When local artist and art teacher Brandi Rackers heard she won the top award at this year's Show-Me Art Exhibition, she called her husband and laughed.
It's not that she's not proud of her work, a mixed-media piece called "Stains & Smoke."
It's that it reflects more of a personal process for her, and - after the piece gathered dust in her basement for more than a year - she didn't expect it to gain accolades.
"It's not something that I show because it's such an experience for me. It's more about the process of just creating and exploring through it, and very rarely do I show it because to me the product is less important than the process," she said at Sunday's reception for the exhibit. "So that's why I thought it was so comical that it won best of show, because as an artist, it's not what you typically show."
The lesson to be learned about the process: Never stop playing.
"There's very easy ways to get stuck in a rut. Go back with what you feel comfortable with," Rackers said. "A lot of times whenever you give yourself options to play and explore, that's when the real learning happens, and that's when you get better as an artist."
Rackers was one of 31 artists who entered 60 pieces of art in the exhibition, Capital Arts executive director Leann Porrello said. Artists throughout the state were invited to submit up to four pieces.
Local artist Catherine Hajavad was tabbed to do the judging. Porrello said Hajavad, whose art is typically oil-based realism, was surprised she was so touched by so much of the abstract art in the event.
The top two awards, best of show and first place, featured abstract art. Local artist Curtis Hendricks won first place for "Courier."
The exhibit also contained portraits, sceneries and photography, among other art. It will be on display through March 12 at Capital Arts.
Rackers said her winning painting is the type of thing she does when sitting in the kitchen with her daughter, who is almost 3.
"I had a couple of rotten blackberries that I laid on my paper, and I took my fists and just hammered them into the paper, and it went from there," she said.
Rackers teaches at Blair Oaks Middle School and operates an art business called "Finding Place Artworks."
When the blackberry seeds shot out onto the canvas, she was determined to use that as a basis to create connection and flow into the art.
"I'm always trying to find my place: my mental place, my physical place, my connection to other organism beings, and that's kind of how this was - here's my start. I'm going to go on this journey, this map, using organic forms, materials, to help me make it make sense."
The artwork incorporates images of tree branches, lungs, heartbeats, molecules and explores how things come together. At one point, a hole burned into the canvas is embroidered - bringing it "back together."
Janis Burgin, vice president of the Capital Arts Board of Directors, said she was impressed by the quality and variety of art in the exhibit.
She said young artists are sometimes too intimidated to enter art in such competitions, but they shouldn't be. It's all part of building your reputation as an artist.
"Don't wait until you're older," she advised.