Featuring a diverse exhibit of awe-inspiring art, Bosque Arts Center hosts the 38th Annual Bosque Art Classic show and sale, displaying 200 works from 125 artists
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” – Aristotle
Everybody has their own particular taste when it comes to art, because “beauty is in the “eye of the beholder.” But even though you might not instinctively love a certain piece of art or its subject, you can still appreciate it being an excellent piece of work. The artist shows mastery of different skills and techniques, with good use of color, values and composition. And they’re able to communicate a deeper message, in a unique way or with a different perspective with their work, which evokes feeling and emotion in the viewer.
All artists selected in the Bosque Arts Center’s Annual Art Classic show the viewers that excellence in their work. The nationally-recognized art show and sale that is synonymous with outstanding representational original art – especially western art – opens Saturday Sept. 9 with a dinner and awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m.
This 38th Annual Bosque Art Classic show and sale features 200 works of 125 talented artists –around 80 percent from Texas, and many local extremely talented artists – from sculpture to pastels to water color and oils/acrylics. The wonderful and awe-inspiring exhibition continues free to the public Sept. 10-23 during regular BAC opening hours. After the opening weekend sale, remaining pieces can be purchased online through Sept. 23.
The diverse show offers spectacular art work showing many different styles, with evocative titles like “Soaking up the Sun,” “Breakfast with Momma,” and “Patiently Waiting.” Being a Western inspired show, subject matter runs from the magnificence of God’s creatures in their natural habitat, the radiance of an American Indian warrior, the sun setting on a weary cowboy and his steed after a long day, or Rembrantesque still lives and majestic landscapes.
Over 700 entries were discussed and weighed on significance and quality selected by this year’s judge Seth Hopkins. Having an esteemed judge like Hopkins validates the importance of the BAC Art Classic for the entrants and the buyers.
Executive director of the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA, Hopkins guided the museum’s growth to becoming the largest permanent exhibition space for Western art in the country. Today, the world class, 120,000-square-foot Smithsonian-affiliated Booth Museum ranks as the largest permanent exhibition space for Western art in the country and has been named the Number One Art Museum in America in the USA Today Readers Choice Awards for three years in a row, from 2020 to 2022.
Having curated or co-curated almost 100 exhibitions, Southwestern Art magazine listed Hopkins on their list of 10 prominent people “making noteworthy contributions to the art world.”
Thanks to the never-abating enthusiasm and dedication of the Bosque Arts Center Art Council, this year’s exceptional show once again spotlights many returning artists and as many newcomers offering priceless recognition with art patrons and fellow artists. Additionally, winning a coveted award at the Bosque Art Classic also comes with cash; over $15,000 in prizes is awarded.
The Roland Jones Memorial Gallery houses the permanent collection of the Bosque Arts Center – a gathering of beautiful representational artwork from the past decades. Nationally renowned artists as well as artists coming into their own are represented in the collection, which grows each year with purchases of the John Steven Jones and Art Patrons Choice Awards winners from the Bosque Art Classic show and sale.
Past winners selected again this year include Matt Atkinson, Patrick Saunders, Steven Lang, Carla D’aguanno, Randy Meador Cheryl Harley-Volz Kathy Tate Reg Narmour and Steve Atkinson, are joined by area artists Lloyd Voges, George Boutwell, Crystal Orlando, Daniel Anz, Matt Atkinson, Joseph Barbieri, Jan Beavers, Samuel Shelton and Ann Patton.
Steve Dunn heads up a list of talented sculptors in the show, which includes Jammey Huggins, Jeff Rechin and newcomer Ronnie Zint. Watercolor artist Richie Vios is yet another talented new entrant among the 125 artists juried in to this year’s line-up.
Tickets for opening night dinner and awards may be purchased for $65 through the BAC website www.bosqueartscenter.com or by phone at 254.675.3724.
Photos by SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS & courtesy of BOSQUE ARTS CENTER
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