"Dodge Dart - Inspired By You" Contest - Kathleen Usova

I'm sure you'll recognize the art of Ukraine's Kathleen Usova if you've ever browsed the net for quilling images. Frequently her designs are mistaken for those of Yulia Brodskaya, and although she credits Yulia as an inspiring role model, Kathleen's colorful and complex quilling style composed of curved on-edge strips, often with just a small curl at the end, is her own.

This past spring she entered the Dodge Dart - Inspired By You contest, created in conjunction with deviantART.com. The contest promoted the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart car, and the art needed to reflect elements of its style and inspiration.

I had to smile at Kathleen's description of the piece and could sense her determination, "A lot of time and paper. That's how I spent my vacation. My family thinks I'm crazy. And I just really want to win."

And win, she did! The quilled collage placed first in the traditional art (as opposed to digital) category. There were nearly 4000 entries; additional winners can be seen here. Along with garnering lots of nice prizes for Kathleen, the 14 x 25 inch piece will be displayed in a pop-up gallery at the Dodge-Chrysler Headquarters in Michigan. Be on the lookout for it in a TV commercial.


Facebook Paper Finds this past week included:

Quilled lettering tips
Make a paper flower corsage



Have a great weekend! I'm already looking forward to Monday when I'll be posting a little something that has to do with two of the most often "searched for" phrases here on the blog... any guesses?!