PARIS, IL — The Bicentennial Art Center & Museum in Paris, Ill., currently has on display the Annual Town & Country Amateur Art Exhibit and Blackhawk Park Exhibit.
The exhibit features works by amateur artists done in watercolors, pastels, pencil drawings, ceramics, fine silver, mixed media and photography. The judge for this year’s exhibit, Maria Brothers, a graduate student from Indiana State University, chose the following award winners: Adult Division — First Place: June Tyner, Kansas, Ill., “Satan, That Old Dragon,” pencil; Margie White, Dennison, Ill., “Anita in Winter Wonderland,” watercolor; and Duane Haskell, Paris, “Birdhouse Wish Box,” fine silver. Second Place: Susan Pearman, Paris, “Winter,” photography; June Tyner, “Butterfly Fish,” mixed media; and Robin Smith, Terre Haute, “Snowflakes,” photography. Third Place: Robin Smith, “Churchill Downs,” watercolor Ppencil; Jeff VanDyke, Chrisman, Ill., “Upper Cataract Falls,” photography; and Duane Haskell & Carolyn Haskell, “Collaborative Effort #1,” beads with fine silver leaf; Honorable Mention: Lois Dickenson, Charleston, Ill., “Country Road,” Pastel; and Norma Travis, Paris, cast leaf.
Youth Division — First Place: Rio Long, Paris, “No Matter How Small,” watercolor; Second Place: Jessy Garrison, Rantoul, Ill., “Beauty Before the Pit,” watercolor; and Rio Long, “Searching,” watercolor; Third Place: Samantha Tucker, Chrisman, Untitled, photography; and Honorable Mention: Sara Smith, Terre Haute, “Kingdom Hearts,” pencil drawing.
The First Place winners in both adult and youth Divisions are eligible to enter the State Town & Country Amateur Art Exhibit held in Champaign, Ill., in September.
The Blackhawk Park Exhibit features entries inspired by a trip to Blackhawk Park on the northeast side of Paris. The winners in this year’s competition, which were chosen by Maria Brothers, are as follows: Adult Division — First Place: Nancy Land, Paris, “Spring Surprise,” photography; Second Place: Nancy Jewel, Paris, “Blackhawk in Winter,” photography; Third Place: Nancy Jewel, “South Gate in Winter,” photography. Youth Division — First Place: Elizabeth Bishop, Paris, “Looking Through the Trees,” photography; Second Place: Lauren Funkhouser, Paris, “Welcome,” photography.
The exhibit starts today and will be on display through March 19. The opening reception will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m today. The judges will be handing out the awards and critiquing the exhibit at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Also on display in the Federal Room from through March 19 will be “Larkfield Glass,” by Randy Turner. Turner has a workshop in rural Paris where he creates hand-blown glass paperweights, ornaments, bowls, vases and other glass pieces. Turner will be giving a presentation on glass blowing at 5:45 p.m. today.
The Bicentennial Art Center is at 132 S. Central Ave., and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, or by appointment.
