Kennebunk, ME - For the fifth year in a row Kennebunk animal artist, Carol Santora, has been invited to participate in the Susan K Black Foundation Annual Artists’ Conference in Dubois, Wyoming. Again this year Santora was honored at the conference’s Miniature Art Show for her pastel artwork. She received the award for ‘First Place in Other Media’ and the ‘Headwaters Art and Conference Center Purchase Prize’ for her pastel painting “Handsome Boy.”

Fifty artists from all over the USA and Australia were juried to participate in the conference and exhibition. Two ‘miniature’ sized paintings measuring 9”x12” or smaller were submitted by each artist into the competition. The quality and diversity of the artwork was impressive. The four judged categories included oil, watercolor, acrylic, and other media.

Santora was deeply honored to be juried in with such a talented and creative group of artists, and even more so to be recognized among that group as exceptional, in addition to becoming part of Headwater’s permanent art collection with numerous other world-class artists.

A true colorist, Santora is best known for her expressionistic and soulful animal and wildlife paintings, especially cows, horses, moose and family pets. “The artistic energy at the conference recharges my creative batteries.” A few days before the conference, Santora meets her closest artist friend, from Colorado, to attend the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival. “In my nine day visit, I try to absorb all of the inspiration the West has to offer. The long-term friendships I have made have enriched my life, and I look forward to the week of uninterrupted painting time. For me, this week of intense, self-directed painting has had a great impact on the bold direction my work has taken.”

Santora’s paintings can be seen at the Wright Gallery, Cape Porpoise, the Carver Hill Gallery, Rockport, ME, at A Horse of a Different Color, Jackson, WY, at her home gallery, Santora Fine Art, Kennebunk, and on her website: www.carolsantora.com. FMI: contact Santora at 207-985-2830, or email santora@carolsantora.com.