Best of Show: Burdsal’s Barn, an acrylic painting by Dian Der Ohanian Phillips

River City Art Association celebrated the talent of 26 Indiana and Illinois artists during its 11th Annual Juried Exhibition opening reception on Aug. 2 in First Financial Bank in downtown Terre Haute.

An impressive 72 entries by emerging and professional artists will remain on display through Aug. 29 during regular banking hours.

First Financial marketing officer Sally Whitehurst hosted the reception and awards ceremony with many of the exhibiting artists from the Wabash Valley attending the First Friday event.

Juror Chester Burton

Chester Burton, professional artist and senior instructor in the department of art and design at Indiana State University, selected winners in five categories as well as Best of Show.

Best of Show winnings, sponsored by First Financial, went to Dian Der Ohanian Phillips of Terre Haute for her acrylic painting titled “Burdsal’s Barn.”

The backstory on her painting: While driving on U.S. 40, near the Clay-Putnam County Line Road, “I noticed a nice old barn with two ghost signs still visible,” Phillips posted on her Facebook page. “The’Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco’ sign is well-known to anyone who drives through American byways. However, the Burdsal’s Paint sign was unique. To my horror, one day the barn was gone! Luckily, I had taken a photo, and that was the inspiration for the painting. Happy ending.”

Artists Choice-ink painting by Elizabeth Hood

First-place medallions were awarded to David V. Gill for his painting, “Todd House”; Alexandra McNichols-Torroledo for her photography entry, a platinum palladium print titled “Tu Kansjewesx Nasa Indigenous Band”; Jane Lubbehusen for a pastel, “Running Free,” in the drawing category; Valerie Funk for a mixed media entry in fabric and threads, “MCM Composition #5 Staccato”; and Edith Acton for a fused glass wall hanging in the ceramics/glass category titled “Elegant.”

Second-place honors went to Ruthann Brady for a mixed media entry titled “Yuugen Cove”; Eloise Lovell for her drawing, “Red Family Tangle”; Steve Harrold for his painting, “Samantha”; Thomas Wright for his “Golden Reflections” entry in the photography category; and Todd Stokes for his etched glass piece titled “Geo Trees.”

Third-place recognition went to Monty “Indiana” Jones for his drawing, “Big Red”; Jennifer Kirk for a photography entry on canvas titled “Off the Wall”; Elise Spaid-Roberts for her painting on pennies, “Painted Pennies”; Todd Stokes for a mixed media piece, “From Winter’s Decay”; and Edith Acton for a wall hanging in fused glass titled “Burst of Color.”

Two honorable mentions also were awarded in the painting category: “The Three Musers” by Der Ohanian Phillips and “Satisfied” by Mary G. Mayhew.

The reception ended with the Artists’ Choice Award going to Elizabeth Hood of Brazil, Indiana for her “Untitled” ink painting.

Voting for the recipient of the People’s Choice Award will end Aug. 29.

The exhibition also features artwork by Richard Acton, Marvetta Bee, Bryan Bromstrup, Lynne Dunnavant, Marcia Norman, Sandy Ridge-Fisher, Jimmie R. Tabor, Sheila K. Ter Meer, Jo Rich-Vadas and Spencer Young.

Winning artwork will be featured again in September in the lobby of First Financial’s Springhill banking center at 4500 S. U.S. 41.

For more information visit RiverCityArt.org or contact past president Todd Stokes at 812-232-0048.