Deanna Bonn
Special to the Times-Gazette

The Artisan Market and Live Artist Competition, hosted by the Coutts Museum of Art, in collaboration with Alabaster Collective, on Sat. combined artistic creativity with community engagement.

This inaugural event brought together local artisans and supporters at the Kansas Oil Museum’s Energy Education Center, and featured a day filled with shopping, art, and a friendly competition.

The highlight of the day was the Artist Showdown, where attendees witnessed three talented artists create themed pieces in just two hours. Jim Clements, an oil painter, won the competition with his beautiful depiction of a camel bathed in the glow of a campfire, set beneath a starry sky featuring the Star of Bethlehem.

Other competitors created equally impressive art. Lynx Robinson, a balloon artist, crafted a whimsical Christmas tree inspired by Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, while Malissa Long, a textile artist, produced an abstract piece intentionally left open to interpretation by the viewer.

Attendees were invited to support their favorite artist by purchasing tickets to vote for their favorite piece with proceeds benefiting the museum. Each vote also served as a raffle entry for the chance to take home one of the completed artworks.

In addition to the competition, the Artisan Market offered a selection of handcrafted goods from regional vendors. A chili fundraiser added to the festive atmosphere, with hot bowls prepared by the museum’s curator, Sheila Yrjanainen, and available alongside hot chocolate and soda.

“Hopefully, we will continue in the future with more vendors, more artists, and more guests,” said Thea Howard, Executive Director of the Coutts Museum of Art.