Ballard, Eddington win best of show awards for Hannibal Art Club’s ORiGINALE area artist exhibit

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal Art Club recently announced the award recipients for its 59th annual area artist exhibit and competition, ORiGINALE. 

Recipients of the two top Best of Show awards for the night were Connie Ballard and Kelly Eddington.  Ballard won the Michael and Sherry Bukstein Best of Show Award for her painting titled “Timeless Barn” in the non-professional division.  Eddington won the Barrick-Gaines Best of Show Award for her watercolor titled “X-Women” in the professional division.

Recipients of two Pinnacle Awards in each division were Carol Robbins and Brenda Benson.  Robbins won the Brent Jacobson Award for her painting titled “Tears of War” in the non-professional division. O’Neal won the Independent’s Service Company Award for her piece titled “Geckos in the Garden” in the professional division.

Recipients of two Achievement Awards in each division were Eilene S. Huber and Lydia O’Neal.  Huber won the Nancy Beckner Memorial Award for her watercolor titled titled “Sacred Ibis” in the non-professional division. O’Neal won the James O’Donnell Funeral Home Award for her sculpture titled “Sailing” in the professional division. 

The exhibit featured 127 original works by 70 area artists and is one of the best representations of area artists. Works on exhibit were oil/oil pastel, drawings/prints, water media, sculpture/assemblage, mixed media and acrylics.  Awards were announced on Sept. 22. Award winners received a ribbon and cash awards sponsored by area people, businesses and organizations.

Three excellence awards were presented in each division.

Winners in the non-professional division were:

• Fiddlestiks Food & Spirits Award – Want an Apple? by Jose E. Torres
• Linda Buechting Memorial Award – Mr. & Mrs. Nobility by Betty Smith
• Dempsey, Dempsey & Hilts Award – Sunken Graves by Nalei Taeoalii
• Aaron Gregonis Award – Elegance by Vilma Holt

Winners in the professional division were:

• June and Donald Stolte and Susan Resnick Memorial Award – Corpi Bellissimi by James Zimmerman
• F&M Bank and Trust Award – Memory of Earth by Mary Jo Kattleman
• HNB Bank Award – Secondary Reception by Tim O’Neal
• Betty Pfaff and Robert “Bob” G. Richards III Memorial Award – The Grass is Always Greener Underneath the Big Oak Tree by Howard Kuo

Six merit awards were presented in each division.

Winners in the non-professional division were:

• Doris Ahrens Memorial Award – ­Bird on a Perch by Steve Holt
• Dr. Joshua Ricker DDS Award – Eyes on You – A Studyby Judy Schonhoff
• Mary Ann Viorel Award – Royal Night by Sherri Robinson
• Nancy Beckner Memorial Award – Ainsworth Watertower by K. Allen Ballard
• Quincy Artists Guild Award – Flamming Beauty by Joan Cook
• Toto Rendlen Award – Steampunk Frog by Kathryn Edwards­­­

Winners in the professional division were:

• Jerry Robbins Memorial Award – ­Bumby Town by Bill Yates
• Gallery 310 Award – Serenity In Chaos IV by Nick Sorrill
• Great River Watercolor Society Award – Flamingo Family by Brenda Beck Fisher
• Quincy Artists Guild Award – Suesical Tiepet by Steven Walker
• Steven Viorel Award – Hot Flash by Kelly Eddington
• Toto Rendlen Award – Somewhat Square by Joe Conover

Recipients of additional honorable mention awards were:

Non-Professional Division

• Chair by Martha Walden
• Mama’s Love by Jose E. Torres

Professional Division

• Let There be Light by Cyndi Taylor
• Back Door by Larry Siwek

The judge was Nick Phan, a Vietnamese-American printmaker and instructor of art in printmaking at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.

The exhibit is on display at the Hannibal Arts Council until Saturday, Oct. 28. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.