The Berkeley Arts Council announces the award winners for the 11th Annual Art & Earth Juried Exhibit.  The Council received 122 entries from 55 artists, from which the juror selected 47 works by 38 artists.  The following works were selected to receive awards:

• Best in Show – “Quiet Reflection”, photograph by Stephanie Boss, Hagerstown, MD
• Merit Award – “Garden of the Haves and Have-nots”, fiber art by Carol Williams, Shepherdstown, WV
• Merit Award – “Planet Earth”, mixed-media/painting by Amanda June, Old Forge, PA
• Honorable Mention – “Wash Your Hands and Wear Your Mask”, pastel by Patricia Wilt, Hyndman, PA
• Honorable Mention – “Heaven and Earth”, photograph by Mark Dierker, Dubuque, IA
• Honorable Mention – “I Put My Faith in Crows”, computer-generated images/painting by Jan Donley, Boston, MA
• Honorable Mention – “Rockin’ Desserts on Tray”, acrylic painted rocks by Lisa Mortensen, Martinsburg, WV

The works in the show represent a wide range from fine art drawings and paintings, to photography, digital and graphic arts, to contemporary applications of mixed media and assemblage, and finally craft media including glass, wood, metal, clay and fibers. A video presentation of the accepted works is now posted on the Berkeley Arts Council Web site, https://berkeleyartswv.org.  The video serves to introduce viewers to the work in the exhibit, but is not meant as a substitute for viewing the work in the gallery.  Please Note: The video is a large file and should be viewed over a Wi-Fi network connection to avoid excessive data use charges on your cellular account. 

Now in its 11th year, the annual Art & Earth exhibit is open to visual artists throughout the continental United States, working in any medium or technique, in 2- or 3-dimensions.  This year, 16 states are represented in the selected works, all of which are original works of art that reflect the artist’s view of nature, the environment, or reflect an Earth Day-related theme.  The exhibit runs through May 29 at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 N Queen Street, Martinsburg.  Gallery hours are Thursdays and Fridays from 11:00am to 5:00pm and Saturdays from 11:00am to 4:00pm.

The Berkeley Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) non‐profit organization incorporated in West Virginia working to ensure that Berkeley County has a vibrant, vital arts environment by promoting awareness, understanding and appreciation of the literary, visual and performing arts in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.  The Berkeley Arts Council supports local and regional artists, brings quality arts experiences to the community, and provides a wide range of arts learning experiences for local residents, artists and artisans.