ANNOUNCEMENTS

AWARDS

— About my painting, Pipevine Swallowtail Jig —
Oil Painting on Canvas, by Kristy McNelly
30″ x 40″
Let’s observe the life cycle of the Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor). The swanflower (Aristolochia erecta) is a trailing grass mimic and is the larvae host. It starts as a twisted spear of a bud, then opens up an otherworldly, orchid-like, burgundy bloom with white spots. This Texas native’s bloom is curved like a swan’s neck with an inch long seedpod. The plant’s toxin makes them taste bad to predators. The adult female butterfly lays her eggs on the swanflower stem and once hatched, the caterpillars feed on it.
The caterpillar then forms a chrysalis which hangs on a stem of a nearby bush or tree until it emerges as a butterfly with iridescent blue on top and blue speckled with orange on the flip side. The grape-scented fragrance of the Texas Mountain Laurel attracts the pollinators.
Most of my oil paintings start with a photo from a trip, or something that is pretty simple. This painting, on the other hand, required several days of study and conversations with native Texas plant experts prior to putting paint to canvas. Thank you to Suzanne Young, Lee Haile, and LeAnn Sharp for your expert help.
On this Earth Day, 🌎 April 22, 2026, I am excited to announce that my painting, “Pipevine Swallowtail Jig” 🦋 has been awarded First Place 🏆 in the 2026 PlantArte native plant art exhibit!!!
PlantArte is a celebration of native plants through botanical art, originally offered in 2024 by Arte Sana’s Plants & People, Plantas y Gente project in collaboration with local, state, and national native plant and environmental groups. See the website: https://www.plantgente.com/projects-8

Dear Kristy,

Congratulations, 2025 APA Show Artists!
     Thank you for entering the 2025 Art of the Plains Annual Show. We are pleased to inform you that your work has been accepted for the American Plains Artists’ Fortieth Annual Juried Exhibit & Sale at the Pearce Museum in Corsicana, Texas.

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work
Oil
24″ x 18″
$2,400

We hope that everyone will attend the opening reception of the APA show and annual meeting on October 16th at 5:00 pm. 

“Teamwork Makes The Dream Work” Receives an Award of Excellence at the Show Opening, judged by Darrell Beauchamp.

Dear Kristy,

Congratulations on being selected as one of our Top 40 paintings in the August/September contest! Great work!
   Modern Impressionist Magazine
Teamwork Makes The Dream Work
Oil
24″ x 18″
The 77th annual Lilac Festival poster 1st place winner is “Captain’s Day Off on Mackinac Island” by Kristy McNelly
I was overjoyed to hear that my painting “Captain’s Day off on Mackinac Island” was awarded 1st place and is the official 2025 Mackinac Island Lilac Festival poster! Praise God! I am very excited!! Thank you to the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau and Mackinac Arts Council for organizing the annual Lilac Festival Poster contest and blessing me with this award.
My framed original oil painting has been shipped to the Island and will hang in the gallery in the Center for the Arts at Mission Point Resort to be displayed during the Lilac Festival.
Mackinac Island has been a favorite vacation destination of mine for many years and my parents, Jack and Lois Sanderson, even celebrated their honeymoon there in 1953. I’m looking forward to visiting Mackinac Island again on June 6th with my husband, Chuck McNelly and family for the artist reception. The posters are already for sale in island businesses.
Congratulations to all of the other artists who were also selected with awards: “Chill Day” by Travis Timlin was 2nd and “Lilacs By The Shore” by Claire Larkins came in 3rd. Honorable Mention goes to “Full Bloom at Mackinac” by Robert Perrish and “Lilac Paths” by Patti Jasper.

“Salvaje”, painting of a Lucitano stallion by artist, Kristy McNelly has been selected for the program cover of the 2025 Equifest of Kansas brought to you by Kansas Horse Council. This event takes place in Salina, Kansas on March 21-23, 2025. Come see Kristy’s booth at the event.

Dear Kristy,

Congratulations for your acceptance in the American Impressionist Society 5th Annual Associate Member Online Exhibition! We received 2,201 images for jurying and 260 images were juried into the exhibition.  

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work
Oil
24″ x 18″

The work is now being judged for Awards by AIS Signature Member Brienne Brown.  We will announce the award winners on or before August 28. 

Dear Kristy,

Congratulations for your acceptance in the American Impressionist Society 5th Annual All Member Online Exhibition! We received 1,756 images for jurying and 276 images were juried into the exhibition.

Early Arrival
Oil
18 x 14
$1,800

The work is now being judged for Awards by AIS Master Clayton J. Beck III. We will announce the awards on or before November 19. Five jurors reviewed all of the entries and scored the images in blind process. 

Dear Kristy,

Congratulations for your acceptance in the American Impressionist Society 4th Annual All Member Online Exhibition! We received 2,053 images for jurying and 269 images were juried into the exhibition.

Hitched at Surrey Hill
Oil
24 x 48
$3,800
The work is now being judged for Awards by AIS Master Peggi Kroll Roberts. We will announce the awards on or before November 20. 

Dear Kristy,

Congratulations for your acceptance in the American Impressionist Society 4th Annual Associate Member Online Exhibition! We received 2,242 images for jurying and 258 images were juried into the exhibition.

The Stock Tip
Oil
24 x 48
$3,800
The work is now being judged for Awards by AIS Signature Member Kami Mendlik. They will announce the awards on May 29 in a Facebook Live presentation.

Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau

June 10, 2023  
We kicked off the 75th annual Lilac Festival with a reception for the poster competition artists! It was a great event meeting artists, friends, and fans of Mackinac Island.
From there we moved to Marquette Park where we announced this year’s poster winner. A BIG congratulations to
1st Place: “Lilac Secrets” by Erynn Rice (middle)
2nd Place: “A Tranquil Getaway” by Kristy McNelly (right)
3rd Place: “West Bluff Abloom” by Kevin Barton (left)

Kristy’s Painting Was Awarded 2nd Place in Lilac Festival Poster Contest!

Out of 82 contestants, Kristy McNelly’s painting of a carriage with lilacs on a street in Mackinac Island was selected in the Top 20, then awarded 2nd Place at the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival, June 9th, 2023.

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