A Californian who is considered one of the world’s top Etch-A-Sketch artists will be in central Iowa this weekend. Nichole Falzone has taken the children’s toy and created detailed portraits of famous people, from Albert Einstein to Jay Leno. Falzone got her first Etch-A-Sketch when she was four years old.The 32-year-old Los Angeles resident says it’s wrong to think the drawings aren’t permanent works of art, even if they’re made on the silver screen rimmed in red plastic. She says she drills the back of the device to make the picture permanent.Falzone will be a featured artist at the Des Moines Arts Festival, which began today and runs through Sunday. She plans to demonstrate her abilities for adults and children in a special session tomorrow at one of 16 Etch-A-Sketch stations.Falzone says prints of her work sell for 250-dollars and she’s sold originals for as much as five-thousand dollars. Some of her works take up to 48 hours to complete. The Des Moines Art Fest is Iowa’s largest art festival and features the works of 150 artists from 32 states.
