From Journal Sentinel:
Visual artist Della Wells and writer Dasha Kelly have been given the City of Milwaukee’s Artist of the Year award for 2016.
The two women, both accomplished, highly visible and known for their support of other artists, will be honored at a public reception at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Marcus Center, 929 N. Water St.
Wells, who didn’t start making art in earnest until she was 42, is known for her colorful collages, drawings, dolls, assemblages and quilts. Her artworks are forms of storytelling inspired by deeply personal experiences, tales that are implied but not overt, stories pieced together from scraps of magazines, fabric and memories.
Kelly is a writer, poet and spoken word artist who has performed across the U.S. and Canada. Her second novel, “Almost Crimson,” released by Curbside Splendor last year, was named one of the most exciting independently published books of the year by BuzzFeed.
In addition to honoring Wells and Kelly, the City of Milwaukee is also giving Friends of the Arts awards this year to classically trained musician Thallis Hoyt Drake and philanthropist Andy Nunemaker.
Read more at Milwaukee Journal sentinel
