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BLAIR UPDIKE – 2023 FEATURED ARTIST Come see Blair’s art at the 2023 Art is Everywhere event on August 3rd in Tampa. Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/3KiWbUf Find Blair on IG: @bupdikeart Meet Blair Updike! Whether it’s portraits of Florida’s cow hunters, scenes from the Seminole War, or impressions of a cypress tree draped in Spanish moss, Blair works diligently to capture the soul of Florida in every piece she touches. She first learned to paint with oils in high school, showing a prowess in regional competitions. She continued pursuing her artwork through college, even studying ceramics, but took a brief pause for life. Inspired by the “cuteness” of her second child, she began painting again in 2013 and quickly began pursuing her passion of bringing Florida’s wildness to galleries, shows, and living rooms across the country. Studying alongside David Leffel, Olena Babak, Katie Dobson Cundiff, Ed Jonas, and Shane Neal, Blair rose to prominence among the Central Florida art show circuit, and was recognized by the American Women Artists in a national competition. Her work has been displayed at Museums and Historical Landmarks around the southeast, including the Bonnet House Museum and Bok Tower Gardens. She was awarded first place at the Marble Falls, Texas Plein Air Competition, first place at the Nature Conservancy’s first statewide art competition, and in 2022 won Best of Show in the Ridge Art Competition with her portrait of Durante Blais-Billie, Miss Florida Seminole 2020-2022. International Artist also featured her painting of the Wakulla River in the Feb-Mar 2022 edition of their magazine. In her spare time, Blair resides in Highland Park, Florida, where she’s served in local politics and participated as a staunch advocate for conservation in her home state. When she’s not in her studio, you’ll often find her barefoot, roaming through a wildlife preserve or cattle ranch and searching for inspiration for her next piece.
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