A man smiling with a paint smock and paint in his hands in front of a mural.

Drawing Up a Creative Career in Greater Des Moines 

What started as drawing characters like Garfield, Tweety Bird and Sylvester for classmates in elementary school has blossomed into a booming art career for Nic Roth in Greater Des Moines (DSM).  

After graduating from high school in Ankeny, Nic moved to Minneapolis to pursue an education in art. But in 2010, the rising cost of living brought him back to DSM. "I couldn't afford to live there as an artist anymore," Nic explained. "It was the 2010 recession, so finding work as an illustrator was so difficult."  

Back in the region, Nic found a job with a local marketing agency where he created brochures for nursing homes and credit unions. While the work paid the bills, Nic wanted to explore projects that allowed him to be more imaginative and bring joy to others through his art. During that time, he also began designing cards and launched his own blog. "I was able to draw every day, and I started attending children's book conferences where I eventually wrote my own book, Coco Wants a Burger," Nic shared. "Kids I met loved it so much, they had it memorized and the cover fell off!" 

His creative journey eventually led him to Cricket Media Magazines where he created illustrations, including several interactive seek-and-find activities like Toucan Village, pictured to the right. (How many frogs can you find? There are 13!)

"I tuck a lot of little stories into everything I do," he said. "Take the Toucan Village, there's a toucan who's reading a book upside down and there's one who hasn't left his leaf; he's not a people person."  

Today, Nic works as a full-time independent artist at Mainframe Studios, where he's discovered new opportunities to connect with the people who appreciate his work. "Being at Mainframe has changed my life; I didn't realize I could meet my audience until I got a space here," Nic admitted. Through Mainframe's First Friday events, when artists open their studios to visitors, Nic gets to connect directly with his audience. It was at one of these events that Nic sold his first large-scale fine art painting, helping launch a new chapter in his artistic career.

Beyond the studio, Nic has made his mark across the region through murals, branding and other creative projects. His first big mural break came when he was commissioned to paint a mural at Basic Bird, a South Korean barbecue restaurant in Beaverdale. Since then, he's continued painting murals, including projects at The Little Book and Operation Downtown, stickers for the Uptown Ankeny Farmers’ Market, branding for Nothing Major and merch for Reading in Public.  

Two murals. On the left, vegetables and dumplings with faces and people enjoying food. On the right, a mural painted on a wall of a dog and bunny as well as a person assisting another person with a map.

But it's not just the art that's kept Nic in the DSM region; it's the people.  

"I've found my people here," Nic shared. "Along with the art community, the gay community is amazing. We're each other's biggest fans and keep each other feeling positive."  

From drawing characters for his classmates to painting murals for the whole community to enjoy, Nic has built more than an art career in DSM. He's found a place where his creativity is celebrated, and he can truly be himself. 

"All I ever wanted was to work and have an audience," he said. "And I found that here in Greater Des Moines." 

If you're interested in continuing to follow Nic's journey, follow him on Instagram. 

Find Your Greater

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