By BOBBIE GREEN
The Progress
The Virgin Valley Artist Association (VVAA) held its monthly awards reception on Thursday, May 19. The theme for the month’s contest exhibit was “Animals in the Wild.” The May exhibit drew 69 entries. Many of these were photographs capturing the animals in the wild while eating.
Sponsoring the May exhibit was Bank of Nevada. The Sponsor’s Choice award went to Susan Acree for a detailed pencil drawing of two Giraffes entitled “Mama and Me.”
The People Choice Award went to Cheryle Sachse for her watercolor of “What are you looking at?” She also won an honorable mention for “Color Explosion.”
The Mayor’s Choice award went to Nord Johnson for a mixed media “Let sleeping Fox lie.” The work portrayed a fox asleep in his lair.
Best of Show award went to a very familiar artist in Mesquite: Floyd Johnson. His artwork entitled “Camouflage” pictures a giraffe blending in, while standing beside a rock fence
Johnson said he had been thinking of doing this picture for quite a while. But this theme lent to his imagination and got it done.
“I feel especially honored by the award because there are so many other really good pieces in this exhibition,” Johnson said.
He was also very proud that his son Nord won the Mayor’s Choice Award.
The first place award went to Jane Johnson for “The Heron.” Second Place for “Swan Song” went to Shirley Smith. Third Place went to Janet Trobough for “Ravens.”
The Emerging Artist award went to Patti Davis for “Recycle, Reuse, Rescue” depicting a turtle swimming through the water. Davis was particularly excited because this was her first win ever.
“I love Turtles!” Davis said. “I even have one tattooed on my foot.”
Honorable Mentions went to Amy Wells, for “Bill;” Randy Bauman for “Valley Sentinel;” Cheryl Sachse for “Color Explosion;” and Kathleen Birkholz for her sculpture: “Splish Splash.”
“Splish Splash” caught my attention. After all, who can resist a rhinoceros taking a bath.
VVAA President Dotti Golden announced winners, while the art patrons drank wine and snacked on hors d’oeuvres.
The themed competition for the month of June should be really interesting, as the theme is “Your Favorite Song Title.”
