By Taylor McKinnie
For The Inter-Mountain
ELKINS – Local and state artists showed off their best work at this year’s Mountain State Forest Festival Annual Fall Juried Arts and Student Exhibition.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30, the Art Center began the exhibit, showcasing pieces from local students and artists across the state. During the reception, guests were treated to refreshments and piano accompaniment.
As part of the annual exhibition, awards were given out during the reception by Dani Cade, the Art Center’s executive director.
“The exhibition reflects the heart of our mission by giving artists and students a place to share their creativity,” Cade said during the reception. “Our community Art Center creates these opportunities through arts education, connection and recognition. So we give artists of all ages a place to participate and shine.”
The following winning student art pieces were announced:
For the Elementary Age category, third place went to the piece “Love and Land,” second place went to “Two Pages From the Same Book” and first place went to “Peeking Pigeons.”
For the Middle School Age category, first place went to “Sleeping Floofshroom.” This was the only piece submitted in this category.
For the High School Age category, third place went to “Angelina Jolie,” second place went to “Radial” and first place went to “Color Monkey.”
Maid Silvia LXXXVIII Emma Grace Snyder and her Maids of Honor, Kendall Rayann Corley and Grace Elizabeth Parsons, visited the Art Center on Sept. 29 to view the submitted pieces and choose their favorites to be awarded.
Parsons picked “Fishing at Sandstone Falls” as her Mountain State Forest Festival Maid of Honor Choice Award. Corley picked “Derby Days” for her Mountain State Forest Festival Maid of Honor Choice Award. For the Mountain State Forest Festival Queen’s Choice Award, Snyder picked “Queen Anne’s Lace.”
“The Remedy” was selected by Davis Trust Company for the Davis Trust Purchase Prize, meaning the piece will be displayed and honored as part of the Davis Collection in downtown Elkins. The West Virginia Watercolor Society Award went to “Childhood Memories.” The Seneca Trail Artist Guild Special Awards were presented to “Footprints” and “The Remedy.”
The following winning Art Center pieces were also announced:
The Third Place Award went to “Mona and the Monarch,” Second Place went to “Scenic Route-Valley Falls,” and the First Place Award went to “The Blossoms Wait in Vain.”
The Art Center’s Best of Show was presented to “Untitled” by Chet Lowther, a visual artist and musician based in Charleston.
The Art Center also showcased in it’s Maxwell Gallery photography by Philips Kolsun, in a solo exhibit titled, “Mountain Roots, Open Roads.” Kolsun’s exhibit will be open to the public until Nov. 18.
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