Swirls and masses of pink-and-white peonies took the first-place, $5,000 prize in the Indiana Heritage Arts’ 40th Annual Exhibition and Sale at the Brown County Art Gallery in Nashville.
The acrylic painting, “Rainy Day Peonies,” was by Beth Clary Schwier of New Palestine. She won the gold prize, awarded by John and Sarah Lechleiter in memory of John R. Rardon.
Second prize of $3,000 was awarded to C.W. Mundy of Indianapolis for an oil painting of a ship scene titled “The Angelique, Nocturne.” The IHA Board of Directors awarded the prize. Mundy was the 2016 IHA Gold Award winner with a portrait titled “Old Fisherman.”
A landscape oil painting of a farm amid fall colors won a $2,000, third-place prize for Jerry Smith of Crawfordsville. The IHA Bronze Award was given by the Howard E. Hughes Trust. Hughes was a patron of art in Brown County. Smith’s painting is titled “Basic Ingredients.”
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
The IHA show of 100 works by 64 artists is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free. The gallery is at Artist Drive and Main Street. All paintings are for sale.
Some $30,000 in prize money was awarded.
Show visitors will be able to cast a vote for their favorite painting throughout June. The People’s Choice Award and $500 check will be announced at the end of the show on June 30.
The IHA purchased an oil painting by Libby Whipple of Avon of a mother and daughter seated at a table. The title is “Hoosier Lesson.” Whipple’s work won the Ada Shulz Memorial Award of $500, presented by Randall Tucker of Columbus.
“Mission of the show,” said Jim Ross, IHA show chairman, “is to keep alive the rich artistic tradition of Indiana art.” The show was juried by Stapleton Kearns, a New England landscape painter. He was recently awarded the top prize in a show of the Guild of Boston Artists, one of the oldest art associations in the United States.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Indiana Heritage Arts 40th Annual Exhibition awards” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
IHA Gold Award ($5,000): Beth Schweir, “Rainy Day Peonies”
IHA Silver Award ($3,000): C.W. Mundy, “The Angelique, Nocturne”
IHA Bronze Award ($2,000): Jerry Smith, “Basic Ingredients”
Directors’ Purchase Award: Libby Whipple, “Hoosier Lesson”
IHA ribbons ($1,000): Todd Reifers, “Warren Beach, Dunes State Park”; Ken Bucklew, “On the Wind Over Redfish Pass”; Marilyn Witt, “A Bow to Summer’s End”; Abby Laux, “Lamar Valley”
Frederick W. Rigley Memorial Award ($500): Luke Buck, “Greasy Creek Bottom Farm”
T.C. Steele Memorial Award ($500): Tim Greatbatch, “Blossoms at Yellowwood”
Ada Shulz Memorial Award ($500): Libby Whipple, “Hoosier Lesson”
Lucie Hartrath Memorial Award ($500): Jeanne McLeish, “Devil’s Backbone, Pine Hills”
C. Curry Bohm Memorial Award ($300): Patricia Rhoden, “Winter Retreat”
Carl Graf Memorial Award ($300): David Dale, “Cream Run Creek”
John “Abe” Eyed Memorial Award ($250): Fred Doloresco, “Morning Fog”
Margaret Colglazier Memorial Award Impressionistic Oil ($250): Jerry Smith, “Autumn Chord”
Taylor English Memorial Award ($250): Mark Burkett, “Granite Coast”
Will Vawter Memorial Award ($250): Fred Doloresco, “Harvest Moon”
Ronald O. Elkins Memorial Award ($250): Karen Graeser, “Storm Clouds Passing”
Adolph Shulz Memorial Award ($250): Karen Graeser, “Too Soon Gone”
Talbot Street Art Fair Inc. Merit Award ($500): Mark Ratzlaff, “Goodbye Bloomington”
Indiana Plein Air Painters Merit Award ($250): Todd Reifers, “Destin Beach”
Hoosier Salon Merit Award ($250): Carol Strock Wasson, “Soft Winter Light”
[sc:pullout-text-end]
