Art in Embassies Program Accepts Kansas Wildflower Artwork

I am so excited! Two of my Kansas Wildflower Series paintings were chosen for the Art in Embassies Program. They will be a part of the exhibition at Ambassador Liliana Ayalde, the U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay in the U.S.. Embassy Residence in Asuncion. It will be on loan for the next 3 years. The pieces "Apollo in Delphos Facing the Evening Sun" and the "Apollo in Delphos Facing the Morning Sun" were both selected.

It is amazing how serendipity plays a part in life. I work two days a month a the local co-operative gallery Collective Art Gallery of Topeka. This month, I swapped work days with a fellow artist, this is common when we discover conflicts in our schedules, just seemed like a typical day at the gallery. I received a phone call from a gentleman from the Art in Embassies Program and he inquired about member artists who have sunflower pieces. He was putting together an exhibition for the Paraguay Ambassador and sunflowers where a connection between the two countries. He had called the gallery because he knew there had to be an artist in Kansas who painted sunflowers.

Being caught of guard by the call, not a single artist came to mind... except my own. I stuttered and hemmed a second or two and said "At the risk of sounding self serving, I paint Kansas wildflowers and have several sunflower paintings, but I could make some calls and see if our other members have sunflowers they'd like to submit."

He asked me if I could send him Jpgs of some of my pieces and I told him he could have instant access on my website. We disconnected, I made a phone call to help my foggy brain, gathered a list of fellow sunflower painters.

A short time later, he called back and was very complementary about my two Apollo in Kansas paintings and requested to send them on to the curator. Making a long story short, they were accepted by the curator and off we go on the adventure. These pieces will be more world traveled than me! How exciting!

Had I not been working for someone else that day, would my pieces have been suggested or selected? All I can say is WOW! You can never predict what a day will bring you.

I didn't know about this program and I am pleased to discover it. The Art in Embassies Progam also accepts submissions.

About the Art in Embassies Program:

Established by the United States Department of State in 1964, the ART In Embassies Program is a global museum that exhibits original works of art by U.S. citizens in the public rooms of approximately 180 American diplomatic residences worldwide. These exhibitions, with art loaned from galleries, museums, individual artists, and corporate and private collections, play an important role in our nation's public diplomacy. They provide international audiences with a sense of the quality, scope, and diversity of American art and culture through the accomplishments of some of our most important citizens, our artists.

ART's curatorial team develops thematic exhibitions in collaboration with each ambassador, taking into account the host country's artistic traditions and cultural mores. They recommend artists and works of art, negotiate all loans, and propose placement of the art within the embassy residences. After all loans are secured and the art insured, ART's registrars coordinate with professional art handlers for the assembly, packing, crating and safe shipment of each exhibition to post.

Art in Embassies Program