Don Hetzel turned his love of art into a life-long passion. From the study of it to teaching it, and now in retirement, he continues to create and show his artwork. Each phase of his career seemed to build upon and complement the other as he delved deep into art education as an instructor that lasted for over thirty years.

From his realistic landscapes to his abstract pieces, it’s clear that Don Hetzel has a rich history of studying art. In the one graphite drawing he has hanging at Press Coffee currently, the shading and organic shapes are what first pull you in. At closer inspection faces, instruments, patterns and even a landscape reveal themselves, forcing you to spend time with it and analyze every inch of the 30×22 piece. Don says his experience as a human is what inspires his work in general, with this particular drawing coming from his son’s interest in music.

Living in the midwest it’s hard not to look to the constantly changing landscapes and capture them on canvas. Don gives a taste of both the vibrant Iowa greenery and stark wintry scenes with pieces adjacent to each other in the shop. Originally from Sioux City, Don earned his BFA in printmaking at the University of South Dakota before leapfrogging Iowa to add an MFA in Lithography at Western Illinois. He didn’t set out with teaching being his goal per se, but he had to make a living and instructing became a way to pay the bills while keeping art in his life. Over his teaching career in Keokuk, he taught at every level of education and says that kindergarten ranks as the hardest because, at that age, it’s more about how to hold scissors than drawing a realistic figure.

Not only did teaching keep Don creating, but it furthered his knowledge of art as well. When he began his career in the ’70s, there weren’t books on teaching art, let alone the internet, and if he wanted to teach something like color theory, he had to have a thorough understanding of it himself. His instruction didn’t stop at lecturing, however, he led by example by doing the assignments with his students.

Retiring in 2012, Don and his wife Coleen eventually relocated to Coralville where he continues to make art. You can find his work at Artisans Gallery in Iowa City or The Lost Canvas in Keokuk and will hang at Press Coffee through October 13th. All of his pieces are available for purchase by contacting Don via phone or e-mail.

Contact Don:
dchetzel75@gmail.com
319-795-3594
donhetzelfineart.com