Perrysburg artist enjoys showing her work at shows around the country

Molly Strader, shown here at a Toledo show, was excited about heading to the Paradise City Northampton this past weekend.

Perrysburg's Molly Strader has been to eight art shows this year, from Florida to Houston, but she was excited about this holiday weekend's Paradise City Northampton show.

The jewelry artist was selected out of about 1,000 applicants to be one of the 260 artists from all of the country in the Paradise City show in Northampton, Mass. The show included ceramics, painting, decorative fiber, art glass, furniture, jewelry, metal, mixed media, photography, large-scale sculpture, wearable art, and woodworking.

"Its awesome actually getting in," Ms. Strader said. "It is like a lottery ticket application.

"It is a prestigious show."

Traveling the country is nothing new for the person who took art classes as a little girl at the Toledo Museum of Art. She has 28 trips scheduled this year, with two weekends off in the summer. Last year, she won several honors during her tour of shows, none bigger than the Best in Show at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show that had 330 artists.

While preparing last week for the Northampton show, she said she still has people come up to her recognizing her for winning that Best in Show. She said it is rare for jewelry to win awards.

"It is an honor to get so much recognition, it makes it more rewarding," she said.

The goal this past weekend‘s show, and at every other show this summer, isn't the awards. Ms. Strader said she is trying to grow clientele and be a part of the community for those few days. 

She will be back in the area for the Crosby Festival of the Arts June 27-29 in Toledo.

Contact Matt Thompson at: mthompson@theblade.com, 419-356-8786, or on Twitter at @mthompson25.