dsmWeekly - March 5, 2025

Colin Behr launched his "Wardrobe Theory Project" at the Dust Collective in the East Village. (Photo: Jordan Gale)

Designer spins new ideas from old threads

By Rylie Smith

It’s likely you've crossed paths with Colin Behr's work, even if you didn't realize it. He painted a mural on the Secret Admirer patio and has helped design Jordan Brand sneakers for Nike.

The Iowa native is returning to his roots after nearly a decade with Nike in Portland, Oregon. This time he's back with a special project to challenge the way we think about clothing.

He released a 140-page magazine called "Wardrobe Theory Project" on Feb. 22 at the Dust Collective, a vintage shop at 509 E. Fifth St. in the East Village. The event drew local creatives eager to get the first look at Behr's curated wardrobe and stories.

The concept for the project came to Behr in November 2019, on a trip from Busan, South Korea, to Tokyo. During long flights, he usually sketches ideas for new designs. But this time he thought, "What if I didn't design something new? What if I explored what's already in my closet?”

His experiment was simple. "I challenged myself: No new clothes for a year," he said. "It turned into two. Over that time, I documented 200 outfits, photographed with whatever light I had."

Obviously, people have been making do with their old clothes for centuries. But in the current era of easy consumerism and fast fashion, Behr's initiative took him on an intimate journey with his wardrobe, through sketching, mending, repurposing and experimenting with new outfit combinations. "My Birkenstock Bostons got new rubber outsoles," he said. "I patched holes in my pants and even altered some garments into something new to serve my needs better."

By demonstrating firsthand the creativity that can emerge from restraint, his Wardrobe Theory Project offers a compelling alternative to casual consumption. “At the end," he said, "I felt more at peace with my choices, more in control of what I added to my life and more authentically like myself than I ever have before.”

In his inaugural issue you will find:

An essay by Ryan Lynch about his clothing and personal style.
A spotlight on the Dust Collective, which Garrett Cornelison opened to promote sustainability, upcycling and clothing repairs.
A story about Vietnamese sisters operating a Portland tailor shop since the 1980s.
A showcase of Behr's 50 favorite pieces in his wardrobe, with details on acquisition, technical aspects and sentimental value.

The Wardrobe Theory Project invites readers to join a growing Des Moines community committed to thoughtful living. To learn more, visit wardrobetheoryproject.com.

Buddhist monks huddle in the snow at the Labrang Monastery in Tibet. (Photo: Michael Yamashita)

BEST BET

See Asia through the eyes of a National Geographic photographer

Longtime National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita offers an epic show-and-tell, with stories and photos of his travels through Asia. The 90-minute show, “East Meets West: In the Footsteps of Marco Polo,” starts at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Des Moines Civic Center.

Guided by curiosity, Yamashita trekked across Asia with his camera, following the paths of historical figures Marco Polo and Zheng He. His stunning photography has been displayed in the United States as well as Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. He's written 16 books in multiple languages (he’s fluent in Japanese) and is a volunteer firefighter when he’s home in New Jersey, between his worldwide adventures and talks.

The Week Ahead

“Dragons & Rayguns,” 6-8 p.m. Friday, Raygun. Iowa Poet Laureate Vince Gotera reads poems from his latest collection of science fiction stories with cartoon characters.

“Voix de Ville” 7 p.m. Friday, Noce. This jazz show incorporates arrangements from the 1920s to now, with singers, dancers and a top-notch band.

“Jesus Christ Superstar,” opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Des Moines Playhouse. The company revives Andrew Lloyd Webber’s enduring rock opera about the life, death and resurrection of its title character. The show continues through March 23.

The Jeremiahs, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Franklin Events Center. The globe-trotting Irish group brings its tunes to town for a concert with the Celtic Music Association.

Des Moines Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Des Moines Civic Center. Cellist Sterling Elliott joins in for Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D Major, before the orchestra plays Dvorak's "New World Symphony."

Curtis Sittenfeld, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Franklin Event Center. The New York Times bestselling author of “Show, Don’t Tell” talks about her work during a Q&A with Iowa Public Radio host Charity Nebbe.

“Broadway’s Next Hit Musical,” opens at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Temple Theater. A team of clever improvisers re-create a Phony Awards ceremony, featuring fully choreographed musical numbers based on audience suggestions. They'll stay through March 16.

Curtain call: Des Moines Performing Arts President and CEO Jeff Chelesvig announced he will retire at the end of August. During his 30-year tenure, he has helped the organization expand its programs across four venues and he guided it through a global pandemic.

Of course, the shows must go on. On Tuesday, Des Moines Performing Arts has announced its lineup for the 2025-2026 Willis Broadway Season. The six-show package includes: “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical,” “The Notebook,” “Kimberly Akimbo,” “The Outsiders,” “Suffs” and “Wicked.” Add-on shows include “Les Misérables,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Six,” “The Music Man,” and “The Wizard of Oz in Concert” as part of a special collaboration with the Des Moines Symphony. Season tickets are available now online.

Call for nominations: dsm magazine is proud to honor LGBTQ Iowans each year during our annual LGBTQ Legacy Leader Awards. Now in its seventh year, in collaboration with Capital City Pride, the annual program recognizes longtime leaders as well as an emerging LGBTQ leader and an ally of the LGBTQ community. We are now accepting nominations for those whose contributions to equality and justice have worked to help people of all sexual orientations and gender identities find a welcoming home in Iowa. Nominations are due April 4, and we'll celebrate this year's honorees on Sept. 9 at the River Center.

Verne Voshell's painting "Kong, 'Rage Monkey'" is on display this week at Hoyt Sherman Place. (Photo: Michael Morain)

PEOPLE & COMMUNITY

A brother's tribute, in brushstrokes and ashes

By Michael Morain

For 117 years now, the Des Moines Women’s Club has organized an annual art show. But it’s safe to say the club has never displayed something quite like this: a painting of a roaring King Kong, teeth bared, made with a scoop of human cremains.

Verne Voshell created the painting as a memorial to his younger sister, Theresa Voshell, who had always supported his artistic endeavors. Before cancer took her life last fall, a month after her 50th birthday, she had requested that he use some of her ashes in his work.

That was her idea. King Kong was his.

“I like to think of it as the ‘Rage Monkey,’” said the Indianola artist, who usually doesn’t title his works. His sister “was a great woman, generous and giving. She went to church every Sunday and tried to show everybody the love of Jesus. But being a Voshell, she had a little anger streak. I think somewhere, she’s amused by that.”

The monkey, in its handmade bamboo frame, is one of 160 artworks on display through Saturday in the gallery at Hoyt Sherman Place. Voshell used to work as a tattoo artist around town, but he submitted the painting in the show’s nonprofessional division and noted its unusual materials on the entry form.

The Des Moines Women’s Club typically allows artists to sell their work in the show, and the club collects a 25% commission. But in Voshell’s case, they decided any potential buyer should contact him directly. One club member called her daughter, a lawyer, who determined it’s legal to sell human remains in Iowa, but the club decided to steer clear of any commercial transaction.

“Who would have thought that next year we’d have to add a rule: no human remains,” said club member Kathy Elliott, who helped organize this year’s exhibition.

Voshell could have kept the painting’s details a secret, but he decided to share them as a way to honor his sister’s wishes. “It seemed relevant,” he said. “It’s a story. It’s part of the process.”

That process was harder than he had expected. He said when he mixed in the ashes — about a tablespoon into the acrylic he used for the gorilla’s fur — he started “trembling and shaking.”

“It was a physical response,” he said. “Art is very emotional for me. You put a lot of yourself into it, a lot of emotion into it. It’s almost like you feel connected to the person you’re painting.”

Due to today's blizzard, exhibition judge Diane Kunzler's talk has been postponed to 11 a.m. next Wednesday, March 12, at Hoyt Sherman Place. The exhibition remains open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily through Saturday, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Admission is free.