Imperial Lion - Marybeth Heikes

Unframed Print, 8x10

This amazing Asian sculpture captured my attention while visiting the pagoda on the Des Moines riverbank near the Botanical Center. Among the gardens surrounding the pagoda are several Asian sculptures guarding the structure. After taking several reference photos, I realized this would be a very difficult endeavor, to capture the expression of the lion in collage, and that the sculpture is white. I began planning in my mind how I would approach this. When I actually began cutting the shapes, I built each tone in gray and built each area separately. This took over a month to complete because of the details and the pieces I cut. A long process, but I am satisfied with the result!

Marybeth Heikes has been drawing and painting her whole life. She grew up in the Cleveland suburbs, and took Saturday morning classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art. She also studied at Cooper School of Art.

Her watercolors and acrylic collages are characterized by dramatic designs and bold, tropical colors. Her passion is still lifes, animals, and city and rural landscapes.