Summer 2021 Creations Winner!
CONGRATULATIONS to MIKE MENASCO
of Artistic Indulgence; Minneapolis, MN
John Cleese is noted as saying, “If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.” We, here at Bella, feel similarly about our products and customers and hope to inspire your creativity with interesting, fun, and quality products. Creativity certainly seems to be at play with our Summer 2021 Bella Creations winner — this fantastical colored pencil drawing paired with a custom Prisma Frame from Mike Menasco at Artistic Indulgence!
In addition to owning and running Artistic Indulgence, Mike is also an artist, primarily working with colored pencils. Mike has been working with colored pencil art for over 40 years, drawing what he likes and is inspired by Native American portraits, Paleo art, horror, fantasy or any combination thereof. While working on this drawing, he already had a vision for what he wanted for the completed frame design. The customization of Prisma Frames offered the ability to have a complete retro feel to the entire project. Looking at the color palette Prisma offers, Mike wanted to reflect the mid-century stylings of the setting as a jumping off point. By the time he finalized the design he knew he wanted to hang this piece in the gallery to showcase the possibilities of what Prisma Frames can do! The shape reflects an “old school” tube television and the pattern, while named “Puzzle”, was inspired by the shapes and movement in the art.
Mike currently has two framed display pieces in Bella/Prisma in the shop. He feels they have been crucial to the shop’s ability to sell the product by helping the customer to bridge the gap from a conceptual idea to an actuality given all of the available options for customizing. We agree with Mike! In this case, Mike was able to show in one example a combo of shape, pattern, and three colors. When asked what types of art he has used Prisma on, Mike responded, “Whatever strikes me in the moment! Prisma works on anything! The line is imaginative. I always think of Prisma with bright colors, texture, and graphic art, but it works just as well with historical pieces, vintage drawings, and more.”
Additionally, you may recall a previous email and blog about using our Creations Contest to promote your shop and the services and products you offer. Part of that blog entry was also tips on how to use our contest to interact and promote your business with followers on social media and digital marketing including email distribution lists. It seems like perhaps Mike had read that blog and engaged with his lists as well as networking with other business owners and artists in his contacts to promote the work Artistic Indulgences is doing —showing his Creation. The votes came in, putting him in the final which allowed the private panel of industry professionals to select the Creation they felt best used the Bella product.
Congratulations to Artistic Indulgence and Mike Menasco on the winning, playful, and fantastical Prisma Creation! Mike will receive free Bella Moulding/Prisma Frames product and will be entered in the Grand Prize contest --- a trip to Las Vegas for WCAF. Since so much in our world is still uncertain, we may find ourselves still grounded with the grand prize being $1,000 cash money! You can’t win the Grand Prize if you don’t enter, so be sure to photograph your next Bella or Prisma winner and be ready for our next installment coming up in the late summer!
Let’s also congratulate the two Summer 2021 semi-finalists. Amazing work from everyone!
