The hallmark of The Peoria Art Guild's special events
is the Fine Art Fair, ranked in the top 100
art fairs nationally.

The 47th Annual Fine Art Fair will be held September 26 & 27, 2009, on Peoria's Riverfront.

Artistsmay apply through the Juried Art Services link on our home page.

Peoria Art Guild Announces 46th Annual Fine Art Fair Artist Award Winners

The Peoria Art Guild has announced the award winners for the 2008 Fine Art Fair held on September 27th and 28th on Peoria's Riverfront. Cash awards totaling $10,000 were presented to artists who best exhibited quality, technique, concept and craftsmanship in their works.

Judges for the artist awards were Paul Kraniak, Chairman of the Bradley University Art Department, and Karen Rotenberg, founder and director of Alianza, a contemporary craft gallery in Boston.

"Best of Show" designation, along with $2,500, was awarded to Kansas jeweler, Shellie Bender Lawrence.

"Award of Excellence" and $750 were given to the following 10 artists:
LeRoy Bayerl of Marshfield, WI, wood artist;
Joe Becker of Cedar, MN, glass;
Stephan Cox of River Falls, WI, glass;
Delores Fortuna of Galena, IL, ceramics;
Michael Frasca of Harrodsburg, KY, ceramics;
Cali Hobgood-Lemme of Urbana, IL, photographer; Marlene Miller of Washington, IL, sculptor;
Sharon Pikrone of Elburn, IL, watercolor;
Mary Smith of St. Charles, jeweler;
Caroline Vienne of Everett, WA, jeweler.

"Honorable Mention" and an invitation to attend next year's Fair were given to the following 10 artists:
Lonnie Carter of Des Moines, IA, painter;
Dick Codding of Cobden, IL, wood artist;
Jacob Grant of Peoria, IL, ceramics;
John Herbon of Saint Ignace, MI, ceramics;
Craig Lossing of Lino, Lakes, MN, wood artist,
Nuch Ryan of Bourbonnais, IL, wood artist;
Gary Seidel of Davie, FL, photographer;
Trish Stevenson of Black Earth, WI, jeweler;
Laura Timmins of Madison, WI, jeweler;
Larry Welo of Mt. Horeb, WI, printmaker.

Two purchase awards were also given; one in memory of former Fine Art Fair committee member, Christine Ashburn, and the other in honor of Jeff Hawkinson. The Chris Ashburn Purchase Award went to ceramicist Michael Frasca of Harrodsburg, KY.

Oil painter Chris Vance of Bondurant, IA received the Jeff Hawkinson Purchase Award. These awards are used to purchase artwork for the Peoria Art Guild's permanent collection. Each work of art is then used in the Peoria Art Guild's Art Rental program.

For information on previous fairs, please click here.

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