This Des Moines gallery aims to make original art affordable, accessible

Buying original art can seem daunting, but a local art gallery owner has spent the last five years trying to make it an accessible, fun process.

What they're saying: "I don't want to sell artwork for it to sit in a warehouse somewhere," says Liz Lidgett, the owner behind Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design in the East Village. "I'm focusing on the joy of artwork, not the investment of artwork."

Driving the news: Friday marks Lidgett's five-year gallery anniversary and she's celebrating with a free open house from 5-8pm.

State of play: Thanks to Instagram and e-commerce, being a part of the art world is no longer reserved for a small group of people in a gallery.

• Lidgett opened her business in Des Moines' East Village in 2019 with the idea that most customers would come from local foot traffic.
• She shifted online in 2020 and started featuring a piece of art every day on Instagram. She ended up finding huge success and garnering 100k+ followers .

Zoom in: The physical art she sells ranges from $250 to $25,000 with the majority of pieces under $2,000.

• Twice a year, she also holds a $500 and under sale.

The intrigue: The art in Lidgett's gallery has made appearances in a range of settings, from a movie starring Anne Hathaway to local restaurants like Bubba and Malo.

• She also helped plan the RoCA mural, which is being redone this summer.

What's next: Lidgett will release a book in 2026 about making art accessible with tips and tricks including thrifting and finding different price points.