The Sidi Bouquet (and Nicki)
Artist: Margaret Dowell
(photos by Rich)
This panda represents a triumph over adversity by the artist, who had temporarily lost the use of her hands after a bad fall. She was not able to use a brush to paint the bear, so instead she fingerpainted it. The eye-pleasing result was different in visual texture from any other panda in the exhibition. The design of the panda was inspired by bouquets given her "by a most unique individual named Sidi" according to the artist, but given the hardship she overcame, we feel the artist herself also deserves that description.
