Winners from Ninth Annual Nature Art Showcase

Jeffrey Jones of Townville, PA in Crawford County with his painting, "Beach 10 Presque Isle.

Attendees at last weekend’s Ninth Annual Nature Art Showcase and Sale cast ballots for the “People’s Choice” awards while they viewed more than 140 original art items submitted by 76 artists and displayed in the main lobby of the Barrow-Civic Theatre in downtown Franklin during the Franklin On Ice festival. This free exhibit of original artwork made using diverse techniques features depictions of outdoor recreation and natural resources of northwestern Pennsylvania.

The Council on Greenways and Trails and Penn Soil Resource Conservation & Development Council invited arriving guests to select their respective favorites in the Two-Dimensional, Three-Dimensional, and Pollinators categories. “Pollinators” was an optional theme this year covering the bases from the insects and other critters which distribute pollen through the flowers, plants, fruits, and vegetables which result from successful pollination.

Receiving the highest number of votes in the Two-Dimensional category is an oil painting prepared by Jeffrey Jones of Townville, PA in Crawford County. His painting is entitled “Beach 10 Presque Isle. Mr. Jones started painting about five years ago as a hobby and especially enjoys painting landscapes.

Sharaya Vivian of Warren, PA utilizes nature and art while homeschooling her children. She incorporated needle felting when creating the Three-Dimensional category People’s Choice award recipient, entitled “Peeking.” This item features a felted squirrel looking out of a hollow log. (Picture left)

“The Life of a Bee” was voted as the winner in the People’s Choice category of Pollinators. Frank Randy Bouch of Clarion, PA preserved a beehive, which he cross-sectioned so that observers could see the layers within the hive, as well as examples of its initial occupants. Mr. Bouch creates whimsical interactive teaching tools for children’s programming.

Donating the prizes presented to this year’s People’s Choice winners were sponsors Victorian City Art & Frame in Franklin (2-D), Cheri Yarnell with Moonrise Porcelain & Stoneware of Franklin (3-D), and pressed petals artist Mary Rose Ragon of Franklin, PA (pollinator category).

This free public event was jointly coordinated by two area non-profit organizations – Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development Council based in Warren, PA serving eight counties in northwestern Pennsylvania, and the Council on Greenways and Trails based in Oil City, PA focusing on Clarion, Crawford, and Venango Counties. For additional images from the Ninth Annual Nature Art Showcase and Sale, see www.nwpagreenways.org.