By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Local artists whose works are featured in a new art exhibit at the Shelby County Arts Council gathered at the gallery last week for the announcement of winners in various categories.

The opening reception and award presentation for the Seventh Annual SCAC Juried Art Exhibit took place on Sept. 10 from 6-8 p.m., and more than a dozen artists received awards for Best in Show, Best in Photography, Best in Painting and more.

The following are this year’s winners:
•Best in Show: Robin Miller, At The Market.
•Best in Ceramics: Lana Hobbs, Blue Tectonics.
•Best in Photography: Gary Ricketts, Wonder.
•Best in Painting: Robin Miller, Diving for Quarters.
•Best of 3D: Teresa Wamble, Beak Vase.
•Best of Mixed Media: Diane Hathcock, Unfolding.
•Best of Drawing: Janet Sanders, Koi.
•Honorable Mentions in Photography: Hank Siegle, Power; Delos Johnson, Rolling Out; and Madelyn Carr-Bonnett, Blast from the Past.
•Honorable Mention in Mixed Media: Danielle L. Tickel, Clockworks.
•Honorable Mentions in Painting: Mara Jambor, Vase of Tulips; and Theresa Wayne, Good Coffee.
•Honorable Mention in Ceramics: Anne Marie Bell, Warhorse.

“Robin (Miller) entered the 2014 Juried Show and while not selected as a winner by the juror, was awarded an ‘Executive Director’ award,” SCAC staff member Sandra Annonio wrote in an email. “Thankfully, Ms. Miller was not discouraged by the previous year’s results and entered the 2015 Seventh Annual Juried Art Show.

“Perseverance paid off for this relatively new painter as this year’s juror selected her work as Best in Painting (Diving for Quarters) and Best in Show (At The Market),” she wrote. “This is a lesson to all artists. At each show entered a different set of ‘juror eyes’ see the work. One piece may get rejected from one show but accepted and win the next.”

Other artists featured in this year’s exhibit are: Amy Pickens, Davis Davis, Jadah Gardner, Janice Piper, Kevin McKee, Phyllis Mays, Roger Stephenson, Sherry Stanley, Anne Fontaine, Deborah Gamel, Karen Ingram and Scott Vaughn Owen.

The jurors were Nelson Grice and Becky Rodgers-Cox.

The exhibit will run through Oct. 2.

“Judging art is very subjective in nature,” Grice wrote in a juror statement. “However, experience and knowledge do trump personal taste in an event such as this.

“SCAC has clearly attracted some great talents. It is exciting to be a part of such a wonderful community of artists.”

Exhibit sponsors are the Alabama State Council on the Arts and Falcon Art Supply.

The SCAC holds two juried art shows each year, one for adults and one for Alabama high school students, and six additional art exhibits: January/February, Fine Folk Art; May, SCAC Instructor/Students; June, Liberty Day featuring local artists; August, Pottery Collective; and the remaining two shows are specially selected by the executive director.