" Masai Woman" oil 16x20 in.

This painting was accepted for the first annual Laumeister Fine art Competition at the Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, Vermont. A well respected artist, Albert Handell, selected "The Masai Woman" along with another painting, "Paints and Brushes" shown below. The announcement said it was a very high calibar show and hope I am proud to be selected as part of the show. To be sure, I am.

This painting is from a photograph taken by my wife Connie, who was in Kenya this summer. It is one of a series of paintings I am doing of Kenya scenes including the Rafiki orphanage, the Ndiri square, and a Safari on the Masai Mara. The trip was a mission of First Community Church, which supports the orphanage for children whose parents have died of AIDs.

The Laumeister Fine Art Competition will be held September 19-November 29, 2009. Award winners will be announced by Mr. Handell at a reception October 24. First place: $4000, Second:$2000; Third: $1000.