St. Charles Arts Council celebrates successful Plein Air Event
The Baker Community Center in St. Charles was humming with activity as artists and art lovers involved in the second annual St. Charles Arts Council celebrated another successful Plein Air Event, with record sales of artwork, food, fun and camaraderie during the Reveal Party on Saturday, Aug. 23.
Judging was done by Stuart Fullerton, a longtime member of the Chicago Palette and Chisel Art Club, and of the Plein Air Painters of Chicago.
The Best of Show ($1,000) went to Cynthia Dybsky for her artwork of the “Fabyan Garden Trellis.” The second-place winner ($750) is Don Yang for the “Baker Park Garden,” and third place ($500) to Jan Schmuckel for her piece titled “Light & Shadow.”
The honorable mentions are Robert Holmes for “Cloud Shadows on Seavey Road,” and Troy Tatlock for “Public Park, View of Fox River.”
The first-place Nocturne winner ($600) is Jack Trelford for “Beacon in the Night,” and the second-place winner ($400) is Cindy Shaw for “Bonne Nuit Sainte Charles.”
The Best Baker Community Center award ($1,000) went to John Paul Marcelo for an artwork of the historic building.
The Best Emerging Artist ($500) went to Rosalie White for “Sidecar Supper Club,” and Peoples Choice ($250) to Lee Copen for “Rolling Down the River.”
On Sunday afternoon, the exhibit was open to the general public and prizes were awarded to participants of the Creative Writing Contest led by Lisa Macione of the St. Charles Writers Group
Judging was done by the following: Sam Farler, writer and member of Off-Campus Group Writers Workshop; Barbara Barrows, co-founder and leader of the Non-Intimidating Writing Workshop; and Eric Bodwell, co-founder of the Drink and Draft Poetry Roadshow.
Joelle White is the first-place award winner ($125) with Colin A. Wilke in second place ($75) and Linda Anderson in third place ($50). Honorable mention goes to Adrienne Parkhurst.
The event would not have been possible without the support of our donors, members, volunteers, the City of St. Charles and the local merchants who participated with discounts for the attending artists.
Twenty of the Plein Air Artists returned from last year, and many said they would hope to be returning again next year.