The Ambassadors

Art...Well-Groomed 2008 has two Ambassadors...
"Puss in Boots" designed and created by Bonnie Doty of Dover, Illinois, and "Famous Movie Dogs" designed and created by Kathy Ballard of Princeton, Illinois. Thanks to these two talented artists, the Art...Well-Groomed 2008 Ambassadors serve as examples of the imaginative range and creativity sponsors can expect when they participate in this upbeat, upscale community endeavor.

View larger images of the Ambassadors in the gallery.

Sculpture Locations

Download Map (.pdf)

Artists

Art...Well-Groomed 2008 wishes to thank all the artists who submitted designs this very first year, for providing their creative talents and for believing in the project!  Sponsors made their choices from the Design Portfolio, which included an impressive number of imaginative and truly unusual designs.  Below, you will find short biographies of sponsor-selected artists. We have included links to the artists' website when provided.  On July 12, 2008, the work of these talented people will be on exhibit in Princeton -- 32 remarkably designed and creatively embellished sculptures!

Delores Angel - Princeton, Il.
Delores Angel is a nurse.  Delores enjoys doing art and is a member of the Basement Art League.  She has done work in oils, acrylics, chalk pastels, sculptures and pottery.

Kathy Ballard - Princeton, Il.

Susan Berry - Princeton, Il.
Susan Berry is a surrealist painter, collage artist, ans multimedia sculptor. Her paintings, some in oil and some in acrylic, are surreal statments about what is around me or what is happening in the world todya. "They are reflections of who I am or what I am thinking." Another medium Susan works in is collage. Her collages are both 2D and 3D. "An aspect of collage that is interesting to me is taking a picture from one setting and putting it into a totally different scenario. The interplay of color and texture is fascinating." Finally, Susan is also interested in sculpture using pipe, wire, and other metal media, building sculptures that can be used in a functional way. It is impotant to Susan that the viewer has to think about what has been created and at the same time finds the piece aesthetically pleasing. "My husband and I have a special place in our hearts for dogs, we have a rescued greyhound called Ivy, so when I heard about the Art...Well-Groomed fundraiser for Friends Of Strays, Inc. I was excited to submit a design. It gave me a chance to combine my surreal ideas with the bright colors of collage and my love of sculpture. I hope you enjoy the energy of the animals as they are displayed around the community and don't forget those live animals that need our help."

Brittany R. Blomquist - Hennepin, Il.
Brittany has an interest in all kinds of artistic expression, be it visual arts, dramatic, musical or literary. Both as a vocation and as an avocation, Brittany is a photographer, a web graphics designer, a graphic artist, and a jewelry designer. She also works in a public library setting in children's literature and is an enthusiastic fan of author, J. K. Rowling, and the "Harry Potter" series, and has been a long-time Friends of Strays volunteer. It is all these interests, that Brittany credits with her design for Art...Well-Groomed 2008. Entitled, "The Professor," Brittany's sculpture depicts a beloved character from the "Harry Potter" series -- Professor McGonagall -- a teacher who can turn into a cat!

"I really like the Professor's character -- she is intelligent, compassionate and independent...all with a dry sense of humor. The series' fantasy genre, and the character's traits, seemed in keeping with the whimsy of Art...Well-Groomed 2008, and the personalities of the many cats I call my friends."

Brittany lives with her family, horses and cats in rural Hennepin, Illinois. She is currently taking on-line college classes in animal rescue and rehabilitation through FEMA.


Donna Blomquist - Hennepin, Il.
Designing a sculpture for Art...Well-Groomed 2008, Donna explains, "is the fusion of experience from two careers, and a love of animals."

Donna admits to a curiosity about taking ideas out of their normal environment and tweaking them, just a bit, to become something "fun, unique, engaging" in new surroundings. Her long background in marketing and creative services, and her eclectic interest in books (She's a Youth Services librarian.) provide fertile ground for something seemingly traditional with a bit of a twist.

When living in the Chicago suburbs, Donna worked as a volunteer for an animal shelter in Downers Grove, and for a therapeutic equine group which served children and adults with physical and learning challenges; she also served as a board member for that group. Since relocating to Putnam County eight years ago with her husband and children, Donna and her two daughters have volunteered at Friends of Strays.

Kathleen Cofoid - Granville, Il.
kathco-designs@hotmail.com
www.freewebs.com/kathleenfineart
Kathleen Cofoid creates fine art in her home studio.  Her art is on display and selling a variety of galleries as well as doing art shows and commissioned work throughout Illinois.  She creates a variety of traditional paintings oil, watercolor, and acrylic, but mostly Kathleen creates reverse painting on glass.  She has always had an obsession with glass and loves this medium. If it's glass forms or flat glass, painting in reverse creates great depth and movement throughout the piece. Check out her website to see what she does or send her an email if you'd like to learn more and have a viewing of her work.  Kathleen lives in Granville, with her husband Tim, and their two sons, who are aspiring artist themselves.  Kathleen grew up in Ottawa and has lived and experienced a variety of other locations.  She has been doing art since she was a child.  "I had many great influences in my creative life, but mostly I have been self taught. I believe you can learn from anything and everything. Its been a complete joy to do a sculpture, we love our pets and I want to give back to help ensure all pets have a wonderful home."

Dana Collins - Princeton, Il.
Dana Collins has exhibited her paintings, drawings, and sculpture in over four dozen solo and juried group exhibitions in New York, Florida and throughout New England and the Midwest. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree was from Washington University , and she received her Master of Fine Arts Degree in Painting from Pratt Institute in New York. She also studied as an undergraduate at Yale University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and did additional post-graduate work at Arrowmont School, Columbia College, and the University of Illinois. Her numerous awards include the Sisselman Award from the Berkshire Museum and the Sculptor's Guild Competition in New York.

She retired from college teaching in 2004. She is currently a Studio Art Consultant for the College Board in Princeton, New Jersey, and conducts workshops in studio teaching in California and throughout the Midwest. As Art Director of the Prairie Art Center Collins organizes both art exhibitions and the annual High School Portfolio Competition.

Thirty of her landscape pastels and watercolors will be featured in a solo exhibition at the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island during July and August, 2008. She enjoys gardening, is a published poet, and a violist with the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra.

N. Dana Collins is included in the current Marquis "Who's Who Among American Women," "Who's Who in America" and "Who's Who in the World." She is a resident of Princeton, IL.

Carol Crane - Peru, Il.
www.ottawaartleague.org
A native of Illinois, Carol began painting at an early age.  She has always been creative and enjoys all mediums but mostly water color and her evolving style of collage using mixed medium.  Combining different papers, watercolor, acrylics and found objects, Carol is always trying something new.  Her grand parents were very influential in encouraging her creativity as well as her friend Carol Stevenson, who introduced her to The Clearing in Door County, WI.  Here she took various painting classes from top instructors.  Carol gives most of her credit to being a member of the Ottawa Art League, to which her friend also introduced her to.  She has been in many local shows and won ribbons for her work.  As a member also of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Heritage Corridor Community Associates, Carol gets inspiration from other artists and enjoys lectures from knowledgeable curators.  The impressionists continue to be some of her favorite artists with their vibrant use of color.  Working at Liberty Village in Peru has also given Carol the chance to teach art to the residents and enrich their lives.  "The smiles on their faces are priceless when learning to paint for the first time," she says.

Carol likes to take photos of places she visits like Door County, Maui, and local areas including Starved Rock and area gardens, including her own.  She has a business in her home and along with beautiful artwork on her walls she has a full line of greeting cards.

Besides local viewings at shows, her work can be seen daily at Common Grounds Book Cafe in Utica, IL, and The BookMouse and Beyond the Grapevine in Ottawa, IL.  You can also visit Carol's Studio by appointment to view her many other works or take an art lesson.

Bonnie Doty - Princeton, Il.
Bonnie has been drawing and painting ever since she can remember. She studied art in high school and has an Associates degree in Commercial Art from Kansas State University. Having always been an avid animal lover, most of her art has been of animals. In the past few years she has zeroed in on mostly cat art.

Bonnie has published 28 instruction books on fabric painting, murals, and design. These books have been distributed in several countries. She worked as a designer, instructor, and in product development for Shiva, Inc and Delta Technical Coatings for over 10 years, traveling throughout United States and other countries.

For the past 14 years her first and foremost duties have been to Friends of Strays and our shelter animals.

Gretchen Fitzpatrick - Earlville, Il.
Gretchen Fitzpatrick was born and raised in Minnesota and has a B.A. in Art from Colorado State University. She not only has been teaching art for eight years, but also practices massage and teaches yoga. Gretchen and her husband, Dan, reside on a farm outside Earlville, Il. Here she is able to enjoy her love of nature that is often reflected in her artwork. "Call of the Wild" is an echo of her experiences with wolves in the north woods and coyotes on the farm. She believes that within every living being is that call to be close to our mother earth and to be one with nature.

Maureen Gasek - Aurora, Il.
www.epsilondesign.net
Maureen has been painting and working with other media since childhood. She studied at the University of Wisconsin, Stout and graduated with honors with a degree in Graphic Design with concentrations in painting, metals, photography and English. She currently owns her own graphics and marketing company called Epsilon Design & Consulting.

Maureen has always loved working with her hands and patiently began creating pictures, painting, clay figures etc… about the age of 5 after my father passed away. She sold my first piece of art in first grade for .25 cents which quite fittingly was a collage of her hands. Art is apart of her life and daily thought process. "Emotion, nature and people are the best inspiration."

Her painting style has been deemed dynamic and abstract yet graphic by colleagues and a former instructor hailed her color use by stating "Maureen really knows how color works and knows how to use it" She has also for the past 15+ years designed jewelry which has been sold world-wide.

"Everywhere you look a new idea or design can be sparked for each of us to carry out or work from. It comes from within. I am grateful for all that I have done and will aspire to do and become."

Debra Genzlinger - Princeton, Il.
Debra's artwork design, "Destiny," was created with inspriation from her heart for her love and caring for people and animals.

"God gave us pets to love, and in turn, receive their unconditional love. It has been proven that pets help children, elderly, the depressed and disabled; in turn we are meant to help the pets. Living on a farm, we have dogs, cats chickens, rooster and ducks that provide hours of enjoyment and laughter to me and folks that visit."

Debra's favorite past times include being creative with paint, making fishing lures and designing with her computer.

"Expressing myself in painting ceramic animals and wood items are very relaxing for me. I love giving ceramics life, especially old ones found at yard sales which I repaint giving them new life. Also, I enjoy being creative with computers, having published booklets, newsletters, flyers, certificates for church, menus for resturants, greeting cards along with many other projects. Helping a good cause such as this in a creative way makes it worth the time spent on the artwork. I am honored for this opportunity to be creative in designing this dog statue for Friends Of Strays, Inc.'s Art...Well-Groomed project and wish to sincerely thank them and the City of Princeton for this honor."

Jean Gewin - Princeton, Il.
Jean C. Gewin is a retired English teacher with 31 plus years of experience in grades 7 - 12 language arts instruction as well as 6 years substituting in grades K - 12.  She holds a BS in Education (1968) from Eastern Illinois University and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction focused on Writing (1994) from Illinois State University.  Since the late 1980's, she has been actively involved in state assessment, and she continues to serve on the Language Arts Assessment Advisory Committee (LAAAC), the Illinois Learning Standards Committee, and the Language Arts State Writing and Reading Validation Teams.  She serves as a Trainer of Trainers for writing teaches and as a writing consultant.  Jean is married to John, a retired history teacher, the mother of two grown children, and the grandmother of two preschoolers, whose language development she finds fascinating.  In 1980, Jean took an art course from Imey Klett through IVCC and discovered a love of drawing.  Once she retired from teaching in 2002, she joined the Basement Art League, led by Vicki Giehl.  Since then she has explored pencil, colored pencil, acrylics, and watercolor.  Her family and her friends now expect a Christmas card drawing of her two grandchildren in December each year.  To her delight, her grandchildren enjoy both art and puzzles, two of her favorite pastimes.

Kristina Giehl - Peoria, Il.
Kristina was born and raised in Princeton.  She has been doing art projects since she was very young and continued through high school classes.  Kristina minored in art in college.  She is and associate member of the Basement Art League, and is currently living and working in Peoria as a customer care consultant.  Kristina has worked with many forms of art and especially enjoys working with colored pencils and acrylic paints.  "I am honored to have my design chosen for this fundraiser and am happy to have this opportunity to participate."

Vicki Giehl - Princeton, Il.
Vicki Giehl is a retired art teacher.  She graduated from Illinois State University with a comprehensive art education degree.  She has organized and judged many art exhibits and competitions.  After teaching for 23 years, Vicki retired in 2000 to teach art classes in her basement.  The "Basement Art League" consists of herself, four regular members, and two associate members.  They have completed many different projects and explored acrylics, watercolors, oil pastels, drawing materials, ink, sculpture materials, etc.  "Our group is very pleased to have been selected to participate in Art...Well-Groomed 2008."

Evalyn Hassler - Princeton, Il.
Evalyn is a Princeton-born craftsperson, who admits all she knows about art she learns from life, and all she knows about life, she learns from mistakes.  By profession she is a medical transcriptionist.  Arts and crafts, including painting, jewelry making, and sewing are her outlets for creativity.  She gives as her essentials her husband Wayne, feline sons Jake and Joey, and diet coke.  Another favorite pastime for Evalyn would have to be feeding the local crows.  "I believe before all else we humans have an obligation to protect, respect, and love the animals.  They were here first."

Brieanne Hauger - Chicago, Il.

Marty Hines - Wyanet, Il.
Marty Hines is a retired secretary/bookkeeper who has always enjoyed drawing and painting with oils and watercolors.  Marty has been awarded several blue ribbons and Best of Shows.  In the past, Marty has donated many paintings to local charity art auctions.  "I am very pleased to be participating in this project because every cat we have ever had has been a stray."

Laura Johnson - Ottawa, Il.

Brittny Kellum - Ohio, Il.
Brittny Kellum is a Junior at Ohio High School in Ohio, Illinois. She is the daughter of Larry and Kellie Wilson. She has been in art her whole high school career, and plans on being in art as a senior. Her favorite thing to do in art is watercolor painting and fiber arts. She was very excited that her design was sponsored, because she is so glad that the money will go to the animal shelter. After high school she wants to attend Western for criminal justice.

Mary Beth Kerbs
Cake decorator Mary Beth Kerbs' artistic background began "sweetly."  She has taught decorating and baking classes at the Wilton School of Cake Decorating and Confectionary Art and has branched out into other creative directions, such as Art...Well-Groomed 2008, whenever possible.  Mary Beth moved from the Chicago suburbs to this area where she lives with Don, her husband of 17 years, and their many pets.

Mariko Kurobe - Peru, Il.

Rich & Phyllis Natanek - Seneca, Il.
www.lpcstudio.com
Rich and Phyllis Natanek are currently residents of Seneca, IL. They spend a good portion of their time gaining inspiration for their pottery and art from the natural world around them.

Phyllis has been an artist all her life, exploring expressions of her thoughts and emotions through painting, found object sculpture, and - most recently - pottery. She is also a published author and poet.

Richard got involved in pottery with Phyllis, and now they produce functional as well as fanciful pieces with this organic, expressive medium.

Art is everywhere in their home, and new avenues are explored as the opportunity arises.

Donna Pfeiffer - Putnam, Il.
Donna is a retired graphic artist who finds peace making art.  "I do everything from calligraphy to weaving in pursuit of my passion."

Lisa Phillips - Lostant, Il.
Lisa Phillips is an artist, graphic designer and custom furniture maker. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and owns a small business and studio located near Lostant, Illinois. Her work reflects a fusion of interests and experiences. From early beginnings in Billings, Montana, to formative experiences in Southern Illinois and Chicago, Lisa's eclectic personal journey informs and forms her art.

Thanks to great experience working in her family's custom furniture business while in Southern Illinois Lisa was able, upon moving to the Illinois Valley area about ten years ago to achieve a dream of owning her own studio and beginning a family. "The support of my wonderful husband, Mike, has enabled me the freedom to take 'the road less traveled' and for me, at least, that has made all the difference."

Tania Prystash - Peru, Il.

Stephanie Polt - Chicago, Il.

Linda Ribar - Princeton, Il.

Pat M. Rudzinski - Oglesby, Il.
Former teacher, now retired, Pat Rudzinski has dedicated the last ten years to seriously pursuing her lifelong love of art by studying watercolor painting. She is a member of the Prairieland Watermedia Society, Illinois Art League, Ottawa Art League, and the Heritage Corridor Community Associates of the A.I.C. She regularly has paintings at the Country Village Gallery, Utica, Il., and the Framer's Gallery, Washington, Il., as well as in local art shows. Proceeds from the sale of her art all goes to benefit non-profit organizations such as Heifer Int'l, Mental Health Association of the Il. Valley, and Friends Of Strays, Inc. First fruits each year goes toward renovation of old St. Peter and Paul Church in LaSalle, Il.

Allyn Ryder - Princeton, Il.
Allyn Ryder minored in art in undergrad at Culver-Stockton College. She has taught a few art classes over the summer at various camps. She enjoys working with acrylics, watercolors, pencil, and chalk. She has designed artworks for churches and personal enjoyment as commissioned by family and friends. She is a dog lover and was thrilled to use her talents to support Friends Of Strays, Inc.

Christina Steins - DePue, Il.

Dennis & Carrie Szumski - Princeton, Il.
The artists of "Kitty Hawk" - Kestrel are a husband/wife team.  They retired from the Chicago-land area to beautiful Princeton, Illinois in 2002.  Dennis is a multi-talented artist who has worked in oils, acrylics, stained glass, and woodcarvings.  Many of Dennis' works have been commissioned.  Carrie is a talented fibre artist who has a great eye for color and design.  She is an avid quilter who also dabbles in acrylics.  Dennis and Carrie are honored to have been chosen to be a part of the Art...Well-Groomed 2008 project.

Dave Taylor - Princeton, Il.
www.davetaylorfolkart.blogspot.com
Dave Taylor, a self taught artist from Princeton, Illinois has been working on his unique, eclectic style of Folk / Outsider Art for 8 years. His distinctive style is seen in his use of bright colors on all types of wood. Dave's works include wall art, furniture, yard art and special items. Often Dave's pieces feature a particular animal, such as a steer, snake or lizard, with a lot of color and the use of dots and much detail. The piece then often has a border or frame that might have the same colors, patterns or designs. One thing you can count on is plenty of color. Some consider much his work similar in style to many of the Southern Folk Artists. Some of his pieces have some similarities to aboriginal art from Australia. Dave's works certainly are very unique and eclectic, but yet in a style that people will find a place for in their homes. 

Dave, a member of the Illinois Artisan Program, is now starting to market his works by showing pieces at Hornbaker Gardens in Princeton, at the Gallery on 2nd in Kewanee, IL and the Outsider Gallery in Bishop Hill, IL, and developing his web site at www.davetaylorfolkart.com. Dave has also been a featured artist at the Prairie Arts Center in Princeton, IL. and will soon have works at the Illinois Artisan Shop at the James A. Thompson Center in Chicago.

Ann Maxwell-Wisebrod - Princeton, Il.