Best of Show Artists awarded in 2011

Best of Show Artists awarded in 2010

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Clayworks

Cathra-Anne Barker

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Drawing

Michael McKee

My current work reflects a love for the medium of soft pastels, and an appreciation of the balance between ‘color, expression and technique.’ There is a connected energy I feel with this medium that I get from no others, and the fine grain of pigment in my hands feels as if I am painting with the earth itself.

This connection through bold expressions of color and shape, give every stroke of my pastels purpose, bringing each piece to life. My ‘landscape’ and ‘Abstract’ impressions are inspired from simple memories of moments and places, and are all created with a spirit of joy.

Growing up outside of Cleveland Ohio in a musical family, my Mom and Dad provided my 3 sisters and myself with a strong appreciation for the joy of creative effort, and the value of art and music in the human experience. For this, and much more I will always be grateful.

Glass

Dehanna Jones

A native of Seattle, and daughter of an auctioneer she was surrounded by her father’s Tiffany glass collection and antique store. This early exposure to Art Nouveau had a lasting influence on her work. While studying for a BFA in ceramics and a BA in art at the University of Washington, Native American artist Marvin Oliver asked her to research glass casting for a project of his. She was immediately taken by the molten material and decided to branch out and study blown glass.

Blown glass is the major material used in the execution of her artwork. Incorporated are technical elements of hot glass sculpting and casting in my predominately blown forms. She uses intense contemporary colors and bold patterns as a design element expressing my unique sense of style. This is created by layering many opaque and transparent colors separated by thin layers of clear, giving the color a depth and richness not seen in most blown forms.

Jewelry

Don McCoy

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Mixed Media 2D

Aaron Hequembourg

Aaron Hequembourg was formally trained in engraving and printmaking on a scholarship to the University of Iowa.Upon graduating,without a press, Aaron started to produce abstracted figurative paintings engraved into wood panels.

In 1997 Aaron and his wife Hope were married in the front yard of a farm that has been in her family since 1815. They proceeded to move into the farmhouse and have four children, over the course of their lives there, a family member suggested burning down the sharecropper houses that were scattered over the farm. First seeing the value of the wood Aaron began to salvage materials for his contemporary work, however after experiencing the history of the buildings and the objects inside them he was inspired to research period photography for subject matter. The result is the most successful body of work he has ever produced.

Painting

Eric Lee

My approach to painting reflects my philosophy about aesthetics in general... that the key to what "works"... and by the same token doesn't work for me, lies in the transitions. The effective juxtaposition of what may seem to be conflicting or incompatible colors, may lie in the way they blend... how one handles the segue.

As my work evolves, I seek to explore that core concept...the effect of blending and transition from one color, form...and even material to another.

I suppose that in a broad sense, this is my world view as well. That the key to things working between people of various groups...differing genders, religions, national origins, sexual preferences...and colors, lies in our ability to see the beauty inherent in each...allowing them to be who they are and our willingness to see the beauty in the subtlety that connects us.

Sculpture

John Mowen

After twenty five years as a designer, I felt a 'deepening' and a need to acknowledge a stronger pull toward stone. I was mystified by what seemed to be a pregnancy, something waiting to be revealed in each rock. I began to experience an organic process of simultaneous ascension and descension. There was the exhilaration of the new adventure. And there was the movement down inside myself, feelings of frustration and inadequacy as I began to touch the unknown.

What began as an exploration into stillness and simplicity evolved into what I have observed to be an interface between the creative and the sacred. From the obviousness of the Sanctuaries to the mystery of the Sacred Symbols the work reflects the healing of the creative process.

In this exploration, spontaneity and trust became the creation, the stone became the vehicle. I was the viewer, observing that with a single edge revealed or even a complete penetration of the stone, the passion directing me would fade and disappear - the stone laid aside for months or sometimes years of gestation, challenging my old ideas of doing and productivity.

Descending into the discomfort of slowness and waiting, silence spoke and the not doing began to reveal immense accomplishments. A veritable parade of archetypes - the lovers and the warriors - sprang up inside me. These images coming through that speak of who we are collectively, draw in light to those places often left in the shadows.

The greatest blessings of this work come from connecting to others who also feel that our passion and where we go inside ourselves with what we do in the world is vital to the survival of the soul.

Tanya Doskova

Tanya Doskova is a Bulgarian-born, Canadian artist living in Vancouver, BC. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Printmaking. In 1990, Tanya moved from Sofia, Bulgaria to London, UK, where she had her work presented in more than 20 group exhibitions and was featured in three solo exhibitions in Soho.

In 1995 Tanya moved to Canada and in 1996 and 1997 she won five major Canadian Awards from the Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators (CAPIC).

From 1998 to 2002 she did computer animation and special effects for the film industry in London, UK and Vancouver, BC. Tanya worked in U2 and Ridley Scott's post- production house ‘The Mill’ and in Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in England, creating special effects for the Hollywood motion pictures: 'Enemy of the State', 'Babe 2', and 'Pitch Black'.

In 2010 Tanya Doskova won an Award of Excellence in The Communication Arts Illustration Annual Competition. This prestigious American award and the publication of her images in The Communication Arts Magazine gave her worldwide exposure and recognition.

Image is everything. Image transcends through time, space and technique. My imagery is reflecting on life, telling a story.

Drawing/Printmaking

Yan Lee

Clay

Debra Steidel-Rollin

Glass

John McDonald

Painting

Chris Hartsfield

Chris Hartsfield is a self trained watercolorist who works primarily with bright, clean colors to achieve a realistic style of painting. His technique produces a complicated yet detailed scene which reveals an understanding of depth and realism. He enjoys painting a variety of subjects, including still life, landscape, street scenes, floral, and nautical scenes. His compositions are well balanced and flowing, keeping the observers' eye engaged.

His realistic paintings utilize flat planes of color layered rather loosely to produce a sense of realism. Since Hartsfield began his art career in 1988, he has had paintings accepted in national and regional watercolor competitions. Including The American Watercolor Society, The National Watercolor Society, Arts For The Parks, The Rocky Mountain National, The Southern Watercolor Society, The Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma Watercolor Society shows. He has won numerous "Best Of Show" and other awards in over 350 juried art shows. His paintings are bought by both private and corporate collectors.

Photography/Digital Art

John Scanlan

Jewelry

Teri Pelio

Wood

Dan Fischer

Dan Fischer is a native Houstonian. After graduating from Pasadena High School and attending Lee College and University of Houston, he worked for Exxon-Mobile for 41 years in the Engineering Department. During that time he enjoyed building several of his own homes, furniture, as well as custom made cabinets.

As a hobby Dan has always liked working with wood of all kinds. In 2000 he started working with the Ringmaster. The Ringmaster cuts rings off a lathe. At the present time he designs using graph paper to get degrees and angles to create exotic wooden vases. He starts with flat pieces of exotic wood and cuts rings using a graphic design. He then sands and balances each ring, then glues the rings together with pressure clamps. When the rings are completely dry they are put on the lathe to finish out and sand up to 1500 grit. He uses Shellawax for the finish coat and buffs with the Beall System. From this comes the fine art of beautiful Exotic Wooden Creations.

Mixed Media 3D

Bob Stern

Bob and Patti Stern, of The Perfect View, use wonderfully old architectural artifacts and construct them into truly one-of-a-kind art pieces. All of the elements used are circa 1850-1910.

Bob and Patti create every finish for antiquity using patinas, glazes and hand rubbing and weathering techniques. Bob constructs our creations with salvaged barnsiding, Victorian hardware and antique architectural findings to transform them into art pieces.

Our new people collection curio cabinets incorporate old materials but with an edgier feel and working clock heads while embracing the human form. We do all of our work in our studios and each piece takes 3-4 days to complete.

We enjoy making a new statement on an old subject by creating art pieces that share our passion with the past.

Metal

Royal Miree

Over the past 20 years I have worked with movement and form. There is a certain fascination with being able to create a form with basic fluid elements that may come fully to life with the intuition and imagination of the observer.

Designs for each kinetic sculpture start as basic line drawings exploring how to translate a historical event, a landmark in technology development or an inspiring event into a sculptural form. The challenge is to create physical forms that reflect balanced relationships for a non tangible event. I have to pay attention to the visual flow of elements and how each one represents an element of the event so the final form can tell a complete story.

As a design develops, the relationship between concept and materials becomes more important with each piece. The intent is to create a fluid, figurative image using the minimal amount of material. While the materials are of themselves hard, the aim is to soften them and have them almost dance as they move and reflect. To this end, the smoothness and speed of the counter balance point plays a critical role in the visual affect the work will have in motion.