There’s still a couple days left of the Minnesota State Fair. If you’re heading there be sure to check out Northeast-based and NEMAA-member artists’ work at the Fine Arts Building. This year, 2,650 entries across 8 different categories were received, and only 332 made the final cut into the show. This year’s spectacular show features more than 30 artists from the district, with many of those winning awards!
Four of the eight judges this year work in the district: Leslie Barlow, Katayoun Amjadi, Sonya Hutchinson and Russ White, many of whom have won awards in previous years at the fine arts building. We can only imagine what a tough task they had in selecting the finalists for this year’s show.
In the Oil/Acrylic/Mixed Media category district artists Leeya Rose Jackson and Stephen Capiz both won honorable mention for their entries. Christopher Harrison won the Minnesota Museum of American Art Award for his entry “Wonder.” Other artists from Northeast Minneapolis who were selected for this category include: Halle Rittgers, Susan Armington, Steven Carlyle Moore, Anna Chambers Goldberg, Nicholas Harper, Mark Peterson, Emily Quandahl, and Nicky Torkzadeh.
Pamela Belding won the top prize in the sculpture category as well as the Friends of Hopkins Center for the Arts Award for “Fools Speed Ahead.” Sarah Sampedro was selected for the Minnesota Museum of American Art Award for “Covenant.” Gene Bird of St. Anthony Village was also selected in this category.
In the Watercolor/Goache/Casein/Tempera category: Nanci Yermakoff won the top honor for “Series 15 #11.” Kristine Fretheim was awarded honorable mention for “Before The Snow.” District artists James Nutt and Suzanne Shaff were also chosen to be in the show.
For Drawing/Pastel, Suzann Beck was awarded the Framing Solutions | artbarn52 award for “Mom’s Visitor.” Zoe Huot-Link‘s “Agency” was also selected in this category. Fiber artist Deborah Foutch was awarded 2nd place and the Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral Earthkeepers Award for “Dancing Roots.” Alexandra Beaumont was the Studio Here Artist on August 25. Brian Wagner’s “Grantsburg, WI; Jan. 1st, 4:45pm” was selected for the printmaking category.
Photography: Bump Opera (Mike Madison) received the North Hennepin Community College Award in Memory of Joseph Gazzulo for “Portrait of Alphonce.” Donna Webb, Melissa Borman, and Nicole Houff were also selected in this category.
Nicole Mueller was the Studio Here artist for August 28 and Heather Renaux for August 29. Congratulations to all artists who were a part of this incredible show! Click here to view all the art in this year’s show.
Article and photos by Lisa Roy