VVAA Holds July Awards Reception

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

An open reception and exhibit was held at the Mesquite Fine Arts Center on Thursday, July 22 to honor the winners of the monthly themed exhibit entitled “My Home Town”. A solid crowded turn out to view the artwork and cheer on the winners of the July competition, sponsored this month by the Eureka Resort.

There was wine and champagne as well as soft drinks being served, as well as small buffet of finger foods. And a good many artsy discussions were going on about the works on exhibit.

This month an awards record was broken. For the first time ever, one talented local artist received four of the major awards for the same painting.

Floyd Johnson’s painting entitled New York, New York was so impressive it swept the show taking top awards for Best of Show, The People’s Choice, Sponsor’s Choice, and the Mayor’s choice.

The painting was done with acrylic and a felt tipped pen. It portrays a beautiful view of the New York city skyline at night, with thousands of small points of light on a dark canvas.
“I was overwhelmed at the response,” Johnson said in an interview with The Progress.

Johnson explained that he had only become a gallery artist by a very circuitous route. “In the 1960’s I was a commercial artist,” he said. “One day a gallery offered me exhibit space if I could keep it filled.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could make a living from my art. Yet I have ever since then.”
First Place award in the show went to Vanessa Temple for her painting entitled “Nite Owl, Fall River, MA.”

The Second Place winner in the show was Lynn Craven for a very intricate and detailed wood-burn piece called “Castle Combe, UK, A Hometown Village.”

The third place award went to Randy Bauman for his photograph of “Natchez Trace Sunset.”

Winning honorable mention in the competion were Brad Marston for “Floating Zion”; Linda Harris for “Mesquite Strong Mayor”; Susan McPherson for “Cherry Blossom Sunrise” and Bonita Gamboa for “Colorado Homestead.”

Harris, whose artwork was a portrait of Mesquite Mayor Al Litman, said, “I was inspired by the mayor’s daily COVID update videos last year. He always ended with something upbeat and ‘Mesquite Strong’. I painted from those videos to capture his personality.”

The Mesquite Fine Arts Center Artist of the Month, Mike Fletcher, was also in attendance. His colorful abstract work as well as paintings of serene landscapes, have been displayed in the second gallery at the center throughout the month of July. While visiting the center do not miss going into the second gallery, always Artist of the Month work is displayed there.

Next month the competition theme will be “The Nature of Things.” The exhibit will be sponsored by Elizabeth Etie.