16th Annual Juried Fine Art Show in Evergreen Park
Art in the Wilds held the 16th Annual Juried Fine Art Show featuring the finest artists and artisans from the region and beyond last weekend in the Evergreen Park in Kane. President of the Art in the Wilds Committee, Julie Cleland, said, “It is our 16th year and we are getting rave reviews from the artists who come. They love coming to the show in Kane because of our hospitality and the hospitality of the people of Kane and because of the visitors and patrons who are here to look at art and buy art. They come through the Hospitality Tent and they say “This is awesome! What a wonderful community and show!”. So we must be doing something right. It is a struggle to lift it off the ground as some of us get older but we are happy for the effect that it has on our town.
“We started 16 years ago with the hope of introducing fine art to the community and giving artists an opportunity to display and sell their work and advancing the economical development of Kane. It must have worked because 16 years ago we knew that it had to be on Alumni Weekend because that always is the biggest weekend of the year in Kane. We started with 27 artists and we caped it at 40 artists because we want a nice, friendly, leisurely show.” Cleland stated that the Committee wants the artists to be successful by selling their art. Cleland said there was little activity 16 years ago. “If you look at what is going on in Kane now, there has been a lot of economic development. We hear people are coming back. I’m not saying we are responsible for it but I think we helped to get the ball rolling. Everyone is a part of it.”
The Art in the Wilds Hospitality Tent hosted more than its usual friendly faces and helpful visitor features. The Hospitality Tent provided space for budding artists to showcase their work for all the show’s visitors to enjoy.
Artists selected through the Juried Fine Art Show were Francine Zajac who creates functional pottery that can be used in everyday life, Amanda Wolf who specializes in porcelain pottery that is customized with hand-drawn designs, Michael Weishan who photographs parts of nature and gives a glimpse at a small part of the natural world, Curt Weinhold who captures the many different scenes of the PA Wilds, Robert Vrboncic who turns hardwood into functional and decorative pieces of artwork, Heather Thompson who creates delicate textures found in nature in her jewelry designs, Kaylee Taylor who turns metal into masterpieces, Dan Sullivan who creates borosilicate glass jewelry,
Kathleen Shnell who is a glass artist, Larry Schneider who paints his artwork on wood and adding items to give them a realistic feel, Jijll Rouke who is a fiber artist (weaves thread), Alexis Rodefer who captures the personalities of birds through watercolor paint, Krysta Robinson who is a ceramic artist, Debbie Penley who felts wool (pulling the fibers into animals), Ellen Paquatte who captures animals in their not-so-natural habitat in the renaissance Era while using acrylic paints, Jack Paluh who captures picture-perfect scenes from nature through oil paintings, Jack Northrop who has mastered the art of turning wood into vessels and walking sticks, Karen Mckee who is a ceramic artist and creates functional artwork that can be used in everyday life, Donna Little who uses traditional metalsmithing to create eyecatching jewelry, Laurie Leonard who combines watercolor and jewelrymaking to create a oneof-a-kind art, Kalpana Lehman who is a lampworking artist who creates fine jewelry from glass and sliver, Greg Kristophel who turns
plain wood into beautiful yet functional pieces of art, Christina Krautz who handcrafts sterling silver jewelry, Stacie Johnson-leske who is a ceramics artist specializing in wheel-thrown and hand-built white stoneware pottery, Dawn Johnson who utilizes ink to create vibrant portraits, Peggy Houser who creates intricate patterns from seed beads, Rocky Hollan who is a photographer that captures wild animals in their natural habitats, Lana Heckendorn who specializes in ceramics and creates functional pieces of artwork, Amy Hahn who is a stained-glass artist that creates colorful pieces of artwork, Megan Gillis who creates jewelry and uses nature as her inspiration, Gerina Faison who specializes in bead weaving, bead stringing, beadembroidered necklaces and precious metal clay earrings, Mark English who is a metal sculptor who uses glass and other materials to accent his work, Denise Drummond who paints and gives her paintings a realistic feel, Larry Downey who brings photographs to life using stone and metal, Al Dornisch who paints animals from all around the world, Chandler Beatty who is a painter
specializing in wildlife, Pamela Bartl who weaves cotton yarns on a loom to create a practical and comfortable piece of clothing, Lisa Arkus who uses a combination of paints, pens, vintage papers, and other ephemera to create a theme of youth, innocence, and nature in her artwork, and Anthony Arkus who is a blacksmith artist and creates work that is functional and high quality pushing viewer's beliefs in what steel can do.
Art in the Wilds thanks its Sponsors: Kane Community Development Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (a program supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency), Highlander Energy Products, Inc., Cleland Endowment, Ed and Julie Malmstrom, Northwest Charitable Foundation, Zook Motors, Inc., CNB Bank, Logyard Brewery, Mike Pascarella, Penn Highlands Healthcare, The Collins Company Kane Hardwood, Richgas Inc., UPMC Kane, Zippo/case Museum and Store, Allegheny Eyecare, American Refining Group, Country Fair,
Inc., Cummings Funeral Home, Elk County Foods, Hamlin Bank and Trust Company, Jim and Ruth Gentilman Peterson, Gary Meckley, Judith Williamson-spencer, Kane Eagles Club #307, Kane Liquid Fuels Inc., Marilyn Blackmore, Office of Human Services, Inc. Area Agency on Aging, Pine Haven Veterinary Clinic, Tom and Judy Thompson, Audrey and Dale Mclaughlin, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Borland Memorials, Inc., Bucktail Barbers, CJ Spirits, LLC, CW Hardware, Dennis F. and Elizabeth M. Davis, Edward S. Kocjancic, Inc., Field Street Boots, Howard Hannah Professionals, Judith Williamson Spencer, Kane Fish and Game Club, Kane Rotary Club, Laughing Owl Press, Lorri and John Forquer, Ron and Karen Carty, Jon and Lorrie Forquer, W.E. Swanson, Inc. Bruno and Rosemary Sicker, Geci and Associates, PC, Kane Fish & Game Club, Margie Holland, and Table 105.
As a 501(c)3 organization, the Art in the Wilds Organization accepts financial contributions. Contributions help keep Art in the Wilds admission free. Visit artinthewilds.org for more information.