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Youth Wins Art Contest With Biblical Paintings

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By JESSICA BALANZA

jbalanza@tampatrib.com

Published: February 11, 2009

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - Daniel Carr realized early on that something was fishy.

"My dad had lots of suspicious phone calls, and they his parents were sending out a lot of e-mails. But it wasn't my business, so I kept my nose out of it," said Daniel, 12.

It didn't take long for Daniel to find out what was really going on. His parents, Kelly and James, were in on the plan Feb. 4 to surprise Daniel with the announcement that he won the Kids Talk About God's Children's International Arts Festival.

The contest required Daniel to answer questions to scenes in the Bible and interpret those scenes through artwork. The win earned Daniel and his family a trip to Rainbow Trout Ranch in Antonito, Colo.

"We have a lot of planning to do," Daniel said. "We have never gone to a dude ranch before."

Daniel is the first of eight winners to be announced this year. Carey Kinsolving, founder of Kids Talk About God, began the contest last year as a way to get artwork and writing from children for a book he plans to publish titled, "Kids Color Me Bible - Gospel of John."

"I'm trying to find children's art and writing that best illustrates various texts from the Gospel of John," Kinsolving said in an e-mail.

Last year, Kinsolving selected four winners. Daniel's artwork, along with those of the other winners, can be found at www.kidstalkaboutgod.org.

Winning art contests is not new to the Carr family. Daniel and his brother, Adam, 10, have been recognized in the past. Both have had their artwork featured on greeting cards, and Daniel had artwork on a past line of Dixie paper plates.

"I love to draw and share my artwork with people," he said.

Daniel, who is home-schooled, says that from a young age he realized he was good at art.

His mother, who home-schools them, often makes Daniel and Adam write about what they learned that day and then draw about it.

Because the boys are home-schooled, James Carr said, they are always looking for contests to provide validation for what they have learned.

"Because they are home-schooled, it's a wonderful, tangible reward for all his Daniel's hard work," Kelly Carr said.

Daniel's parents said it took him a long time to paint the winning pieces. Daniel said he used bright watercolors and incorporated techniques using a cotton swab and fine-tipped marker to line his work in hopes of making it stand out.

"I am proud of these," said Daniel while holding up his paintings. "We should frame these after the trip."

Reporter Jessica Balanza can be reached at (813) 865-1518.

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