Winners in the Northern Exposure XIV exhibit at Escanaba’s William Bonifas Fine Arts

Center were celebrated at the Artists’ Reception on Thursday, November 8.
Nine awards, a special feature article award, and five purchase prizes (where the prize is the sale of a piece of art,) all sponsored by supporters of Upper Peninsula artists, were distributed among the sixty artists whose ninety works compose the show.

“Northern Exposure XIV made winners of all the exhibitors,” said Pasqua Warstler, Bonifas Gallery and Education Director. “This has been a banner year, with nearly 300 entries. Competition was tough. Getting into the show was an achievement.”

The annual show is open to U.P. residents working in any medium, and is juried by an out-of-area artist. The 2007 juror was Kathy Zasuwa of Milford, MI, president of the Michigan League of Handweavers.

”Our goal is to encourage new work, so all entries must have been created within the last two years. It’s a great incentive for our regional artists,” Warstler said.

“The exhibit is full of color, texture and movement. It’s made up of lots of different ideas about what art is. I think there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this show,” she added.
Northern Exposure XIV is on display through December 20. This year’s show is underwritten in part by Gallery Partner Escanaba Veterinary Clinic.

The Bonifas Gallery is always free. Center hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The Center will be open Friday and Saturday, November 23 and 24. For more information, call (906) 786-3833.


Winners are:

1st : Michael Letts of Negaunee for The Curve, acrylic; $500 from Bonifas Arts Center

2nd: Martha Fieber of Manistique for Forest Floor – Moss, fiber; $250 from Manistique Arts Club

3rd: Russell Prather of Marquette for Circle of Friends, acrylic on Plexiglas; $150 from Bay Area Arts Association, Escanaba

4th: Ingrid Blixt Cline of Escanaba for Lying Beyond The Ordinary Range of Perception, mixed media; $150 from The Old Church Gallery, Cedar River

5th: Earl Senchuk of Marquette for Helter Swelter, steel; $100 from Michigamme Moonshine Art Gallery   
                                      
Upper Peninsula Magazine feature article: Gene Bertram of Marquette for Smoky Joe/Misty Morn, oil; from Upper Peninsula Magazine and Woerpel Images  

Honorable Mentions:

- Barry Bernstein of Marquette for Northern Lights, raku pottery; from Sviland's Paint & Wallcovering, Escanaba, and East Ludington Gallery, Escanaba

- Ginnie Cappaert of Stephenson for He Gave Me Wings, mixed media; from Frame Crafters, Escanaba, and the Bonifas              

- Stacy Vaughn Davis of Republic for Dana at Whitefish Pointe, Michigan, pen & ink; from Community Women's Group of Watton and Art U.P. Style Gallery, Marquette            

- Dale Wedig of Gwinn, for Copper Wall Relief I, copper, aluminum, and wood; from Cheap Joe's and Frame Farm, Gladstone

Purchase Prizes:

Bay Bank: Cynthia Golisek Kustin of AuTrain for Lake Effect Solitude, watercolor

Bay College: Ingrid Blixt Cline of Escanaba for Lying Beyond The Ordinary Range of Perception, mixed media              

Bay College: Dale Wedig of Gwinn for Copper Wall Relief I, copper, aluminum, wood

Delta Chiropractic: Mike Olson of Escanaba for Beauty on Black Ice, photograph

OSF St Francis Hospital: David Bigelow of Sault Ste Marie, for Crystal Falls, pastel

Schneider, Larche & Haapala: Tim Trombley of Chatham for Paradise is Blue, glycee photography