Jurors awarded Alex Brand of Greenbrier County the Best of Show for his marble-patterned blown glass vase at the 7th Annual Best of West Virginia Juried Exhibition at Tamarack in Beckley.
Vernon F. Howell of Cabell County was awarded second place for his mixed media collage “Room for Calder” and Byron Young of Kanawha County received third place for his turned wood vessel, “Pandora’s Hope” during the June 15 event at the David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery at Tamarack. The event before a standing-room only crowd also marks the opening of the juried exhibition, which will be on display at the Dickirson gallery through August 3, 2014.
The team of jurors representing regions from around the state lauded the show’s more than 100 artists for “an amazing revisit to traditional techniques” that pay “tribute to the old masters while being relevant to modern art.”
“The artwork highlights excellence in portraiture; an elegant and sentimental connection to the Mountain State; the work invites exploration with its playful, yet sophisticated components,” were among the comments from jurors viewing the entries. “The tremendous attention to detail exhibits outstanding workmanship; the work is a powerful contemporary homage to West Virginia’s rich glass heritage – the multi-layering with a splash of gold draws the viewer into an orchestra of light, color and technique.”
The annual exhibition recognizes the best artists and artisans in painting, sculpture, photography, glass, wood, and other artistic media. The Tamarack Artisan Foundation sponsored awards to artisans thanks to donations from Mr. Zan George and the Alex D. and Alice E. George Fund and at the Beckley Area Foundation; and Mr. Ron DeWitt.
The Tamarack Artisan Foundation, a 2013 Top-Rated Non-profit, advocates and works to expand artisan entrepreneurship to boost West Virginia’s economy. It provides small business training and support services to artisans throughout the Mountain State. Arts-related jobs contribute nearly $19 million annually to the state’s economy.
Merit Awards at the Juried Exhibition were:
Stephanie Danz, Fayette County: kaleidoscope “Crystal Spring”
George Knipe, Berkeley County: oil painting “Deer Bologna & Saltines”
Angie Johnson, Mason County: photography/illustration “No One Comes In, No One Goes Out … Except the Birds”
Sandra Wight, Grant County: graphite portrait “Pearl S. Buck”
For more information about the Tamarack Artisan Foundation, visit www.TamarackFoundation.org.
Full List of Awards
Best of Show $1,500
Alex Brand, Greenbrier County, Marble Encalmo Vase (blown glass vase)
Alex Brand
224 Crowfield Circle
Lewisburg, WV 24901
Second Place $1,000
Vernon F. Howell, Cabell County, Room for Calder (mixed-media collage)
Vernon Howell
219 Helen Lane
Barboursville, WV 25504
Third Place $500
Byron Young, Kanawha County, Pandora’s Hope (turned wood vessel)
Byron Young
1346 Frogs Creek Road
Charleston, WV 25312
Merit Awards $250 each
George Knipe, Berkeley County,Deer Bologna & Saltines (oil painting)
George Knipe
P. O. Box 504
Bunkerhill, WV 25413
Angie Johnson, Mason County, No One Comes in, No One Goes Out… Except the Birds (photography/Illustration)
Angie Johnson
2800 Chandler Drive
Point Pleasant, WV 25550
Stephanie Danz, Fayette County, Crystal Spring (kaleidoscope)
Stephanie Danz
145 Sarah Street
Fayetteville, WV 25840
Sandra Wright, Grant County, Pearl S. Buck (graphite portrait)
Sandra Wright
641 Paulstahl Road
Mount Storm, WV 26739
