renee brincks

Each October, as daytime temperatures dip and leaves slowly shift toward red and gold, Erin Ryan packs up the car for a day trip. But…

Jennifer Drinkwater describes herself as a “glass-half-empty kind of person.” The Ames, Iowa-based artist understands how challenges can weigh on people. We all experience tough…

Working with watercolors, it seems, is a little like life. Creating something beautiful requires patience and practice.  “When you paint a flower with multiple petals,…

Life has a way of surprising us. Chance meetings turn into lifelong friendships. Magazine articles prompt spontaneous trips. Hobbies become unexpected careers. That’s what happened…

At a time when buying novels might involve tapping a screen, physical bookstores feel especially delightful. Wander into a shop. Explore shelves packed with new…

It’s easy to call yourself a lifelong learner when you work in education. That’s where Joy Miller started her career, before joining a farm family…

Maryann Baldwin loves to plant the seeds of ideas. Whether she’s mentoring local entrepreneurs, supporting city agencies like the Lansing Parks and Recreation department, volunteering…

On Decorah’s west side, below rugged Pulpit Rock and the bluffs of Phelps Park, a horseshoe-shaped meadow arcs along the Upper Iowa River. Two giant…