News…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The 20th biennial West Virginia Juried Exhibition will open at the Art Museum of West Virginia University in Morgantown on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. Eighty West Virginia artists were selected for the exhibit, which will feature 84 pieces, including painting, drawing, mixed media, craft, photography, digital art, sculpture and print.  Twenty-eight counties are represented in the show.

The exhibit opening reception is free and open to the public. The exhibit will remain at the Art Museum of West Virginia University until Feb. 11, 2018.

“The West Virginia Juried Exhibition continues its tradition of presenting the best of our state’s well-known and emerging artists,” said West Virginia Division of Culture and History Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith. “We are pleased to open this year’s exhibit in Morgantown, which will be the seventh city in which we have enjoyed showcasing the exhibit.” In past years, the exhibition has been in Beckley, Martinsburg, Wheeling, Huntington, Parkersburg and Charleston.

At the opening reception, the division will announce the exhibition award winners. Governor’s Awards winners will receive $5,000 for their work. Awards of Excellence winners will receive $2,000 for their work. These are purchase awards, and the art will become part of the West Virginia State Museum permanent contemporary art collection.

Merit Awards of $500 each will also be presented that afternoon.

The following artists, by county, will be featured in the exhibition:

Berkeley
Kevin Dartt, Martinsburg – sculpture

Braxton
Steve Balcourt, Exchange – photography

Brooke
Herb Weaver, Bethany – sculpture

Cabell
David Seth Cyfers, Huntington – mixed media
Vernon F. Howell, Barboursville – mixed media
Anthony Kelly, Milton – sculpture
Leona Mackey, Huntington – sculpture
Don McDowell, Huntington – painting

Fayette
Matthew Carr, Meadow Bridge – painting
F. Brian Ferguson, Oak Hill – photography
Machele Kindle, Montgomery – crafts
Shea Wells, Fayetteville – mixed media

Greenbrier
Alex Brand, Lewisburg – sculpture
Mark Jennings, Hinton – photography
Melinda Russell, Alderson – mixed media

Hampshire
Susan Feller, Augusta – crafts

Harrison
Seth Hill, Clarksburg – painting

Jefferson
Bruce Fransen, Harpers Ferry – sculpture

Kanawha
Dick Allowatt, St. Albans – mixed media
Chris Dutch, Charleston – crafts
Bob Fisher, Charleston – sculpture
Tom Hindman, St. Albans – photography
Jim Jackson, Charleston – painting
Michael Keller, St. Albans – photography
Chet Lowther, Charleston – painting
Betty McMullen, Charleston – painting
Awyn Danielle McQueen-Milam, St. Albans – painting
Taylor W. Raab, Charleston – photography
Thad Settle, Dunbar – painting
Clayton Spangler II, Charleston – photography
Maggie Starcher, South Charleston – painting
Regina G. Swim, Charleston – crafts

Lincoln
Eddie Austin, Hamlin – crafts
Ric MacDowell, Hamlin – photography
Maggian Thompson, Ranger – drawing

Marion
Stephanie Dulaney, Fairmont – crafts

Marshall
Betsy A. Cox, Glen Dale – crafts

Mercer
John Coffey, Princeton – drawing
Leiane Gibson, Princeton – photography
Michael A. Sizemore, Athens – sculpture

Mingo
Randall Sanger, Williamson – photography

Monongalia
Dylan Collins, Morgantown – sculpture
Linda S. Gribko, Morgantown – digital art
Alison Helm, Morgantown – sculpture
Stephen Lawson, Morgantown – photography
Michael Loop, Morgantown – mixed media
Joseph Lupo, Morgantown – print
Amy Schissel, Morgantown – painting
Tiera Tanner, Morgantown – painting
Randy B. Williams, Independence – painting
Jenny Wilson, Morgantown – painting
Gabe DeWitt, Morgantown – drawing

Monroe
Kylene Babski, Lindside – drawing
Adrienne Biesemeyer, Alderson – crafts

Nicholas
Anne Johnson, Summersville – photography

Ohio
Brian Fencl, Wheeling – painting
Cheryl Ryan Harshman, Wheeling – print
Janet Hart, Wheeling – painting
Robert Villamagna, Wheeling – mixed media
Thomas Wharton, Wheeling – painting

Pleasants
Michele Binegar, St. Marys – digital art

Pocahontas
Douglas Chadwick, Hillsboro – photography

Putnam
Pat Cross, Eleanor – painting
Chris Krupinski, Hurricane – painting
Randy Selbe, Hurricane – mixed media
Linda Stonestreet, Hurricane – painting

Raleigh
Sheila M. Hardaway-Cain, Beckley – painting
Nicole Suptic, White Oak – drawing

Randolph
Don Hall, Elkins – painting
Marjorie Moses, Elkins – digital art

Roane
Chuck Conner, Spencer – photography

Tucker
Robin McClintock, Hendricks – mixed media

Webster
Thomas R. Fletcher, Cowan – photography

Wood
Melony Gingery, Parkersburg – painting
Lavana Lemley, Vienna – sculpture
Jeff Morehead and Becky Anderson, Mineral Wells – digital art
Christine Rhodes, Parkersburg – painting
Damon Rhodes, Parkersburg – photography
Norm Sartorius, Parkersburg – crafts

The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, is an agency within the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts with Gayle Manchin, cabinet secretary. It brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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