Readers Choice 2023 - Best Artist!

Happy Wednesday!

I had put on the schedule to work on the blog and website on Wednesdays and just a couple days ago wasn’t sure what I would include this week. But luckily, last night was the Our Coast Weekend’s annual Readers Choice Awards event. To tell you the truth, our family of 3 were all dragging butt. Don even said later that he almost said he wasn’t up for going that night; which is rare.

But we all pulled ourselves together and tried to get in the spirit of things. As we drove from Ilwaco to Astoria, our family reminisced about our business. Don and I opened our first gallery while I was pregnant with Joe. Paint N the Town Red in Battle Ground, Wa. If I really had my ducks in a row, I could insert a picture here. Will add that to my to-do list.

Opening our first gallery could be a whole post in itself, but I want to get back to the awards night.

We took a family selfie before we went in. The event was held at the Fort George - Lovell room. There were lots of people and we saw many Long Beach Peninsula and Astoria friends as well.

We decided not to peek in the Coast Weekend insert that lists the winners. They had those copies there for people to take on their way out. Some people picked them up and we grabbed a copy, but didn’t open it. We knew we were in the top 3 for “Best Art Gallery” and “Best Artist”. Don was last year’s first ever recipient for the new “Best Artist” category. There is a Chinook Observer article about it and I’d have to look to see if I posted it here. But it would definitely be on Facebook.

So they announced the First Place in the categories and they had already announced Bold as the “Best Gallery” and Astoria Sunday Market as “Best Farmer’s Market”. I spaced the “Best Artist” category and picked up the paper to look and see what place we got and paruse the other winners, etc. My eyes went to the arts section and that’s where I saw ‘Don Nisbett” as #1!

About that time they called his name and I just loved seeing him smile and radiate pure surprise and joy! I know it sounds corny, but it’s true. Joe and I went together and I took Don’s picture getting his award. After all the awards were given out, we got our 2nd Best Art Gallery certificate as well as the one for “2nd Best Farmers Market” for Ilwaco Saturday Market. Our market manager, Kathy, couldn’t be there. But as Ilwaco Merchants Association President and a co-manager of the market, I was proud and honored to pick that up! We took some photos and celebrated with others…

Afterwards we went out to our favorite local Chinese restaurant and Don called his mom to share the good news. We also texted our son Josh to share the good news and posted pictures on social media. It’s early morning now and I haven’t even read the whole list of other winners yet. I have a busy day, but wanted to keep my commitment to try to blog post for our artist Don Nisbett page on Wednesdays.