The Lake Country Juried Art Show celebrated a decade of showcasing regional artistic talent on June 25 as artists, patrons, and supporters gathered at Barrel 118 in Eatonton for a reception and awards presentation hosted by The Artisans Village.
The 10th annual exhibition was one of the strongest in the show's history, according to co-chair Cathy McIntire, who said it attracted a record number of entries while maintaining an exceptionally high standard of work.
"After 10 years of producing this show, I can say this is the most competitive show that we've ever had," McIntire said. "We had more entries, and the quality of the work was really over the top."
Award winners were selected by judge Brenda Pinnick, an accomplished Woodstock artist whose work has appeared in American Art Collector, Modern Impressionist Magazine, Art of the West, and Fine Art Connoisseur. She has also provided creative design and product development expertise for Hallmark Cards and Plaid Enterprises.
Pinnick said narrowing the field to just a handful of winners was one of the most difficult judging assignments she has faced.
"I was pretty much blown away when I saw the artwork," Pinnick said. "There were so many beautiful pieces and wonderfully executed works. So many deserved awards, and they told me I get to pick six. That was tough."
She said she began the judging process from an academic standpoint, evaluating each work's composition, color, design, storytelling, and technical execution before allowing personal preference to influence her final selections.
"A painting or a work of art doesn't have to be about everything," she said. "If it's just one thing that is just jaw-dropping and over-the-top wonderful, you can look past some other things."
Pinnick also encouraged artists whose work was not selected for the exhibition to continue creating.
"If you didn't get into the show, please don't give up," Pinnick said. "Keep trying, and you will be surprised how sometimes you can have a piece of work that doesn't get into a show, but it can go on to another show and possibly win an award."
The exhibition's top honor went to Pat Devine Barnes for She Rules the Roost, which Pinnick praised for transforming an ordinary farm scene into a portrait filled with personality.
"It's such a fun story," she said, referring to the barnyard birds depicted in the painting. "Every single one has a different personality, and you really just pulled off a beautiful painting from such a simple, unassuming scene."
John Anderson earned second place for Failed Virgin, while Janet Getter received third place for Gathered. Merit awards went to Anne Doty for The Orange Vest, Renee Crouser for The Market, and Brian Danson for Forest Majesty, the only sculpture to receive an award.
The evening concluded with the presentation of the People's Choice Award, selected by attendees during the reception. That honor went to Holly Parker for her abstract painting, Never, Never Lived.
For Parker, the recognition carried special meaning. She said the painting was the first she completed after taking more than a year away from art following what she described as "kind of a sad period" in her life.
"All of a sudden, it wasn't sad anymore," Parker said. "I painted for the first time in a year, and this is what I painted."
She admitted she was both excited and surprised when her name was announced.
"I told my family and friends, 'I'm just glad I got in the show because I know what kind of art is here,'" Parker said. "It's an honor just to be in this show."
A longtime supporter of The Artisans Village, Parker recalled wondering whether the fledgling organization would attract enough artists when it launched a decade ago.
"We all said, 'Where are they going to get the artists from?' And it's just grown and grown from then," she said.
McIntire thanked the artists and attendees for helping make the anniversary exhibition a success, noting the show allows artists to share their work with the community.
"They say a piece of art is never really finished until it's shown to somebody else," she told the audience. "Thank you for coming."
Unsold artwork from the 10th annual Lake Country Juried Art Show has been moved to The Artisans Village Gallery, 110 W. Marion St. in Eatonton, where it has been on display and available for purchase since July 1.