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Final award brings artist Maxine Danieley’s career full circle

It all started with an art contest.

Maxine Danieley was just a high school student when a new art teacher came to town and set up a painting contest between her and her classmates.

“He told us that when we went home that night, we had to think about what we wanted to paint and then we’d have a contest,” said Maxine.

A couple of days later, Maxine and her classmates found themselves back in the art room under the discerning eye of their teacher.

“He looked all around the room and came back to me twice and then came back to me again and said I won first place,” said Maxine. “From that moment on I was stirred up to paint.”

And paint she did.

In the decades that followed, Maxine established herself as a porcelain painter, which she found to be both an expensive and exacting process.

“I had to buy a $800 kiln and put it in our basement in our home, because when you paint on porcelain the paint won’t go on it unless you get that porcelain item very hot,” said Maxine.

But all of the time and effort eventually paid off as Maxine was recognized among the top of her craft and was inducted into the prestigious World Organization of China Painters.

But, as she’s gotten older, Maxine has found that the taxing process of creating her artwork has begun to take its toll.

“This is a long, strenuous thing to do,” said Maxine. “I’m 89 and too old to do it anymore.”

So, this year Maxine chose PMMA’s Art is Ageless® juried art competition as her final hurrah.

And just like it all began, Maxine wrapped up her career with yet another “Judge’s Choice” ribbon.

“When I brought her the ribbon, she happy cried and hugged me saying how much it meant to her now that she can’t continue with her art,” said Keely Jameson, sales and marketing director at Farmington Presbyterian Manor.

“I was breathless, it was thrilling. When Keely walked in with the ribbon and my vase … oh, I just couldn’t believe it,” said Maxine.

Having ended her career on a high note, Maxine has now passed her kiln onto her granddaughter, who just happens to be a budding high school artist herself.

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