Hollie, left, and T.J. Hubbard are among the 10 artists this year in the Not So Bad Art by Good People contest. (EXAMINER PHOTO | Mandy Loehr)
Artists in the family provided a boost to husband-and-wife pair T.J. and Hollie Hubbard of Bellefontaine this fall with their paintings in the Not So Bad Art by Good People contest, which is wrapping up this week with public voting and an auction finale.
Their pieces are currently on display alongside eight other entries in the Logan County Art League’s seventh annual fundraiser at Citizens Federal Savings and Loan, 100 N. Main St., Bellefontaine, through Friday, Jan. 26.
Exploring their creative sides and various ideas for the contest was an enjoyable new venture for the couple, with Hollie initially trying out photography, and then settling on acrylic paint pouring for her piece.
“It was a lot of fun and gave us a different hobby to try,” the Bellefontaine Examiner marketing director said. “I had an idea for a photography entry, but couldn’t quite get my picture the way I wanted. So then I started researching some different ideas and came across paint pouring.”
Hollie said her sister, Heidi Duckro of DeGraff, has natural artistic talents that she has always admired, noting that she “can free hand all kinds of designs” and painted a Noah’s Ark mural on her child’s bedroom wall in previous years. Heidi provided helpful advice as Hollie bought art supplies and tried out the paint pouring technique.
“It took about three paintings to get the technique down. The hardest thing was just getting the color to flow. I learned that it’s best to stick to just a couple colors, about three colors max.
“My painting makes me think of the movement of water or ocean waves. I’d like to do some more paint pour pieces, and Heidi said she wants me to make her one, so I’m looking forward to that.”
T.J. Hubbard, who serves as the publisher and general manager of the Examiner for the long-time family-owned newspaper, was fortunate enough to receive a helping hand in the art-making process from Heidi’s daughter, Peyton, age 14.
He said he initially had aspirations of creating a Bob Ross style fall foliage landscape. Peyton gave him pointers as he attempted to paint trees after first sketching them out in pencil. But it was definitely more difficult to get that desired effect than Ross’s seemingly effortless brushstrokes convey on his TV show The Joy of Paining, T.J. admitted with a laugh.
“It wasn’t such a successful effort, so we decided to switch gears a little and try another technique.”
So instead, the newspaper publisher tried out a “balloon technique” for painting, “where you fill up a medical glove and dip it in paint.”
His finished painting reminds him of “running a mower through a flower garden” and the effect that might give.
“Painting was a therapeutic process for me, and I definitely want to try out some other techniques and do some more pieces in the future,” he said.
The final days of the Not So Bad Art by Good People display are today, Thursday, Jan. 25; and Friday, Jan. 26. The public is invited to stop by during bank lobby hours to pick their favorite pieces for $1 per vote.
Voting is also available online at the Art League’s website: https://logancountyartleague.org/.
The winner of the community vote will be announced at an auction finale event Friday at the Bellefontaine VFW, 216 Orchard Ave. The public is invited to attend the auction that begins at 7 p.m. and participate free of charge, with all proceeds supporting the Art League.
