The 34th annual Chesapeake College Art Show and Sale is on display at the Todd Performing Arts Center (TPAC) from September 15th through November 5th. There are over 100 pieces encompassing a beautiful array of art ranging from watercolors and oils and acrylics, to pastels, graphics, mixed media, computer generated images and photographs.
The annual show is produced by the Chesapeake College Art Advisory Committee under the leadership of Professor James Plumb. The Show and Sale has two goals: one is to encourage continuing growth of interest in the arts by providing an exhibit of visual art for the residents and students in the five counties served by Chesapeake College and the other is to provide scholarship funds for students who are interested in studying one of the arts at Chesapeake College. The show also provides the opportunity for amateur and professional artists to exhibit their work. To achieve these goals, the Art Advisory Committee relies on the generous contributions of the community served by the College. A number of donations were received this year to assist with these goals and a list of the donors will be on display at TPAC.
The Best in Show Award went to Nancy Thomas of Ridgely for her beautiful oil “After the Storm”. First Place awards also went to Nancy Thomas for the same oil painting, Paul Dennis Mawicke of Severna Park for his extraordinary watercolor “Dominance Hierarchy”, Patricia Spitaleri of Wye Mills for her beautiful pastel, “A Breath of Fresh Air”, Ann Crane Harlan of Centreville for her charming mixed media piece “Teapots Galore”, Barbara Parker of Worton for her moving photograph “Asleep in the Valley of the Temples”, Martha Pileggi of Milford, DE for her graphic piece “Purple Vegetables”, and Fran Saunders of Cambridge for the computer art piece “Empire”. There were numerous second, third and honorable mention awards.
The judge for this year’s show was Matthew Hillier. Although he now resides in the U.S., Hillier was born in Buckinghamshire, England in 1958 and spent most of his life on the south coast of England. Formerly an illustrator, he is now best known for his acrylic paintings, but also loves the challenge of oils. He is known for his extraordinary wildlife paintings offering the viewer a unique vantage point. He is a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists, The Royal Institute and the Miniature Society, as well as the Paris Salon, The Royal Society of Marine Artists and the Biarritz Salon. He has had one-man exhibitions throughout Great Britain and illustrated many books and magazines. Among many awards he has received, he won the 1995 World Wildlife Fund Fine Art Award, the 1998 People’s Choice Award from The Florida Wildlife and Western Art Expo, and the 2003 “Artists for the Next Century” Publishers award at the Bennington Art Museum in Vermont. He exhibits at the Troika Gallery in Easton and at the Annual Waterfowl Festival in Easton. He teaches at the Academy Art Museum in Easton.
The public may see the show at any time during college hours between now and November 5th and during evening hours when the Todd Performing Arts Center is having an event. A reception to announce and distribute awards will be held on Thursday, October 6th from 4 to 6 p.m. in the TPAC. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Chesapeake College is an equal opportunity institution.