An Oregon Gallery Is Showcasing Some of the Craziest Shoe Art

Backstreet Gallery in Florence, Oregon, presented a new shoe exhibit last weekend, “Shoe In, Boot It Up, and Roll On,” featuring embellished shoes, paintings and other works related to footwear. The show is a result of the gallery’s Summer Community Challenge, which invited artists to paint, construct, photograph or decorate anything to do with footwear.

black and white sketch of boot shoe and dog by Karen D. Nichols at shoe art exhibit in florence oregon
Drawing by Karen D. Nichols.
CREDIT: Courtesy of Backstreet Gallery

Sadie Ward served as the juror for the competition and selected winners in two categories: 2-D and 3-D. The first-place winners were Kathleen King in 2-D and Mariann Mawcinitt in 3-D. As a result, both artists will roll out a show of their own work at the gallery in November.

backstreet gallery shoe exhibit winners
Winners Mariann Mawcinitt (L) and Katherine King attend the shoe https://footwearnews.com/t/exhibit/"; id="auto-tag_exhibit" data-tag="exhibit" >exhibit.
CREDIT: Courtesy of Backstreet Gallery

The full list of award recipients follows:

For 2-D

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1st place — Kathleen King for Shoe #3

2nd place — Pattie Brooks Anderson for “Dance Class”

3rd place — Betty Romero for “Cowboy Boots”

For 3-D

1st place — Mariann Mawcinitt for “Saturday Night/Sunday Noon”

2nd place — Micki Shampang-Voorhies for “Kinky Shoe Steel Heel #2”

3rd place — Abby Diane Watkins for “Toms”

On the left, clay shoe art by Zoe Leech, on the right Embellished shoe art by Jane Rincon at art exhibit in florence oregon for competition
L: Clay shoe https://footwearnews.com/t/art/"; id="auto-tag_art" data-tag="art" >art by Zoe Leech; R: Embellished shoe art by Jane Rincon
CREDIT: Courtesy of Backstreet Gallery

“Shoe In, Boot It Up, and Roll On,” will be on display at Backstreet Gallery, 1421 Bay St., Florence, Oregon, until July 1. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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