Women of Distinction Awards
I was honored to create the artwork for the honorees of the Women of Distinction Award, sponsored by the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County—an organization that provides thousands of dollars each year to organizations that work to improve the quality of life for women. I created individual free-motion embroidery pieces for each honoree.
NURTURE for Laura Cherone
Laura has devoted her professional life to inspiring others to overcome obstacles and serves the underprivileged in her community. Through her 25 years of work with Family Services supporting children and adults, to her work as the Director of Program and Clinical Services where she oversees programs for child trauma and domestic violence related incidents, and to her volunteer work as Dean of Women at the Royal’s Family Kid’s Camp, a free of charge camp for abused, abandoned and neglected kids in foster care, Laura has nurtured children and families through her work and compassion. I chose to create Nurture for Laura, which is a woman who shares her love freely, inspiring beauty to blossom around her.
RISE for Kay Ruekert Lettenberger
From what I read in the letters of recommendation for Kay, she seemed like in any of the positions she’s had over the years—Writer, Journalist, Director of Public Relations, Communications Specialist, and a volunteer for Alzheimers Association, she’s had the ability to raise up awareness, research, education, visibility and funds.
Because of this, I chose to create for her Rise, which is the image of a woman who exudes rays of light, and rises above the clouds of confusion and doubt, pulling the fog away from her face and brightly shining her light for all to see.
DAWN for the Honorable Kathryn Foster
When approaching Judge Kathryn Foster’s artwork, I read about her work developing the Waukesha Country Alcohol Treatment court, which offers treatment instead of prison time, and her work transforming the Family court to provide equal access in the court system, and of course her innovative approach of creating the Waukesha County Criminal Justice Collaborative Council. In all of Judge Foster’s work she’s aided in the dawning of new programs and new ideas.Through her education and her dispersion of knowledge, she’s helped others who may not have otherwise had a chance to emerge as successful members of society. That is why I chose to create Dawn for her, which is a woman who sees the light of knowledge and radiates in its glow.
FLIGHT for Rebecca Dalum
After reading about Rebecca Dalum’s accomplishments, I was excited for the work she’s done in the world, as well as the the things she will do in her future. Her passionate social activism and her volunteer work for Walkers Point Youth & Family Center and a teen homeless and runaway shelter, as well as her role as president and co-founder of She’s the First, a school chapter of a nationwide nonprofit which raises funds for girl’s education in the developing world, makes me excited to see what she will do when she emerges from high school and sets out into the world.
I chose to create Flight for her, which showcases a woman who’s releasing her gifts of peace and joy into the world to make it a better place.