ArtPrize 10 Angel Wing Donations

Here I Am, Lord
                                         ArtPrize 2017

concept drawing by Anne Fosnaugh

WIP photo of Baby Jesus January 2017
No armature. Made of Romney, Corriedale, Merino, and Icelandic sheep. Skin tone dyed with black walnut.

 ArtPrize Margret-Ann Miller
ArtPrize 7 Smaug the Needle Felting Dragon
ArtPrize 8 Artie the Needle Felting Dragon
Here I Am, Lord  on  The Roving Artist 

Hello! My name is Margret-Ann, and I was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, where I still reside. I am a needle felt artist.  Needle felting creates felt without the use of water. The notches along the shaft of the needle grab the top layer of fibers and tangle them with the inside layers of the fibers.  My work is unique, even in the felting world because I do not felt over an armature. They are not stuffed but rather sculpted from wool and other animal fibers, most of which I hand-dye.

               Achievements, Intentions, and Goals

I have two years of ArtPrize exhibits under my belt now, Smaug the Needle Felted Dragon in 2015, and the Artie the Needle Felting Dragon in 2016. I wrote a children's book about Artie (self-published, 2016), and I was the main speaker in December of 2016 at the prestigious Mazza Museum in Findlay, Ohio. Smaug, Artie and the gang, and I enjoyed a month-long exhibit right next door at the beautiful Lea Gallery. The Toledo Blade sent a photographer, and I had a feature story in the entertainment section in November 2016. On February 1st, 2017, I have a four-page feature article in the spring issue of Art Doll Quarterly Magazine, a Stampington & Company publication, on needle felting with Smaug as the centerpiece. I have been teaching the art of needle felting since 2013, and I started the first felting Guild, The Fiber of Our Being Guild (FOB), in 2014. FOB is located in Toledo, Ohio and draws felters from Northwest Ohio and Southern Michigan. I participated in the semi-annual Artomatic 419! in Toledo, Ohio in 2013 and 2015. I was interviewed for the Toledo Blade and photographed for their online following, and covered by our local news channel along with the exhibit several times. 

With Here I am, Lord, I want to show that you can sculpt the human form with wool just as you would with any other medium, such as clay or ceramic. I specialize in using wool, inside and out, to sculpt my pieces. I do not usually use armature of any kind. I feel I can reach a more realistic look, especially with hands, fingers, feet, and toes, shaping the wool with my felting needles. 

My goal is to win the ArtPrize People's Choice Grand Prize Award of $200,000. I have had so much support from ArtPrize visitors. They have followed me on social media, and many came back specifically to see me during my second showing. I had a lot of publicity in the local papers and on the news channels both in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Toledo, Ohio for ArtPrize7 and ArtPrize8. I am vying for a venue that is more centrally located in downtown Grand Rapids for ArtPrize9. I believe I will have many followers and supporters coming specifically to see me and this piece, spread the word, and cast their vote for Here I am, Lord. 

There is so much to ArtPrize exhibiting. There is a preview week prior to the three-week event, and I spend at least a month in Grand Rapids. I am with my pieces most every hour that ArtPrize is open.  I am there to meet people, demonstrate needle felting, and answer questions about my process and materials used in making my art pieces. This is imperative for interaction with the voting public, media, judges, and critics.

A month-long exhibit away from home is extremely expensive. Many thousands of dollars, literally, are spent on transportation for myself, my artwork, fuel, meals, lodging, and all the things you would associate with an extended stay. There are also thousands of postcards that need to be printed with my voting number, information about myself, my art work, and sponsors. I also need hired help to physically pull these shows off. I need your assistance. I have a lot to offer my sponsors. Please look at the sponsorship levels on my website, www.therovingartist.com and see how your sponsorship can be mutually beneficial.

I have spent over $10,000 of my money competing in ArtPrize 7 & 8. I believe I have shown that ArtPrize and needle felting are not a passing fancy for me. I am in this 100%. I am asking that you take a look at my work, publications, and publicity, and if you like what you see, I ask that you be in on it with me this year.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
Margret-Ann Miller

Toledo Blade; Big ideas: Toledo artist is pushing needle felting to fantastic dimensions