AGA contest - Botanical Illustration category

["Kinney, Travis" <kinney at pdtarchs_com>]

Sunday afternoon I decided to check the web and see if the results from the
contest had been posted. I went to the site and clicked on the Illustration
catagory. I was surprised to see my name beside the first place ribbon! I
had my wife come over and look (to help prove that the planted aquarium
hobby is NOT a cult! Ha ha). She was very happy for me and the kids came
over and were excited that dad won a blue ribbon!

Then I checked the other entrants.....all two of them. Ha ha

I was kind of bumbed that there weren't more entries, but I was glad that
the contest created the impetus for me to make that painting. I had it
hanging in the kitchen for awhile, but my wife really doesn't like the
"seaweed" painting. She says I can hang it in any other room though. Maybe
since it's a blue ribbon painting it can go back to the kitchen wall.

Even though my first year of planted aquariums has been more of a successful
29-gallon jungle, then a 29-gallon fuzz algae factory, and a 10-gallon
jungle, I have enjoyed the education, both from this list, wading through
the local streams, photographing my tank and local rivers, sketching,
painting and getting the kids involved.

Maybe next year I'll have some tank photos for the contest, and I hope
others will try illustrating our favorite aquarium plants in their natural
setting. I'm just glad that I was able to be part of the Houston Convention/
AGA Contest thing.

-Travis