On a hot day in late June 2018, 103 artists and their guests gathered at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg for the opening of the 2018 Art of the State exhibition.
One of 103 Works Selected From 1,850 Entries
Art of the State is the official statewide juried competition for Pennsylvania artists. Jurors chose 103 works from 1,850 entries, about 1 in 18, in five categories: craft, painting, photography, sculpture and work on paper. Huge thanks to State Museum Chief of Exhibits Michele Ensminger and curators Amy Hammond and Carol Buck for making it happen.
My 60 x 48 inch, acrylic on canvas sunflower painting, "Showstopper," was one of the 103.
Opening day visitors stop at Showstopper.
The opening reception started with an awards ceremony in the auditorium, where the 103 participating artists posed for a group photo.
After the ceremony came reception snacks, including a Guinness Book of World Records contender for the most Buffalo chicken dip served at a single event. Seriously. At least 100 pounds of the stuff.
Then it was off to the gallery to see the exhibition.
Take a walk through the exhibition with me.
Every artist in the show gets a page on the museum's touch-screen kiosks. Mine is circled in red.
Artists’ Work That Caught My Eye
Montgomery County artist Maria Maneos won The State Museum of Pennsylvania Purchase Award for her sculpture "5535-2017." It brings awareness to the 5,535 opioid and heroin deaths in Pennsylvania during 2017. We are all so grateful to Maria for giving these victims a voice. Watch PennLive's video below to learn more about her moving piece.
You'll see my huge sunflower painting at 1:27!
I gravitate to work that's out of the ordinary. Harrisburg artist Andrew Guth won my creative heart with "We Know Each Other But Have Never Met (Follow for Follow, Like For Follow)." Even at drop-off, which I wrote about in Bigger Than Life, I beelined to his piece. He asked his Instagram followers to share photos of themselves, then drew and painted them on 1930s paper.
Pittsburgh-area County fiber artist Sue Reno spent a year creating her needle-felted quilt, "50 Ways to Look at the River."
Chester County artist Rob Sigafoos chatted with my beloved about his metal sculpture, "Planting Time."
Lebanon artist Isaac Pelepko took first place in painting for "The Cute Parade," a 66 x 120 inch narrative acrylic painting.
The opening was a magical day, filled with family, old and new friends and fabulous art.
My beloved and me with Showstopper. I matched my dress to the painting.
Showstopper's spirit lives on in my Florals collection, where original paintings are available for your home.
xo,
Merrill