Canadian artist wins national rug contest

Andy Blanchette, a Canadian artist and craftsman working in the Ontario area, was named the winner of the National Association of Rug Makers and Sculptors (NARMS) contest. His award-winning, 4-by-6-foot rug depicts a black-and-white loon floating in a violet lake below a sculpted mountain. The mountain itself is separated into bands of color by the skyline. Blanchette;s rug will be exhibited at various national and international markets throughout the year.