A Not So Bad Art By Good People Contest for 2020 contestant kept her grandmother’s spirit alive through her submission.
Carrie Brown of Indian Lake, a Tranquility Salon in Springfield hairdresser of 28 years, said when she was first asked to participate in the contest she knew immediately what she was going to do.
Her submission “Letting Go of the Grass” was inspired by her 8-year-old son Fletcher Brown referring to her grandmother Genny Mackefy who passed away in 2016.
“My son said that to me one day about a year ago — letting go of the grass,” Brown said.
From there, Brown said she came up with her tole paint and paper project depicting an angel on the grass, releasing a heart into the sky with a heart as the sun.
Just being able to create her submission makes her feel blessed and grateful for her grandmother and son, she said.
“It’s nice to do something to keep her (Brown’s grandmother’s) memory alive and it’s something between me and my son,” Brown said. “He still talks about her all the time.”
Brown said the project took her three tries.
“I had three different directions I was going with,” she explained. “And third time’s the charm.”
And she has experience with art.
“I’ve done art since I was a kid and in high school I won ribbons for art shows,” Brown said. “I think I had stuff displayed in the Lima Ball from Indian Lake schools. It’s just something I’ve always loved to do.”
Brown has also done other projects for the Logan County Art League including Art on the Beach and the Winter Art Faire.
Now she finds herself interested in painting furniture, chalk painting, sanding and refurbishing bigger pieces.
“It’s just something I really like to do and like to get into more,” Brown said. “It’s just been an outlet for me. I find it (to be) very therapeutic. You don’t have to be the best artist to enjoy it and support local art. You may find yourself getting into something you never thought you might do. It happens to people all the time in the art world.”
“It’s just something I feel like people could come to and be expressive if they need to be.”