Wes & Rachelle Siegrist

"Tiny Treasures of the Natural World"

Monthly Newsletters

A recent get-together with friends on our back porch. (LtoR) Tricia Wilhoit, Rachelle, Fred Weiser, Amy Wietlisbach, Barb Weiser, Mary Newman, Steve Newman & Daisy Wilhoit.
News: * We were recently invited to join next year's "Masterworks in Miniature" show at Gallery One in Mentor, OH. * We'll be represented starting this month by Row House Gallery in Millford, OH. We'll be sending them miniatures as soon as we return from Arizona. * The Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum will now be one of the beneficiaries for the Nature's Palette show this month. We're so excited about seeing AZ and the Museum. Rachelle's "Delicate Balance" is currently on display in the Museum. * Wes's "Bathing Gull" has been accepted into the tenth Annual Art of the Animal Kingdom Exhibition in Bennington, VT. * Wes will be lecturing and answering questions regarding the history and contemporary resurgence of miniature art at the Blount County Art Guild Monday. May 1st. The public is welcome to attend.
Interesting Updates: * We've started working on commissions and have a couple completed already. We'll be able to paint your special paintings throughout the summer. * Numerous paintings have been submitted to various venues and we're awaiting jury results. Wes also painted and submitted three "larger" works to the National Arts for the Parks competition. Two images are for their "mini" show (smallest allowable size is 80 square inches - huge by our standards!). Thumbnails are below ~ works are currently NFS. * The next snailmail newsletter will be mailed after July 4th.
Examining Gregory's Cave in Cades Cove.	A late season snowfall atop the mountains was fun but we enjoyed going back down into spring at the yard more.
Our Adventures: * We hiked the White Oak Sinks trail this past month with friends and also took in the wildflowers on the Chestnut Top Trail. We also did the walk to the Gregory's Cave in Cades Cove, played for a day at Dollywood and spent one morning atop Newfound Gap taking photos of a late April snow. * We absolutely loved the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, MN. We spent some time at the Mall of America and the Louisville, KY Zoo during our trip too. * The yard and garden are continuing to amaze us with their growth. The fresh daily lettuce and asparagus are yummy! * We're still biking and walking the 12 mile loop around Townsend on a near daily basis each evening as the weather allows. * Volunteers: We volunteered again this past month picking up litter in our designated section of Townsend. We also volunteer and work in the Coke Booth during the Old Timer's Music Festivals here in town. Rachelle bakes cakes and cookies for the local library fundraisers and for our local "Hearts and Hands" which raises scholarship money for local kids.
Rachelle eating lunch at the Mall of America with fellow wildlife artists Linda Beese, Karryl and Terry Lee.
Rachelle poses in front of one of the amazing dioramas at the Bell Museum. A special thanks to Don Luce and the rest of the Museum staff for hosting such a wonderful tour and party for the artists!	Posing by our display at the Drawn to Nature Exhibition this past month.
Wes sits among a clearing filled with tall Phlox on the White Oak Sinks Trail.	Holding up the line while Wes photographs more wildflowers on the trail.
Critter Encounters: * Yard Bird List: 86 species. (added a Ruby-crowned Kinglet,Yellow-breasted Chat & Chestnut-sided Warbler) The birds are nesting in the yard and the squirrels are continuing to refine their antics. Yard bird highlights have included an Indigo Bunting, Summer Tanager, Scarlet Tanager and three Baltimore Orioles - all males in full color! On warm days our rocks are covered with skinks and fence lizards. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds recently allowed us to obtain several great photos of them bathing in the rain - future paintings!
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