The McLean County Arts Center proudly presents its Annual Amateur Exhibition, showing now, and continuing through Friday, April 24 in the Brandt Gallery. The longest-running exhibition of its type in the state of Illinois, this year’s exhibition features 202 artworks by area high school students, university students, and adults. Featured work includes painting, graphics, photography, sculpture, and mixed media. The prize judge was Bloomington-based artist Phil Smith. Smith has an exhibition of his landscape paintings on display in the adjacent Armstong Gallery.
290 Artworks were Submitted
174 Artists Juried
202 Artworks on Display
The winner of this year’s Merwin Medal for Best of Show is by Natalie Troyer for her painting “Coffee Table Series”. (A photo of Ms. Troyer with her artwork is attached)
This year’s Ashley Ritter Award for Most Promising Art goes to ISU Student Kolin Wilkins
The DIRECTOR’S CHOICE Award Winner is Carl Olson for his painting “Ketchikan”
Other winners include:
HIGH SCHOOL
Painting:
1st place: “Grandpa’s Chevy” by Hailey Warfel
2nd place: “Unspoken” by Emersyn Moore
Graphics:
1st place: “Metamorphic Butterflies” by Shreya Mokashi
2nd place: “Sugar Rush” by Ellasyn Loudenburg
Photo/new media:
1st place: “Surrounded by Sound” by Vivian Wright
2nd place: “Pressure” by Mary Doll
Sculpture:
1st place: “Horrible Flesh Cube” by Oliver Oscar Grant
2nd place: “Chunky Jewelry Set” by Rylee Mosier
COLLEGE
Painting:
1st place: “Falling Back On Nothing To Fall Back On” by Kolin Wilkins
2nd place: “Poise” by Katherine Novotny
Graphics:
1st place: “My Emotional Support Bottle of Sriracha” by Alex Cox
2nd place: “This Beautiful Fantastic” by Amy Chiappetta
Photo/new media:
1st place: “Blessing” by Jade Nguyen
2nd place: “Looking In” by Jacqueline Buehler
Sculpture:
1st place: “Artifact 01” by Ian Cooper
2nd place: “Fasciated Orchid Series” by Melanie Portnov
Video: 1st place “Leco” by James McGurk
ADULT
Painting:
1st place; “For Your Health” by Susan Holifield
2nd place: “The Morrigan” by Sean-Thomas Gunnell
Graphics:
1st place: “From the Cocoon” by Natalie Maloy
2nd place: “TT” by Meghan Roller
Photo/New media:
1st. place: “Fishing in the Congo” by Laurie Bergner
2nd place “Foggy Morn at Angler’s” by Mardell Klasen
Sculpture:
1st place: “Steam Punkin” by Gina LaMonica
2nd place: “Idyllic Tower” by Vickie Fitzgerald
Fiber:
1st place: “Something So Indisputably Beautiful” by Didi Skidmore
2nd place: “Tattered Evolution” by Melanie Shellito
