By BOBBIE GREEN
The Progress
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, the Mesquite Women’s History & Culture Center sponsored the Virgin Valley Artist Association’s monthly competition themed “Through Our Eyes.” The awards ceremony was held on Thursday afternoon, Mar. 21 at the Mesquite Fine Arts Center.
A sizeable crowd showed up as there was also the student art exhibit going on in the 2nd gallery, along with the artist of the month display.
Receiving the grand honor of “Best of Show” was Linda Harris for her southwest-style watercolor, “Leaping Lizards.”
“This was my first attempt at surrealism,” Harris said. “The man jumping over the lizard is my hiking buddy. The painting depicts our hiking fun.”
Mayor’s Choice went to photograph “We See EWE” by Charyn McDonnell. She also took an honorable mention for the piece.
Sponsor’s Choice went to Tyler Roylance for his mixed media piece “Look Around.” The piece also took 2nd place in the Dimensional Art and Earth Elements category.
The People’s Choice award went to “The First Selfie,” by Catherine Rountree. It was a clever interpretation of her young granddaughter looking into a pool of water, done in oil paints. She also received an honorable mention for the piece in the brushed art category.
In the Photography and Digital Art category 1st place went to a hand-tinted Photograph of “Preservation Hall” by Shirley Smith. Second place went to Charyn McDonnell for her double photograph of “Sometimes I see Double.” Honorable Mention went to Shirey Smith for “Blowing In The Wind.”
In the Brushed Art Category 1st place went to Vanessa Fullman for her oil painting of a “Great Horn” owl. This piece was a first-time entry into the competition
“I like to paint wildlife,” said Fullman, who is a resident of Logandale. “I am very excited about winning and I will be entering the competition again.”
Second place in brush art went to Kaylea Layah W. Whitefeather for her almost scary acrylic of “The Spirit of Thunder.” Honorable mention went to Linda Harris for “Me Looking at Me.”
In the Drawing and Sketch category 1st Place went to “The Lye Tree” a pastel by Catherine Rountree. 2nd Place went to Rita Fulmer for “Eyes See It All,” a graphic drawing on dried teabags. Honorable mentions in the category went to Joy Reidwick and Amy Wells.
In the Dimensional Art and Earths Elements category, 1st Place went to Paulette Schermerhorn for a quilt-like textile entitled “Whoo do you See.” Honorable mentions went to Elena Ahrens and Steve Dudrow.
Student art from local elementary schools was displayed in the second gallery. Nine-year-old Ella Klug was there proudly showing off her artwork of a leaf fashioned in silver wire. Klug is a 4th grader at J.L. Bowler Elementary school in Bunkerville.
There were a couple of large communial poster pieces to which all the art class students contributed their imagination and skills.
The public is always invited to view the art at the Mesquite Arts Gallery.
