The American Plains Artists 34th Annual Juried Exhibit & Sale opened October 10 to a large crowd at the Pearce Museum at Navarro College in Corsicana, TX, where the exhibit continues through January 4, 2020. Realistic and representational artworks of the American Great Plains are on exhibit by sixty-five APA members from across the U.S.A.
Awards Juror Sonya Terpening awarded the following:
Best of Show: “Dance to the Buffalo” by Stephen G. Jones, Woodward, OK
1st Place Award: “Spirits Within” by Jammey Huggins, Seminole, TX
2nd Place Award: “Attending Sheep” by Felicia, Edwards, CO
3rd Place Award: “Noble Quest” by Susan Temple Neumann, Rowlett, TX
“‘Dance to the Buffalo’ is part of the Sun Dance ritual of the Cheyenne,” says Stephen G. Jones. “While the pledgers are dancing inside the lodge, these pledgers dance around the outside of the lodge. The Cheyenne felt that the only thing they had to give or offer to the spirits were themselves, which was the only thing they truly owned; their pain and suffering were their tithes so to speak. The skulls that this pledger is dragging are tethered to his legs. They are sometimes tethered to their backs, but this particular dancer has made this pledge many times before and his back is too scarred, so he chose his legs instead. At the end of the ritual if the skulls did not pull loose, the children would ride on each of the skulls for added weight to help them to tear loose, completing the pledge.
“‘Dance to the Buffalo’ was a very heartfelt piece for me to sculpt. To have that much dedication and belief to perform such a task is awe inspiring. I hope it strikes a chord on the viewers’ heartstrings as well.”
About Stephen G. Jones: Born 1957
Stephen and his wife, Kathy, live in the historical community of Keenan, which is located on the family ranch, in northwest Oklahoma.
Jones spent over 30 years in the commercial art field and was a successful fashion designer for 10 of those years before becoming a full-time sculptor. Jones is mostly self-taught and has augmented his training by studying under some of the nation’s greatest sculptors. Along with his lifelong hands-on experience in ranching, being a working ranch cowboy and having Cheyenne heritage adds to his in-depth knowledge of the American West as it is today and is what helps breath life into his art. Art has been his lifelong education, and he says he will always remain its student.
First Place Award: “The Spirits Within,” bronze, 20.5 x 8.5 in. diameter, $6,500, by Jammey Huggins, Seminole, TX
Second Place Award: “Attending Sheep,” bronze, 22 x 6.5 x 6 in., $4,000, by Felicia
Third Place Award: “Noble Quest,” oil on linen panel, 36 x 24 in., $5,300, by Susan Temple Neumann
Other awards sponsored by the APA included:
Clyde Heron Award: “Comanche Moon” by T.W. Vanya, Somerville, TX
Best Plains Wildlife: “Greetings” by Mary Lou Pape, Monument, CO
Mystery Award: “Good Water” by David Dorsey, Valentine, NE
Texas Award: “Atterbury Grain” by Tim Oliver, Lubbock, TX
Arrowhead Award (Hosting Facility’s Choice): “Looking for Work” by Victor Blakey, Plano, TX
Golden Spur (Artists’ Choice) Award: “Comanche Moon” by T.W. Vanya, Somerville, TX.
The Plainsman Award (People’s Choice) will be announced at the end of the show.
The American Plains Artists exhibition is on view at the Pearce Museum at Navarro College in Corsicana, TX. Learn more at www.americanplainsartists.com.
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