Out & About: Westmoreland Art Nationals 2 opens at Twin Lakes

Shirley McMarlin | Monday, July 1, 2019 12:01 a.m.

Kim Stepinsky | For the Tribune-Review

Exhibiting artist and recipient of the Photography award, Cassandra Pfaff joins her father, exhibiting artist and recipient of the Best in Show award, Kurt Pfaff of Pittsburgh (work shown back), for a photo June 29 during the opening reception for the Westmoreland Art Nationals at Twin Lakes Park in Unity.

Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival Executive Director Diane Shrader credited Chef Mark Henry’s hors d’oeuvres for helping draw a crowd to the opening reception for the second Westmoreland Art Nationals exhibition, held June 29 in the exhibition building at Twin Lakes Park in Unity.

It was a lovely spread, to be sure, but hardly the main event.

People stood elbow to elbow to view the work of more than 70 artists, some exhibiting more than one piece, and to learn who would win the exhibition awards.

Honorees included:

• Best in Show: “Andrew Carnegie Never Anticipated Suzy,” oil, Kurt Pfaff

• Painting: “Migration,” Adalberto Ortiz

• Graphics: “Harbor,” Robert Campbell

• Craft: “Teapot,” Stephen Haywood

• Sculpture: “Donuts and Cupcakes With Free Small Coffee,” Ron Koehler

• Photography: “Soft,” Cassandra Pfaff

• Mixed media: “In Search of Oz,” Ron Nigro

• New entrant: “Eating His Words,” acrylic, Kim Williams

• Curator’s choice: “The Offering,” pen and ink, Jack Puglisi

• Executive director’s choice: “First Street,” oil, Janet Cheplick

Also announced was the people’s choice award, voted on by visitors to the first Art Nationals exhibition, held in June at Westmoreland County Community College. Winner was “First Color,” an oil painting by Richard Harydzak.

The current exhibition will be available for viewing during the arts and heritage festival, July 4-7 at Twin Lakes.

Juror was June Linowitz of Bethesda, Md., an artist, former gallery director and founder of the art consulting business, ArtSeen Inc. Curator was Hope Moyer of New Alexandria, a sculptor, recent fine arts graduate of Seton Hill University and active member of the area arts community.

Seen: Mike Ginsburg, Erin Shrader, George and Jane Church, Bill and Judy Scheeren, Marlene Lucas, Kathy Hager, Darlene Frederickson, Connie Riley, Mary Ellen and Phil Raneri, Richard and Eileen Stoner, Keith and Shirleah Kelly, Alexis Dillon, Elizabeth Grosklos, Pamela Cooper, Peg Panasiti and Nick Silvis.