PIQUA — Piqua Arts Council’s 28th Annual Piqua Fine Art Exhibition is open to the public. The exhibition takes place on the second floor of the Apple Tree Gallery in Downtown Piqua and features over 80 artists and more than 160 works of art. The exhibition will run until Friday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. and is free to attend.
Chris Krupinski, a nationally recognized watercolorist, was the juror this year. Chris is a Dolphin Fellow (the highest level) of the American Watercolor Society, signature member of the National Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America (Master Status), Watercolor West – Master, and Allied Artists, to name a few. She is the recipient of over 200 national and regional awards including the top award in the 2018, 2015, and 2013 Adirondack Exhibition of American Watercolors, first in Watercolor West 2016, first in Alabama Watercolor Society 2018, Best in Show in North East Watercolor Society in 2019 and a medallion award winner in the 2013 and 2015 American Watercolor Society Exhibition. Chris has been published in major watercolor publications and has been a featured artist in numerous leading national art magazines. She was featured on both the cover and a feature article in the October 2014 issue of The Artists Magazine. Most recently, Chris was featured with a step-by-step demonstration in The Art of Watercour magazine 30th edition.
Awards were announced at a virtual reception for the exhibition. In a video put together by Piqua Arts Council Executive Director Jordan Knepper, more than $3,300 in prize money was given away to winners across six categories: drawing, water media, oil & acrylics, photography, three dimensional works, and miscellaneous along with a few special awards and best of show. The video of the reception can be found on the Piqua Arts Council’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PiquaArtsCouncil.
The first awards of the night announced were the Library Purchase Awards. There were chosen by Jim Oda, Executive Director of the Piqua Public Library. Winners were Jeanette Ferguson for “Keep Your Eye on the Ball,” Connie Gifford for “My First Wheels No. 3,” and Jennifer Walker for “A Welcome Sight.” All pieces will be part of the permanent art collection at the library and be rotated for display with special exhibits.
The next award announced was the Thelma Anderson Best Piqua Artist Award. The award was put in place to encourage local artists to enter the Piqua Art Exhibition and was renamed after Thelma Anderson the long-time employee of Apple Tree Gallery, where the exhibition is hosted. This year’s award went to a single piece being recognized as the best entry from a Piqua artists. The work selected was “In The Deep” by Evelyn Mahrt.
Following that announcement was the Kathy Oda Memorial Award. The Kathy Oda Memorial Award is awarded to the best black and white photography and is donated in the memory of Kathy Oda an avid black and white photographer. This year’s award went to “Reds Fan” by Paul Wilbur.
After the special awards the individual categories were announced.
For the three-dimensional category third place went to Pamela J. Ridenour for “Tall, Dark and Reflective,” second place went to Phil Wood for “Wise Council” and first place went to Jodi Knoch for “Untitled” a felt heart creation.
For the miscellaneous category honorable mentions were awarded to Pam Summers for “Fall Fantasy” and Bruce Soifer for “The Lavender Picker,” with third place going to Carol Korros for “Canyon Shadows,” second place going to William Smith III for “Johnson Farm No. 2,” and first place going to Jan Lendino for “Shape Shifter.”
In the drawing category an honorable mention went to Kyna Paul for her work “Blue Truck,” third place to J. Lynne Dodson for “Lavendar Sage Path,” second place to Tom Lehman for “Kieferville Stop” and first place to Carol Strock Wasson for “Winter Field.”
In photography honorable mentions went to Ken Maggi for “Harvest Time” and another honorable mention for his work “1941 Allegheny Locomotive Gauges.” Calen Fledderjohann also was awarded an honorable mention for “Face Painting.” Third place went to Mark Fohl for “Wine in the Window,” second place went to Eric Reidinger for “Gymnasium Tags” and first place went to Cathy Huber for “Morning Light.”
In the Oil & Acrylic category honorable mentions went to Barbara Houdeshell for “Quiet Encounter,” Steven Wohler for “Kiser Lake Marina,” Marcia Maas for “Autumn Splendor,” with third place going to Jennifer Gundling for “Fall Berries,” second place going to Barbara Houdeshell for “Downtown Waterville Spirit” and first place going to Steve Wohler for “German Street Crossing.”
In the final category of water media honorable mentions went to Jeanette Ferguson for “Evening Guard,” Diana Hoke for “Neighborhood Watch” and Bonnie Kuntz for “Midnight Run,” with third place going to Donna Pierce-Clark for “Joy in Fishtown,” second place to Jennifer Sowders for “Cooler Weather” and first place going to Shirlee Bauer for “The Agony.”
After thanking the sponsors, Alley and Bradl, LLC, Jackson Tube Service, Koverman Staley Dickerson Insurance, Buckeye Insurance Group and Ameriprise Financial – Mullenbrock and Associates, Knepper announced the best of show winner. The 2020 Best of Show Award went to Dan Knepper for his work titled, If I Could Walk on Water.
Anyone wishing to purchase artwork should reach out to the Piqua Arts Council at 937-773-9630.
