Brush Strokes awards Village artists
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — At the recent Brush Strokes Annual Art Exhibit held in Woodlands Auditorium, Marlene Gremillion took the highest honors, winning both Best in Show and First Place in the Professional Division.
Highly regarded artist Gary Simmons served as this year’s judge, and his time and effort were very much appreciated, especially with Brush Strokes expanding into two divisions — Amateur and Professional.
Gremillion’s painting “Red Among Us” took Best in Show, and her piece “Legs of a Flower” won First Place. Her works are bright, luminous, fearless and fun. She takes simple things, reanimates them using her own filters, and then invites viewers to participate with her vision.
In the Amateur Division, Mary Beth Thorne received both Second and Third places, with the paintings “Waiting for Summer” and “Queen of the Night.” Both are fine examples of mixed media, and her work is rich, lush and feminine. “Waiting for Summer” has a more current vibe, contrasting fall and winter against a longing for summer. “Queen of the Night” is quite rich, using color, elongated forms and angles to evoke a sense of timeless continuity.
Chuck Tull’s work in graphite, “Let’s Go Shopping,” was awarded Honorable Mention in the Amateur Division. He is a talented graphite artist whose affinity for realism is astounding. In “Let’s Go Shopping,” his use of shading and detail with the simple subject of a grocery list requires much study in order to absorb its brilliance.