For two members of the Fort Lewis community, a hobby turned into national recognition and an extra wad of cash.

Captain Jason Heiner, a Madigan Army Medical Center emergency room resident, and Erica Watt, outreach coordinator with Lewis-McChord communities, placed in the 2009 Army Arts and Crafts contest.

Both winners said they entered the contest after seeing an ad just hours before deadline.

"I happened to look in a newspaper and saw the deadline was for that night, so I decided I just had to enter something," Heiner said.

Heiner used a digital photograph he shot of a large rock in Vermont and used PhotoShop to merge it with an acrylic painting of a human body. He titled the piece "Sediment."

"I had never done it before," he said. "I just thought it might work, and it kind of did."

Gloria Rodgers said "might work" was an understatement. Rodgers, manager and director of the Fort Lewis Arts and Crafts Center, described Heiner's submission as one of a kind.

"I have never seen anything like it," Rodgers said.

The judges agreed and awarded Heiner first place in the mixed media category.

Watt's submitted a beaded wristband for the contest, which she titled "Tribute to our Soldiers."

The band, which is a yellow ribbon and American flag combination set against a camouflage background, earned second place in the metals and jewelry category.

The military spouse said it contains approximately 3,000 glass beads and took her about 12 hours to make.

"I've always been into art and beading," said Watt, whose husband is in the Army. "I love it. I could do it all day every day."

Both winners said the artwork they do is a hobby.

"I feel like it brings balance, especially with work," Heiner said. "It makes me feel more well rounded and like a normal person."

Heiner took several children's art classes as an undergraduate student and illustrated children's stories as part of his class requirements. As a father of two, Heiner said he finds pleasure in combining art with his family - especially his children - to create unique images.

"It's fun to be doing something like this outside of work," he said.

His unique vision goes beyond the borders of an art frame and has earned the attention of high-ranking military officials.

"Just two months ago I designed the new Regional Command Team coin, so it's been kind of a fun year for art," Heiner said. "More has happened for us this year than the last few years."

Having been published in national beading and craft magazines, Watt is looking forward to the launch of her new business, "The Art Brigade."

The business will sell an array of handmade beaded jewelry, with 10 percent of profits going to the Fisher House.

While most of her pieces will have a patriotic theme, she likes to experiment and only uses quality materials, such as glass beads imported from Japan and Czech Republic.

"I do a lot of mixed collage type stuff where I use embroidery that I do with the beads and different fiber arts," she said.

Watt describes herself as a multi-tasker who enjoys playing with different colors.

"I enjoy color coordination, and this is super relaxing," she said.

Rodgers was responsible for viewing all entries from JBLM and submitting forward the ones she thought were the best to the Department of the Army for final judging.

"Both pieces were just exquisite," Rodgers said. "They're amazing."