Art Tracks Sculpture Artists Honored
PALESTINE- Palestine Main Street and Palestine Tomorrow, Inc. hosted a reception for the award-winning artists of the current Palestine Art Tracks Sculpture exhibit.
Art was accepted for display in October, and a winner was chosen for People’s Choice and Best In Show by different procedures.
Winner of Best In Show – Dan Pogue for Sitatunga. a bronze located at the corner of North Queen and West Oak.
Pogue is an award-winner Marble Falls artist. He studied under International Sculpturist Keating Donohoe in Oklahoma City, OK for two years. Pogue’s new series “Bright Shapes and Missing Pieces” exhibits a modern and contemporary style. The Pogue gallery and foundry is located in Marble Falls, TX, and is open for tours
Best In Show was decided by a three-person committee. The judging committee reviewed each piece and scored them on a scale of 1 to 10. The piece that received the highest combined score won the award.
Winner of the People’s Choice award – Terry Jones for Last Dance, a steel sculpture located at the corner of Spring Street and Magnolia Street.
Jones is a national award- winning artist whose art ranges from abstract and whimsical to monumental. He works mainly with found objects, turning treasures from our past into art for the future. Using confiscated weapons from two Police Departments and one Sheriff’s office, Jones destroys the illegal weapons by turning them into components in his art. 17 years ago Jones and his wife Carla opened up an Antique Shop in Jewett which is now his Gallery.
People’s Choice was decided by the public through online, Facebook and call-in votes. More than 200 votes were turned in during the three month long voting period.
“We looked at innovative ways to interact with viewers and to integrate technology, so during the People’s Choice voting, Main Street used QR codes for the first time,” said Laura Westgate, Main Street manager. “People could use their smartphones to scan the QR code, and it directed you to a website we made with details on each piece of art. From there you could email a vote, like the photo of your choice on Facebook, or call it in. We had so much fun with this, and will continue to use it for upcoming shows.”
All cash awards for this cycle were sponsored by Ben E. Keith. Company representative Andrew Gregory presented a check to each winner at Thursday’s reception.
“On behalf of the Main Street board and Palestine Tomorrow, Inc., we are very grateful to have such strong community partners like Ben E. Keith and Andrew (Gregory),” said board member Jean Mollard, “They are always there helping us grow our community and supporting Arts & Cultural initiatives.”
Artists interested in exhibiting in the 2013-2014 Sculpture Exhibit can download an application at palestinemainstreet.org or contact the Main Street office at (903) 723-3014.
For more information or to be part of the projects of the local Main Street program visit facebook.com/palestinemainstreet, or call (903) 723-3014.