As an artist, little compares to the personal connections they share with fans of their craft. Those experiences bring Claire Thoele back to Iowa City for Mission Creek’s seventh annual ICE CREAM Expo hosted at Public Space One.

The ICE CREAM Expo showcased comics and eclectic alternative media on Saturday as part of this year’s Mission Creek Festival.

As both a musician and an artist, Thoele has strived to uphold a relationship with Public Space One despite her move to Illinois in 2021. Thoele may have left the art scene she once knew, but her upcoming ventures will take her further than she could have imagined during her decade in Iowa City.

Thoele’s style keeps you looking for details in her gothic-esque folklore creations, and her storytelling in each piece is crafted through her use of dip pens, ink, and watercolor before digitally finishing her work.

Since childhood, Thoele had a passion for the arts. She picked up a pencil young, but she never put it down.

As a full-time musician, Thoele’s love for illustration remains strong when she isn’t working; even when off the clock, she finds herself drawing in her free time.

From 2003 until she departed Iowa City, Thoele supplied vocals and bass playing to many different groups in the area. Today, when she is not creating art, she is in the band “Driftless Witches” with her husband Matt Larson.

“[We play] heavier rock, psychedelic, metal, we sort of go-between genres, heavier but not completely screaming,” Thoele said.

Since August 2021, when the artist relocated, she has dreamed of cultivating a space for creatives in northwest Illinois akin to the venues she loves in Iowa City. Her years-long goal is to provide an art studio and venue for cultural events to foster a sense of community in a region that currently lacks it.

“[It’s] something to remind me what’s important to hold on to, and that’s art, community, and building those connections with people,” Thoele said.

Thoele spoke lovingly of Mission Creek’s ICE CREAM Expo; it’s the type of event she hopes to tailor for a new community of artists in Illinois. Each year Thoele returned for the expo, extensive preparations had to be made.

First, the artist prepared her stock, ensuring new materials debuted at the event. Thoele turned the process into art, considering tables, displays, and, most importantly, the day or space. Navigating each booth to use the space allotted to its total capacity is key.

“I like to have a wide range of prices for what they are offering, making art accessible to everyone who walks in the door,” Thoele said.

The artist carefully chooses each art piece she brings. For the ICE CREAM Expo, Thoele brought earrings, stickers, and prints to display something for everyone. One piece available is from her Zine collection, “Sketchbook Creatures,” a small collection of animal portraits Thoele creates using bold linework and unexpected details.

As a full-time artist, Thoele knows the markets she attends, including new pieces for returning buyers.

“Keeping it interesting adds value for people who are continuing sellers,” Thoele said.

Thoele’s artwork explores various concepts, with standouts based on mythology and folklore. Her favorite, “A Gnome For Every Season,” best encapsulates these genres. The extremely detailed series took two years to make.

“It makes it fun to share them with people to point out details they may have not seen before,” Thoele said.

For cartoonist Dave Dugan, the involvement of women like Thoele in the ICE CREAM Expo has been a way to push away from the mainstream idea of comics being seen as a more “male-dominated” interest.

“Within the indie comic scene, they are essentially more open to all people,” Dugan said.

With vendors for the expo ranging from out-of-state to more local regions, the question that may be asked is why the IC art scene sees so much return in artists coming to town for shows.

“[Thoele] comes back for some of the other shows and markets like the Big Grove [art markets], it’s one of those places where you try to be very welcoming to people, and it leaves an impression because they have a good time,” Dugan said.

Thoele has enjoyed participating in Iowa City’s art markets. The welcoming community has driven her to foster the same feeling among artists wherever she ends up.

“I appreciate that they are highlighting that aspect of lots of different artists’ works; the expo has always been a wonderful experience,” Thoele said.