SIDNEY — Artist Dan Knepper, of Jackson Center, won the Best of Show Award at the Spring Fling 2016 Fine Art Exhibit for his watercolor painting, What’s in a Name. Gateway Arts Council announced the awards during the exhibit’s opening reception last night.
The award is presented by Behr Design, Wilson Hospital, Allison’s Jewelry, Creative Marketing Strategies, The Spot Restaurant and the Miami Centre Mall.
“We would like to take this opportunity to share our deep gratitude to our sponsors. Their support has helped us bring this superb exhibit to Shelby County for almost 18 years,” said Gateway Arts Council’s Executive Director Ellen Keyes.
Top honors among the categories are as follows:
Watermedia: First Place (The Huffer Chiropractic Award) – Dan Knepper, of Jackson Center, Color and Light; Second Place – Kathy Moeller, of Sidney, Looking In; Third Place – Rosemary Kienle, of Piqua, Savannah In the Late Afternoon.
3D: first place (The Doris Allenbaugh Memorial Award), Rick Paldino, of Troy, Large Bucket; second place, Gary Hovey, of New Knoxville, Whoos Hungry; third place, Butch Emswiler of Fletcher, Rollin Pin.
Miscellaneous Art: first place (The Sidney Electric Company Award), Jan Lendino, of Troy, O Happy Day; second place, Michelle Geissbuhler, of Worthington, Tied to the Land; third place, Annie King, of Bellefontaine, Young Ones.
Drawing: first place (Ron & Nita’s, Tom and Polly Watkins Award), Isaac Smith, of Bowling Green, Turned; second place, Kathy Moore, of Casstown, Nestled and Tucked Still Life; third place, Phillip Erbaugh, of Brookville, Brake Time.
Oils and Acrylics: first place (The Mary Beth Milligan Memorial Award), Steven Walker, of Columbus, Back Alley Blue; second place, Barbara Carruthers, of Worthington, Last Snow; third place, Audrey Moody, of Columbus, Almost Harvest.
Photography: first place, Jeff Doseck, of Wapakoneta, The Roxie. second place, Cathy Huber, of Lima, View from Guinness Storehouse; third place, Jodi Knoch, of Wapakoneta, Untitled.
This year’s exhibit included 160 pieces submitted by 60 artists. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public May 6 through June 10, helps to make the arts available to as many people in Shelby County as possible. The hours for the exhibit are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekends and evenings are by appointment.
The “creative awareness” brought by the arts can be vital to the quality of life in people and in the community. It helps to encourage communication, teamwork, expression, sense of community, and creativity and imagination. The arts are a reflection of life, and therefore make for common ground, spanning every kind of gap between people. They are a universal language among people, and give us a better understanding of our world, said Keyes .
