Best in Show Winner

EXETER — Natasha Dikareva is the "Summer Nights" Best in Show winner for her ceramic sculpture “Sweet Dreams” on display at the Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter. Natasha calls this piece “poetic, mysterious and otherworldly. She meditates before going to bed to have sweet, peaceful dreams.”

Born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine, Natasha Dikareva now lives and works in Newmarket, New Hampshire. Her ceramic sculptures explore interconnections between biological systems, mythology and contemporary technology. Drawing on her Eastern European background, her work bridges cultural and linguistic barriers, speaking to the common experience of life. She received her BFA in graphics and drawing from the Kiev State Academy of Art and Design and her MFA in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Minnesota. In 2012, she won the Grand Prize at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. Her work is featured in various publications, including 500 Prints on Clay and New Ceramics European magazine, and is held in public and private collections. She exhibits locally and internationally. She is a gallery artist at the Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter, so her work can always be seen there.

See hers and others in the SAA show “Summer Nights” at the gallery at 130 Water Street in Exeter through July 30. Hours are Wed.-Sat., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Sun 1:00-4:00 p.m. Parking in Exeter is free. August’s theme is “On the Water” and drop-off is July 31. Theme shows are open to members and non-members alike. See more at seacoastartist.org.

The SAA is an all-volunteer association of local artists. They support arts education by annually awarding scholarship grants to area high school seniors pursuing an education in the visual arts. Donations always welcome.