Winners Announced for Gig Harbor’s National Art Show

Awards were presented earlier this month to a number of artists whose work is currently on display as part of . The show, which is sponsored by Peninsula Art League, runs through Sept. 13 at the .

Juror Rock Hushka, Tacoma Art Museum’s curator of contemporary and Northwest art, selected 81 artworks from more than 300 that were submitted to the show. Entries came from across the U.S, including New York, Texas, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

The theme for this year’s show was “Outside Your Comfort Zone.”

“I stepped outside of my own comfort zone when I was selecting the entries and making my selections for awards,” Hushka said at the Aug. 9 awards ceremony.

An oil-on-board painting by Gig Harbor resident Daphne Wynne Nixon was awarded the Best of Show ribbon. The painting is titled “Canning Candy Corn.”

“The Best of Show painting was the hardest to choose,” Huska said. “It’s really a beautiful still life with a bit of humor. When you look close, you notice all the brush strokes and the artful articulation of the squash, the corn and the jar. It’s utterly superb and it completely captured my heart.”

First place 2D went to a photograph of hot air balloons by Lacey photographer Jim Chamberlain. “It grabbed me the very first time I saw it. I loved the bright, vivid colors and the sneaky way the tea cup balloon is sort of half-hidden in the background,” he said.

A cuff bracelet by Gig Harbor jewelry designer Joan Tenenbaum won first place in 3D. This is the first year the show has accepted 3-dimensional work, according to show co-chair Jeni Woock.

“I spend a lot of time looking at art jewelry, but this is like something I’ve not seen before,” Hushka said about the bracelet. “It’s really a stunning, outstanding piece. It’s very captivating and you just know there’s a story to it.”

Other award winners include Becky Knold of Olympia, second place and Nancy McLaughlin, Tacoma, third place. In addition to the Gig Harbor Arts Commission, local art galleries and businesses presented several other awards, including the Artist of Distinction award. In all, more than $3,000 in awards were presented.

The show runs through Sept. 13, at which time the People’s Choice award will be announced. “We hope lots of people will visit the show and vote for their favorite arwork for the People’s Choice award,” Woock said.

All the winning artworks can be viewed at peninsulaartleague.com/eventShow.

The civic center is located at 3510 Grandview Street, Gig Harbor.

For information call Jeni Woock at 253-851-1619 or Lynn Guenard at 253-265-6123.