ArtPrize - Sep. 23 - Oct. 8, 2009 - Grand Rapids, MI
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Artist information:
Shonda Bottke
Ann Arbor, MI

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Shonda Bottke

Artist bio

Shonda Bottke was born in York, PA. Grew up in Boca Raton, FL, received my BS in Broadcasting from the University of Florida's College of Journalism. Spent 6 1/2 wonderful years living in the East Village in NYC. While there I dabbled in computer art and animation classes at the School of Visual Arts. Met my WONDERFULLY SUPPORTIVE husband, pulled a "Green Acres" move & moved to Faribault, MN to have my AMAZING son. After living in TX for a few years we moved to Ann Arbor. In 2005, I was fortunate to find & take a few mosaic classes from Yulia Hanansen, where I discovered my passion for the medium. Since 2007, I've participated in several shows with the Mosaic Artists of Michigan and a few on my own at the DFW Airport's National Arts Foundation Annual Exhibit and the Ann Arbor Art Center's 2008 Annual All Media Exhibit. I was also in ArtPrize 2009. My work's goal is to bring out the spirit of the glass or other tesserae that I'm working with to create organic, dynamic and fluid mosaics.
About the work
Title: Adelita's Misfortune

Art form: 2-D

Medium: Mosaic

Year created: Work not created yet

Description of work: Finished piece will be approximately 30"H x 36" W. Adelita is a loggerhead sea turtle featured in the PBS documentary, "The Voyage of the Lonely Sea Turtle". She was held in captivity for most of her life in a 10' tank, before she was released into the wild with a tracking device. Researchers discovered that she swam 9,000 miles from Baja, Mexico to the coast of Japan. She swam for 368 days straight, without resting. Adelita proved that loggerheads actually do swim great distances to lay their clutches of eggs. Shortly after returning to the beach where she was born to lay her eggs, she was caught in a fishing net and drowned. Unfortunately, turtle deaths by fishing nets and long lines are an all too common fate. It is my intention to create a mosaic which juxtaposes Adelita against a coral reef; looming in the background is a net. I hope that people will come away from my mosaic with an appreciation for the beauty of marine life and a desire to protect it.

Technical details
Linear wall space needed: 6 ft.
Total square feet needed: 6 sq. ft.
Additional considerations
Audio/video needed: No
Electrical needed: No
Lighting needed: Yes
Internet access needed: No
Ground floor access needed: No
Indoor space needed: Yes
Outdoor space needed: No
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Shonda Bottke is showing at:
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
303 Pearl St. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Venue location

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