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Mid-August news...

Last month's thrill at the 2022 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, where I won 2 Ohio Arts Council Special Purchase Awards , came with a surprising bit of information that I didn't know about.  I actually spoke with the OAC executive director, Donna Collins, at the OWS's Watercolor Ohio 2022 Opening Reception at the Riffe Gallery. She told me "WHY" "Hey Mom, Send Me a Selfie for My New Phone" and "Hey Dad, Send Me a Selfie for My New Phone"... were so powerful in catching the OAC's eye.  The OAC has a special initiative started back in 2013 that's called "Creative Aging" (you can click the link to learn more).  Just like the program is investing in those that are aging gracefully... she  loved the fun-lighthearted attitude that my parents reflected in the paintings.  Donna said they were originally only going to purchase "Hey Mom..." but I think the identification with this very initiative is what won me a two-fer.  I'm sure glad I listened to God's prodding to 1.) do these paintings and 2.) specifically FOR the OSU state fair... because if I had my way I would've entered them into only watercolor shows!                     (Both) Picture credit: Andrew Paa
The Ohio Watercolor Society's: Watercolor Ohio 2022 will be at the Riffe Gallery in Columbus, OH until October 7th.  My piece (seen at the top of the page) "Anniversary" - watercolor on Yupo and portrait of my husband Gary, won the V.O. Baker award.  I was also surprised that it's already my 5th year 'anniversary' with being a member of the OWS!  Because of the award, after October, my work and approx. 33 others will be in a traveling show all over the state (more on that later).
Being an OWS Trustee and seeing the various needs of the organization, I volunteered to push OWS into social media engagement: FB & IG. This, of course, means I'm doing all the work involved for it for now.  Hopefully it nets some new younger members and I'll eventually get some help  :D
LASTLY....as the Anniversary promo at the top of the page indicates... Yes, I will be doing a live zoom artist's talk as part of the OAC/Riffe Gallery's programming on SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 from 12noon to 1pm. Please register so you'll get reminders and take it easy on me if you join in for the Q&A at the end of the presentation LOLOL! 

Gicleé prints:
https://artrepreneur.com/p/mongallery/art/anniversary1

(Pictures Below) Left: Watercolor Ohio 2022 Award winners.  I'm proud to be standing with some of Ohio's "Greats".  I'm also proud that NWOhio "represents"!.. Martin Chappuies and Tom Sorrell (both behind me) ALSO won awards.
Right: I think Gary rather enjoyed passing by people at the Opening Reception and people saying... "Hey, your'e that guy"

Okay....I hate this voting stuff but this one could win me 💵$10,000 💵😱 I made a video to enter this contest.... I've been chosen to proceed to round 2! Click to watch n then come bk and please swipe the link and share with your art-lov'in friends.
Fan Voting will begin Today, August 12 through Saturday, August 20 on the JarriTODOS Contest Website. Fans may vote ONCE PER DAY for the duration of the fan voting period. When you click the ❤️ beneath the video, you'll have to enter your email address and then wait for a verification email after that you click the link in the email and then you go back and hit the ❤️ to register the vote.
https://wyng.io/Y8rXXz

Another voting opportunity... but I don't care so much for it is for the Courier's "Best of Findlay".  If you're a local and do this anyways, here ya go. I only cared to be a semi-finalist so voters would have to see my name in free advertising for a month LOL.
Sadly, For the category "Best Artist"... musicians are included... not the same🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Can VISUAL ARTISTS have anything?  And... I'm not thrilled that "The Courier" won't print my BIG news, they literally ignore me. All the newspapers outside of my county that I send press releases to  (and some I don't because I don't want it to be the "Jennifer show" but they find my news and publish anyways) are happy to.  So know you are appreciated for the social media likes and moral support... it can be rough out there when the people nearest to you don't know you exist and continue to buy art elsewhere because of it!
Check out Jennifer Sowders. Nominate your favorite Findlay businesses in our 100 categories! https://thecourier.secondstreetapp.com/og/f7deb115-50fd-461d-bbc8-dfed3d754a34/gallery/341002811
ENJOY this illustration on how I feel about 'voting' every day for stuff (grrrrr)::::::::
"West Hills 2" - acrylic on canvas - 24"x36 " - 2022
My most recent is a 'same but different'.  I have done the same scene twice a few times now because acrylic is sooooo vastly different from watercolor on yupo.  I figure I worked so hard to get the right composition/etc., I might as well maximize my efforts!

​Gicleé prints for are available: https://artrepreneur.com/p/mongallery/art/westhills2
West Hills Nature Preserve" - 15"x20" - watercolor on yupo 2021
Bryn Du Art Show Award 2021
This one sold so fast that I was unable to get a gicleé quality image created.
I wanted to show you the installed signal box art at the corner of Adams and Superior in downtown Toledo, OH.  It's amazing what a little art can do!

A Refresher... Who is this Jen artist chic?

Growing up on a ‘dead end’ road in the county; NWOhio-native artist, Jennifer Sowders, grew up spending a lot of time studying nature and it’s indelible thread is noted within her body of work.

Jennifer is a 1994 BFA graduate from the Columbus College of Art and Design. She is a Signature member and Trustee in the Ohio Watercolor Society, Associate of The National Watercolor, American Watercolor and National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Societies; on the board of the Fostoria Area Arts Council, member of the Ohio Art League and is in several N.W. Ohio arts groups.

She gained entrance into the National Watercolor Society’s 2020 “50 Stars” Exhibition, which was quite an honor as two artworks were chosen from each state-level watercolor society to represent their state. In 2021 Jennifer won a (National) Pentel of America’s Artist Spotlight and a National Bryn Du Award. In 2022....2 purchase awards by the Ohio Arts Council during the Ohio State Fair's Fine Arts Exhibition, and the V.O. Baker Award for the Ohio Watercolor Society's "Watercolor Ohio 2022". She'll also appear in the Artists Magazine “AcrylicWorks 9: The Best of Acrylic”, where she will have a page feature and an Honorable Mention Award.
She is currently represented by the Toledo Museum of Art's "Collector Corner".

Jennifer opens up her Fostoria, Ohio studio and gallery space: MONgallery and Art Studio, every MONday to visitors. She coined MON to represent “Middle Of Nowhere” because of her rural location where she lives with husband, Gary and has 3 sons.

*NOTICE* MONgallery will NOT be open on 8/15 because I will be on vacation

Til' next time...

I wasn't expecting to send another newsletter so soon but wanted to maximize the voting ops for the Jarritos contest.  What do you think about the video I created?

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1034 Township Road 293
Fostoria, OH 44830

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MONgallery and Art Studio · 1034 Township Road 293 · Fostoria, OH 44830-9641 · USA

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