Purchase Awards named at 39th Bosque Art Classic

Purchase Awards named at 39th Bosque Art Classic Subhead Exhibition, sale open thru Sept. 28 Ashley Barner Wed, 09/25/2024 - 06:33 Image

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  Previous John Steven Jones Purchase Award winner TW 'Pops' Vanya talks with art patrons at the 39th annual Bosque Art Classic, on display through Saturday at the Bosque Arts Center in Clifton. Photo by Ashley Barner

  Previous John Steven Jones Purchase Award winner TW 'Pops' Vanya talks with art patrons at the 39th annual Bosque Art Classic, on display through Saturday at the Bosque Arts Center in Clifton. Photo by Ashley Barner
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  2024 John Steven Jones Purchase Award winner Lee Alban steps on stage to accept his award for How The West Was Won at this year's Bosque Art Classic awards dinner. Photo by Ashley Barner

  2024 John Steven Jones Purchase Award winner Lee Alban steps on stage to accept his award for How The West Was Won at this year's Bosque Art Classic awards dinner. Photo by Ashley Barner

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Celebrating its 39th year, the Bosque Arts Center’s Art Classic honored artists from all over the country who were chosen for this year’s exhibition and sale.

Judged by Cowboy Artist of America and Clifton native Martin Grelle, a total of 179 pieces were selected for the Bosque Art Classic from 105 artists who submitted 678 entries. Submissions were received nationwide, with 51 Texas towns and 25 other states represented in this year’s eclectic show.

Each year the Art Classic gives two purchase awards to artists in the show. The awardwinning pieces become a part of the Bosque Arts Center’s Permanent Collection, which is on display for free throughout the year in the Roland Jones Memorial Gallery.

This year’s John Steven Jones Purchase Award for $5,000 was given to Lee Alban of Havre de Grace, MD, for How The West Was Won in oil. Sponsored and selected by Roland and Joyce Jones in memory of their son Steven, the piece showed how women served a vital role in settling the western frontier.

Sponsored by the Art Council, this year’s Art Patrons Purchase Award of $1,000 plus the purchase price of the piece went to Eileen Nistler of Upton, WY, for End of the Season in colored pencil.

The Boren-Selvidge Award for $1,000 was given to Lon Brauer of Granite City, IL, for Baggataway in oil. This award was sponsored by the family of James Boren.

The New Entrant Award is given to an artist new to the show. Sponsored by Al and Miriam Poteet, this year’s $1,000 prize was awarded to David Yorke of Clermont, FL, for Passing on Traditions in oil on linen.

A new award was introduced this year, sponsored by Art of the West Magazine - a magazine tailored to art collectors. Selected by fellow artists in the Classic, the Artists Choice Award named Rodeo Dreams by Yorke its 2024 winner.

Gold and silver winners were also selected in oil/ acrylic, drawing, water media, pastel and sculpture.

These winners include: - Gold Medal Oil/Acrylic Rodeo Dreams by David Yorke; and Silver Medal Oil/Acrylic In Grandpa’s Footsteps by Valeriy Kagounkin, Sacramento, CA.

-Gold Medal Drawing End of the Season by Eileen Nistler; and Silver Medal Drawing Muley Bucks by Amber Scally, Martinsdale, MT.

-Gold Medal Water Media The Potter by Court Bailey, Saginaw; and Silver Medal Water Media Cowboy Zen by Richie Vios, Austin.

-Gold Medal Pastel November Dawn by Lynda Conley, Fort Worth; and Silver Medal Pastel Reminiscing by Lin Boucher, Sun City West, AZ.

-Gold Medal Sculpture Wing and a Preyer by John Rule, Minco, OK; and Silver Medal Sculpture Great Horned Owl by Richard Finch, Valley Mills.

The Bosque Art Classic public exhibition and sale runs through Sept. 28. View the show for free from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday at the Bosque Arts Center in Clifton.