NORTHWEST DRIFTWOOD ARTISTS' SHOW...I WON

 

The Northwest Driftwood Artists’ show in Maltby on May 11^th was terrific and the number of beautiful sculptures amazing. How artists can take a rough piece of wood that looks as though it might be too big and/or ugly for even a fireplace or campfire and turn it into a beautiful sculpture is astonishing.

The sculptures are not judged, but the people attending were given a ballot on which there were six choices, i.e., tiny, small, medium, large, extra-large and hanging, and encouraged to vote for their favorite in each category. All the sculptures were numbered and the title and artist identified on a colored paper tent in front of the sculpture. Attendees were also provided with a program and information about where the show will be held next year…Brightwater in Woodinville.

There was a raffle for several driftwood sculptures, a silent auction of finished pieces as well as one huge unfinished piece, a donation jar, tables of raw wood for sale ranging from tiny to huge, and a table where artists were demonstrating our craft.

I don’t yet know how many people attended, but the woman who bought the huge unfinished piece of wood really really wanted it because she paid $300.00 for the privilege of taking it home. And, my eldest son won one of the raffle pieces. I don’t have a lot of other information about the show and probably won’t until the May newsletter is published, but I do have information about the two pieces I entered into the show.

I WON SECOND PLACE FOR OTT THE OTTER AND THIRD PLACE FOR PERCY THE PORPOISE in the small category. I can hardly believe the attendees liked both my pieces that much. It couldn’t have been because I had a huge number of family and friends attending…only five of those invited came. I believe it was actually the names of my pieces that caught the public’s fancy.

I know I voted for a small sculpture that was a seal on a rock. The seal was perfectly formed and the wood striations of black/dark brown/light brown followed the seal’s shape…beautiful. Maybe that sculpture won first place. I’ll have to wait to find out. I also liked a classmate’s sculpture entitled Vortex. She found the wood in a stream and it was full of pitch. I saw how hard she worked to create that perfect piece and think hers was far better than mine.

The show and the people I’m getting to know through NWDA, much more than winning, has inspired me to get busy with the various pieces of wood in my garage. I do have one that’s almost finished, “Escape from the Primordial Ooze.” All it needs is a base that resembles ooze and I’m on the lookout for that. I’m sure it will be ready for the 2025 show…if I knew the date, you could mark your calendars now so you could save the date and come view our outstanding work.