Growth – Stories in Bloom 

Curated by Carol McLaughlin Kortnik

Exhibit Dates: February 27 – April 4

Opening Reception:  Friday, February 27

7:00–9:00 PM

Free & Open to the Public

Join us for an evening of art, music, and community as we celebrate the opening of Stories in Bloom, our 2026 Women’s Art Exhibit curated by Carol McLaughlin Kortnik. Every work in Stories in Bloom reveals a unique chapter of growth—personal, creative, and collective—celebrating the beauty of transformation in all its forms.

Enjoy live music, catered refreshments, and the chance to meet the artists behind the work and get first dibs on award winning art. From the cycles of nature to the evolution of self and community, this exhibition invites you to experience the many ways women express growth—universal yet deeply personal.

Come be inspired, connect, and celebrate creativity in full bloom!

Awards – $700 in Cash Prizes

First Place – $200

Second Place – $125

Third Place – $100

Best Painting – $50

Best Multimedia – $50

Best Photography – $50

Honorable Mention – $50

Best Young Artist – $25

People’s Choice Award – $50

About the Curator: “Fine Art Dedicated to the Natural World”

Carol McLaughlin Kortnik is primarily a self-taught artist but had a semester of drawing at Walla Walla Community College in the early 1980’s.  She is adept at working in watercolor, pastel, bronze sculpture, fiber arts, and mixed media collage.

In 1988 she and her husband Mark opened one of the first main street galleries in Joseph, Oregon.  Now after 38 years they own and operate Aspen Grove Gallery where she displays her original paintings, fiber art, bronze sculpture, and mixed media collages.  She likes trying new media and she displays all her creations in the gallery and also in her Creative Cottage annex building.

Carol has won many first place and People’s Choice awards at art shows she has attended in the Northwest.  She was honored to be included in the most celebrated bird art show in the country, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Bird Art Show in Wisconsin.  Her work has been featured in several art magazines.  She was chosen to be an artist on the OPB Oregon Art Beat television program because of her wide variety of creative skills and mastery of many diverse mediums.

Carol has also created a series of mixed media collages that honor Americas most influential women in history.

Carol’s latest art work is called “painting with fabric”.  Starting with a watercolor, she adds texture and depth to it by adding fabric and fibers to give the piece a three dimensionality.  Carol has had great success and recognition with this new addition to her creative body of work.

Carol is now creating art pieces with peyote beading and her own designs influenced by the Native Americans. Carol also has past art work that shows similar influences in her ledger styled art.

Carol is constantly looking for new ways to express her creativity and spends her days in that exciting venture as one of Joseph’s most established professional main street artists.

Carol invites visitors to their Aspen Grove Gallery on main street in Joseph, Oregon.