Awarded "Best of Colorado" by the Foothills Art Festival

My booth at the Foothills Fine Arts Festival

---

Me accepting the award.

Nikki, Gina, Julie, and Jenny - art friends 'til the end.

This past weekend, I was in Golden, Colorado for the Foothills Fine Arts Festival that was organized by the Foothills Art Center. This show is in it's 3rd year, and is in full blossom. Golden is a great community for art and artists. Hassan Najjar, the Executive Director, along with his team, Eriq Hochuli, Anna Schoen, Sherry McEachran, Cecile Forsberg, Maura Adamson, and Ainsley Carson and many wonderful dedicated volunteers (one of which is my close and personal friend, Nikki Nienhuis) have impressed upon me what teamwork really means. They love art to it's core, they love the artists that create, and they have fostered growth in big and beautiful ways for their amazing festival. 

Located in the heart of downtown Golden, this show is a highlight for any career-artist. It seemed all of Golden and the metro area of Denver came out to see and celebrate the arts. I had many visitors from out of state too. This show gave me the opportunity to connect with hundreds of people and embark on deep and powerful conversations through my artwork.

I bonded with cancer survivors, widowers, and nature lovers. Bringing positive messaging, mother nature, and the memory of time and place to folks through my art is the meaning in my life. To see that we are all part of the same system-the same air and planet-is beautiful, and to come out of the pandemic with shared gratitude for just simply being able to gather again and enjoy the presence and stories of others is the greatest collective gift we can receive.

I was awarded "Best of Colorado" by Foothills Art Center at this festival, and it means so very much to me to receive positive feedback from a jury of professional artists. It's quite humbling. I've discovered over the last 15 years of making that there is something timeless about the way art can connect to the human spirit. I'm just honored to be part of that flow.

The other "best" part of this festival was that I was surrounded by 3 of my best friends; fellow artists Nikki Nienhuis, Gina Barry, and Jenny Goring. Each of us were set up next to, and across from one another. I got to watch them each in action, and see the thrill of all of us dreaming for years about where our art could take us.

It may not seem like a lot to the casual art buyer, but each and every purchase you make from an artist, displaying and selling a bit of who they are, is profound. We all are grateful for the sincere connection YOU have with our artwork. Thanks for inviting us in.