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A serene sunset from a peaceful locale at Indian Lake is taking the spotlight as local financial adviser Hannah Southwood’s piece in the 2025 Not So Bad Art by Good People contest.
Southwood said she was honored to be asked to participate in the Logan County Art League’s annual fundraiser, but initially was a little stumped on what type of entry she wanted to submit. Fortunately, a walk with her husband, Dan, and their border collie “Nash” at one of their favorite spots provided some inspiration.
She snapped a photo while they were walking along the 0.9-mile path at Pew Island, looking out on the sun setting over the water and some rocky terrain.
“It’s one of our favorite spots to take a walk and enjoy the views,” said the newlywed, who married her husband in September. They reside just outside of Jackson Center, with Nash and their cat, “Olive.”
Her piece is currently on display with artwork from eight other celebrity artists in the Logan County Art League’s contest and fundraiser at Citizens Federal Savings & Loan, 100 N. Main St., Bellefontaine, through this Friday, Jan. 31.
People can vote on their favorite piece(s) by placing a $1 in the artist’s box.
Then Friday, the contest culminates an auction of all of the artwork and an artist celebration. The festivities begin at 5 p.m. at Honey Birch Farm, 550 E. Township Road 30, West Liberty.
Pre-purchased tickets are required for food and drinks being served from 6 to 7 p.m. The public is also invited to attend the auction that begins at 7 p.m. and participate free of charge.
A native of southern Indiana, Southwood said she attended Indiana State University and she met her husband, who grew up in the Minster area, through mutual friends while he was in college at The Ohio State University.
She graduated from Indiana State in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a sales concentration and a minor in analytics. In recent years, she has been working as an Edward Jones financial adviser at 1400 S. Main St., Suite A, Bellefontaine, and said she loves the Logan County area.
In addition to her busy day job providing expert advice to a variety of clients, she already has gotten involved in a variety of organizations locally, including the Logan County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Logan County, graduating from the seven-month program in 2023, and also is involved in the Bellefontaine Kiwanis Club.
While creating artwork isn’t something she typically does in her spare time, Southwood said she also has found taking pottery classes with Thelma Matthews at The Cracked Pot Studios to be particularly enjoyable and stress relieving.
“I’ve taken two or three classes with Thelma,” she said, holding up a hand-built pottery piece in her office that she created in the class. “It’s really nice to be able to do that when we’re cooped up in the wintertime.”
She encouraged others to support the Art League and to go out on a limb by participating in the contest if they are asked, even if it’s a little outside of their comfort zone.
“It’s a really fun to be a part of something like this. I’m looking forward to meeting the other artists at the auction, too, ” she said.