The Berkeley Arts Council is celebrating the 250th anniversary of Berkeley County, WV with a visual art exhibit entitled, Berkeley County, WV: Future, Present, Past. Congratulations to the following: Best of Show: Sterling “Rip” Smith for his photo “B & O Roundhouse”; Merit Award: Claudia Giannini for her painting “Dalmanites”; Merit Award: Gary Bergel for his photo “Green Hill Historical African American Cemetery, Feb. 2021”; Honorable Mention: Kelli Myers for her series of 3 wire sculptures of apple trees; and Honorable Mention: Tom Nebel for his painting “Harlan Springs”.
Awards were selected by Dr. Doug Kinnett, local artist and former member of the art faculty at Shepherd University, where he coordinated the Art Education program. Doug has been an exhibiting artist/painter and printmaker since the 1970s, with a long list of local, regional and national shows to his credit.
(Click on the images to see larger versions.)
Thirty-five original 2-D and 3-D works by regional artists address “future”, “present” and “past” themes in a variety of media. The exhibit is on display from May 18 to June 25, 2022 at the Berkeley Art Works. The gallery is open every Wednesday – Friday from 11-5 and Saturday from 11-4. The Berkeley Arts Council thanks the Berkeley County 250th Commemoration Steering Committee for their generous support of this exhibit.
May 15, 2022 marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of Berkeley County, West Virginia! The Berkeley Arts Council is commemorating this milestone by presenting an expanded exhibit entitled, Berkeley County, WV: Future, Present, Past. This exhibit is one of the of the official events selected and supported by the Berkeley County Council. The exhibit will be on display May 18 to June 25, 2022 at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV.
Located at the gateway to the Shenandoah Valley in the heart of the Eastern Panhandle, Berkeley County is known for its unique history, beautiful scenery, robust industry, and more. Formed in 1772 from neighboring Frederick County, Virginia, Berkeley County once spanned from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Jefferson County to the famed springs at the Town of Bath (Berkeley Springs) in Morgan County. Throughout its history, Berkeley County has been an epicenter of engagement, growth, and community.
The Berkeley Arts Council invites you to celebrate and honor this unique area with your art! We are asking you to use Berkeley County, WV – its vistas, history, cultures and communities – as inspiration for your work. We hope to build a rich perspective of Berkeley County through interpretations by artists in all arts; from all cultures, identities and viewpoints.
The art exhibit is open to all artists throughout the continental United States, over the age of 18, working in any fine art or fine craft medium or technique, in 2- or 3-dimensions. Representational, abstract, or non-representational work in all media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, mixed media, assemblage, sculpture and graphic arts; fine craft media, such as clay, glass, metal, wood, fibers, etc., are welcome. Entries must be the original work of the artist. Artists do not have to be current residents of Berkeley County; however, they must reflect a future vision, or a present or past adventure, event, memory, experience, etc., in Berkeley County, WV.
The Berkeley Arts Council’s 12th Annual Art & Earth Juried Art Exhibit is open today through May 14 at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street, Martinsburg.
The exhibit has the theme “Art and Earth: My Art – My World.” Thirty-seven pieces in this exhibit represent a wide range of media, including watercolor, acrylic, oil and wax painting, pastel drawing, mixed media, photographic processes, clay, wood, metal, cardboard and plastic.
The juror, Alison Helm, is the director of the School of Art and Design at West Virginia University, where she is a professor of sculpture. As the juror for this exhibit she said, “I found strong work in all of the areas of art making. I found it inspiring to view all of the different interpretations and re-imagined landscape and our human relationship to it. There were many extremes, from the Amazon fires to reflections on calm water to experience and enjoy. There were many personal messages of hope and exuberance. It is very gratifying to see the high quality of work being produced in the region.”
The Berkeley Art Works is open every Wednesday – Friday, 11am to 5pm and Saturday 11am to 4pm.
Call for Artists: 12th Annual Art & Earth Juried Art Exhibit
The Berkeley Arts Council (BAC) announces the 12th Annual Art & Earth Juried Art Exhibit. The exhibit will be on display from Wednesday April 6 to Saturday May 14, 2022 at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV.
Description: The exhibit has the theme ‘Art and Earth: My Art – My World’. Entries should reflect the artist’s view of nature, the environment, or reflect an Earth Day related theme.
Eligibility: The exhibit is open to all visual artists throughout the continental United States, over the age of 18, working in any fine art or fine craft medium or technique, in 2- or 3-dimensions, representational, abstract, or non-representational. Entries must be original works of art that have been completed within the last three (3) years, and have not been exhibited previously at the Berkeley Art Works.
Juror: The Juror is Alison Helm, Director of the School of Art and Design at West Virginia University, where she is a professor of sculpture. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Art. She also attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in New York.
Professor Helm has exhibited her work at many galleries, museums and sculpture parks throughout the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and Mexico. Ms Helm has received two NEA Grants for Underserved area artists from the Cultural Center in Charleston, WV. She has received several awards, including the Outstanding Research Award for Creative Activity from West Virginia University in 2001 and was nominated for the Claude Worthington Benedum Distinguished Scholar Award. She won the West Virginia Division of Culture and History Governors Award in 2015 and Best of Show at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Society of Sculptors 80th annual exhibition. She recently won a Governors Award in the 2021 WV Juried Exhibition. Her work is represented in numerous private and public collections and she has completed various sculpture commissions including “Splendor of the Seas” for the deck of one of the largest cruise ships in the world owned by Caribbean Cruise Lines, and two commissions for the Clarksburg Veterans Memorial Hospital, Memorial Garden, Clarksburg, WV.
Entry Fee: The entry fee for the exhibit is $35 for the first two works. Artists may submit one or two additional works for $10 each, for a maximum of four works.
Awards: Best in Show, Merit Award and Honorable Mention. Total prize fund up to $1,000.
Notification of Accepted Work: Notification of the juror’s selections will be announced by e-mail and posted on our web site on or about March 5, 2022. Detailed delivery instructions and schedules will be provided when the accepted artists are announced.
EXTENDED Deadline for Entries: Midnight Sunday February 27, 2022
The Berkeley Arts Council was recently awarded a grant worth more than $6,600.00 through the American Rescue Plan: Operating Support for Arts Organizations program. The grant is intended to provide operating expenses for a specific period of time, to organizations that have suffered revenue losses from closings and cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The juror’s selections are in for the Watercolor Expressions national juried exhibit and we are pleased to announce the accepted artists. There were a total of 63 works submitted by 26 artists in 9 states. The juror, Lynn Ferris, selected 32 works by 23 artists.
Juror’s Statement
“Watercolor Expressions” 2021
While judging this show I was inspired by the creative energy, the many points of view, creative techniques, and insightful observations of the artists. There were more award worthy paintings than awards, making my decisions exciting but also difficult.
As a judge, the first thing I look for is a painting that is compelling; one that draws me in. It may be a powerful design, a quiet voice, or sheer observation of beauty. Sometimes it’s a sense of place, an emotion, or a unique vision. Sometimes it’s an intriguing narrative. In other words, a strong painting has a point of view. Technical accomplishment is important, but it’s not the sole goal. It provides the language to tell the story, but it is not the story.
Thank you to everyone who participated and thank you for having me as your judge.
Happy Painting!
Lynn Ferris, AWS, NWS, TWSA
The exhibit will be open beginning Wednesday, October 13 through Saturday, November 20. Awards will be announced and a virtual awards presentation will be scheduled while the exhibit is in the gallery. You will be notified when the date is set, and a Zoom link will be sent out closer to the event.
Watercolor Expressions Accepted Artists
First Name
Last Name
Title
Ronda
Albright
Lenten Rose
Ronda
Albright
Rose in Blue Vase
Teresa
Anderson
Cold Creek
Belinda
Botzong
Crocosmia Biochrome Watercolor Impressions
Mary Alice
Bowers
Floral
Jessica
Buckholtz
Picked Flower
Shannon
Cronin
Self (Merit Award)
Shannon
Cronin
Luna
Shannon
Cronin
Change of Plans
Jane
deGruchy
Savannah Sun (Best in Show)
Michael
Gouker
New Mexico River Stones
Steve
Griggs
Tuesday Morning in Crested Butte
Steve
Griggs
Time for a Ride (Merit Award)
John
Grinstead
Wheat Field
Richard
Hagerty
Dance of the Unicorn
Bro
Halff
Curve by the Ocean, Poipu, Kaua’i
Kathleen
Jamieson
Shooting Star Over Bioluninescent Sea
Kathleen
Jamieson
Color Imagination II
Sonja
Jones
Little Falls
Nancy
Kautz
Hollyhocks
Kitty
Messner
German Window
Lannie
Mullenax
Blue Ridge
Tom
Nebel
Walkersville Farm
Jes
Reger Davis
Flutter
Jes
Reger Davis
Feelin’ Blue
Ray
Snouffer
Sunning
Ray
Snouffer
A Burst of Light (Honorable Mention)
Ray
Snouffer
A Hint of Autumn
Glenn
Tomlinson
Precious Little (Honorable Mention)
Monica
Wilkins
In the Rough
Patricia
Wilt
New Neighbors
Patricia
Wilt
Driving Home
Please click through for the important information below regarding the shipping/delivery of accepted work.
Best in Show: ‘Dreamer’ Photograph by Tracey Donnelly Franklin
The Berkeley Arts Council announces the opening of the The 9th Annual Eastern West Virginia Juried Exhibit, on display September 1 through October 9 at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV. The gallery is open every Wednesday – Friday 11am to 5pm and Saturday 11am to 4pm.
This annual juried exhibit focuses on artists who reside any of the eight counties that comprise the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. This year, 48 works were submitted, primarily from Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties, from which 21 were selected in drawing, painting, photography, fibers, glass, mixed media, and assemblage.
The award winners for the exhibit are: Tracey Donnelly Franklin of Shepherdstown – the Best of Show for her photograph, Dreamer and Jeanne Marie McClure of Kearneysville – the Merit Award for her watercolor, 17 Years to Light. Honorable Mentions are given to Heather Hendry of Bunker Hill for her pastel drawing, Spring; Tom Nebel of Shepherdstown for his oil painting, Windswept; and Carol Williams of Shepherdstown for her fabric/mixed media piece, Mourning in America.
The juror for the exhibit was Ally Christmas, a visual artist living and working in Shepherdstown, WV, where she teaches lens-based arts and coordinates the Photo Bachelor of Fine Arts program at Shepherd University. Much of her work revolves around notions of selfhood, virtuality, and lived experience. Her hybrid practice involves a number of forms including digital video, still photography, tintypes, palladium prints, bookmaking, gifs, cinemagraphs, and installation. Her work has been shown at a variety of venues in the U.S. and Canada. Ms. Christmas earned a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from the University of Virginia. In 2018 she received a Master of Fine Arts in Photo/Video from the University of Georgia, after which she spent two years teaching video art and photography courses at Grinnell College as the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Video and New Media. About the show, Ms. Christmas said, “It was truly a pleasure to see such a wide variety of works from this community. I found it quite difficult to narrow down the selections as there was so much talent present throughout the entries. Ultimately, I honed in on threads of commonality that led to the final grouping of works. After a year that has felt like 5 years, I found myself gravitating towards the pieces that invoked either a sense of peacefulness or a sense of whimsy – perhaps surreality or wonder, too. When brought together, these artworks may provide an escape from our harsh reality and offer some respite, no matter how brief. They are needed.”
For more information about the Berkeley Arts Council and the Berkeley Art Works, visit us on the Web at https://berkeleyartswv.org, on Facebook at BerkeleyArtsWV and on Instagram @berkeleyartscouncil_wv.
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.
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