Third Place, Professional Mixed Media

For those of us who live in the regions of the country that experience the four seasons, nothing breathes a sigh of relief from winter’s hold more than to see the blooming wild flowers. Every spring, tiny blue flowers bloom in the sun-dappled moss in the woods around my house. Inspired by these delicate heralds of spring, I decided to capture their lovely presence in my artwork to enjoy all year long.

The tiny petals and leaves of the Azure Bluets are made with painted interfacing and the stems are made with stiffened embroidery thread. I water-felted olive colored wool to give the piece a “mossy“ feel. The oak leaf (real and painted with polymer clay) and the real tree bark help place the flowers in their natural environment. I never feel my artwork is complete without a little creature, so my polymer clay lizard rests peacefully around the forest floor clutter.