Art Showcase Best of Show goes to DeKalb artist
The Elgin Area Branch of American Association of University Women recently announced that Bill Haendel of DeKalb was awarded Best of Show and $800 for a work in sculpture, fiber and paper at the 48th annual AAUW Art Showcase on Aug. 4-5 in Elgin's Festival Park. More than 80 artists participated in the Showcase this year.
The first-place award for $600 went to Thia Malenchik of Palatine, in oil. Second-place award for $400 went to Marvin Causey of Elgin in photography. The third-place award of $200 went to Claudia Walsh of Elgin in watercolor.
There were three honorable mentions awarded for $100 each: Shirley Ann Jorns of Elmhurst, watercolor; Susan Preuss of Waukesha, Wis., basketry; and Peter Rujuwa of Indianapolis in sculpture.
All award recipients, except for Preuss and Rujuwa, have been in previous Art Showcases.
Judges were George Stefely, an Elgin artist, who has chaired the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, judged art for various schools and organizations, and is owner of Artistic Framing and Art Supplies Inc. in Elgin; and G.E. Colpitts, chair of the Department of Art and Design at Judson College, who has exhibited at Judson and Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minn.
There were also two Trygve Rovelstad People's Choice Awards, selected by those attending the festival: to JoAnne Clements of Elgin in stained glass, and Holly Olson of Dundee Township in photography. They are both new to Art Showcase this year.
The total amount of prizes awarded by AAUW was $2,500.
In addition, there were two contests for the children. Jacob Lesh of South Elgin won the "Name the Fox" contest with the name "Sparkle." Sparkle was beautifully decorated in tiles by artist Patricia Beckmann of Elgin. The other contest, "Find the Fox," was won by Isidro Espinoza of Elgin.
Each received a certificate for a Colonial Restaurant's "Kitchen Sink" ice cream concoction, donated by Colonial.
Art Showcase has been presented to the Elgin community as a fine arts and fine crafts show for the past 48 years. During that time it has been in various locations in and around Elgin. Exhibiting artists have come from all over the United States. For the previous 15 years it has been a centerpiece of the Elgin Fine Arts Festival, and this year of the new Elgin FoxFireFest. .
Any artist wishing to be considered for next year's Art Showcase, which will be held on Aug. 2-3 in Festival Park, may send name and street and e-mail addresses to Art Showcase, 602 Prospect Blvd., Elgin, IL, 60120, or e-mail the information to jeanne@mc.net.