Ms. November for Women's Caucus For Art

        I received notification last night that I will represent Women's Caucus For Art the month of November 2013 as Artist of The Month!  This is a wonderful honor to represent this fabulous organization.  What makes it so fulfilling is the jurying is done 100% blind.  Later I will post the images that I will submit for November.

What a Holiday Present!

2013 NICHE Awards

Finally the information comes and I know what work was selected for the  2013 NICHE Award, it is "Swimming Upstream"! I love the work and am so happy it was selected!

You can listen to my story and how the series "Swimming Upstream" came to be on Art & Soul Radio.  I was interviewed by the fabulous Lesley Riley, please listen!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/art-and-soul-radio/2012/11/20/bonnie-j-smith--having-an-art-attitude

The jurors for the 2013 NICHE Awards this year are Lisa Bayne, CEO of Artful Home & The Guild; Joanne & Peter Hildt owners of Pinnacle Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ. and nine times winner of Top Retailer Award; Marlene Richey, teacher at Fashion Institute of Technology; Betty Talbott, Director, Ohio Craft Museum; Lesley Grow-Winfisky & Jonathan Winfisky owners of Grow Gallery, need I say more what a wonderful group of jurors this year! 
Having been a NICHE Award winner in 2009, I am telling you it is thrilling to be recognized for excellence in fiber art. You might remember in 2009 I said "The NICHE Awards are the Academy Awards for artist and I am standing by that quote today!

PAQA-South, ARTQUILTSwater

Three of my artworks in the "Swimming Upstream" series have been juried into Professional Art Quilters Associations exhibit ARTQUILTSwater.  I do believe I am the only California artist chosen for this prestigious exhibit.
                         Below is "Swimming Upstream, cgre." 65h x 35w

This series is not just about myself but anyone trying to swim upstream in life!

NICHE Award Finalist for 2013!

I am a NICHE Award finalist this year.  This is quite the honor for me as the NICHE Awards are all about excellent levels of design and fabulous craft.  I was a NICHE Award winner in 2009 and coined the phrase "The NICHE Awards are like the Academy Awards for Artist".  Being so highly recognized by the art publishing world is wonderful. You can learn more about how this series was created by listening to my interview with Lesley Riley.  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/art-and-soul-radio/2012/11/20/bonnie-j-smith--having-an-art-attitude  The interview is also avilable for download.

The NICHE Awards are presented every year by the Rosen Group at the Buyers Market of American Craft in Philadelphia that takes place February.  NICHE Magazine and American Style are both publications owned by the Rosen Group.

Big Sur

Went to Big Sur this week to get some pictures I can work into a new artwork.  What a day!  Glorious that is for sure.

Here is just one of the many pictures I took.  I thought with it being the end of October we could run down and have the place to ourselves.  Wrong, it was so busy plus now highway one has two sections they are working on in that area.  What a dust storm that was.  Limeklin State Park was beautiful as usual, but this time everyone was staying in the woods because of the heat instead of by the beach where no shade was to be found.


Big Sur



Creative Capacity Grant

I received notice yesterday that I received a Creative Capacity Grant to take a seminar from Gyst for a weekend seminar on art consulting, grant writing, etc.!
Very excited and can't wait!

         Lesley Riley, artist, author and transformer of lives!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/art-and-soul-radio/2012/11/20/bonnie-j-smith--having-an-art-attitude
I had a great day being interviewed by Lesley Riley of Art & Soul Radio.  Lesley is a woman we can all aspire to be.  She is a successful artist, author and instructor who transforms lives. She also is one of the inventors of Transfer Artist Paper, which most artist have in the studio and if they don't they better find the product and give it a try!
It was my pleasure to be interviewed by Lesley.  The interview will be live tonight at 7:00EST and at 10:00 PST.  The interview will also be down loadable to your iPhone.

Thnaks for listening everyone.

Bonnie J. Smith
http://www.bonniejofiberarts.com

My art work capturing my feelings about September 11, 2001 is now in San Diego in a happy new home, I just dropped it off on Tuesday.

Watching all of the programs on the History Channel Tuesday brought back so many feelings.

 

Tonight at the Honoring Women's Rights Conference/exhibit at The Steinbeck Museum I was seated at a table with Sandra Fluke, a really nice young lady! The conference was well attended and the art exhibit is stellar.  If you are in the area please stop in to the Steinbeck Museum and check out first and foremost this lovely facility and the exhibit.

Andy Warhol he most definitely left his mark.  So many years after his death and Campbells Soup has reissued the tomato soup can that Andy made iconic!  As soon as I learned about them I rushed out to Target to get myself a supply here are a few that I have sitting on a shelf of my credenza!