The 15th annual Stars of Texas Juried Art Exhibit opened Saturday night with a reception and awards ceremony showcasing talented artists’ works in many different styles and media.
This year’s exhibit features 133 artistic works from 94 artists selected by juror Billy Hassell out of a record 387 entries.
Hassell is a native Texan and artist who has painted nature inspired works for over 25 years. His colorful and expressive artworks, frequently featuring birds and indigenous plants and animals of Texas and the Gulf Coast region have been exhibited nationwide and are included in the permanent collections of the Houston Museum of Art, the Menil Collection, the Fort Worth Modern, The Dallas Museum of Art and numerous other public and private collections.
“I was also impressed to see the range of work. Artists that were obviously professors or professional working artists shown side by side with artists that were probably just beginning. The thing that I noticed most was the amount of good, quality work,” said Hassell. “Judging artwork is always a subjective thing. It almost comes down to the personal taste of the juror.”
Awards and cash prizes totaling $6250 were given to 15 artists in a variety of categories. This year’s Dorothy Mays Best of Show Award was given to Robert W. Cook of Granbury, Texas for his watercolor painting called Twilight On Bourbon. Cook is pictured at top with the piece.
Art lovers of all ages may view the Stars of Texas Juried Art Exhibit February 3-15 at the Depot Civic and Cultural Center located at 600 E. Depot in Brownwood. Show hours are 9am-6pm weekdays, Saturday 9am-4pm, and Sunday 1pm-4pm.
Paintings that did not make the Stars of Texas Art Exhibit will be featured in the Salon des Refuses at the Art Center located at 215 Fisk Avenue.
The Stars of Texas will hold a paint-off competition & silent auction, as well as the newly added digital photo shoot-out on Saturday, February 9th at the Depot Civic and Cultural Center.
Awards are as follows:
$1000 Dorothy Mayes Best of Show Award
Twilight on Burbon, Watercolor by Robert W. Cook of Granbury (Pictured at top)
$750 Texas State Optical Juror Award
They Are Not Going to Fly, Graphite by Ben Sum of San Angelo
$500 Don C. Martin Sculpture Award
Seraph II, Sculpture by Dan McGregor of Abilene
$500 Kohler Award
Figs In Living Color, Oil by Melanie Naylor of Early
$500 Merit Award
Sooo Relaxed, Acrylic by Deborah Itschner of Burnet
$500 Larry J. Elling Memorial Photography Award
Wayfinding, Photo by McKie Trotter of Fort Worth
$500 Mary Cadenhead Pastel Award
Lunch At the MOMA, Pastel by Kit Timmins of Brownwood
$500 J. Hite Homes, Inc. Merit Award
Been There, Oil by Erin Medellin of Weatherford
$500 Oil Medium Award
Fetching At Dusk, Oil by Katy Ward of San Angelo
$300 Rufus F. Stanley, Jr. Memorial Watercolor Award
Porcelain Pink, Watercolor by Jean Smith Hensley of Ballinger
$100 Honorable Mention
The Remuda, Acrylic by L.M. Nelson of Early
$100 Honorable Mention
The Proud Horse, Pencil by Melissa Kohout of Fort Worth
$100 Honorable Mention
Late Breaking Light, Acrylic by Pat Cheney of Graham
$100 Honorable Mention
Qi:, Digital painting on Acrylic by Christopher Gaston of Brownwood
$100 Honorable Mention
I No Longer Fly Around Your Light, Graphite by Jenna Murray of Denton
For more information about the exhibit visit www.starsoftexasjuriedartexhibit.com
