From 259 entries, judges have selected 88 works that are on display in the annual Carnegie Art Showcase exhibition taking place this summer at the Carnegie Arts Center in downtown Turlock. The juried exhibition is a celebration of artistic excellence, awarding a total of $2,350 in prize money. The show will be on view in the CAC’s Ferrari Gallery now through Sept. 7 and a free public reception will take place on from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday.
Works in all media were submitted by artists from Northern and Central California. The final group selected for the exhibition includes works by 50 artists representing 21 different regional communities.
The exhibition is always open to entries in all media, which this year include paintings, watercolors, drawings, ceramics, wood, photographs, fiber arts, collage and mixed media. CAC Director Lisa McDermott said that the exhibition “represents the wide range of creativity that we find in the visual arts of this region. We are reaching more artists every year and seeing an increasing variety in the works submitted and those that are selected.” She points to the works of many well-known local artists in the show, as well as several artists who are appearing in the CAC galleries for the first time.
“This is what makes the show unique and exciting every year,” McDermott said.
The judges selected 13 works for awards:
Best of Show
Mary-Ellen Latino, Reflections, var. 1, fabric art
Awards of Excellence
Carolyn Lord, Golden Afternoon, oil
Alicia van de Bor, Tree of Life: Latinas Who Shape History, ceramic
Awards of Merit
David Dolan, Broken Play Date, photograph
Jennifer Fosgate, Corvidae, mixed media
Larry Lew, Playtime, wood
Marilyn Wear, Buzzing In, watercolor
Honorable Mentions
David Bienkowski, Wall Hanging, acrylic
David Bienkowski, Blue Bird of Happiness, oil
Joe Enos, Roots, Monterey, photograph
Hannelore Fischer, Starry Wave, acrylic
Carolyn Huff, Accessorize, mixed media
David Patton, Off the Hook, mixed media
Gallery Talks with several of the award-winning artists will take place at 6 p.m. on July 25 and Aug. 22. The gallery talks are free and open to the public.
Judges for the 2024 Art Showcase were:
— Ellen Roehne: She received her B.F.A. degree in ceramics from California State University, Chico, in 1993; this was preceded by a year’s study in mixed media art at the Romerike Folkehøgskole, in Jessheim, Norway. She continued to follow the ceramics and mixed media path, earning her M.F.A. degree in sculpture at John F. Kennedy University, Berkeley, in 1998. As an adjunct faculty member in the Art Department at California State University, Stanislaus, since 2003, she has taught a variety of courses including sculpture, mixed media, and art appreciation. https://www.csustan.edu/people/ms-ellen-roehne
— Evan Russel: He has been the Curator at The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park since 2012 and has lived in the park since 2006. He spent many days in his youth traipsing and photographing around the park. After graduating from college with a degree in film and digital media, and working towards a graduate degree in architecture, he decided to throw caution to the wind and give up on the idea of life as a formula. https://evanrussel.com
— Dixie Salazar: She is an artist and writer who has shown her work extensively in the Central Valley and beyond. She has had numerous one person shows in Fresno as well as Merced, Turlock, Monterey and Las Vegas, Nevada. A major show at Arte Americas in Fresno in 2006 explored Mayan ideology that was reflected in her painted collages. Dixie works in many media including oil painting, acrylics, watercolor, collage, and photography. Dixie has a studio and gallery in downtown Fresno. https://dixiesalazar.com/
The Carnegie Arts Center is located at 250 N. Broadway, Turlock. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit carnegieartsturlock.org.
