By ROBIN STANTON GERROW
BG Independent News
2025 has already been a big year for Ellen Fure Smith, Best of Show winner at last year’s Black Swamp Arts Festival (BSAF). Even with lots of life changes, including the birth of her daughter in June, she’s still looking forward to her 10th year at the festival.
She said as a wood artist, winning the 2024 award was important, not just to her career, but it also gave a boost to other local artists.
“The recognition from the jurors and then the congratulations and warmth from the community was really cool,” she said. “I’ve heard from local artists who usually only enter for the Wood County Invitational, apply for Main Street this year. I love that people who haven’t tried before decided to go for it this time.”
“It seems the winning category usually leans toward ceramicists and painters, so it was great to be recognized as a wood artist,” Fure Smith said. “It also puts a lot of pressure on me, so I want to make sure that even with a newborn I’m showing on par work.”
“It is rare that an artist does not want to return to participate in the Black Swamp Arts Festival,” said Jessica Gibson, vice chair of the BSAF committee. “The overall consensus from artists at BSAF is that the community of Bowling Green is welcoming and art sales are high. Adding artists to Friday evening alongside the musicians (which runs Friday through Sunday) has proven to be a very beneficial initiative by the festival.”
Fure Smith will be joining 105 other artists for the BSAF Juried Art Show, as well as nearly 50 other local artists in the Wood County Invitational. Juried medium categories are ceramics, fiber and leather, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography and digital art, printmaking and drawing, sculpture, and wood.
The time just before BSAF can be a bit hectic for Fure Smith, as her inventory can be low from summer festivals.
“As soon as the kids are all back in school, I typically hit a huge production rush,” she said. “It might be a bit more so this year because I’ll also be feeding a baby, while I’m building furniture and planters.”
Another upcoming change is the process of moving her woodworking studio—no small endeavor.
“I’m looking forward to settling into a new studio,” she said. “My work has changed so much over time, and my studio is still set up the way it was when I first moved in 10 years ago. This gives me a chance to have a new layout where I can be more efficient based on what I’m working on now.”
With a new studio, she’s also looking for some new challenges and the chance to revisit past projects.
“I’d like to start doing more commissioned work, some larger pieces,” she said. “I’ve really wanted to make a grandfather clock, and more furniture. I want to come back to the festival next year with something a little grander than what I’ve been doing lately.”
But while she is already making plans for 2026, her anticipation for this year’s festival is high.
“It’s the biggest weekend in Bowling Green,” she said. “I can’t wait for it on all fronts—the music, the art and the sirloin tips!”
