From New York City to the Moon: A Duluth fine artist receives international recognition

Kelly Schamberger, a fine artist from Duluth, was recognized on a international level last week in New York City.

Her oil painting “Once Upon a Childhood” awarded a spot the 16th International ARC Salon exhibition at Sotheby’s, which showcases the best of contemporary realism.

And the award is a huge honor, Schamberger competed with over 5,400 entries from 75 countries.

“It was like a dream,” she tells WDIO after returning home from 1 and a half weeks in New York City.

As part of the honor, Fashion Week San Diego also assigned a clothing designer to create an original couture outfit based on Schamberger’s painting. The designer is Dorotheaa, and even lent Schamberger a dress for the night.

“It was so amazing because- you have my piece- it has meaning to me. Then you have a clothing designer come and use it as a inspiration. So you have another creative taking it and transforming that idea.”

Next Schamberger is headed to the moon- well, her work anyway.

“What they’re doing is engraving images of these panting, so not the actual painting, but it’s going on a gold nickel plate and going in a time capsule,” she explains.

“It will be launched with a NASA lunar rover and deposited on the South Pole of the moon.”