Lou Landry has earned quite the distinction in Boothbay Region Art Foundation history.

Landry, and his wood confetti bowl, took first place honors in BRAF's juried ArtinME show, held annually in October at the Boothbay Region Art Foundation (BRAF). Juror Kerstin Engman said the bowl was “remarkable” in its “pattern, rhythm, movement and design” and the stem “so beautifully balanced.”

Voting for the people's choice award continued through Nov. 8. When all the votes were counted, Landry was the clear winner.

As gallery manager June Campbell Rose put it, “Nothing else even came close.”

On Dec. 6, artist and foundation member Sally G. Smith announced Landry's second win as the people's choice.

Smith informed the crowd gathered for the Art in the Square opening reception that Landry was the first artist to receive both of the coveted honors in the exhibition's six-year history.

Smith presented Landry with his prize ($1,000) to a rousing round of applause and whistles.

The East Boothbay/Ocean Point artist bought his first lathe 10 years ago and has been creatively applying all of his 55 years as a woodworker to good use.

The bowl comprises 1,700 pieces of natural wood, save for five colors of dyed birch, in 16 layers. Each layer is 3/16 of an inch and assembled on a lathe. Landry rotates the lathe after a layer is added. He has no idea what pattern will emerge until all layers have been added.

“This was a new style I started this year. It's the fourth one I've done of this type,” Landry said. “Each one is a different size and shape.”

Landry donated the first confetti piece to Special Olympics Maine for one of its fundraising auctions.

Prior to that auction, Landry said an art lover from Manhattan, New York City happened upon Landry's studio at Ocean Point. Landry had been working on a second confetti piece, which was about 90 percent complete and still on the lathe. And the man bought it right then and there.

“He said it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen,” Landry recalled. “He said he had to have it and asked me how much I wanted for it — it wasn't even done yet. So, I gave him a price and then he said something I have never heard before, in all the nine years I've had this studio. He said, 'Are you sure this is enough?”

When “the man from Manhattan” asked if he had any other pieces, Landry told him about the one he'd donated.

“He asked me to contact the people in charge of the auction to set up an open (phone) line so he could bid during the auction ... now he has two pieces,” Landry said.

He's a bit knocked out by all of the attention his new style has received. Knocked out, but delighted.

“I had hoped for something in the show (ARTinME), but I never expected to win first place,” Landry said. “And I never expected it to be the People's Choice ... it's all just been so great for me. That in itself is pretty exciting!”

Landry said he's working on another brand new design right now.

“It's the great part about all of this is — I'm 80 and still learning,” Landry said. “I always like doing and learning something new.”