Ohio Arts Council Announces Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition Winners
by Stephanie Dawson
The Ohio Arts Council presented 10 $300 awards to professional artists in crafts, visual arts and photography, two $250 amateur awards and one Purchase Award during the opening of the Fine Arts Exhibition at the Ohio State Fair. The annual Fine Arts Exhibition presents works by amateur and professional Ohio artists in the Cox Fine Arts Center on the grounds of the Ohio Expo Center. Each of the winners received their award at a public ceremony.
Winners of the $300 Ohio Arts Council Awards in the Professional Artist category are:
• Ryan Walters , Pickerington (43147), for his painting Verb
• Simona Aizicovici, Athens (45701), for her mixed media piece Waterfall
• Laura Alexander, Columbus (43212), for her paper piece Tempest
• Diana Bjel, Lakewood (44107), for her sculpture Prayer
• Doug Taylor, Bellbrook (45305), for the photograph Green Room
• Helen Hoffelt, Columbus (43202), for the print work Untitled II From Frozen Time Series
• James Pate, Dayton (45405), for the drawing KKK-Kin Killin Kin
• Julie Byrne, Groveport (43125) for the ceramic piece Be Kind
• Jonah Jacobs, Mentor (44060), for his fiber work Polyp #1
• Daniel Schreiber, Columbus (43211), for the glass piece Pig Goblets
Winners of the $250 award in the Amateur Artist category are:
• Paul Kramer, Columbus (43235), for his drawing Bridge
• Bryan Heyward, Dayton (45417), for his multimedia piece Afro
Rob Colgan of Columbus (43204) received the Purchase Award for his work Last Winter.
Sarah Fairchild of Columbus received the 2010 People's Choice Award for her work Sweet Corn and Flame Switch . The People's Choice Award debuted at the Ohio State Fair in 2001 and includes a $500 cash award from the Ohio Arts Council.
The exhibition was juried by Annegreth T. Nill, independent curator of contemporary art; Tim Rietenbach, professor of art at the Columbus College of Art and Design; and Melissa Vogley Woods, artist, independent curator and former director of the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. The jurors assessed nuances of scale, surface, composition and technique in a variety of mediums, from historic to contemporary and studio to decorative techniques. They also looked for work from emerging artists living in Ohio.
The annual exhibition enables viewers to explore many facets of Ohio art. It demonstrates each artist’s sense of originality and inventiveness, ability to convey subject matter and technical mastery of the chosen media. Selected pieces reflect the diversity and high quality of contemporary art in Ohio.
About the Ohio Arts Council:
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
Click here to view photos of the award winners and OAC Deputy Director Mary Campbell-Zopf.
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