Jessica Kendic of rural Adair brings pencil drawings to life.

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times, July 2026

One definition of talent is making something difficult look easy. That description fits Jessica Kendic of rural Adair and the art she creates. She explained how her artistic endeavors began.

“I started drawing as a child. I mostly focused on animals. Then, as a teenager, I got interested in drawing old houses,” Kendic said. “It wasn’t until the last few years that I started doing portraiture.”

However, Kendic’s art did not simply happen. She devoted long hours to developing her technique.

“Drawing people was always something I had difficulty with, but I decided I wanted to learn, and I practiced eight hours a day for over a year,” she said. “I also sculpt in clay, and I paint with acrylic, and I sew dresses. I sew from vintage sewing patterns. But, now, portraiture has become my favorite since I learned how. It takes me about a day to do a single subject portrait.”

As Kendic honed her portraiture skills, people started noticing, and requests for commissioned work soon followed.

“I didn’t actively ask anybody to buy my work at first, but I had a few people ask me,” she said. “I do a lot of celebrity drawings, but I think my favorite is when it’s a family member they’re asking me to draw, because I like to make people happy and for it to be something they’ll keep and enjoy for years. I also draw pets for people.”

When asked about formal art training, Kendic explained that she is predominantly self-taught.

“I did take some classes at the Des Moines Art Center when I was a child. That just focused on basic visual art skills. That was around the time I was in fourth grade,” she said.

Kendic’s long hours of practice have given her the skill to create detailed, lifelike portraits. She does not rely on any equipment other than pencil and paper.

“The difficulty lies in that I work freehand. I don’t use a grid or a projector. I do it entirely with hand-eye coordination, and that can be frustrating sometimes,” she said.

Despite the detail required in her portraits, Kendic is able to work quickly. Most portraits are completed within one or two days.

“I pride myself on being able to deliver what they ask me to do quickly,” she said.

Anyone interested in contacting Kendic about her artwork or commissioning a portrait can email her at jkendic1938@gmail.com.

“My standard pricing is $70 for a single person portrait, for the 9-inch by 12-inch size,” she said.

Kendic is offering a $15 discount off the regular $70 price of a single-subject portrait to anyone who mentions this article.

Custom seamstress Lill Delin turns a lifelong passion into a storefront, offering alterations, custom sewing and colorful creations while stitching together community one customer at a time.

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times, July 2026

Lill Delin of Guthrie Center has opened a custom sewing shop downtown. Located at 302 State St., the shop is next door to Faith’s Fashion Designs, run by Faith Hockenberry. The two entrepreneurs have been close friends for years.

At Delin’s shop, Pink Dandelion, she offers custom sewing and alterations. Delin explained how she came up with the shop’s name.

“I love pink, and I love flowers. I love dandelions, and my husband broke the news to me that dandelions are weeds, not flowers. And all this time, I had been thinking they were beautiful flowers,” Delin said. “I told him, ‘You can believe that you have a weed, and I’ll believe that I have a flower. End of discussion.’ ”

For years, Delin sewed at home, but she dreamed of having a storefront where customers could see her creations. After her husband died in 2025, Delin began working to make the store a reality. The shop opened June 7. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Other times are available by appointment. The store is closed Tuesday and Sunday.

Delin was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and first came to the United States as a teenager.

“I went to West Virginia two days shy of my 18th birthday. I did not speak a word of English,” Delin said.

Delin said sewing is something she has done for as long as she can remember.

“I just picked it up as I went. My mom was an excellent seamstress,” she said.

Delin’s shop displays many examples of her work, including more than clothing. She also enjoys repurposing furniture into tables and other items she can use in her store.

“I went to school for fashion design,” she said. “I like bright colors. I like fun colors. It gets you out of that funk. We have to find ways to not be negative.”

Delin brings that same passion to her clothing creations.

“I do just about everything, but alterations are the money-maker,” she said. “But my passion is children’s clothing. I absolutely love to make children’s clothing.”

Delin previously lived in Panora but moved to Guthrie Center a few years ago.

“This community has welcomed me and helped me a lot,” Delin said. “I’m very fortunate to be here. I opened here June 7, and ever since that, people have been bringing me stuff. I’m not here to become rich. I’m here to meet a need in the community, and to create something.”

Delin said alterations make up the bulk of her work. She strives to complete orders promptly and can generally adjust her schedule to accommodate customers who need a job done quickly.

Delin shared a favorite story about helping a young customer.

“She was anorexic, and she got invited to prom, but she couldn’t find any dresses that fit her,” Delin said. “She brought me a size 6 dress, so I took the whole sequined gown and literally took it completely apart. And I put in breast pads and pads for the hips, so it had some shape to it. When she came in and tried it on, she bawled. I liked that I could give her a day to be who she wanted to be. For me, that was a meaningful thing.”