Throughout February, Galveston Art League will display entries accepted into its Winter Juried Show. See paintings such as “Beach Babes,” a watercolor by Gay Paratore of Santa Fe (Texas) that was awarded first place in the “works on paper” category. The Art League Gallery, 2117A Postoffice St., is open from 12:00pm to 6:00pm Friday thru Sunday. You may also view and shop works from the exhibit at www.GalvestonArtLeague.com. Judge Daniela Koontz described Paratore’s painting as “a lush document of our time. The theme is reminiscent of an internet selfie, but the scale and the remarkable watercolor technique make it otherworldly.”
Galveston Art League exhibits contest art
Throughout February, Galveston Art League will showcase 112 works accepted into its Winter Juried Show. Dozens of artists from Galveston County, Houston, and other locales submitted pieces to the competition, which was judged by Houston artist and educator Daniela Koontz.
You are invited to view the contest art in person from 12:00pm to 6:00pm Friday thru Sunday at the Art League’s gallery, 2117A Postoffice St. in downtown Galveston. To browse and shop online, please visit www.GalvestonArtLeague.com and click on “February show” on the homepage.
Best of Show was awarded to Houston painter Annika Farmer for her watercolor “Natasha Looking for Boris.” As part of her judging report, Koontz commented that “whoever painted this little crowd scene has an exceptional command of watercolor technique. Every texture and pattern is delicately handled. There is a fun play between finished and unfinished, between loose blooms and precision. The subject matter is also surprising and original. Bravo!” Farmer’s painting was entered in the Art League’s category of “works on paper.”
Koontz, who is a teacher in Alvin Independent School District, selected other awards as follows:
Works on Canvas or Panel
First place: Lisette McClung, “Quarry of Lights”; second: Peggy Kingsbury, “Armand Bayou Morning”; five honorable mentions: Jerry Bachman, “Black Cat’s Secret”; Amy Faggard, “Move Over Hot Pink”; Gay Paratore, “Fun with Fake Tattoos”; Ariane Edmundson, “Giving Green.”
Works on Paper
First: Gay Paratore, “Beach Babes”; second: Lynn Burke, “Cosmic Chaos”; honorable mention: Ruby E. Allen, “March Winds.”
Photography
First: Rebecah Thompson, “Head in the Clouds”; second: Gayle Pendergrass, “Foggy”; honorable mention: Morten Lamoey, “The Guardian Hawk.”
Mixed Media Wall-Hung
First: Ariane Edmundson, “Flamenco Flower”; second: Don Henderson, “2020, A Time for Hoarding.”
Works in 3-D
First: Becky Jolin, “David’s Gaze”; second: Casey Brechtel, “Snow Storm.”
Galveston Art League holds three juried shows per year, with the next one scheduled for May. A few weeks before each juried show, the prospectus for the contest can be downloaded from a link in the black sidebar on the homepage of www.GalvestonArtLeague.com.
These Art League-hosted competitions are open to nonmembers, who may enter up to three works with an entry fee of $20 for each one. Galveston Art League members receive a discount, paying $15 each for their first two entries and $5 for a third. Artists must be at least 15 years old to enter. The Best of Show artist receives $300; first-place winners are awarded $100; second place, $50.
The nonprofit Galveston Art League, founded in 1914, is supported by memberships (artists and non-artists are encouraged to join), show fees, gallery commissions, contributions, and an annual fall gala (canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic). The league, run exclusively by volunteers – there are no salaried personnel – promotes visual arts and art education in and beyond Galveston County.
To learn more about the organization, please visit www.GalvestonArtLeague.com. To find out about memberships, please click on the website’s “Join” tab. If you have questions, please email gallery2117@gmail.com.
