News
2019 Catalog Cover Artist
Posted: February 27, 2019
The Festival is pleased to have commissioned world renowned sculptor, Bart Walter, to create the artwork for the 2019 catalog cover.
No one has so masterfully communicated the spirit of the animal in bronze as Bart. For over thirty years, Bart has been sketching and sculpting wildlife in North America and Africa, venturing into the field to study his subjects in their natural environment, working with the animal right in front of him. Furthering a continuity begun by previous animaliers, he has brought a biologist’s eye and his dynamic approach to surface to the work at hand, conveying the movement and spirit of the animal. When you see a drawing or sculpture by Bart Walter, you are seeing an individual animal and experiencing it as he has, with a sense of reverence and wonder.
Bart was born in 1958 in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in Baltimore City, spending weekends on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Always strongly drawn to outdoors and the mysteries of nature, these getaways from city life allowed his fascination with wild animals and wild places to blossom. Many, many hours were spent exploring the wild places he found there. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in biology with an emphasis in animal behavior from Hiram College in Ohio. Since then, he has worked as a sculptor, first in wood and for over 30 years, in bronze.
Sculpting and drawing from life are what Bart loves to do the most. He considers it a form of cheating since when an animal moves or turns, he just turns the sculpture and works with what he now has. Bart brings maquettes — field studies — home and casts them as is, or enlarges them, as well as using them to inform new sculptures.
Bart sells his sculptures to private collectors and public institutions around the world. Locally, you can see his chimpanzees at the National Zoo; ostriches, lions, gorillas, cheetahs, otters, a polar bear, and more at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore; and a lion in front of the public library in Westminster, Maryland.
For 30 years, Bart has lived and worked on a 20-acre wildlife sanctuary outside Westminster with his wife, two dogs and a Bengal cat.
Downloadable PDF
Download a pdf of the 2019 catalog here.
2018 Catalog Cover Art Competition Winner
Posted: February 8, 2018
Congratulations to Sally Drew of Olney, MD for her winning entry in the 2018 Cover Art Competition.
Artist Statement
I have been drawing since I discovered how to hold a pencil and have been painting since I received my first oil painting set at age nine. My favorite gifts were always new crayons, colored pencils, and paint-by-number kits. My interest in color and creativity didn’t stop with painting and drawing but led me to explore and appreciate the texture and beautiful colors of yarn and the amazing things that could be made from it. I have been an avid knitter ever since childhood when I picked up that first set of needles and colorful ball of yarn. I remained interested in anything artistic and creative which led me to major in commercial art and to minor in biology in college. The accumulation of knowledge in biology and art grew into an interest in the dynamic colors and shapes of art with nature. Plants and animals are an inspiration for much of my art work.
As a mother of two, art as a profession was put on hold but definitely not forgotten. My artistic side inspired me to create toys and decorations for my children, and to challenge their interest in Mother Nature’s creations – from the shapes of trees and the habits of insects to the colors of the skies and clouds.
As demands in my life changed, the art of watercolor seemed to speak to me and called me back into painting. Watercolor is a wonderful medium but it can be very frustrating. Patience and a lot of practice taught me how to use watercolors to their fullest extent. Beautiful shapes and colors can create a large range of emotions from the viewers – happiness or sadness, peace or excitement, curiosity or satisfaction, and just make them smile. I am particularly drawn to color – it’s the first
thing that attracts me to a painting. Next, the images, or lack of them, pull me further into the painting. I love a painting that makes me travel through it, moving from shape to shape and from color to color. The goal of my paintings is to provide the viewer with this same sense of discovery and to experience an emotional response to its content.
My paintings have won many awards at exhibits in Montgomery and Howard counties. Recently, I was honored by receiving a Juror’s Award in a juried show in the Kentlands Manor in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I currently have a painting on exhibit at the Olney Library. I have served on the Board of Directors, Olney Art Association, for the past seven years, and am a Signature member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society, and belong to the Olney Art Association, Rockville Art League, and Montgomery County Plein Air Artists and exhibit in all shows sponsored by these groups. I am very humbled to know that so many of my paintings have been purchased to hang in people’s homes.
My two grown children married two wonderful people and I have a beautiful 17-year old granddaughter who is very dear to my heart. I have lived in Olney, Maryland for 47 years – in the same house!
Contact Information: Tel – 301-774-2125. Email – ten.nozirev@werdws
Honorable Mention
Hannah Kate Messer
Williamsburg, VA
Clare Margaret Douglas
Harrisburg, PA
Destiny Pryor
Willingboro, NJ
Shannon McNicholas
Conesus, NY
Shorten your time in line
Posted: March 17, 2018
…and buy your tickets online!
- Admission to the Festival is $5.00 per day and applies to adults only; everyone under 18 will be admitted free.
- Tickets may be purchased in advance at https://mswf2018.eventbrite.com/. You will be sent an eTicket which will be scanned at the gate. There will be separate lane(s) for those who have purchased tickets in advance. Last year we found these lanes moved very quickly, and we plan to have even more scanners in action this year. A processing fee of $1.27 per ticket will be added.
- Cash or check only at the gate. There will be an exact change lane, so bring your $5 bills!
Announcing the 2018 Cover Art Competition
Posted: June 13, 2017
Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival 2018 Cover Art Competition
The winning artwork will be used to design the catalog cover, posters, t-shirts, mugs, hats, and other items to publicize the 45th annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.
Grand Prize $1000
Up to four $100 Honorary Mention awards
- Subject related to Sheep and/or Wool
- Any 2-D medium
- No larger than 18″x24″
- Can be full color
- Artwork only, do not include text regarding Festival name, date, etc.
Deadline November 1, 2017
Download the rules, entry form, and release.
Visit the gallery of past winners.
Questions? Email gro.loowdnapeehs@trarevoc.
Lose something? Find something?
Posted: May 8, 2017
Please email gro.loowdnapeehs@eciffo to inquire about lost and found items and arrange for pick up.
Rain or shine, the show will go on!
Posted: May 4, 2017
Rain or shine, hot or cold, dust or mud, the festival goes on as scheduled–and cooler temperatures are perfect for wearing wool! Wear your handmade scarf or shawl, or pick up a pretty one to take home with you. Don’t forget the t-shirt building also sells sweatshirts! It’s all good!
Advance Ticket Sales Now Available
Posted: February 2, 2017
A message from the Festival Chairman and the Maryland Sheep Breeders Association President
Many of you will be surprised to learn that this year, for the first time, we will be charging an admission fee of $5.00 per adult (18 years and older). This change deserves some explanation.
We are proud that for 43 years we were able to provide the Festival experience free of charge to the public. A few years ago we began inviting voluntary donations, and we are enormously grateful for the generosity reflected in your willingness to contribute. We have relied heavily on those donations, as the continued success and growth of the Festival have made the job of “putting it on” bigger and more expensive. At the same time, we’ve been teetering on the edge of overwhelming our dedicated volunteers, who are the heart of the Festival. We believe that this modest admission fee, for adults only, will enable us to deliver and continually improve the Festival for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone involved.
This year, the pedestrian gates will open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. Festival attendees will not be permitted to enter before this time. This will allow vendors and the Festival team the time they need to prepare for the day, free from eager early shoppers! We ask that you respect this policy.
Whatever it is that inspires you to join us at the Festival, we look forward to having you and the amazing enthusiasm you bring to us!
Gwen Handler, Chairman, Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival
Lee Langstaff, President, Maryland Sheep Breeders Association
Important things to know
- The admission fee is $5.00 per day and applies to adults only; everyone under 18 will be admitted free.
- Tickets may be purchased in advance at https://sheepandwool.eventbrite.com. A processing fee of $1.24 per ticket will be added.
- Cash or check only at the gate. There will be an exact change lane, so bring your $5 bills!
- Gates will open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. This will be strictly enforced. Early entry will no longer be permitted.
- Gates will open at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday to accommodate those wishing to attend the Breakfast Buffet and Sheep-to-Shawl Contest. The official start time will still be 8:30; VENDORS WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL 8:30!
We appreciate your patience as we go through this year’s transition.
2017 Catalog Cover Art Competition Winner
Posted: February 4, 2017
Congratulations to Britt Silkey of Frostburg, MD for her winning entry in the 2017 Cover Art Competition.
Britt is best known for her watercolor paintings of animals. She was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland by artist parents. She earned a BA from St. Johns College, Annapolis and certificate in fine art from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. After living in Miami and teaching at the Coral Springs Museum of Art, she moved to Frostburg, Maryland in 2014 where she lives with her husband and son. She draws inspiration from storybooks, fairy tales, and real life. She paints pet and people portraits by commission. She is developing a show for the Frostburg Arts Walk on April 29, 2017. She loves to knit, and her show will be at the Frostburg Fiber Depot. Her current series may be seen on Instagram (@silkeybritt).
2017 Cover Art Competition Winner Britt Silkey
Honorable Mention
Clare Workneh
Ellicott City, MD
Sheila Fordyce
Elkton, MD
Maria Victoria Savka
Scottsville, NY
Debbie Lynn Zwiebach
Pasadena, MD
No online sheep show entries this year
Posted: March 28, 2017
Revised Sheep Show Entry Information
Entry forms and rules and regulations were mailed to previous exhibitors in February and are also available here.
Due to unanticipated problems, there will not be an online entry option this year, and the deadline for mailing entries has been extended.
Send entry form along with a check for entry fees payable to Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival to:
Dr. Mara Mullinix
Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival
5209B Green Valley Road
Monrovia, MD 21770
Entries must be postmarked by April 10, 2017. A $20 late fee will be assessed to those entries postmarked after April 10. No entries accepted after April 15 postmark.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
Catalog advertising deadline – January 1, 2017
Posted: November 7, 2016
As one to the largest sheep and wool events in the country, the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival attracts approximately 40,000 visitors over two days and offers a unique advertising opportunity. The Festival catalog contains over 200 pages of information about the specific workshops, events, demonstrations, displays, shows, auctions, and competitions at the Festival. Also included are advertisements from local and national companies pertaining to fiber arts or sheep. Vendors and advertisers are indexed in the back. 4,000 catalogs are printed and distributed each year. They are retained by many Festival attendees as a resource and reference throughout the year, and are a great way for customers to easily find you again and again. The deadline for catalog advertisements is January 1.
Download the Advertising Information Sheet.
