HAPPY NEW YEAR!
food & art

It is January again, and we can’t believe it is 2015 already.  I am joyfully looking forward to a new year. 2014 was a year of growth for my family, my art, and for AAAD.  There were wonderful food highlights including a renewed interest in baking and continuing to fight the appearance of processed, fake foods.   I appreciate that some of you are tackling the same issues–like fig newtons.  The fig newtons, at left, are a self-proclaimed fail by painter Emily Mitchell.  And AAAD covered some fantastic opportunities in 2014 and even more fantastic artists.

Today, we name the
2014 Artist of the Year!

When AAAD began in 2009, (YES, we are starting year SIX!) I was determined to cover art deadlines, and more importantly, artists producing really good ART.  And, after I chose a few artists, I quickly realized that the Featured Artist program needed structure, or it would never really get done on any sort of regular basis. That is how the Featured Artist Contest was born.

The Featured Artist Page was getting crowded and each post was lessening the impact of being Featured. I had to start archiving artists yearly.  And, the Artist of the Year was born.  I now give all of our Featured Artists each year notice that at the end of the year, the Artist of the Year will be determined by the number of comments on their individual Featured Artist blog posts.

Congratulations to
Emily Mitchell,
AAAD’s 2014 Artist of the Year

I followed up with Emily to find out what’s new:  “I’m hoping to start a new series with insects.  I’d like to do about 20-25 of them in a similar approach to my work but probably with some more mixed media-colored pencils, papers, perhaps. Oh!  And I’d like to do a few give a ways this year! I’m also doing a few workshops for some teachers and art associations. “

And new foods? Are there any new tasty morsels inspiring you? “So, since going GF, I really really miss Fig Newtons. I love/loved them, and they were my daily coffee accompaniment each morning.  They also made great training food when I did triathlons. But the ones I have found that are on the shelf are not stupendous.  So I have begun making my own. It’s laborious, and they are ugly!  Like, really ugly.  But so far they taste good. And much fresher than the original.” Editor’s note:  The food pic above ARE Emily’s figgy fail.  I think they look yummy.  All hail the ugly food!

I have enjoyed getting to know you, Emily. I am inspired by your sense of yourself. I love you adapt in life and how that carries over to your work.   I appreciate that your fans and peers loved you enough to make you the Artist of the Year even though your feature was the last one of the year.  Thank you, Emily, for ending 2014 with a bang!  If you missed her original Feature, check it out and get to know Emily Mitchell yourself.

Do you want to be the 2015 Artist of the Year?
It all starts with the Featured Artist Contest.