Best of Show
John & Lynette Huntsinger – amateur artists from north central Kansas. John makes comfort birds out of exotic and ordinary woods. Each bird is unique, and the recipients of the birds are prayed for. John and Lynette’s pole includes hand-carved lettering and a dove on top of the pole.
First Place
Patty Jaksa Brundage – a retired designer and lettering artist at Hallmark Cards. Since retiring, she continues to enjoy creating art, gardening and spending time with her husband and dog. Her design is of a tree with carved birds and leaves made from recycled soda cans.
Second Place
Karen Skillett – worked for 32 years at Hallmark Cards in a variety of design departments. Now she is a docent and museum guide for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Her pole, entitled “Find Your Place of Peace” shows swimming koi, which are known for their calming and meditative properties.
Third Place
Marci Blank – a fiber artist, began knitting when she was in third grade. Being surrounded by fiber and those who shared her passion, she was hooked. Marci turned her love for fiber into a full-time profession. She creates knitted and crocheted garments and dies yarns and fibers. Marci’s pole is called “Knit the World Together”.
Best Children's Entry
Cora Carlson – a fourth grader at Rushton Elementary School. She loves animals, art, sports and reading. Her pole includes animals and pets to help people feel better and happier.
Honorable Mention
Eugenia Ortiz – a visionary, multimedia artist who layers mixed media materials and paint to produce vibrant immersive art that harmonizes with the environment. Eugenia incorporates hexagons and honeycombs in her art as they are the building blocks of life and are found throughout nature including inside of ourselves.