Winning Awards Announced for Expressions West 2015 Exhibition at Coos Art Museum, April 28

In conjunction with the opening of the Expressions West 2015 exhibition on April 24, juror Brian Hoover announced his selection of prize winners in this 13 state painting competition. The First Place Prize was awarded to Andy DeWeerdt of Ashland Oregon for his oil bar on canvas painting Portia. The Second Place was presented to Monica Guillory of Lahaina, Hawaii for her oil, 1965. Claire Duncan of Ashland, Oregon received the Third Place award for her acrylic Light Elation. The three top prize awards are $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place and $250 for third place. Honorable Mention and Entry of Merit awards were also announced during the opening ceremony. The four Honorable Mention recipients are: David Castleberry of Charleston, Oregon for Pondering the Path of the Full Moon, oil; Yi Shin Chiang of San Francisco, California for Thesis Study #2, oil; David Carmack Lewis of Portland, Oregon for Roof, oil; and Georgiana Nehl of Portland, Oregon for Family Tree oil and watercolor. Entry of Merit awards went to: Claire Duncan of Ashland, Oregon, Monica Guillory of Lahaina, Hawaii, Morgan Burton Johnson of North Bend, Oregon, Win Jolley of Florence, Oregon, David Carmack Lewis of Portland Oregon, William Selden of Coos Bay, Oregon, and Christine Zachary of Portland, Oregon. Expressions West is now in its 19th year and remains one of the premier exhibitions held annually at Coos Art Museum. This year’s exhibition runs from April 24 through June 27, 2015. Juror, Brian Hoover is a Professor of painting and printmaking at Southern Utah University. He received his art training at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Kutztown University where he received his BFA and the State University of New York where he received his MFA. Hoover’s highly detailed and symbolic work is exhibited nationally and is part of many private and public collections throughout the United States. Brian Hoover was himself the winner of the 2009 Expressions West exhibition at Coos Art Museum with his painting Girl with Fantastic Hat IX Saturnalia. Hoover’s own paintings are also on display at the Museum in the Mabel Hansen Gallery. His one – person exhibition A Feast of Dreams runs consecutively with Expressions West. Coos Art Museum has been a cultural focal point of Oregon’s scenic Southern Coast since 1966. It occupies the historic 1936 Art Deco US Federal Building in downtown Coos Bay. The Museum offers a wide range of arts activities including exhibitions, art classes and lectures. Hours are 10:00am to 4:00pm, Tuesday through Friday and 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday. Museum admission: $5 general, $2 students, veterans and seniors, free to Museum members.