My First Art Show Award!

I was so thrilled to learn that I was awarded 3rd place Juror's Choice in the Art Source Gallery's Annual Juried Show with my piece "Frida Kahlo Contemplates Her Heart"!

I completely did not expect it, and was so humbled when I got the news. I'm new to art shows and really feel like I'm still learning the ropes, so to win an award is extremely meaningful for me.

It was a small show, with about 25 pieces, selected out of hundreds of submissions of mainly Boise-area artists, but several out of state artists submitted/were selected, as it is a national show. Amy Pence-Brown was the juror, and she selected a great array of traditional pieces, modern pieces, and downright quirky pieces! It's been a lovely experience from start to finish.

Now, to decide the most fun way to spend my winnings...

Frida Kahlo Doll

I've wanted to do a Frida doll for a very long time. I finished her a while ago, but entered her into an art show, and wanted to wait to see how that panned put before showing her to you.

I'm happy to announce that she will be a part of the Art Source Gallery's Annual Juried Show!

If the show sounds familiar, that's because it's the show that had my Edgar Allan Poe doll last year! It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to it this year, too.

Fish Project Finished!

Check out my fish at the MK Nature Center visitors center if you are in the Boise area!

I made one fish of each of eight species: Chinook salmon, Sockeye salmon, bull trout, cutthroat trout, lamprey, burbot, sturgeon, and a large scale sucker.

It was a really fun project. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and at the same time, was completely drained and exhausted by it. The best kind of project!

Big Fish Project Plus Good News!

I have been busy with a variety of exciting projects and I haven't been updating the blog as much as I've meant to. So let's get up to speed, shall we?

One of the biggest and most time intensive things consuming my mind these days is a project I'm working on for the MK Nature Center. If you don't live in the Boise area, you might not know about this incredible place. It's a beautiful park/ habitat you can walk through, free of charge, and observe all kinds of amazing native wildlife. Birds, small (and occasionally large) fuzzy creatures, and fish. Lots of fish. The fish ponds are built in such a way that on one side you can walk over a bridge and watch them from above, and on the other side, you can walk by large windows which the fish swim right past.

There is also an amazing visitor's center, with an interactive section for kids where they can pet animal pelts, stamp life size paw prints into sand, and pick up life-size/-weight stuffed and painted fish of various species.

The old ones are very worn out, so they hired me to redesign and sew eight new fish!

The budget didn't extend to painting the fish, so I'm volunteering my time for that portion. I finished sewing all eight and have begun painting. This has been such a blast! I'm really enjoying it. I'll post pics as I get more painting done.

 
I've also applied for a few art shows. The Treasure Valley Artist Alliance is having their annual show, and my Edgar Allan Poe doll was chosen to be included! It'll be nice to see him exhibited among the work of my fellow members. Application deadline is also approaching for the Art Source Gallery's annual show which I was a participant in last year. More on my entry to that soon!

And my biggest, most exciting news: I was accepted into the Plush You! Art show in Seattle!!! I am beyond thrilled since this show pulls applicants from across the globe, and such a small number are accepted. I will be shoulder to shoulder with some of my stuffed animal and cloth doll maker heroes when October rolls around! Thank you all for your well wishes and crossed fingers through the application process!