The 26th Annual West Alabama Juried Art Show exhibit of local artists’ work will open with a reception on Nov. 21 to showcase the winners.
The exhibit, presented by The Arts and Humanities Council of Tuscaloosa County, will begin with a reception and the presentation of awards on Nov. 21 from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and the exhibit will run through Dec. 14 at the Bama Theatre’s Junior League Gallery. Admission is free to the public.
Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and during Bama Theatre events. The Junior League Gallery is located on the second floor of the PARA Building. Attendees should enter the gallery through this entrance, which is adjacent to the theatre and where the Arts Council offices are located.
Kevin Ledgewood, publicist for the Arts Council, said the show was opened to artists in Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale and Pickens counties. Artists had to be 18 or older and the artwork must be an original.
“It’s an attempt to bring individual artists together in the community and encourage them to show their work,” Ledgewood said. “And if they have a chance to show their work then they’re more likely to paint or explore their medium even more. That’s the goal of the Arts Council, to encourage that.”
The West Alabama Juried Art Show was first established under Gail Skidmore, a former executive director of the Arts Council, Ledgewood said.
Sharron Rudowski, education director for the Arts Council, said there were 118 pieces submitted for the art show with 45 artists participating. 65 were accepted into the exhibit.
The exhibit includes oil, watercolor, acrylic, glass, fiber, wood and photography from the artists Rudowski said.
“It’s growing each year,” she said. “We’ve had almost twice as many entries this year than we did in the past. We had enough entries this year to fill two galleries.”
The awards included The Michael Goodson and Richard Zoellner Purchase Award (Best of Show) with a prize amount of $750 to Sky Shineman for “Olentangy” an oil on canvas; the Gail Skidmore Memorial cash award (second place) with a prize amount of $300 to Keyser Wilson for “Remants” an acrylic painting; third place with a prize amount of $100 went to Hallie O’Kelley for “Memories of Edgewood Farm – Hinton, Iowa” a hand quilting, screen printing, hand dyeing quilt; and two honorable mentions Maurice Clabaugh for “Spray” a Manzanita Root Burl (wood sculpture) and Pamela Copeland for “Orchid Gazing” an oil painting.
Shineman, an assistant professor in the department of art and art history who teaches painting, won the best of show prize. Her piece “Olentangy” was named after a river in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
“It’s not of the river,” Shineman said. “This painting just kind of reminded me of the experience of seeing that river or being around it.”
Shineman entered the show last year and was invited to enter a piece this year. She said she enjoys being a part of the art community in Tuscaloosa.
“I’m really honored that they chose me out of such a strong group of work,” Shineman said. “I think it’s great they put on an annual show for the community.
The artwork was submitted Nov. 1 through 5 and was judged by Deborah Karpman, professor of studio art and co-director of foundations at the University of Montevallo, Rudowski said.
Shineman’s piece will be accepted into the gallery permanently, while most of the artwork will be on sale at the exhibit.
The Arts Council will be available to help people who wish to purchase artwork get into contact with the artists to make negotiations, Ledgewood said.
The Arts Council is currently in the process of setting up a second gallery. It will allow more space for exhibitions of local artwork, Rudowski said. The new gallery will be ready at the beginning of 2011.
“As far as the entire Arts Council, we are thrilled that so many people entered the show and are so enthusiastic about their craft,” Ledgewood said.
For more information about the Arts Council call 758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org.
