Best in Show, Anne Bucher, "Polly"
Over 80 paintings were submitted for the competitive Kingsport Art Guild's Fun Fest Show 2017, sponsored by First Tennessee Bank and Trust, Hunter, Smith and Davis, and Edwards and Brown. The following awards were made.
Best in Show, Anne Bucher, "Polly"
Second Prize, Suzanne Barrett Justis, "Day at the Art Museum"
Third Prize, Mary Ann Grib, "Remembering Kelly"
Student Prize, Tori Wright, "Ringtail Lemur"
Awards of Excellence:
John W. Hilton, "Despite My Best Efforts"
Margaret D. Helvey, "Freedom"
Joseph Zoeller, "At the Bridge"
Thelma Wyatt, "Still Life with Pears"
Celebrate Kingsport Award:
Barbara Bell, "This is Surreal Kingsport"
Tim Tate served as the judge. He taught art in the Sullivan County School System for 30 years and retired in 2009. He has exhibited his art in numerous shows since 1971. He received a bachelor's degree in art and English education from East Tennessee State University in 1978 and completed his master's with a concentration in drawing and painting in 1985.
Tate says, "First I must say, "bravo' to all the area artists who entered works in this year's Fun Fest Art Show. It is sometimes quite an act of bravery to send your creation out into the world to be judged by some total stranger. The net result being someone authoritatively declares, "This one is better than that one which is better than that one over there,' and so on. Maybe it's not the ideal format, but it is the one we have. Just remember these judgments are only one man's opinion and your mileage may vary.
"The diversity in these entries was most impressive. I can see artists exploring different paths. The skills and wit evident in a great many of the works made it difficult to narrow down the award winners. I could easily have granted 10 more Awards of Excellence. Some works are mysteriously ambiguous while others are straightforward. I think what might link the top three awards is I can see a real mastery of the chosen medium and an acute color sensitivity in all of them."
The Kingsport Art Guild is a volunteer organization promoting visual arts in the Tri Cities region through education, exhibits, and community programs. www.kingsportartguild.com.
