‘Ms. Chick’ Wins Best in Show Award at the California Mid State Fair

I received three ribbons this year at the California Mid State Fair for three acrylic paintings I submitted last month, ‘Ms. Chick,’ ‘Morning Melody’ and ‘Oceans and Poppys.’

‘Ms. Chick’ won the Best in Show Award and the First place blue ribbon in the Theme category, Fine Arts Division.

I began painting ‘Ms. Chick’ knowing only that I wanted to enter a chicken as the subject matter. So, using the Fair’s theme, I started painting the background. Next, Ms. Chick herself started out with a body shape and ahead direction. And remember it is not possible to paint a chicken without smiling, so the very moment that I put in the blue eye shadow I had a vision of her. The rest of her developed with ease. The headdress came last and well what can I say. Like every artist, I was hoping for a ‘show stopper’ from the beginning. As a new cancer patient, this award has arrived at the very moment that I needed uplifting. As life does run in parallels, her headdress, so fully displayed in all its elegance came just as I was told I would be losing my hair; just as anyone would feel, this news was very difficult for me. So in short, Ms. Chick is wearing my headdress for me while I heal.

‘Morning Melody’ won the First Place blue ribbon for the Animals category, Fine Arts Division.

‘Morning Melody’ was inspired by being at home this time of the Covid pandemic and just listening to the sounds of the sparrows and bluebirds around the yard. While these birds in my painting are Magpies and are not around my home, their colors are what drew me to paint them. I wanted to be surrounded by the colors in the trees and birds and the feeling that all will be ‘well’ in our world once again.

If you want to check out the creation of ‘Morning Melody,’ click here

‘Ocean & Poppys’ won the Third place white ribbon for the Acrylic Painting Representational, Fine Arts division.

Just how fortunate can a person be to live on the Central Coast of California and see the ocean daily in all the moods, colors and variables the sea brings to the world. The tides going in and out, the sand, kelp, cliffs and coastal landscape. It is ever-changing while remaining the same. Something we count on. The ocean is there all the time. It was not difficult to paint California poppies and hummingbirds into the mix.