things.

Plus, it was only ten minutes from my apartment! Love you, Des Moines. More after the jump...

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