The 50th Hamilton Current regional art competition is a big - we mean a REALLY BIG - deal. Artworks from this year’s selected artists will be projected in wall-scale images on the Fitton Center’s exterior in an exciting new week-long outdoor digital presentation May 28 - June 4, 8:00pm - midnight. We'll also be featuring groups of artworks weekly here on the blog leading up to and during the exhibition!
Artworks chosen for Cash Awards and Honorable Mention Awards by judges will be physically installed in the ground floor Monument Gallery at Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Ave, Hamilton OH and on view May 28 – July 9. Fitton Center galleries are free and open to the public starting June 1. Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday, 10:00am – 2:00pm.
Bob Coates
Fairborn Ohio
Celtic Goddess
60 x 18 x 24
Hand-built ceramic figure, carved with Celtic symbols. 2pc figure secured by internal rod. Figure holds bronze medallion in its hand.
Allyson Coffren
Fort Thomas Kentucky
instagram: abcoffren
1. Finally, Space to Breathe
24" x 48" x 2"
2. untitled
30" x 24" x 2"
3. untitled
36" x 48" x 1"
BEST OF SHOW
All: oil on canvas, Alla Prima
Chrissy Collopy
Oxford Ohio
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sapphiresunfish/
We Dance with Death
12 x 36 x 1.5 inches
acrylics, oils, rhinestones, canvas pieces on stretched canvas, First layers on the canvas I painted in acrylic. Then I glued on my cut out acrylic painted canvas pieces (bunny, deer, etc..) and rhinestones, then the last detailed layers are painted in oils.
*Sides are painted in the process as well, for a finished look.
Katlin Combs
Hamilton Ohio
instagram: katlincombsart
1. Clouded
11x8.5
Digital Photography and fabric, I used a slowed down shutter speed to capture the movement and the reflection of the light cast from the fabric.
2. Dreamlike
12x8
Digital Photography, I placed a colored light gel in front of the lens of the camera and then I used a piece of cellophane and had people hold it in front of my face to create an interesting illusion.
3. Is this who I am?
8x12
Digital Photography, I set up my camera on a tripod in my bathroom and took pictures studying myself in the mirror.
Karen Connolly
Hamilton Ohio
instagram: karenconnollyarts
Chakaia
82" tall x 37" diameter
Tires, metal and fused glass.,
Constructed on a metal and wood armature with tires for a base, this work is a tribute to one of my favorite contemporary sculptors, Chakaia Booker. To emulate Chakaia's celebratory headdress, the fabric construct was built in the medium of choice for Chakaia, tires. The face was slumped in fused glass in it's elemental form and in the colors you would normally find in her headdress. This was done with a clay mold of the face molded with alginate to create a negative and then alginate again to create a positive. This was then plastered with fiberglass reinforcements and the glass was slumped into it. This bigger than life tribute expresses my admiration for the textural and tonal nature of tires as a medium. Like women, they are strong, durable and protective. The nearly indestructible nature of the tires juxtaposed to the fragility of the glass face speaks to the strong competent nature of women. Not fragile like a flower but fragile like a bomb. A force to be reckoned with. This tribute is a reminder that women are creating and producing phenomenal works of art.
HONORABLE MENTION
Candace Cook
Oxford Ohio
facebook: Candy Wilson
1. The Feed Mill
27 x 21 inches
2. Train Wreck
10 x 19 inches
Both: Digital Photography