36th Art in Gadsden Award Winners Announced
Celebrating with special events all summer long
A perfect way to celebrate the Gadsden Arts Center & Museum’s 30th year is to congratulate the artists who have won awards in our annual juried exhibition, a tradition that later grew to become Gadsden Arts! As a community art museum, we are grateful to everyone who supports our organization. This year’s show is made possible in part by our Impact Fund donors and presenting sponsors Thomas Howell Ferguson, P.A. and Black Fig.
The 36th Art in Gadsden presents 100 beautifully made works of art by established and emerging artists. The show will be celebrated with special events all summer long, including a luncheon with recent Best of Show award-winning artists on June 27, Artist’s Studio Visits on July 27, and workshops with acclaimed artists Eluster Richardson and Joseph Roache in August. Visit www.gadsdenarts.org to register.
Our juror, Erin Wolfe Bell, had quite a task to select just eight award winners from the show. Ms. Wolfe Bell brings a wealth of experience to our region’s cultural community, having moved with her family to Thomasville, Georgia, to lead the Thomasville Center for the Arts. She brings decades of experience in leadership, curation, fundraising and community engagement and has selected works of art with rich content and excellence in their execution for these awards.
Best Of Show went to Cathy Hathaway for her acrylic painting, “Joyce.”
Sponsored by Doug Croley Insurance Services, Inc., Mary Katherine Lawler and Will Croley, the Best of Show award went to Cathy Hathaway for her acrylic painting Joyce. Of this piece, Hathaway said, “Joyce taught art at Godby the same time I taught at Maclay. We had many discussions about art.”
“Hathaway’s portrait is an ingenious tribute to Joyce,” Erin Wolfe Bell observed. “The artist used art historical references throughout this portrait. In its design, Hathaway has a Matisse-like use of color and shape and a composition that resembles Grandma Moses. You can see several more nods to great art in the scene while Joyce looks out frankly at the viewer. This piece is just great.”
First place, sponsored by Iron Oak Wealth Management, Alexander Hinson, was awarded to Sarah Painter Hayes for her acrylic and gold leaf painting, Black Bear Girl.
First Place went to Sarah Painter Hayes for for her acrylic and gold leaf painting, “Black Bear Girl.”
“Black Bear Girl symbolizes the future generation, tasked with the solemn responsibility of protecting and preserving the wilderness for generations to come. Her serious expression reflects the gravity of this duty, while the presence of the bear cub underscores the interconnectedness of all living beings,” Hayes said about this painting.
Second Place went to Yoshiko Murdick for her watercolor painting, “Nature In The Raw.”
Second place, sponsored by Lines, Hinson, and Lines, Alex Hinson, was awarded to Yoshiko Murdick for her watercolor painting, Nature in the Raw, which Murdick said was inspired by this “big tangled mess in nature.” Juror Wolfe-Bell said she could relate to this piece as an avid hiker—the moment when you are absolutely absorbed in the environment around you.
Sponsored by Full Earth Farm, Lucy Harris, the Third Place award was given to Doell West for her acrylic painting on wood, Sitting Chair. Ms. West has a unique style of art that harkens back to the colorful and intricate designs painted by gypsies on their donkey carts. Her work gives new life to old items, and “allows you to sit down on your art,” said West.
Third Place went to Dorothy West for her acrylic painting on wood, “Sitting Chair.”
Ms. Wolfe Bell recognized four more remarkable pieces for Honorable Mentions this year: Joel Thornton, My Three Kids, oil on canvas; Jimmy Nicholson, Before the Harvest Begins, gelatin silver print; Meredith Maloney, Woodpecker Canopy, handmade felt fiber art; and Janice Ecinja McCaskill, Pork Chops and Pancakes, acrylic on canvas.
The 36th Art in Gadsden exhibition, three additional exhibitions, including Debbie Gaedke: The Way of Water, and a new GACM Artists Guild exhibition are on view at Gadsden Arts Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for members, children ages 17 and under, and families on Saturdays and $3–$5 for nonmember adults. Every Saturday is a free Family Day at Gadsden Arts! For information, visit www.gadsdenarts.org.
