2025 Artists
We thank our artists in their collaborative efforts to create this immersive experience for diverse abilities.
Jessica Bly
Jessica (Jesse) Bly, a nineteen-year-old artist and incoming student at Kirkwood Community College, finds profound fulfillment in visual art despite living with Achromatopsia. A self-taught multidisciplinary artist, she has completed commissioned murals and works, specializing in wirework jewelry, ink, alcohol markers, and digital media.
Jesse Bly: defying limits – The Live Wire
Sena Graham
Sena Graham, a 24-year-old childhood cancer survivor of retinoblastoma and lifelong artist specializing in digital art, graphic design, and photography, utilizes a creative process that relies on experimentation and a unique eye for details. She blends lighting, shapes, color, and rendering into cohesive compositions that reflect both technical precision and personal expression.
Sarah Fitzgerald
Sarah Lynn Fitzgerald is an artist and arts educator based in Mount Vernon, Iowa.
Working in drawing, painting, sculpture, assemblage, and video, she creates visual
stories that move between the real and the imagined. Her imagery is inspired by nature,
memory, and dreams—often inhabited by hybrid beings and shifting landscapes that
suggest transformation and renewal. A lifelong educator, Fitzgerald has taught art to
learners of all ages, from early childhood through university. She holds a BA in Art from
Cornell College and an MA in Art Education from the University of Illinois.
Miriam Alarcón Ávila
Miriam Alarcón Ávila is a Mexican-born photographer and multimedia storyteller based in Iowa. Her art explores resilience, culture, and inclusivity through visual documentation. A recipient of an Iowa Arts Council grant, her acclaimed project Luchadores Immigrants in Iowa amplifies immigrant voices and celebrates the diverse identities shaping the Midwest.
J.A. Engman
J.A. Engman gave up the visual arts in her early 20s, turning instead to the world of words, when she began losing her vision to autoimmunity and could no longer see her lines as she drew them. As time passed, however, Jocelyn began wondering if that decision was too rash. Could there possibly be room in this visual world for the visually impaired? This is her new passion and the initial impetus for this exhibit.
Donated piece by: Joan McCracken Thomas
Joan McCracken Thomas’ passion for creating art started on long, lazy, summer afternoons during her childhood, as she roamed the family farm searching for a scene worthy of her sketchpad & pencil. Since then, her work has been influenced by her experiences both phone and abroad. Known best for her vibrant pastel still lifes, she loves to experiment with different media & styles. Most of all, she loves creating art for others.