About Betty Nelson-Daniels

First ten years

• Rural lifestyle north of Toronto
• High school in London, Ontario - began formal art training.

1969

• Moved to Toronto - worked in film and animation studio

1973

• Created store display samples for Lewiscraft, with 13 store locations. Learned many new techniques using craft materials.

• Painted watercolour 4'x 8' panels used in fashion retail stores. Later hand-painted silk banners for department stores across North America

• Began Mocking-Birds, showed them to advertising agencies, selected well-respected galleries and high-density tourist areas.

1985

• First art show in June and another a year later.

Fall 1986

• Participated, by request, in the National Ballet Art Show; created figures to compliment the premiere performance of "La Belle Epoque"

1988

• Designed figures for the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. Established a mail-order business in selected U.S. and Bermuda galleries.
• Published in Canadian Interiors in Fabric layout.
• Produced sculptures for National Ballet Fall Art Show

1989

• Created Oreo Baker for president of Nabisco Company, New Jersey. Ordered Bakers Dozen as corporate Christmas gifts. He and his wife are now collectors. Created Uncle Sam & Statue of liberty
• Wheelchair athlete created as part of figurative art collection at the O'Keefe Art Show.

1989 Spring

• Volunteer committee Pittsburgh Opera, who asked permission to use birds as the theme for their charity ball; also created 40 birds for use as promotion for the ball

1991

• Front and back cover of Air Brush in Japan #4.
• Designed the character of John Candy, wearing a costume from Trains, Planes, and Automobiles, as a birthday gift from his limo driver in Toronto

1993

• Contemporary Doll Magazine did a four-page spread about "birds", uplifting their status to Contemporary Doll Collectable. Signed and dated.

1994

• Boston Ballet, Nut Cracker Art & Craft Show; Boston Tiffany's window display
• Designed a figure for collector's guide, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1995

• New York Publishers "The Doll" by Contemporary Doll Artists. Created a figure for the book in a section entitled "Beyond Dolls". After viewing my work, the Museum of Folk Art in New York City asked for a figure donation.

1996

• Created Mocking-Bird in Egyptian theme.
• On request, submitted two designs for the Collectors Resource International book
• Attended 10 juried craft shows from Huntsville to Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario. Won booth award at the Shaw Show of Arts & Crafts.
• Participated in Uniquely Ontario at Toronto Gift Show in September. Received orders for 76 sculptures and won an award for Innovative Gallery Product. A Mocking-Bird design was selected as promotion for Spring Uniquely Ontario show February 16-19.

1997

• Established a full-time gallery space at home.
• Took part in the Scarborough Arts Council studio tour.

1998

• Mocking-Bird image used as the theme to celebrate the first Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball for Sarnia Lambton Arts Council.
• Moved to Midland, Ontario

1999

• Appeared in Fall American Style Magazine, Colourful characters. Participated in the Thanksgiving Art & Craft Show, St.Marie Amount the Hurons. In May experienced my first Vision Quest, Thunder Mountain.

2000

• May, Sue Warner Craftscapes interviewed me in my home and filmed birds for LIFE Network.
• July/August issue of collectibles Canada, front cover with a thousand-word story and pictures.
• November created Firebird sculpture for the silent auction, Firebird Ballet Ball, National Ballet.

2001 - 2005

• Attended local art shows & kept up supply to established galleries.
• Created one-of-a-kind William Shakespeare & Napoleon figures for private collectors.

2007

• Created selected figures for the Kooza performance Cirque de Soleil.
• Preparing figure for 2009 Figurative Art Calendar.

2009-2013

• Created new organic Mockingbirds to add to original creation collection. This led to treehouses and new organic containers.