Submitted by Cheryl Mahowald for the Lakeshore Artists Guild
The Lakeshore Artists Guild is pleased to announce the winners of the Art Slam Challenge. Twenty-nine artists accepted the challenge of creating art in just two days. This year’s theme was “Make. Art. Work.” The awards reception, hosted by the Rahr-West Art Museum, took place on Friday evening, September 27th. The exhibit was juried by Barbara Bundy-Jost, Debbie Kupinsky, and Kendra Bulgrin. Kendra is the director of the James May Gallery, located in Algoma. Debbie is an assistant professor of sculpture at St. Norbert College. Barbara Bundy-Jost is a local art educator and art advocate. The exhibition encompasses a wide variety of media and the winners reflect this.
Capturing the Best of Show award was Rebecca Jabs with her reduction print titled “Caspian Tern.” A reduction print is a process that uses the same block to print each color. The block is carved and the first color is printed. Then more is carved away on the same block and a second color is printed on top of the original print, continuing until the desired look is achieved.
The Ron Stokes People’s Choice Award was selected by public vote. The recipient of this prize, presented by Dolly Stokes, was Sonia Vasquez for her oil painting titled “Pinecrest Woman.” She said the concept came to her after thinking about people working in this area. It depicts a pioneer woman carrying a wooden pail.
The four Honorable mentions were awarded to Alex Murtaugh for his video “Opportunity City,” Kara Dodge for her watercolor “Maritime,” Melissa Walsh for her cyanotype “Sleep When the Baby Sleeps,” and Amanda Miller for her mixed media piece “Art is a light in the darkness of our lives. It heals us and brings us to life. Art Transforms us.”
The 2019 Art Slam was a great success, with over 3,000 people enjoying hands-on activities in Washington Park and the streets of downtown. Hopefully, you had a chance to create some art, enjoy some music, and tour Manitowoc’s public art on the Art Trolley. If you haven’t seen it, you can view the new mural under the 8th Street bridge. The Lakeshore Artists Guild would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the people and volunteers who helped make Art Slam Manitowoc happen. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Congratulations to all of the winners and thanks to all artists that participated in the Art Slam Challenge. The Art Slam Challenge exhibit will be on display at the Rahr-West Art Museum until October 27, 2019. The Museum is located at 610 North 8th Street, Manitowoc. Regular museum hours are 10AM-4PM, Tuesday through Friday and 11AM-4PM on Saturday and Sunday.
