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Posted: 09/19/12

"Best in Show" winner, artist Kimberly Santini, portrayed a golden retreiver splashing in the water called "Cannonball."

(Observer photo by Marianne Weiss)

Thumb Area show awards
excellence at annual event

by MARIANNE WEISS
Observer Special Writer

      In its quest to promote artistic excellence, the Starkweather Arts Center (SAC) in Romeo held the 2012 Thumb Area Artists Exhibition last Saturday. A large crowd gathered to see all the wonderful art and meet the artists.
       The exhibit was put on by the Romeo Guild of Art (RGA).
       At the exhibit, 37 artists offered 58 pieces on the main floor, as well as upstairs in the gallery. Last Saturday, people arrived for the 6 p.m. opening to walk around and enjoy the different forms of art and at 7 p.m. the winners of the show were announced.
       Kristin Barr, Starkweather director, was the exhibit's coordinator and Vickie Kuhns, the board treasurer and a volunteer at the gallery for five years, was greeting people from behind the display counter.
       "It's a wonderful looking exhibit this year," Kuhns said. "There is more art upstairs and everyone is enjoying the exhibit. It's good to see people support local art."
       Don Wieland, president of the Romeo Guild of Art, said the exhibit was judged by Victor Pytko, who is an art instructor at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center and has been a past speaker at the guild's meetings.
       "Victor does abstract art and is involved in media art as well doing work with videos and movies," Wieland said.
       An advertising airbrush illustrator for automotive companies in the past, Wieland now paints still life art, doing mainly representations of vintage toys and collectibles.
       "We are so happy to see the large crowd that came out to our opening on Saturday," he said.
       Wieland chose the President's Award which this year went to Sharon Will for her work, "Asian Satin."
       "Sharon had two paintings accepted into the show this year," he said. "I really like her composition style and the high quality pastel work she does."
       Original artwork was submitted in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, drawing, graphics, and sculpture. Photographs, fibers, or computer generated artwork was not accepted for this particular exhibit. The top 12 pieces, chosen by Pytko, will travel to sponsoring galleries throughout Michigan's Thumb Area.
       Best of Show went to Kimberly Santini for her work, "Cannonball." Her painting portrayed her friend's dog, Nita, a golden retriever splashing when he jumped into water.
       "I've been an exhibitor here for many years and am a member of the Romeo art guild," Santini said. "It's a tremendous honor to be chosen today. This exhibit represents so many people with talent in our area. It just gets better and better."
       Santini paints dogs every single day and has a website called paintingadogaday.com for people to view her other art and purchase prints.
       The complete list of the show's awards were: Best of Show, Santini, for her acrylic painting "Cannonball." First place, Sharon Will, for "View From Above." Second place, Wieland, for "Fresh Meat." Third place, Bill Littlejohn, for "Alley Light." RGA President's Award, Will, for "Asian Satin." Honorable Mentions included Daren Dundee for "Samurai Warrior," Jan Filarski for "Galactic Mechanisms IV," Robert Fionda for "Harmony," Joyce Kilpatrick for "King Cotton," Rebbeca Smith for "Wet Dog" and Vianna Szabo for "Study For Monsignor."
       Sponsors for the art exhibit included the Lakeville Animal Clinic, The Romeo Observer, Sarver Chiropractic, Jennie Matuja, Creative Corner in Washington Township and the Romeo Guild of Art.
       One lady who was enjoying the exhibit was Kay Burkuhl from Attica, a former member of the RGA.
       "I do oil painting and water colors. Most of my art is landscapes, but sometimes I also do still life. It's wonderful to be here because I haven't been here in ages," she said. "I really enjoyed seeing one artist especially, Evelyn Raiter. She has her work upstairs and down here in the gallery in the show."
       Joan Cooper Poreda had one of her paintings accepted into the exhibit.
       "It's called `River Place' and I'm so glad to be here tonight," Joan said, standing under her painting, a bright, colorful representation of a walking path near some quaint storefronts or street-front shops.
       Now through Oct. 6, people can go to the Starkweather to view the pieces and vote for their favorite choice for the People's Choice Award. The winner will be awarded a prize from Creative Corner, an art supply store in Washington.
       The Starkweather is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and is located at 219 N. Main Street in Romeo. See the website for more information at: http://starkweatherarts.com