Best of Missouri Hands Awards Announced

9/7/2011 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

Awards have been announced for the Best of Missouri Hands exhibition of juried artwork, which runs through Sept. 18 at William Woods University. A “meet the artists” reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18.

Award recipients:
  • Jerry Cox, Hillsboro, Mo., Best of Show for “A Woman’s Heart,” a sculpture
  • Shirley Nachtrieb, St. Charles, Mo., first place for “Journey of Souls,” a watercolor
  • James Heck, Nixa, Mo., second place for “Mourning the Muse,” a sculpture
  • M.J. Goerke, St. Louis, Mo., third place for “Handmade Book Collection”
Receiving an award of excellence:
  • Vic Barr, St. Louis, Mo.
  • Lori Purk, St. Louis, Mo.
Receiving honorable mention awards:
  • Sandy Kolde, O’Fallon, Mo.
  • Jill O’Bright, Kirkwood, Mo.
  • Jerry Cox, Hillsboro, Mo.
  • Judith McLaughlin, Webster Groves, Mo.
The sixth annual “Celebrating Creativity” show is being held in the Mildred M. Cox Gallery, located in WWU’s Gladys Woods Kemper Center for the Arts. It is this year’s Natalie Collins Acker Memorial Exhibit, an annual event named for a 1932 WWU alumna who was a generous supporter of the arts at William Woods. 
 
The Best of Missouri Hands was founded in 1989 as the Missouri Artisans Association, a nonprofit corporation “dedicated to the development and recognition of Missouri arts and artisans through education, interaction and encouragement.”
 
The exhibition at WWU includes a cross-section of the current state of Missouri’s arts and fine crafts from members of Best of Missouri Hands. It contains paintings and drawings, photographs, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry and mixed media.
 
The juror, Ellen Klamon of St. Louis, Mo., has been the exhibition chair for this show for the past five years, taking it from its inception to its present incarnation. Klamon is a juried member of the Best of Missouri Hands in two categories: jewelry and drawing. She has been making and selling jewelry since she was about 12, and the jewelry she makes today contains a playful botanical theme.
                                                           
The Cox Gallery is open to the public Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 573-592-4245.                          
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CUTLINES:
Best of Show, “A Woman’s Heart,” a sculpture by Jerry Cox 
First place, “Journey of Souls,” a watercolor by Shirley Nachtrieb
Second place, “Mourning the Muse,” a sculpture by James Heck
Third place, “Handmade Book Collection” by M.J. Goerke