Artist: Lauren Palmer-Merrill
Title: Where Troubles Melt Like Lemon Drops
Material: acrylic on paper
About the artwork: As a child, I adored The Wizard of Oz. On sick days, I might watch it 3-4 times in a row. One year, my parents took a pair of cheap Mary Janes and painted them sparkly red for me for Christmas, and I didn't take them off until they were 3 sizes too small. Bluebirds have always symbolized hope, dreams, and innocence to me; perfect attributes to a new beginning.