The WeHa Artists Emporium’s Finders Keepers event was so successful that the group has now planned a spring treasure hunt – ‘Bunnies & Blooms.’

Clay bunnies created by Julie Phillipps for Bunnies & Blooms. Submitted photo

By Ronni Newton

In the darkest days of February, artist Julie Phillipps was already thinking about springtime, creating clay bunnies that she thought might be good subjects for another West Hartford treasure hunt. Thanks to the contribution of several West Hartford artists, more than 100 rabbits and flowers will be yours for the finding on April 11 in West Hartford.

“I loved that Finders Keepers was so much fun, and people got so excited about finding the rocks,” Phillipps said of the WeHa Artists Emporium overwhelmingly successful December treasure hunt.

Phillipps started off by making 10 bunnies, she said, just to see if it was doable. Then she involved fellow artist Stefanie Marco Lantz, who loved the idea and added “blooms” to the mix. The two pitched the idea to the rest of the WeHa Artists Emporium group, and “Bunnies & Blooms” was born.

“Bunnies & Blooms” will have a somewhat different format than Finders Keepers, which was a month-long event where participants found clues on Facebook and searched for rocks hidden in a different place every day. “Bunnies & Blooms” will be a one-day event, held on Saturday, April 11, 2015 (rain date April 18).

All of the “floppy-eared friends and colorful blossoms” will be hidden in one large space, which will be revealed on the WeHa Artists Emporium Facebook page and the Facebook event page at 9 a.m. on the event day.

Phillipps said that the location is “top secret” until the day of the event, but said it will be a “bigger kind of place” where many items can be hidden. She said it could be somewhere like the Reservoir, Elizabeth Park, or Conard High School, but those are not hints, just examples.

And Phillipps said there will be plenty of items to find. “There are going to be so many things out there, if you come out in the morning you’ll definitely find something,” she said. “I alone made 100 little clay bunnies.”

Between the clay bunnies, stuffed animals created by Megan Poulin, “mixed media blooms” by Marco Lanz, bloom bowls by Hannah Dunnack Jackson, and creations by Angela Shenk and Dawn Manogue, Phillipps said there are at least 150 items to find.

The event is about fun as well as about “spreading art” and connecting the community with local artists. All items in the treasure hunt are quality pieces of art, Phillipps said.

“Bunnies & Blooms” is for adults as well as for kids, Phillipps said. The softer stuffed animals are definitely “kid friendly,” but all will probably like the bunnies and the bloom bowls will probably appeal to the “older hunter,” Phillipps said.

“We could all use a little reward after this long, cold winter,” said Phillipps. “We want it to appeal to the adults as well as the kids who want to go out and find treasures.”

Phillipps said that one of the most fun parts about Finders Keepers was when people posted photos of the treasures they found. “We hope that people who find the bunnies and blooms will post pictures,” she said.

For more information about “Bunnies & Blooms” and other artistic endeavors, visit the WeHa Artists Emporium Facebook page.

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From left: Stefanie Marco Lanz, Julie Phillipps and Megan Poulin making Bunnies & Blooms. Submitted photo

One of Hannak Dunnack Jackson’s bloom bowls. Bunnies & Blooms. Submitted photo

Ornament by Angela Shenk. Bunnies & Blooms. Submitted photo

Stefanie Marco Lanz created mixed media blooms for Bunnies & Blooms. Submitted photo

Big bunny and blooms! Submitted photo