Making A Mark Nominations: The Home Front

The final invitation to nominate artists and their art blogs for the Making A Mark Awards relates to "The Home Front".

These nominations are for established art blogs about aspects dear to the artist's heart - although not always written by the artist.  This is about blogging about the artist at home - in the studio - or with his or her favourite animals.  Somewhere there may be a partner (human or animal) who's always in the background with a wry observation and insightful comment about "life with the artist".

Here are the winners from previous years to give you an idea about the sort of art blog which wins these awards - and just how different they can be.   Details about how to nominate are after the listings of previous award winners.

Don't forget - you can treat this as open art competition and nominate your own blog - if it's eligible (see below).

“The Moose” - the award for the best animal in an illustrated blog

“The Moose” - the award for the best animal in an illustrated blog  Named after the first winner of this award.  The animal can be wild or domestic, singular or plural.
2006	Maggie Stiefvater (Greywaren Art ) - Moose No contest - Moose won by a mile. Maggie Stiefvater characterises her cat Moose as a "criminally insane cat, furry muse, catcher of moths, grabber of ankles" but I think he's a total star. He's been breaking ACEO records and has also been featured in an article in Art Calendar about daily painting blogs. I fully expect he'll be having to complete his own tax return very soon.  Moose gets the prize for being most often featured in uncommon but totally typical images of a cat.
2007	Gayle Mason (Fur in the Paint) - “Out of Sight”She has consistently produced excellent drawings of both dogs and cats during the course of the year – and shared her art materials and approaches as well on her blog.
2008	Tracy Hall (Watercolour Artist).  This Award is just one of the many which Tracy has won in 2008 with various Miniature Art Societies in the UK and USA. This Award is for "birds" in a generic sense and a rook in particular and recognises two of her principal achievements in 2008.
2009	Kimberly Santini (The Painting a Dog a Day Project) - This is to reflect Kimberley's total commitment to her painting a dog a day project since she started in 2006. She has created over 800 furry faces, posts consistently and to a high standard and won the Fifth Annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Commemorative Art Poster Competition .  In addition Kimberley and her patrons have, through sales of her paintings, raised over $5,500 to benefit animal welfare.

The “Tales from the Frontline” Amusing Musings Trophy

The “Tales from the Frontline” Amusing Musings Trophy Originally two awards but combined into one for the last two years.  The Amusing Musings Trophy is for keeping me amused.  The “Tales from the Frontline” Mention in Despatches - my favourite blog by somebody who lives with an artist.
2006	Ruth Phillips (Meanwhile, here in France) won The “Tales from the Frontline” Mention in Despatches.  Ruth Phillips is the wife of artist Julian Merrow Smith and the daughter of artist Tom Phillips RA so qualifies twice over. Ruth has been blogging for some time and it shows. Read her archives - she's better than a good book. Plus you get to hear about what happens when everybody wants to buy anything your artist partner produces!
2006	shared by: Hugh McLeod (Gaping Void) Hugh provides both humour and images for free alongside an expert insight into the business side of blogging and marketing product in a web2.0 world. Maggie Stiefvater (Greywaren Art) Maggie mostly provides daily blog posts and almost without fail demonstrates that the fresh eye which she brings to portraiture also applies to her take on the world as well. She has a very unique voice – in both words and images.  (Maggie has now become a full time author, written five books, had a book in the New York Times best seller list for over 30 weeks and sold in so many countries worldwide that I've lost count but it's well over 30.  She's always out of the country on book tours these days!)
2007	Dermott (I am Dog Hear Me Snore) the Australian Old English Sheep Dog who lives in Tuscany with Mr and Mrs We Spent a Long Time Boofing This Dog - won both!
2008	Tracy Helgeson (Works by Tracy Helgeson) plus Doug and Ginger and all those who helped with the new studio.  Tracy moved her studio, had a new floor laid, new walls and storage sorted, painted it all, bought and installed new studio furniture and then renovated her ex studio/new sitting room - and took photos and took us all through the process with her. Talk about comprehensive!
2009	Walt Taylor aka Wally Torta and the rest! (Crackskull Bob) - this blog has been making me chuckle for a few years now - mind you he can make me grimace too at times!

Tracey's efforts in 2008 prompted this new award last year......

The Most Gorgeous Mouthwatering (MGM) Studio of the Year

The Most Gorgeous Mouthwatering (MGM) Studio of the Year For the Most Improved Studio of the Year - to reflect the continuous efforts of artists to improve our studio environments.
2009	Lisa Call (Lisa Call - Contemporary Taxtile Art) - For me there was no contest - this was a really heavy duty makeover and it was all photographed and documented using photo archives and blog.

So you'd like to nominate...........

Although I already have some blogs in mind as contenders for these awards I'm very interested to hear what you all think too.

What you need to do - it's very simple!

• WHICH AWARD: 
• Identify the title of the Making A Mark Award that you want your nominee to be considered for (this is very important!)
• Leave a comment on the post on this blog inviting nominations for that award - BEFORE 24th December
• WHICH BLOG:  Identify
• the name of the blog, its URL (eg "The Art Blog" http://theartblog.blogspot.com) and
• the name of the blogger
• WHY:  Say WHY you think this blog should be considered for a Making A Mark Award.

After a couple of nominations I want to clarify what I mean by art blog.  As I indicated yesterday I'm not accepting nominations from new blogs.  Only artists who have a "proper" blog which has all the normal characteristics of an art blog and has passed the three month test (ie still blogging on a regular basis after three months) will be considered for these awards.  The reason is that these awards are about excellence in the art of art blogging and you can't establish that with a few posts.  This award is also not a free passport to a link for a new blog.

That's it!  Simple!

I'll collate all the ELIGIBLE nominations and comments in relation to each award and consider alongside those blogs which I have in mind as being worthy of consideration.

The Making A Mark Awards will be announced on the 29th and 30th December.
See my Making A Mark website for a list of ALL the previous award winners and an outline of the reasons why they won

Tomorrow is the last post in this series of posts inviting nominations for the Making A Mark awards. Many thanks to all those who have already nominated for the awards already identified - it's getting VERY interesting!

You can take a look at these by clicking any of the links below.

Links: The Making A Mark Awards 2010 for blogging about art

• NOMINATE ART BLOGS & ARTISTS for the Best Artwork 2010
• The Best Portrait/Figures 2010
• The Best Place/Landscape 2010
• The Best Still Life 2010
• NEW!!! The Best Nature 2010
• NOMINATE ART BLOGS: Generating Art
• The Painting a Day Stickability Shield
• The Best Art Blog Project Virtual Challenge Cup
• NOMINATE ART BLOGS: Getting out of the Studio
• The Painting Plein Air Plus Prize
• The Travels with a Sketchbook Trophy
• The Going Greener Gong
• NOMINATE ART BLOGS: Learning about art and the art business
• The FAQs and Answers Really Useful Medal
• The Make Me Think Gong
• The Best Book by an Art Blogger Blue Ribbon
• NOMINATE ART BLOGS: on The Home Front
• “The Moose” Award for the best animal in an illustrated blog
• The “Tales from the Frontline” Mention in Despatches / The “Amusing Musings” Trophy
• The Most Gorgeous Mouthwatering (MGM) Studio of the Year